pdfCalligraph

Intro

iText pdfCalligraph

pdfCalligraph is an iText Core add-on for Java and C# (.NET) that allows you to unlock advanced typographic features in PDF. It also allows you to expand your document workflow with global languages and writing systems, that incorporate accurate rendering and are suitable for data processing.

Supported Scripts

Language Script Module
Arabic, Persian, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Sindhi, Pashto, Lurish, Urdu, Mandinka, Punjabi and others ARABIC pdfCalligraph
Hebrew, Yiddish, Judaeo-Spanish, and Judeo-Arabic HEBREW pdfCalligraph
Bengali, Assamese BENGALI pdfCalligraph
Hindi, Sanskrit, Pali, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj Bhasha, Chhattisgarhi, Haryanvi, Magahi, Nagpuri, Rajasthani, Bhili, Dogri, Marathi, Nepali, Maithili, Kashmiri, Konkani, Sindhi, Bodo, Nepalbhasa, Mundari and Santali DEVANAGARI, NAGARI pdfCalligraph
Gujarati and Kutchi GUJARATI pdfCalligraph
Punjabi GURMUKHI pdfCalligraph
Kannada, Konkani and others KANNADA pdfCalligraph
Khmer (Cambodia) KHMER pdfCalligraph
Malayalam MALAYALAM pdfCalligraph
Mayanmar MAYANMAR (MON-BURMESE) pdfCalligraph
Odia ORIYA pdfCalligraph
Tamil TAMIL pdfCalligraph
Telugu (Dravidian language) TELUGU pdfCalligraph
Thai THAI pdfCalligraph
Chinese Core
Japanese Core
Korean Core
WESTERN Core
Russian, Ukrainian, Belarussian, Bulgarian and others CYRILLIC Core
Greek GREEK Core
Armenian ARMENIAN Core
Georgian GEORGIAN Core
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How it works

For this example, we'll demonstrate using pdfCalligraph to correctly render text in different languages. First, let’s start with a simple English sentence, which we've translated into three different languages using Google Translate.

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final String[] sources = {"english.xml", "arabic.xml", "hindi.xml", "tamil.xml"};
        final PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(DEST);
        final PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(writer);
        final Document document = new Document(pdfDocument);
        final FontSet set = new FontSet();
        set.addFont("fonts/NotoNaskhArabic-Regular.ttf");
        set.addFont("fonts/NotoSansTamil-Regular.ttf");
        set.addFont("fonts/FreeSans.ttf");
        document.setFontProvider(new FontProvider(set));
        document.setProperty(Property.FONT, new String[]{"MyFontFamilyName"});
        for (final String source : sources) {
            final File xmlFile = new File(source);
            final DocumentBuilderFactory factory = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
            final DocumentBuilder builder = factory.newDocumentBuilder();
            final org.w3c.dom.Document doc = builder.parse(xmlFile);
            final Node element = doc.getElementsByTagName("text").item(0);
            final Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph();
            final Node textDirectionElement = element.getAttributes().getNamedItem("direction");
            boolean rtl = textDirectionElement != null && textDirectionElement.getTextContent()
                    .equalsIgnoreCase("rtl");
            if (rtl) {
                paragraph.setTextAlignment(TextAlignment.RIGHT);
            }
            paragraph.add(element.getTextContent());
            document.add(paragraph);
        }
        document.close();
        pdfDocument.close();
        writer.close();
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string[] sources = new string[] { "english.xml", "arabic.xml", "hindi.xml", "tamil.xml" };
            PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(DEST);
            PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(writer);
            Document document = new Document(pdfDocument);
            FontSet set = new FontSet();
            set.AddFont("NotoNaskhArabic-Regular.ttf");
            set.AddFont("NotoSansTamil-Regular.ttf");
            set.AddFont("FreeSans.ttf");
            document.SetFontProvider(new FontProvider(set));
            document.SetProperty(Property.FONT, new String[] { "MyFontFamilyName" });
            foreach (string source in sources)
            {
                XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
                var stream = new FileStream(source, FileMode.Open);
                doc.Load(stream);
                XmlNode element = doc.GetElementsByTagName("text").Item(0);
                Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph();
                XmlNode textDirectionElement = element.Attributes.GetNamedItem("direction");
                Boolean rtl = textDirectionElement != null && textDirectionElement.InnerText.Equals("rtl");
                if (rtl)
                {
                    paragraph.SetTextAlignment(TextAlignment.RIGHT);
                }
                paragraph.Add(element.InnerText);
                document.Add(paragraph);
            }
            document.Close();

Input

An image displaying four different languages in a single PDF

 

 

 

 

Resource files

Output

 

Key features

Core capabilities of iText pdfCalligraph

Off-the-shelf PDF creators have problems with character interactions or writing systems such as Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi or Thai and in regards to kerning, ligatures, and glyph substitutes. pdfCalligraph handles all those writing systems with ease, and by making use of OpenType features it opens up the full range of iText PDF functionalities for you in your language, and your writing system. This even includes text extraction for writing systems with compound characters. Another advantage of pdfCalligraph is that you do not have to adjust your programming in Java or .NET (C#).

iText
Leverage advanced font features

Such as OpenType features, kerning, ligatures and glyph substitutes.

iText
Transparent support for many languages

Including languages that use Brahmic, Arabic and Hebrew scripts as well as Thai and many more.

iText
Automatic detection of language/writing system

Required font features are enabled and applied automatically. Manual configuration is possible. pdfCalligraph integrates seamlessly with iText Core and pdfHTML.

iText
Typographic alignment for all writing systems

Flush left, flush right, centered and justified alignment.

Benefits

Why use iText pdfCalligraph?

pdfCalligraph opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to service businesses on all Continents. Wherever you or your business are based, pdfCalligraph opens up the full capability of our PDF functionalities to you, in your local language and your writing system. 

pdfCalligraph icon svg
Supporting your international business

Use your document processes for multiple languages without having to adjust your PDF programming. Exchange non-proprietary data format between users of many cultures. Create large batches of PDF documents in various writing systems, or be finally able to produce and manipulate PDF documents in your own local language and writing system while retaining all the PDF processing functionalities iText has to offer.

pdfCalligraph icon svg
Automatic detection of writing systems in PDF

Detect which writing system is being used in PDF creation. Make glyph substitutions based on script- and font-specific information. pdfCalligraph also lets you add information about the reading order, such as Arabic which is read from right to left. pdfCalligraph automatically detects and manages the writing system of Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi or Thai and many more with ease.

Contact

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