PDF Viewer Tutorial

danielb21 · April 2009

I have received several requests asking how to view a PDF after creating it natively in the iPhone. Below is a guide to doing just that. It uses the method I am currently using - a UIWebView. This provides you scrolling, zooming and navigating multiple pages without having to write any extra code. So, on to the code!

[LIST=1]
[*]In your project navigate to or create the directory you want to have the PDF Viewer.
[*]Create a new UIView subclass named 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Also create a new view in your resources directory named 'PDFView'.
[/LIST]

This is what your PDFViewController.h should look like:


@interface PDFViewController : UIViewController <UIWebViewDelegate> {
	UIWebView	*webView;
	NSURL	*pdfUrl;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWebView	*webView;
@property (nonatomic, retain) NSURL			*pdfUrl;

@end

Here we have created UIWebView object named webView, (which has an outlet to Interface Builder) and an NSURL object named pdfUrl.

This is what your PDFViewController.m should look like:


#import \"PDFViewController.h\"

@implementation PDFViewController

@synthesize webView, pdfUrl;

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark UIViewController methods

// View Did Load method -- Load the PDF
- (void)viewDidLoad {
	[super viewDidLoad];
	// Tells the webView to load pdfUrl
	[webView loadRequest:[NSURLRequest requestWithURL:pdfUrl]];
}
// Dealloc method -- webView, pdfURL
- (void)dealloc {
        [webView release];
        [pdfUrl release];
        [super dealloc];
}

@end

We synthesize our properties, release them in our deallocate method, and in our ViewDidLoad method, tell the webView to load pdfUrl.

Next open PDFView in Interface Builder.

[LIST=1]
[*]Make File's Owner Class Identity 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Add a Web View on top of the View.
[*]Hook up the view outlet on File's Owner to the View, and the webView outlet on File's Owner to the WebView.
[*]Hook up the delegate outlet on Web View to File's Owner.
[*]Save the file and quit Interface Builder.
[/LIST]

Now the only other thing we need to do is Create an instance of PDFViewController, set the pdfUrl property and push the view. I am assuming here that you have some basic knowledge and am not going to get too detailed as to where you put the code that follows. Make sure that in the controller you place this code you have imported 'PDFViewController.h', otherwise it won't work.


// Create an instance of PDFViewController
PDFViewController *controller = [[PDFViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@\"PDFView\" bundle:nil];
// Get the path to our documents directory
NSArray *documentPath = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
// This should be our documents directory
NSString *saveDirectory = [documentPath objectAtIndex:0];
// Our PDF is named 'Example.pdf'
NSString *saveFileName = @\"Example.pdf\";
// Create the full path using our saveDirectory and saveFileName
NSString *finalPath = [saveDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:saveFileName];
// Set the pdfUrl to our finalPath
controller.pdfUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:finalPath];
// Push 'controller'
[self.navigationController pushViewController:controller animated:YES];
// Release 'controller'
[controller release];

So, above we created an instance of PDFViewController, created a string that contains the path to our documents directory and a file named 'Example.pdf' in that directory. We set that string to pdfUrl for our controller, and pushed our controller.

That about does it, viewing PDFs on the phone couldn't be much easier than that! Please let me know if you have any questions or if something presented in this tutorial doesn't click.

Thanks!

sukumar_77 · April 2009

Thanks Daniel for your great work.

The same approach may be useful to read Microsoft Office Documents i.e. Word, Excel and PPT, if required.

pierresinne · May 2009

danielb21;75290 said:
I have received several requests asking how to view a PDF after creating it natively in the iPhone. Below is a guide to doing just that. It uses the method I am currently using - a UIWebView. This provides you scrolling, zooming and navigating multiple pages without having to write any extra code. So, on to the code!

[LIST=1]
[*]In your project navigate to or create the directory you want to have the PDF Viewer.
[*]Create a new UIView subclass named 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Also create a new view in your resources directory named 'PDFView'.
[/LIST]

This is what your PDFViewController.h should look like:
@interface PDFViewController : UIViewController <UIWebViewDelegate> {
	UIWebView	*webView;
	NSURL	*pdfUrl;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWebView	*webView;
@property (nonatomic, retain) NSURL			*pdfUrl;

@end
Here we have created UIWebView object named webView, (which has an outlet to Interface Builder) and an NSURL object named pdfUrl.

This is what your PDFViewController.m should look like:
#import \"PDFViewController.h\"

@implementation PDFViewController

@synthesize webView, pdfUrl;

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark UIViewController methods

// View Did Load method -- Load the PDF
- (void)viewDidLoad {
	[super viewDidLoad];
	// Tells the webView to load pdfUrl
	[webView loadRequest:[NSURLRequest requestWithURL:pdfUrl]];
}
// Dealloc method -- webView, pdfURL
- (void)dealloc {
        [webView release];
        [pdfUrl release];
        [super dealloc];
}

@end
We synthesize our properties, release them in our deallocate method, and in our ViewDidLoad method, tell the webView to load pdfUrl.

Next open PDFView in Interface Builder.

[LIST=1]
[*]Make File's Owner Class Identity 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Add a Web View on top of the View.
[*]Hook up the view outlet on File's Owner to the View, and the webView outlet on File's Owner to the WebView.
[*]Hook up the delegate outlet on Web View to File's Owner.
[*]Save the file and quit Interface Builder.
[/LIST]

Now the only other thing we need to do is Create an instance of PDFViewController, set the pdfUrl property and push the view. I am assuming here that you have some basic knowledge and am not going to get too detailed as to where you put the code that follows. Make sure that in the controller you place this code you have imported 'PDFViewController.h', otherwise it won't work.
// Create an instance of PDFViewController
PDFViewController *controller = [[PDFViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@\"PDFView\" bundle:nil];
// Get the path to our documents directory
NSArray *documentPath = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
// This should be our documents directory
NSString *saveDirectory = [documentPath objectAtIndex:0];
// Our PDF is named 'Example.pdf'
NSString *saveFileName = @\"Example.pdf\";
// Create the full path using our saveDirectory and saveFileName
NSString *finalPath = [saveDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:saveFileName];
// Set the pdfUrl to our finalPath
controller.pdfUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:finalPath];
// Push 'controller'
[self.navigationController pushViewController:controller animated:YES];
// Release 'controller'
[controller release];
So, above we created an instance of PDFViewController, created a string that contains the path to our documents directory and a file named 'Example.pdf' in that directory. We set that string to pdfUrl for our controller, and pushed our controller.

That about does it, viewing PDFs on the phone couldn't be much easier than that! Please let me know if you have any questions or if something presented in this tutorial doesn't click.

Thanks!

thanks daniel, I'm new to development in iPhone apps, can you assist me with what mean from step 5 downwards, you lost me there. thanks Pierre

nevermind · May 2009

Hi

first of all, thank you so much for such an easy-to-understand tutorial!
It's great!
Could you show me how to show a PDF File that I want to deliver with my app? I mean especially what file path I'd have to type, to point a PDF File that must be found by my PDFView later on the Phone...

thank you (and sorry for my bad English)

nevermind

sukumar_77 · May 2009

If you are adding a pdf file as a resource file, then following code can be used.


NSString *pdfPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@\"pdfFileName\" ofType:@\".pdf\"];

NSURL *pdfURL = [NSURL URLWithString:pdfPath];

shermankimb · August 2009

sukumar_77;83855 said:
If you are adding a pdf file as a resource file, then following code can be used.
NSString *pdfPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@\"pdfFileName\" ofType:@\".pdf\"];

NSURL *pdfURL = [NSURL URLWithString:pdfPath];

I'm just getting started at this and what I'm trying to do is to make a simple app where I can click on the icon and a pdf comes up that can be expanded etc. I have created a simple app and then used this tutorial and it's not getting any errors but my pdf isn't showing up. My pdf is a resource file. I have put the code above in a view controller in the loadView section. I have no idea if this is correct - I've tried several other things as well. Can someone tell me where the code above is supposed to go.

Thanks!

sukumar_77 · August 2009

shermankimb;110292 said:
I'm just getting started at this and what I'm trying to do is to make a simple app where I can click on the icon and a pdf comes up that can be expanded etc. I have created a simple app and then used this tutorial and it's not getting any errors but my pdf isn't showing up. My pdf is a resource file. I have put the code above in a view controller in the loadView section. I have no idea if this is correct - I've tried several other things as well. Can someone tell me where the code above is supposed to go.

Thanks!

Are you testing onj simulator? If YES, then please test it on device as you will not get any output on simulator.

DGoulian · August 2009

danielb21 - This is a great article - exactly what I have been looking for. Unfortunately, I can't get the code to work after several attempts. Can you post the project for download or email it to me at [email]dgiii@cox.net[/email]. Thanks!

danielb21;75290 said:
I have received several requests asking how to view a PDF after creating it natively in the iPhone. Below is a guide to doing just that. It uses the method I am currently using - a UIWebView. This provides you scrolling, zooming and navigating multiple pages without having to write any extra code. So, on to the code!

[LIST=1]
[*]In your project navigate to or create the directory you want to have the PDF Viewer.
[*]Create a new UIView subclass named 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Also create a new view in your resources directory named 'PDFView'.
[/LIST]

This is what your PDFViewController.h should look like:
@interface PDFViewController : UIViewController <UIWebViewDelegate> {
	UIWebView	*webView;
	NSURL	*pdfUrl;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWebView	*webView;
@property (nonatomic, retain) NSURL			*pdfUrl;

@end
Here we have created UIWebView object named webView, (which has an outlet to Interface Builder) and an NSURL object named pdfUrl.

This is what your PDFViewController.m should look like:
#import \"PDFViewController.h\"

@implementation PDFViewController

@synthesize webView, pdfUrl;

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark UIViewController methods

// View Did Load method -- Load the PDF
- (void)viewDidLoad {
	[super viewDidLoad];
	// Tells the webView to load pdfUrl
	[webView loadRequest:[NSURLRequest requestWithURL:pdfUrl]];
}
// Dealloc method -- webView, pdfURL
- (void)dealloc {
        [webView release];
        [pdfUrl release];
        [super dealloc];
}

@end
We synthesize our properties, release them in our deallocate method, and in our ViewDidLoad method, tell the webView to load pdfUrl.

Next open PDFView in Interface Builder.

[LIST=1]
[*]Make File's Owner Class Identity 'PDFViewController'.
[*]Add a Web View on top of the View.
[*]Hook up the view outlet on File's Owner to the View, and the webView outlet on File's Owner to the WebView.
[*]Hook up the delegate outlet on Web View to File's Owner.
[*]Save the file and quit Interface Builder.
[/LIST]

Now the only other thing we need to do is Create an instance of PDFViewController, set the pdfUrl property and push the view. I am assuming here that you have some basic knowledge and am not going to get too detailed as to where you put the code that follows. Make sure that in the controller you place this code you have imported 'PDFViewController.h', otherwise it won't work.
// Create an instance of PDFViewController
PDFViewController *controller = [[PDFViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@\"PDFView\" bundle:nil];
// Get the path to our documents directory
NSArray *documentPath = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
// This should be our documents directory
NSString *saveDirectory = [documentPath objectAtIndex:0];
// Our PDF is named 'Example.pdf'
NSString *saveFileName = @\"Example.pdf\";
// Create the full path using our saveDirectory and saveFileName
NSString *finalPath = [saveDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:saveFileName];
// Set the pdfUrl to our finalPath
controller.pdfUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:finalPath];
// Push 'controller'
[self.navigationController pushViewController:controller animated:YES];
// Release 'controller'
[controller release];
So, above we created an instance of PDFViewController, created a string that contains the path to our documents directory and a file named 'Example.pdf' in that directory. We set that string to pdfUrl for our controller, and pushed our controller.

That about does it, viewing PDFs on the phone couldn't be much easier than that! Please let me know if you have any questions or if something presented in this tutorial doesn't click.

Thanks!

GeorgeMGM · August 2009

Hi Guys,
Im really new to this and i've tried doing this but it just isnt working for me...
Umm, can someone make a youtube video or something or message me because this really isn't working for me...
Thanks Guys
George.

DGoulian · August 2009

I have had trouble getting this to work, and I am an experienced programmer. has the author actualy tried this code? Maybe the author would be kind enough to post the working project? Or email to me at [email]dgiii@cox.net[/email].
Thanks!:)

danielb21 · August 2009

Hey everyone,

I've been extremely busy and haven't been able to reply till just now. I'm creating a simple project for this right now and will send to all that have PM'ed me.

Thanks!
Dan

Brianu · September 2009

danielb21;118438 said:
Hey everyone,

I've been extremely busy and haven't been able to reply till just now. I'm creating a simple project for this right now and will send to all that have PM'ed me.

Thanks!
Dan

Hello!

Thanks very much for what you've done here!
I'd also love to get that project, if you would be willing to share.

I'm at [email]brian@slopart.com[/email]

It is much appreciated!!

alexandergre · September 2009

Where shall I paste this code? in the AppDelegate?
anybody? please I tried several times with no success... thanx in advance

danielb21;75290 said:


// Create an instance of PDFViewController
PDFViewController *controller = [[PDFViewController alloc] initWithNibName:@\"PDFView\" bundle:nil];
// Get the path to our documents directory
NSArray *documentPath = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
// This should be our documents directory
NSString *saveDirectory = [documentPath objectAtIndex:0];
// Our PDF is named 'Example.pdf'
NSString *saveFileName = @\"Example.pdf\";
// Create the full path using our saveDirectory and saveFileName
NSString *finalPath = [saveDirectory stringByAppendingPathComponent:saveFileName];
// Set the pdfUrl to our finalPath
controller.pdfUrl = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:finalPath];
// Push 'controller'
[self.navigationController pushViewController:controller animated:YES];
// Release 'controller'
[controller release];

rmonson · September 2009

sukumar_77;83855 said:
If you are adding a pdf file as a resource file, then following code can be used.
NSString *pdfPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@\"pdfFileName\" ofType:@\".pdf\"];

NSURL *pdfURL = [NSURL URLWithString:pdfPath];

This works well but you have to remove the dot (".") from the file type or it doesn't work. so the "ofType" parameter should be as follows:

ofType:@"pdf"

Notice the dot is missing.

Coaster · September 2009

I am afraid i am another that is having trouble with this, i got the PDF create tutorial working, just this one i am doing something wrong.

Could i also please get you to send me the example project please

[EMAIL="sander15@bigpond.net.au"]sander15@bigpond.net.au[/EMAIL]

Thank you

Martin_Kuhn · September 2009

sukumar_77;83855 said:
If you are adding a pdf file as a resource file, then following code can be used.
NSString *pdfPath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@\"pdfFileName\" ofType:@\".pdf\"];

NSURL *pdfURL = [NSURL URLWithString:pdfPath];

Hallo.

Thanks for this very good tutorial!
Please show me the exact position of this code.
I can't make it work correct.

Thanks Martin

shermankimb · October 2009

I'm now getting back to working on this and also still having trouble. I would love to see the example project!

I'm one of those who is trying to load the pdf from the Resources folder.

[email]kksherman@austin.rr.com[/email]

Thanks

wolverine · October 2009

danielb21;118438 said:
Hey everyone,

I've been extremely busy and haven't been able to reply till just now. I'm creating a simple project for this right now and will send to all that have PM'ed me.

Thanks!
Dan

Please send the project to me too. :)

wolverine · October 2009

I checked this thing and its working perfectly in the simulator as well as device. I just added a PDF as a resource and checked it. And its fine.

momolgtm · October 2009

danielb21;118438 said:
Hey everyone,

I've been extremely busy and haven't been able to reply till just now. I'm creating a simple project for this right now and will send to all that have PM'ed me.

Thanks!
Dan

Could i also please get you to send me the example project please

[email]momolgtm@gmail.com[/email]

Thank you

hobnob · October 2009

danielb21;118438 said:
Hey everyone,

I've been extremely busy and haven't been able to reply till just now. I'm creating a simple project for this right now and will send to all that have PM'ed me.

Thanks!
Dan

Hello, could you email it to me please as well, thanks. I've messaged you.

magick · October 2009

Nice.

shiva.0537 · October 2009

Hi,

I am also looking for same kind of application. Could you please send me code, if you are willing to share. My mail id is [email]sambasivarao@web1infotech.com[/email]

Thanks
shiva

Sumit · November 2009

Hi,

Thanks for the tutorial. It was really a detailed on.
It would be great if you can send me the sample code too.
My email id : [email]s_utreja@yahoo.com[/email]

Thanks,

aderrington · December 2009

Hi, Any chance someone could forward the example project file on to me aswell??
Many thanks! (Andrew @ Aderrington.co.uk)
Andrew

tjoozey · December 2009

Simulator does not display PDF file. Placed instance code in main.m file.

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