Manage Markup Annotations with DevExpress PDF Document API
- 8 minutes to read
Markup annotations in PDF files are collaboration tools that allow users to add comments, highlights, and other visual elements to a document. PDF Document API supports the following markup annotation types: text, drawing, stamps, and redactions.
PDF Facade API allows you to create, delete, and flatten annotations, edit their content, and add related comments and reviews. The PdfPageFacade.Annotations property retrieves all page annotation properties. Use the PdfDocumentFacade.Pages property to obtain the PdfPageFacade class.
This help topic contains information about markup annotations. Refer to the following help topics for information on other annotation types:
- Annotations in PDF Documents - lists all annotation types and their common features.
- Redaction Annotations - describes redaction annotations.
Create Text Markup Annotations
Text markup annotations include the following types:
- Text highlight, underline, and strikeout
- Free text
- Caret
- Sticky notes
The table below lists supported text markup annotation types and the API used to create these annotations:
| Annotation | Class | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Text highlight, underline and strikeout | PdfTextMarkupAnnotationFacade | PdfPageFacade.AddTextMarkupAnnotation |
| Caret | PdfCaretAnnotationFacade | PdfPageFacade.AddCaretAnnotation |
| Free Text | PdfFreeTextAnnotationFacade | PdfPageFacade.AddFreeTextAnnotation |
| Sticky Note | PdfTextAnnotationFacade | PdfPageFacade.AddTextAnnotation |
The following code snippet creates a text highlight and a free text annotation:
using DevExpress.Pdf;
using System;
using System.IO;
using (PdfDocumentProcessor processor = new PdfDocumentProcessor()) {
// Load a document
processor.LoadDocument("..\\..\\Document.pdf");
// Access the first page's properties
PdfPageFacade pageFacade = processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[0];
// Find the phrase to highlight
string annotatedText =
"We estimate that each component of Ounce provides independent pseudorandom theory.";
PdfTextSearchResults searchResults = pdfDocumentProcessor.FindText(annotatedText);
if (searchResults.Status == PdfTextSearchStatus.Found) {
// Highlight found text
PdfTextMarkupAnnotationFacade textMarkupAnnotation =
page.AddTextMarkupAnnotation(searchResults.Rectangles, PdfTextMarkupAnnotationType.Highlight);
// Specify annotation properties
textMarkupAnnotation.Author = "Bill Smith";
textMarkupAnnotation.Subject = "Important!";
textMarkupAnnotation.Contents = "Please, fact-check this diagram";
textMarkupAnnotation.Color = new PdfRGBColor(0.10, 0.85, 1.00);
}
// Specify a free text annotation area
PdfRectangle freeTextRectangle = new PdfRectangle(14, 321, 145, 340);
// Create a free text annotation in this area
PdfFreeTextAnnotationFacade freeTextAnnotation =
pageFacade.AddFreeTextAnnotation(freeTextRectangle, "Free Text Annotation");
freeTextAnnotation.Author = "Rayn Anita W";
// Add a callout line
freeTextAnnotation.SetCallout(PdfAnnotationLineEndingStyle.OpenArrow, new PdfPoint(152,351));
// Save the result
processor.SaveDocument("..\\..\\Result.pdf");
}
Create Drawing Annotations
Drawing annotations are predefined or freehand drawings, shapes, polygons, and paths added directly to the document.
The table below lists supported drawing markup annotation types and the API used to create these annotations:
The following code snippet creates a circle and an ink annotation:
using DevExpress.Pdf;
using (PdfDocumentProcessor processor = new PdfDocumentProcessor())
{
// Load a document
processor.LoadDocument(@"C:\\Documents\\Document.pdf");
// Find the target phrase in the document
string circleText = "dogfooded";
PdfTextSearchResults searchResults = processor.FindText(circleText);
int pageIndex = searchResults.PageNumber - 1;
if (searchResults.Status == PdfTextSearchStatus.Found)
{
// Define an area around the phrase to add an annotation
PdfRectangle circleRectangle = searchResults.Rectangles[0].BoundingRectangle;
// Create a circle annotation in this area
PdfCircleAnnotationFacade circleAnnotation =
processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[pageIndex].AddCircleAnnotation(circleRectangle);
circleAnnotation.Author = "Cardle Anita W";
circleAnnotation.Contents = "It's better to say 'used' in this case";
circleAnnotation.Color = new PdfRGBColor();
}
// Define ink vertices
PdfPoint[] points = new PdfPoint[]
{
new PdfPoint(100, 100),
new PdfPoint(120, 100),
new PdfPoint(130, 110),
new PdfPoint(130, 110),
new PdfPoint(140, 100),
new PdfPoint(150, 150)
};
List<IList<PdfPoint>> inks = new List<IList<PdfPoint>> { points };
// Create an ink annotation
PdfInkAnnotationFacade inkAnnotation = processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[pageIndex].AddInkAnnotation(inks);
inkAnnotation.Author = "Brian Zetc";
inkAnnotation.BorderWidth = 1.0;
// Save the result
processor.SaveDocument("..\\..\\..\\Result.pdf");
}
Create Rubber Stamp Annotations
Rubber stamp annotations are markup tools that convey various messages or statuses, such as “Approved,” “Draft”, “Confidential,” or “Rejected.” The PDF Document API supports static, dynamic, and custom stamp annotations.
The PdfPageFacade.AddRubberStampAnnotation method creates a rubber stamp annotation at the specified page area.
Create Simple Rubber Stamp Annotations
Pass one of the PdfRubberStampAnnotationIconName class fields as the PdfPageFacade.AddRubberStampAnnotation() method parameter to create a rubber stamp with a built-in static icon.
The following code snippet creates a Top Secret rubber stamp:
using (PdfDocumentProcessor processor = new PdfDocumentProcessor())
{
// Load a document
processor.LoadDocument("..\\..\\Document.pdf");
// Access the first page properties
PdfPageFacade page = processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[0];
// Define a rubber stamp rectangle
PdfRectangle rubberStampRectangle = new PdfRectangle(663, 526, 763, 576);
// Create a rubber stamp in this rectangle
PdfRubberStampAnnotationFacade rubberStamp =
page.AddRubberStampAnnotation(rubberStampRectangle, PdfRubberStampAnnotationIconName.TopSecret);
rubberStamp.Author = "Jesse Faden";
rubberStamp.Contents = "Made in PDF Document API";
}
Create Dynamic Rubber Stamp Annotations
Specify one of the following icon names as the PdfPageFacade.AddRubberStampAnnotation method parameter to create a dynamic rubber stamp:
| Icon Name | Rubber Stamp |
|---|---|
| DReviewed |  |
| DRevised |  |
| DApproved |  |
| DConfidential |  |
| DReceived |  |
Use the Author and ModificationDate properties to specify the author and the date displayed in the rubber stamp.
The following code snippet creates a Reviewed dynamic stamp:
using (PdfDocumentProcessor processor = new PdfDocumentProcessor())
{
// Load a document
processor.LoadDocument("..\\..\\Document.pdf");
// Access the first page's properties
PdfPageFacade page = processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[0];
// Define a rubber stamp rectangle
PdfRectangle rubberStampRectangle = new PdfRectangle(663, 526, 763, 576);
// Create a "Top Secret" rubber stamp annotation
PdfRubberStampAnnotationFacade rubberStamp =
page.AddRubberStampAnnotation(rubberStampRectangle, PdfRubberStampAnnotationIconName.DReviewed);
rubberStamp.Author = "Jesse Faden";
}
Create an Annotation with a Custom Stamp
You can generate a stamp that displays another document’s page. Pass the path to a file and a page number as the PdfPageFacade.AddRubberStampAnnotation method parameters to create a custom stamp.
The following code snippet generates a custom stamp from another document:
using (PdfDocumentProcessor processor = new PdfDocumentProcessor())
{
// Load a document
processor.LoadDocument("..\\..\\Document.pdf");
// Access the first page's properties
PdfPageFacade page = processor.DocumentFacade.Pages[0];
// Define a a rubber stamp rectangle
PdfRectangle rubberStampRectangle = new PdfRectangle(663, 526, 763, 576);
// Specify a document to use as a custom stamp
string customStampFile = "..\\..\\Demo.pdf";
// Create a rubber stamp annotation
PdfRubberStampAnnotationFacade rubberStamp =
page.AddRubberStampAnnotation(rubberStampRectangle, customStampFile, 2);
rubberStamp.Author = "Jesse Faden";
// Save the result
processor.SaveDocument("..\..\Result.pdf")
}