How to: Add a PDF Viewer to the WinForms Application via Code

• Jan 23, 2019
• 2 minutes to read

This example describes how to programmatically add a PDF Viewer to a Windows Forms application.

To add a PDF Viewer to the Windows Forms application at runtime, do the following.

1. Run Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2012, 2013, 2015 or 2017.
2. Create a new Windows Forms application project or open an existing one.

3. Open the Solution Explorer, right-click References and choose Add Reference… to add references to the PDF Viewer libraries.

   

4. In the Extensions tab, select the DevExpress.XtraPdfViewer.v18.2, DevExpress.Pdf.v18.2.Core, DevExpress.Data.v18.2, DevExpress.Utils.v18.2 assemblies and click OK.

   

5. Write the following (or similar) code:

   C#

   
   using DevExpress.XtraPdfViewer;
   using System;
   using System.Windows.Forms;
   
   namespace CreatePdfViewer {
       public partial class Form1 : Form {
           public Form1() {
               InitializeComponent();
           }
   
           private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
               // Create a PDF viewer.
               PdfViewer viewer = new PdfViewer();
   
               // Specify the viewer position on the form.           
               viewer.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
   
               // Add the PDF viewer to the window.
               this.Controls.Add(viewer);
           }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   
   Imports DevExpress.XtraPdfViewer
   Imports System.Windows.Forms
   
   Namespace CreatePdfViewer
       Public Partial Class Form1
           Inherits Form
           Public Sub New()
               InitializeComponent()
           End Sub
   
           Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
               ' Create a PDF viewer. 
               Dim viewer As New PdfViewer()
   
               ' Specify the viewer position on the form.            
               viewer.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
   
               ' Add the PDF viewer to the window. 
               Me.Controls.Add(viewer)
           End Sub
       End Class
   End Namespace
   

6. Run the application to see the result.