How to write in a specific location the zapfdingbatslist in a pdf document using iTextSharp

Question

I want to put a check mark using zapfdingbatslist on my pdf document in iTextSharp in a specific location .

What I could do so far is I could show the check mark but it's all on the side of the document and not on a specific X, Y coordinate that I want it to be. I have a code below that would hopefully give you the idea of what I am talking about.

    String outputFile = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop), "Test.pdf");
    System.IO.FileStream fs;
    Document doc = new Document(PageSize.A4, 20, 20, 10, 10);
    PdfContentByte cb;
    PdfWriter writer;

    fs = new System.IO.FileStream(outputFile, System.IO.FileMode.Create);
    writer = PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc, fs);
    doc.SetPageSize(iTextSharp.text.PageSize.A4.Rotate());
    writer.AddViewerPreference(PdfName.PICKTRAYBYPDFSIZE, PdfBoolean.PDFTRUE);

    doc.Open();
    cb = writer.DirectContent;

    List myList = new ZapfDingbatsList(52); // Check mark symbol from Dingbatslist

    // I have some more code here but it is not needed for the problem
    // and thererfore not shown


    // I could shohw the dingbatslist check mark here
    myList.Add(" ");
    doc.Add(myList); // However I want to show it in a specific X, Y position

    doc.Close();
    writer.Close();
    fs.Close();

Any idea?

Answer 1

Incidentally, I'm the author of most of the iText documentation (as well as the original developer of iText, including the Document , PdfWriter , ZapfdingbatsList ,... classes), and I'd appreciate it if you took some time to read the iText documentation.

Let's start with chapter 2 and take a look at some C# examples that introduce the Font class.

For instance:

Font font = new Font(Font.FontFamily.ZAPFDINGBATS, 12);

Once you have a Font object, you can create a Phrase (also explained in chapter 2):

Phrase phrase = new Phrase(zapfstring, font); 

Where zapfstring is a string containing any Zapfdingbats character you want.

To add this Phrase at an absolute position, you need to read chapter 3. Take a look at the examples for inspiration, for instance FoobarFilmfestival.cs :

PdfContentByte canvas = writer.DirectContent;
ColumnText.ShowTextAligned(canvas, Element.ALIGN_CENTER, phrase, 200, 500, 0); 

Where 200 and 500 are an X and Y coordinate and 0 is an angle expressed in degrees. Instead of ALIGN_CENTER , you can also choose ALIGN_RIGHT or ALIGN_LEFT .

In your code sample you were adding a Zapfdingbats glyph to a document using a list. Please take a moment to put yourself in my place. Doesn't that feel as if you're the inventor of the sock attending a Red Hot Chili Peppers' concert?