Retrieve binary image data from SQL Server into pdf via iTextSharp ASP.NET

Question

I'm trying to retrieve binary image data from my SQL server and export it into my pdf file by using the follow method

phrase.Add(new Chunk("Image :", normalFont));
Byte[] bytes = (Byte[])dr[0];
Response.Buffer = true;
Response.Charset = "";
Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache);
Response.ContentType = "image/jpg";
Response.BinaryWrite(bytes);
Response.Flush();
Response.End();
phrase.Add(bytes);

table.AddCell(phrase);

When i'm trying to display binary image data into my webapp using the above method, it works perfectly fine. Unfortunately when i want to export the image into my pdf file it doesn't work.

I have error like this on the phrase.Add method. I know i'm doing something wrong but i cant figure it out

Here is my entire back-end code for my PDF button.

protected void btnPDF_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {

        var doc1 = new Document();
        var filename = "MyTestPDF" + DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyyMMddHHmmssfff") + ".pdf";
        var output = new FileStream(Path.Combine("C:\\Users\\apr12mpsip\\Desktop\\New folder", filename), FileMode.Create);
        PdfWriter.GetInstance(doc1, output);
        PdfPCell cell = null;
        doc1.Open();

        PdfPTable table = new PdfPTable(1);
        table.TotalWidth = 585f;
        table.LockedWidth = true;

        var logo = iTextSharp.text.Image.GetInstance(Server.MapPath("~/image/logo.jpg"));
        doc1.Add(logo);

        var titleFont = FontFactory.GetFont("Arial", 18, Font.BOLD);
        doc1.Add(new Paragraph("Official Report. Member Report ID : " + DDLCase.SelectedValue, titleFont));

        var normalFont = FontFactory.GetFont(FontFactory.HELVETICA, 14, Font.BOLD);
        var phrase = new Phrase();


        SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection("Data Source = localhost; Initial Catalog = project; Integrated Security = SSPI");

        SqlCommand cm = new SqlCommand("Select lro.fullname, lro.contact, mr.typeofcrime, mr.location,mr.crdatetime, pr.policeid,  pr.prdatetime, mr.citizenreport, pr.policereport, aor.officialreport, mr.image1 from MemberReport mr, PoliceReport pr, LoginRegisterOthers lro, AdminOfficialReport aor where mr.memberreportid = '" + DDLCase.SelectedValue + "' and mr.memberreportid=pr.memberreportid and pr.policereportid=aor.policereportid", con);
        con.Open();
        SqlDataReader dr;

        dr = cm.ExecuteReader();

        if (dr.Read())
        {

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Full Name :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[0].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Contact :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[1].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Type Of Crime :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[2].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Location :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[3].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Citizen Report Date Time :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[4].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Police ID :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[5].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Police Report Date Time :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[6].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Citizen Report :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[7].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Police Report :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[8].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Official Report :", normalFont));
            phrase.Add(dr[9].ToString());

            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);
            phrase.Add(Chunk.NEWLINE);

            phrase.Add(new Chunk("Image :", normalFont));
            Byte[] bytes = (Byte[])dr[0];
            Response.Buffer = true;
            Response.Charset = "";
            Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache);
            Response.ContentType = "image/jpg";
            Response.BinaryWrite(bytes);
            Response.Flush();
            Response.End();
            phrase.Add(bytes);

            table.AddCell(phrase);


        }

        dr.Close();
        doc1.Add(table);
        doc1.Close();

Answer 1

To add an image when creating a PDF with iTextSharp, you should use the Image class (from the iTextSharp.text namespace). This class has numerous static helper method GetInstance overloads which assist in creating an Image instance, cf. the source . In your case most likely the overload with only one byte[] argument will do:

using iTextSharp.text;
[...]
Byte[] bytes = (Byte[])dr[10];
Image image = Image.GetInstance(bytes);
Chunk imageChunk = new Chunk(image, 0, 0);
phrase.Add(imageChunk);

Answer 2

I see two major problems in your code. There may be others, but let's start with these:

1. You have: Response.ContentType = "image/jpg"; but you're creating a PDF, and your question shows that you're sending PDF to the browser, NOT an image. You need Response.ContentType = "application/pdf" .
2. I assume that Byte[] bytes represents an image. It beats me why you'd add these image bytes straight to a Phrase object. How on earth is the Phrase object supposed to know that these bytes should be converted to an Image object? You've skipped a couple of steps. First you need to create an Image object, then wrap that image inside a Chunk , then add that chunk to a Phrase .

For examples on creating images, please browse http://tinyurl.com/itextsharpIIA2C10

If you want to know what wrapping images in chunks is about, please read the final pages of chapter 2 of my book.