Copying fields in iTextSharp 5.4.5.0 - itext

Question

I was under the impression that it is now possible to copy AcroFields using PdfCopy. In the release notes for iText 5.4.4.0 this is listed as possible now. However, when I try to do so it appears all the annotations (I think I am using that term correctly, still fairly new to iText...) for the fields are stripped out. It looks like the fields are there (meaning I can see the blue boxes that indicate an editable field), but they are not editable. If I try to bring the PDF up in Acrobat I get a message saying that "there are no fields, would you like Acrobat to discover them?" and most are found and marked and fields properly (check boxes aren't, but the text fields are).
I assume there is an additional step somewhere along the lines to re-add the annotations to the PdfCopy object, but I do not see a way to get the annotations from the PdfReader. I also cannot seem to find any documentation on how to do this (since AcroFields were for so long not supported in PdfCopy most of what I find is along that vein).
Due to sensitivity I cannot provide a copy of the PDF's in question, but using an altered version of a test program used earlier you can see the issue with the following code. It should generate a table with some check boxes in the four right columns. If I use the exact same code with PdfCopyFields in the MergePdfs method instead of PdfCopy it works as expected. This code does not produce any text fields, but in my main project they are part of the original parent PDF that is used as a template.
(Sorry for the long example, it has been cherry picked from a much larger application. You will need a PDF with a field named "TableStartPosition" somewhere in it and update RunTest with the correct paths for your local machine to get this to work.)
Has the PdfCopy functionality not made it into iTextSharp yet? I am using version 5.4.5.0.
class Program
{
Stream _pdfTemplateStream;
MemoryStream _pdfResultStream;
PdfReader _pdfTemplateReader;
PdfStamper _pdfResultStamper;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Program p = new Program();
try
{
p.RunTest();
}
catch (Exception f)
{
Console.WriteLine(f.Message);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
internal void RunTest()
{
FileStream fs = File.OpenRead(#"C:\temp\a\RenameFieldTest\RenameFieldTest\Library\CoverPage.pdf");
_pdfTemplateStream = fs;
_pdfResultStream = new MemoryStream();
//PDFTemplateStream = new FileStream(_templatePath, FileMode.Open);
_pdfTemplateReader = new PdfReader(_pdfTemplateStream);
_pdfResultStamper = new PdfStamper(_pdfTemplateReader, _pdfResultStream);
#region setup objects
List<CustomCategory> Categories = new List<CustomCategory>();
CustomCategory c1 = new CustomCategory();
c1.CategorySizesInUse.Add(CustomCategory.AvailableSizes[1]);
c1.CategorySizesInUse.Add(CustomCategory.AvailableSizes[2]);
Categories.Add(c1);
CustomCategory c2 = new CustomCategory();
c2.CategorySizesInUse.Add(CustomCategory.AvailableSizes[0]);
c2.CategorySizesInUse.Add(CustomCategory.AvailableSizes[1]);
Categories.Add(c2);
List<CustomObject> Items = new List<CustomObject>();
CustomObject co1 = new CustomObject();
co1.Category = c1;
co1.Title = "Object 1";
Items.Add(co1);
CustomObject co2 = new CustomObject();
co2.Category = c2;
co2.Title = "Object 2";
Items.Add(co2);
#endregion
FillCoverPage(Items);
_pdfResultStamper.Close();
_pdfTemplateReader.Close();
List<MemoryStream> pdfStreams = new List<MemoryStream>();
pdfStreams.Add(new MemoryStream(_pdfResultStream.ToArray()));
MergePdfs(#"C:\temp\a\RenameFieldTest\RenameFieldTest\Library\Outfile.pdf", pdfStreams);
_pdfResultStream.Dispose();
_pdfTemplateStream.Dispose();
}
internal void FillCoverPage(List<CustomObject> Items)
{
//Before we start we need to figure out where to start adding the table
var fieldPositions = _pdfResultStamper.AcroFields.GetFieldPositions("TableStartPosition");
if (fieldPositions == null)
{ throw new Exception("Could not find the TableStartPosition field. Unable to determine point of origin for the table!"); }
_pdfResultStamper.AcroFields.RemoveField("TableStartPosition");
var fieldPosition = fieldPositions[0];
// Get the position of the field
var targetPosition = fieldPosition.position;
//First, get all the available card sizes
List<string> availableSizes = CustomCategory.AvailableSizes;
//Generate a table with the number of available card sizes + 1 for the device name
PdfPTable table = new PdfPTable(availableSizes.Count + 1);
float[] columnWidth = new float[availableSizes.Count + 1];
for (int y = 0; y < columnWidth.Length; y++)
{
if (y == 0)
{ columnWidth[y] = 320; }
else
{ columnWidth[y] = 120; }
}
table.SetTotalWidth(columnWidth);
table.WidthPercentage = 100;
PdfContentByte canvas;
List<PdfFormField> checkboxes = new List<PdfFormField>();
//Build the header row
table.Rows.Add(new PdfPRow(this.GetTableHeaderRow(availableSizes)));
//Insert the global check boxes
PdfPCell[] globalRow = new PdfPCell[availableSizes.Count + 1];
Phrase tPhrase = new Phrase("Select/Unselect All");
PdfPCell tCell = new PdfPCell();
tCell.BackgroundColor = BaseColor.LIGHT_GRAY;
tCell.AddElement(tPhrase);
globalRow[0] = tCell;
for (int x = 0; x < availableSizes.Count; x++)
{
tCell = new PdfPCell();
tCell.BackgroundColor = BaseColor.LIGHT_GRAY;
PdfFormField f = PdfFormField.CreateCheckBox(_pdfResultStamper.Writer);
string fieldName = string.Format("InkSaver.Global.chk{0}", availableSizes[x].Replace(".", ""));
//f.FieldName = fieldName;
string js = string.Format("hideAll(event.target, '{0}');", availableSizes[x].Replace(".", ""));
f.Action = PdfAction.JavaScript(js, _pdfResultStamper.Writer);
tCell.CellEvent = new ChildFieldEvent(_pdfResultStamper.Writer, f, fieldName);
globalRow[x + 1] = tCell;
checkboxes.Add(f);
}
table.Rows.Add(new PdfPRow(globalRow));
int status = 0;
int pageNum = 1;
for (int itemIndex = 0; itemIndex < Items.Count; itemIndex++)
{
tCell = new PdfPCell();
Phrase p = new Phrase(Items[itemIndex].Title);
tCell.AddElement(p);
tCell.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_LEFT;
PdfPCell[] cells = new PdfPCell[availableSizes.Count + 1];
cells[0] = tCell;
for (int availCardSizeIndex = 0; availCardSizeIndex < availableSizes.Count; availCardSizeIndex++)
{
if (Items[itemIndex].Category.CategorySizesInUse.Contains(availableSizes[availCardSizeIndex]))
{
string str = availableSizes[availCardSizeIndex];
tCell = new PdfPCell();
tCell.PaddingLeft = 10f;
tCell.PaddingRight = 10f;
cells[availCardSizeIndex + 1] = tCell;
cells[availCardSizeIndex].HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER;
PdfFormField f = PdfFormField.CreateCheckBox(_pdfResultStamper.Writer);
string fieldName = string.Format("InkSaver.chk{0}.{1}", availableSizes[availCardSizeIndex].Replace(".", ""), itemIndex + 1);
//f.FieldName = fieldName; <-- This causes the checkbox to be double-named (i.e. InkSaver.Global.chk0.InkSaver.Global.chk0
string js = string.Format("hideCardSize(event.target, {0}, '{1}');", itemIndex + 1, availableSizes[availCardSizeIndex]);
f.Action = PdfAction.JavaScript(js, _pdfResultStamper.Writer);
tCell.CellEvent = new ChildFieldEvent(_pdfResultStamper.Writer, f, fieldName);
checkboxes.Add(f);
}
else
{
//Add a blank cell
tCell = new PdfPCell();
cells[availCardSizeIndex + 1] = tCell;
}
}
//Test if the column text will fit
table.Rows.Add(new PdfPRow(cells));
canvas = _pdfResultStamper.GetUnderContent(pageNum);
ColumnText ct2 = new ColumnText(canvas);
ct2.AddElement(new PdfPTable(table));
ct2.Alignment = Element.ALIGN_LEFT;
ct2.SetSimpleColumn(targetPosition.Left, 0, targetPosition.Right, targetPosition.Top, 0, 0);
status = ct2.Go(true);
if ((status != ColumnText.NO_MORE_TEXT) || (itemIndex == (Items.Count - 1)))
{
ColumnText ct3 = new ColumnText(canvas);
ct3.AddElement(table);
ct3.Alignment = Element.ALIGN_LEFT;
ct3.SetSimpleColumn(targetPosition.Left, 0, targetPosition.Right, targetPosition.Top, 0, 0);
ct3.Go();
foreach (PdfFormField f in checkboxes)
{
_pdfResultStamper.AddAnnotation(f, pageNum);
}
checkboxes.Clear();
if (itemIndex < (Items.Count - 1))
{
pageNum++;
_pdfResultStamper.InsertPage(pageNum, _pdfTemplateReader.GetPageSize(1));
table = new PdfPTable(availableSizes.Count + 1);
table.SetTotalWidth(columnWidth);
table.WidthPercentage = 100;
table.Rows.Add(new PdfPRow(this.GetTableHeaderRow(availableSizes)));
}
}
}
}
private PdfPCell[] GetTableHeaderRow(List<string> AvailableSizes)
{
PdfPCell[] sizeHeaders = new PdfPCell[AvailableSizes.Count + 1];
Phrase devName = new Phrase("Device Name");
PdfPCell deviceHeader = new PdfPCell(devName);
deviceHeader.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER;
deviceHeader.BackgroundColor = BaseColor.GRAY;
sizeHeaders[0] = deviceHeader;
for (int x = 0; x < AvailableSizes.Count; x++)
{
PdfPCell hCell = new PdfPCell(new Phrase(AvailableSizes[x]));
hCell.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_CENTER;
hCell.BackgroundColor = BaseColor.GRAY;
sizeHeaders[x + 1] = hCell;
}
return sizeHeaders;
}
public void MergePdfs(string filePath, List<MemoryStream> pdfStreams)
{
//Create output stream
FileStream outStream = new FileStream(filePath, FileMode.Create);
Document document = null;
if (pdfStreams.Count > 0)
{
try
{
int PageCounter = 0;
//Create Main reader
PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(pdfStreams[0]);
PageCounter = reader.NumberOfPages;//This is if we have multiple pages in the cover page, we need to adjust the offset.
//rename fields in the PDF. This is required because PDF's cannot have more than one field with the same name
RenameFields(reader, PageCounter++);
//Create Main Doc
document = new Document(reader.GetPageSizeWithRotation(1));
//Create main writer
PdfCopy Writer = new PdfCopy(document, outStream);
//PdfCopyFields Writer = new PdfCopyFields(outStream);
//Open document for writing
document.Open();
////Add pages
Writer.AddDocument(reader);
//For each additional pdf after first combine them into main document
foreach (var PdfStream in pdfStreams.Skip(1))
{
PdfReader reader2 = new PdfReader(PdfStream);
//rename PDF fields
RenameFields(reader2, PageCounter++);
// Add content
Writer.AddDocument(reader);
}
//Writer.AddJavaScript(PostProcessing.GetSuperscriptJavaScript());
Writer.Close();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
}
finally
{
if (document != null)
document.Close();
foreach (var Strm in pdfStreams)
{
try { if (null != Strm) Strm.Dispose(); }
catch { }
}
//pdfStamper.Close();
outStream.Close();
}
}
}
private void RenameFields(PdfReader reader, int PageNum)
{
int tempPageNum = 1;
//rename all fields
foreach (string field in reader.AcroFields.Fields.Keys)
{
if (((reader.AcroFields.GetFieldType(field) == 1) || (reader.AcroFields.GetFieldType(field) == 2)) && (field.StartsWith("InkSaver")))
{
//This is a InkSaver button, set the name so its subclassed
string classPath;
if (reader.AcroFields.GetFieldType(field) == 2)
{
classPath = field.Substring(0, field.LastIndexOf("."));
if (field.StartsWith("InkSaver.chk"))
{
int a = field.LastIndexOf(".");
string sub = field.Substring(a + 1, (field.Length - a - 1));
int pageNum = int.Parse(sub);
int realPageNum = pageNum + tempPageNum;//PostProcessing.Instance.CoverPageLength;
PageNum = realPageNum;
}
}
else
{
classPath = field.Substring(0, field.LastIndexOf("."));
}
string newID = classPath + ".page" + PageNum.ToString();
bool ret = reader.AcroFields.RenameField(field, newID);
}
else
{
reader.AcroFields.RenameField(field, field + "_" + PageNum.ToString());// field + Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N"));
}
}
}
}
public class ChildFieldEvent : IPdfPCellEvent
{
protected PdfWriter writer;
protected PdfFormField parent;
protected string checkBoxName;
internal ChildFieldEvent(PdfWriter writer, PdfFormField parent, string CheckBoxName)
{
this.writer = writer;
this.parent = parent;
this.checkBoxName = CheckBoxName;
}
public void CellLayout(PdfPCell cell, Rectangle rect, PdfContentByte[] cb)
{
createCheckboxField(rect);
}
private void createCheckboxField(Rectangle rect)
{
RadioCheckField bt = new RadioCheckField(this.writer, rect, this.checkBoxName, "Yes");
bt.CheckType = RadioCheckField.TYPE_SQUARE;
bt.Checked = true;
this.parent.AddKid(bt.CheckField);
}
}
internal class CustomCategory
{
internal static List<string> AvailableSizes
{
get
{
List<string> retVal = new List<string>();
retVal.Add("1");
retVal.Add("2");
retVal.Add("3");
retVal.Add("4");
return retVal;
}
}
internal CustomCategory()
{
CategorySizesInUse = new List<string>();
}
internal List<string> CategorySizesInUse { get; set; }
}
internal class CustomObject
{
internal string Title { get; set; }
internal CustomCategory Category { get;set; }
}

Answer 1

Please take a look at the MergeForms example. Your example is too long for me to read, but at first sight, I'm missing the following line:
copy.setMergeFields();
By the way, in MergeForms2, the fields are also renamed before the form is merged.