How to create hierarchical bookmarks in a PDF file using C# and VB.NET?
A bookmark is a type of link with representative text in the navigation panel. Each bookmark goes to a different view or page in the document. Syncfusion Essential PDF is a .NET PDF library used to create, read, and edit PDF documents. Using this library, you can create hierarchical bookmarks in a PDF file using C# and VB.NET.
Steps to create hierarchical bookmarks in PDF programmatically:
- Create a new C# Windows Forms application project.
- Install the Syncfusion.Pdf.WinForms NuGet package as reference to your .NET Framework application from NuGet.org.
- Include the following namespaces in the Form1.Designer.cs file.
C#
using Syncfusion.Pdf; using Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics; using Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive; using System.Drawing;
VB.NET
Imports Syncfusion.Pdf Imports Syncfusion.Pdf.Graphics Imports Syncfusion.Pdf.Interactive Imports System.Drawing
- Use the following code snippet to create hierarchical bookmarks in PDF document.
C#
#region CreatePDF
//Creates a new PDF document
document = new PdfDocument();
//Set the Font
font = new PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 10f);
for (int i = 1; i <= 3; i++)
{
PdfPage pages = document.Pages.Add();
//Add bookmark in PDF document
PdfBookmark bookmark = AddBookmark(pages, "Chapter " + i, new PointF(10, 10));
//Add sections to bookmark
PdfBookmark section1 = AddSection(bookmark, pages, "Section " + i + ".1", new PointF(30, 30), false);
PdfBookmark section2 = AddSection(bookmark, pages, "Section " + i + ".2", new PointF(30, 400), false);
//Add subsections to section
PdfBookmark subsection1 = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".1.1", new PointF(50, 50), true);
PdfBookmark subsection2 = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".1.2", new PointF(50, 150), true);
PdfBookmark subsection3 = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".1.3", new PointF(50, 250), true);
PdfBookmark subsection4 = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".2.1", new PointF(50, 420), true);
PdfBookmark subsection5 = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".2.2", new PointF(50, 560), true);
PdfBookmark subsection6 = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " + i + ".2.3", new PointF(50, 680), true);
}
//Save the document
document.Save("HierarchicalBookmarks.pdf");
//Close the document
document.Close(true);
//This will open the PDF file so, the result will be seen in default PDF viewer
Process.Start("HierarchicalBookmarks.pdf");
#endregion
#region fields
private PdfDocument document;
private PdfFont font;
#endregion
VB.NET
#Region "CreatePDF"
'Creates a new PDF document
document = New PdfDocument()
'Set the Font
font = New PdfStandardFont(PdfFontFamily.Helvetica, 10.0F)
For i As Integer = 1 To 3
Dim pages As PdfPage = document.Pages.Add()
'Add bookmark in PDF document
Dim bookmark As PdfBookmark = AddBookmark(pages, "Chapter " & i, New PointF(10, 10))
'Add sections in PDF document
Dim section1 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(bookmark, pages, "Section " & i & ".1", New PointF(30, 30), False)
Dim section2 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(bookmark, pages, "Section " & i & ".2", New PointF(30, 400), False)
'Add subsections in PDF document
Dim subsection1 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".1.1", New PointF(50, 50), True)
Dim subsection2 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".1.2", New PointF(50, 150), True)
Dim subsection3 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section1, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".1.3", New PointF(50, 250), True)
Dim subsection4 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".2.1", New PointF(50, 420), True)
Dim subsection5 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".2.2", New PointF(50, 560), True)
Dim subsection6 As PdfBookmark = AddSection(section2, pages, "Paragraph " & i & ".2.3", New PointF(50, 680), True)
Next
'Save the document
document.Save("HierarchicalBookmarks.pdf")
'Close the document
document.Close(True)
'This will open the PDF file so, the result will be seen in default PDF viewer
Process.Start("HierarchicalBookmarks.pdf")
#End Region
#Region "Fields"
Private document As PdfDocument
Private font As PdfFont
#End Region
- Add the following code in AddBookmark and AddSection method to add bookmark.
C#
private PdfBookmark AddBookmark(PdfPage page, string title, PointF point)
{
PdfGraphics graphics = page.Graphics;
//Add bookmark in PDF document
PdfBookmark bookmarks = document.Bookmarks.Add(title);
//Draw the content in the PDF page
graphics.DrawString(title, font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(point.X, point.Y));
bookmarks.Destination = new PdfDestination(page);
bookmarks.Destination.Location = point;
return bookmarks;
}
public PdfBookmark AddSection(PdfBookmark bookmark, PdfPage page, string title, PointF point, bool isSubSection)
{
PdfGraphics graphics = page.Graphics;
//Add bookmark in PDF document
PdfBookmark bookmarks = bookmark.Add(title);
//Draw the content in the PDF page
graphics.DrawString(title, font, PdfBrushes.Black, new PointF(point.X, point.Y));
bookmarks.Destination = new PdfDestination(page);
bookmarks.Destination.Location = point;
return bookmarks;
}
VB.NET
Private Function AddBookmark(ByVal page As PdfPage, ByVal title As String, ByVal point As PointF) As PdfBookmark Dim graphics As PdfGraphics = page.Graphics 'Add bookmark in PDF document Dim bookmarks As PdfBookmark = document.Bookmarks.Add(title) 'Draw the content in the PDF page graphics.DrawString(title, font, PdfBrushes.Black, New PointF(point.X, point.Y)) bookmarks.Destination = New PdfDestination(page) bookmarks.Destination.Location = point Return bookmarks End Function Public Function AddSection(ByVal bookmark As PdfBookmark, ByVal page As PdfPage, ByVal title As String, ByVal point As PointF, ByVal isSubSection As Boolean) As PdfBookmark Dim graphics As PdfGraphics = page.Graphics 'Add bookmark in PDF document Dim bookmarks As PdfBookmark = bookmark.Add(title) 'Draw the content in the PDF page graphics.DrawString(title, font, PdfBrushes.Black, New PointF(point.X, point.Y)) bookmarks.Destination = New PdfDestination(page) bookmarks.Destination.Location = point Return bookmarks End Function
A complete working sample can be downloaded from HierarchicalBookmarkSample.zip.
By executing the program, you will get the PDF document as follows. 
Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you can find other options like adding, inserting, removing, and modifying bookmarks in an existing PDF document and features like named destination and document Link Annotation with code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Essential PDF features.
An online sample link to add bookmarks with different style in the PDF document.
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer to link to learn about generating and registering Syncfusion license key in your application to use the components without trail message.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed learning about how to create hierarchical bookmarks in a PDF file using C# and VB.NET.
You can refer to our .NET PDF feature tour page to know about its other groundbreaking feature representations and documentation, and how to quickly get started for configuration specifications. You can also explore our .NET PDF example to understand how to create and manipulate data.
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