> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.apryse.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.apryse.com/core/viewer/viewing.md).

# View a PDF document on Server/Desktop

Discover how to use the PDF Viewer Control in a basic project with full source code. Implement document navigation, text highlighting, markup, and editing effortlessly.  The Apryse Server SDK streamli

{% hint style="warning" %}
For Server or Desktop-based applications, this is only available on Microsoft Windows.
{% endhint %}

To view a PDF document.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="C#" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```csharp
// create a view controller
PDFViewCtrl view = new PDFViewCtrl();

// create a doc instance
PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(filename);

// set doc to the view
view.SetDoc(doc);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="C++" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```cpp
// define pointer for view controller
std::auto_ptr<PDF::PDFViewCtrl> view;

// create a view controller,
// passing in the platform specific window handle and the current HINSTANCE for windows
view = std::auto_ptr<pdftron::PDF::PDFViewCtrl>(new pdftron::PDF::PDFViewCtrl(parent_hwnd, hinstance));

// create a doc instance
std::auto_ptr<PDF::PDFDoc> doc(new PDF::PDFDoc(filename));

// set doc to the view
view->SetDoc(*doc);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Java" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```java
// create a view controller
PDFViewCtrl view = new PDFViewCtrl();

// create a doc instance
PDFDoc doc = new PDFDoc(filename);

// set doc to the view
view.setDoc(doc);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="JavaScript" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```js
// first initialize the viewer
WebViewer({
  path: '../../../lib',
  initialDoc: 'https://pdftron.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/pl/demo-annotated.pdf'
}, document.getElementById('viewer'))
.then(instance => {
  // load the PDF from URL, Blob, Filesystem or Base64 data
  instance.loadDocument(e.target.value);
});
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Obj-C" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```objc
// create a view controller
PTPDFViewCtrl* view = [[PTPDFViewCtrl alloc] init];

// create a doc instance
PTPDFDoc* doc = [[PTPDFDoc alloc] initWithFilepath:filename];

// set doc to the view
[view SetDoc:doc];
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Swift" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```swift
// create a view controller
let view: PTPDFViewCtrl = PTPDFViewCtrl()

// create a doc instance
let new_doc: PTPDFDoc = PTPDFDoc(filename)

// set doc to the view
view.setDoc(doc)
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="PHP" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```php
// create a view controller
$view = new PDFView();

// create a doc instance
$doc = new PDFDoc($filename);

// set doc to the view
$view->SetDoc($doc);
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Ruby" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```ruby
# create a view controller
view = PDFView.new()

# create a doc instance
doc = PDFDoc.new(filename)

# set doc to the view
view.SetDoc(doc)
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="VB" %}
{% code lineNumbers="true" %}

```vb
' create a view controller
Dim view As PDFViewCtrl = New PDFViewCtrl()

' create a doc instance
Dim doc As PDFDoc = New PDFDoc(filename)

' set doc to the view
view.SetDoc(doc)
```

{% endcode %}
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

[PDF Viewer Control (Simple) sample - Full sample](/core/get-started/samples/pdfviewsimpletest.md) Full source code which shows how to use PDF viewer control in a basic project. The sample uses a number of built-in features from PDFViewCtrl to implement document navigation, text highlighting, markup, and editing. Samples available in Python, C# (.Net), C++, Go, Java, Node.js (JavaScript), PHP, Ruby, VB. To use this code, you'll need to [download and get started with Server SDK](/core/get-started/get-started.md).

## About viewing a document

The Apryse SDK comes with a powerful high level class called `PDFViewCtrl` that allows users to easily display PDF documents in their application. This class wraps around all the document processing lower level details that are required when displaying a PDF document.


---

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