Some test text!

Search
Hamburger Icon

Search & replace PDF text or images in C++

More languages

More languages
JavaScript
Java (Android)
C++
C#
C# (.NET Core)
Go
Java
Kotlin
Obj-C
JS (Node.js)
PHP
Python
Ruby
Swift
C# (UWP)
VB
C# (Xamarin)

Sample C++ code to use PDFTron SDK for searching and replacing text strings and images inside existing PDF files (e.g. business cards and other PDF templates). Unlike PDF forms, the ContentReplacer works on actual PDF content and is not limited to static rectangular annotation regions. Learn more about our C++ PDF Library and PDF Editing & Manipulation Library.

Get Started Samples Download

To run this sample, get started with a free trial of Apryse SDK.

//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Copyright (c) 2001-2023 by Apryse Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
// Consult legal.txt regarding legal and license information.
//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#include <iostream>
#include <PDF/PDFNet.h>
#include <PDF/PDFDoc.h>
#include <PDF/Image.h>
#include <PDF/ContentReplacer.h>
#include "../../LicenseKey/CPP/LicenseKey.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace pdftron;
using namespace Common;
using namespace SDF;
using namespace PDF;

//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// The sample code illustrates how to use the ContentReplacer class to make using 
// 'template' pdf documents easier.
//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
int main(int argc, char * argv[])
{
	int ret = 0;

	string input_path = "../../TestFiles/";
	string output_path = input_path + "Output/";

	// The first step in every application using PDFNet is to initialize the 
	// library and set the path to common PDF resources. The library is usually 
	// initialized only once, but calling Initialize() multiple times is also fine.
	PDFNet::Initialize(LicenseKey);

	//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// Example 1) Update a business card template with personalized info
	try
	{
		PDFDoc doc(input_path + "BusinessCardTemplate.pdf");
		doc.InitSecurityHandler();

		// first, replace the image on the first page
		ContentReplacer replacer;
		Page page = doc.GetPage(1);
		Image img = Image::Create(doc, input_path + "peppers.jpg");
		replacer.AddImage(page.GetMediaBox(), img.GetSDFObj());
		// next, replace the text place holders on the second page
		replacer.AddString("NAME", "John Smith");
		replacer.AddString("QUALIFICATIONS", "Philosophy Doctor"); 
		replacer.AddString("JOB_TITLE", "Software Developer"); 
		replacer.AddString("ADDRESS_LINE1", "#100 123 Software Rd"); 
		replacer.AddString("ADDRESS_LINE2", "Vancouver, BC"); 
		replacer.AddString("PHONE_OFFICE", "604-730-8989"); 
		replacer.AddString("PHONE_MOBILE", "604-765-4321"); 
		replacer.AddString("EMAIL", "info@pdftron.com"); 
		replacer.AddString("WEBSITE_URL", "http://www.pdftron.com"); 
		// finally, apply
		replacer.Process(page);
		
		doc.Save(output_path + "BusinessCard.pdf", SDFDoc::e_remove_unused, 0);
		cout << "Done. Result saved in BusinessCard.pdf" << endl;
	}
	catch (Common::Exception& e)
	{
		cout << e << endl;
		ret = 1;
	}
	catch (...)
	{
		cout << "Unknown Exception" << endl;
		ret = 1;
	}

	//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// Example 2) Replace text in a region with new text
	try
	{
		PDFDoc doc(input_path + "newsletter.pdf");
		doc.InitSecurityHandler();

		ContentReplacer replacer;
		Page page = doc.GetPage(1);
		Rect target_region = page.GetMediaBox();
		UString replacement_text("hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello hello");
		replacer.AddText(target_region, replacement_text);
		replacer.Process(page);

		doc.Save(output_path + "ContentReplaced.pdf", SDFDoc::e_remove_unused, 0);
		cout << "Done. Result saved in ContentReplaced.pdf" << endl;
	}
	catch (Common::Exception& e)
	{
		cout << e << endl;
		ret = 1;
	}
	catch (...)
	{
		cout << "Unknown Exception" << endl;
		ret = 1;
	}

	cout << "Done." << endl;

	PDFNet::Terminate();
	return ret;
}