> 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/web/documentviewer/interacting-with-tools.md).

# Interacting with tools with the Document Viewer

Enhance your document viewing experience with the ability to interact with various tools within the Document Viewer. Discover how tools in the Core.Tools namespace enable you to create annotations, se

[DocumentViewer](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html) comes with ability to change and use tools within the viewer element. Tools are used to create/interact with annotations, select text, and perform other actions. They are found in the [`Core.Tools`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Tools.html) namespace. Not only are tools used in the default WebViewer setup, they can also be used in your [custom viewer](/web/ui-customization/core.md).

## Getting tools

Although you can instantiate a tool manually, this is typically not necessary as the DocumentViewer comes with some default, initialized tools. You can get one of the tools using the `getTool` API and the name that the tool was registered with.

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

```js
const editTool = documentViewer.getTool('AnnotationEdit');
```

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

[DocumentViewer.getTool](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html#getTool)

There is an enumeration, [`Core.Tools.ToolNames`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Tools.html#.ToolNames), that makes this accessing the tools easier.

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

```js
const editTool = documentViewer.getTool(Core.Tools.ToolNames.EDIT);
```

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

[ToolNames](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.Tools.html#.ToolNames)

When there is an active tool, you can fetch it directly using the `getToolMode` API.

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

```js
const currentTool = documentViewer.getToolMode();
```

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

[DocumentViewer.getToolMode](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html#getToolMode)

## Changing tools

You can call the `setToolMode` API to change tools from the DocumentViewer.

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

```js
documentViewer.addEventListener('documentLoaded', () => {
    // Changes to the edit tool on every document load
    documentViewer.setToolMode(documentViewer.getTool(Core.Tools.ToolNames.EDIT));
});
```

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

[DocumentViewer.setToolMode](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/web/Core.DocumentViewer.html#setToolMode)

## Next steps

Learn more about [annotations](/web/annotation/annotation.md) and the [tools](/web/annotation/annotations-and-tools.md) that create them!


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