Why does my XFDF not get imported into WebViewer?

There are several possible reasons WebViewer may fail to import an XFDF. As a first step, please open the developer console and check any warnings or error messages as it will give you additional information on the error.

• Invalid or Malformed XFDF
  If the XFDF string is not well-formed XML or does not follow the XFDF specification, WebViewer may fail to import it.

• Custom Annotation Types Not Registered
  If your XFDF includes custom annotation types (elements not in the PDF specification), WebViewer needs to have the corresponding custom annotation class registered. Otherwise, the annotation may not load or render properly.

• Missing Appearance Streams
  By default, WebViewer exports appearance streams as references. If you import XFDF into a different document, these references may not exist, causing annotations to not display. Use the generateInlineAppearances: true option when exporting to include full appearance data.
  Learn more about exporting inline appearances.

• Custom Data Not Serialized
  If you have custom properties (e.g., for custom annotations), ensure you override the serialize and deserialize methods to include this data in the XFDF. Otherwise, important properties may be lost on import.
  Learn more about annotation serialization.

• Annotations Placed on Nonexistent Pages
  If the XFDF references pages that do not exist in the loaded PDF, the annotations will not appear.

• Unsupported or Incorrect Annotation Types
  Using annotation types not supported by WebViewer or with incorrect attributes may prevent them from importing.

• Incorrect Import Method
  Using low-level PDF APIs (like fdfUpdate) does not trigger redraws in WebViewer. Use the appropriate WebViewer importAnnotations API.
  Import & Export Annotations Guide

• Widget/Field Annotations Not Imported Correctly
  Widget and form field annotations may require additional form field data or specific import workflows. Ensure you are using the appropriate APIs and the latest WebViewer version.

• Custom Appearances
  Custom appearances (beyond standard annotation appearances) may not be exported inline and thus may not import as expected.
  See Custom Appearances Guide