> 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/get-started/samples/showcase-demo-xfdf-annotations-in-pdf.md).

# XFDF Annotations in PDF Showcase Demo Code Sample

Import and export PDF annotations with the XFDF format. This code relates to the XFDF annotation page in our showcase demo.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Requirements**

*These packages are required to use these features in production. Trial keys have unlimited access to all features*

<a href="/web/get-started/readme.md" class="button primary">Web SDK</a><a href="https://showcase.apryse.com/xfdf-annotations-in-pdf" class="button primary">Live demo</a>
{% endhint %}

Quickly import and export PDF annotations using XFDF — an XML-based format that captures details like position, color, and content.

This demo allows you to:

* Upload your own PDF file
* Edit the layout and content and obtain the XFDF
* Preview the XFDF with the view document XFDF option

**Implementation steps** To add XFDF import and export capability on PDFs with WebViewer:

Step 1: [Get started with WebViewer](/web/get-started/readme.md) in your preferred web stack Step 2: Add the ES6 JavaScript sample code provided in this guide

Once you generate your license key, it will automatically be included in your sample code below.

{% @apryse-license-key/apryse-license-key platform="WEB\_VIEWER" variant="compact" %}

<pre class="language-js" data-line-numbers><code class="lang-js">// ES6 Compliant Syntax
// GitHub Copilot v1.0, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, July 28, 2025
// File: index.js

import WebViewer from '@pdftron/webviewer';

// XFDF Annotations section
// 
// Code to customize the WebViewer to export and import XFDF strings 
// and annotations.
//

// Default document with annotations
const defaultDoc = 'https://apryse.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/files/samples/demo-annotated.pdf';

// XFDF string to be loaded as an annotation into the viewer
let xfdf =
    `&#x3C;?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
  &#x3C;xfdf xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/xfdf/" xml:space="preserve">
    &#x3C;pdf-info xmlns="http://www.pdftron.com/pdfinfo" version="2" import-version="4" />
    &#x3C;fields />
    &#x3C;annots />
    &#x3C;pages>
      &#x3C;defmtx matrix="1,0,0,-1,0,792" />
    &#x3C;/pages>
  &#x3C;/xfdf>`

const customizeUI = async (instance) => {
    // Load the default file
    await instance.Core.documentViewer.loadDocument(defaultDoc);
};

// Export annotations from the document as XFDF string
const extractXFDFFromDocument = async (instance) => {
    const xfdfString = await instance.Core.annotationManager.exportAnnotations();
    if (xfdfString) {
        xfdf = xfdfString;
    }
};

// Get the XFDF code from the code block element to insert into the viewer
const getCodeFromCodeBlock = async (instance) => {
    const code = document.querySelector('#xfdf-code')?.textContent;
    if (code) {
        await instance.Core.annotationManager.importAnnotations(code);
        instance.Core.documentViewer.refreshAll();
    }
};

// Format the XFDF string for better readability in the code block
const getFormattedXFDF = () => {
    let formatted = '';
    let indent = '';
    const tab = '  ';

    // Clean up the XFDF string by removing unnecessary whitespace
    const xml = xfdf.replace(/>\s+&#x3C;/g, '>&#x3C;').replace(/>&#x3C;/g, '>\n&#x3C;');

    // Format the cleaned XFDF string
    xml.split(/>\s*&#x3C;/).forEach((node) => {
        if (node.match(/^\/\w/)) {
            indent = indent.substring(tab.length);
        }
        formatted += indent + '&#x3C;' + node + '>\n';
        if (node.match(/^&#x3C;?\w[^>]*[^\/]$/)) {
            indent += tab;
        }
    });

    return formatted.substring(1, formatted.length - 2);
};


// WebViewer section
// 
// This code initializes the WebViewer with the basic settings
// that are found in the default showcase WebViewer
//

const searchParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
const history = window.history || window.parent.history || window.top.history;
const licenseKey = '<code class="expression">visitor.claims.wvKey || "YOUR_WEBVIEWER_LICENSE_KEY"</code>'; 
const element = document.getElementById('viewer');

// Initialize WebViewer with the specified settings
WebViewer({
    path: '/lib',
    licenseKey: licenseKey,
}, element).then((instance) => {
    // Enable the measurement toolbar so it appears with all the other tools, and disable Cloudy rectangular tool
    const cloudyTools = [
        instance.Core.Tools.ToolNames.CLOUDY_RECTANGULAR_AREA_MEASUREMENT,
        instance.Core.Tools.ToolNames.CLOUDY_RECTANGULAR_AREA_MEASUREMENT2,
        instance.Core.Tools.ToolNames.CLOUDY_RECTANGULAR_AREA_MEASUREMENT3,
        instance.Core.Tools.ToolNames.CLOUDY_RECTANGULAR_AREA_MEASUREMENT4,
    ];
    instance.UI.enableFeatures([instance.UI.Feature.Measurement, instance.UI.Feature.Initials]);
    instance.UI.disableTools(cloudyTools);

    // Set default toolbar group to Annotate
    instance.UI.setToolbarGroup('toolbarGroup-Annotate');

    // Set default tool on mobile devices to Pan.
    // https://apryse.atlassian.net/browse/WVR-3134
    if (isMobileDevice()) {
        instance.UI.setToolMode(instance.Core.Tools.ToolNames.PAN);
    }

    instance.Core.documentViewer.addEventListener('documentUnloaded', () => {
        if (searchParams.has('file')) {
            searchParams.delete('file');
            history.replaceState(null, '', '?' + searchParams.toString());
        }
    });

    instance.Core.annotationManager.enableAnnotationNumbering();

    instance.UI.NotesPanel.enableAttachmentPreview();

    // Add the demo-specific functionality
    customizeUI(instance).then(() => {
        // Create UI controls after demo is initialized
        createUIControls(instance);
    });
});

// Function to check if the user is on a mobile device
const isMobileDevice = () => {
    return (
        /(android|bb\d+|meego).+mobile|avantgo|bada\/|blackberry|blazer|compal|elaine|fennec|hiptop|iemobile|ip(hone|od)|ipad|iris|kindle|Android|Silk|lge |maemo|midp|mmp|netfront|opera m(ob|in)i|palm( os)?|phone|p(ixi|re)\/|plucker|pocket|psp|series(4|6)0|symbian|treo|up\.(browser|link)|vodafone|wap|windows (ce|phone)|xda|xiino/i.test(
            window.navigator.userAgent
        ) ||
        /1207|6310|6590|3gso|4thp|50[1-6]i|770s|802s|a wa|abac|ac(er|oo|s-)|ai(ko|rn)|al(av|ca|co)|amoi|an(ex|ny|yw)|aptu|ar(ch|go)|as(te|us)|attw|au(di|-m|r |s )|avan|be(ck|ll|nq)|bi(lb|rd)|bl(ac|az)|br(e|v)w|bumb|bw-(n|u)|c55\/|capi|ccwa|cdm-|cell|chtm|cldc|cmd-|co(mp|nd)|craw|da(it|ll|ng)|dbte|dc-s|devi|dica|dmob|do(c|p)o|ds(12|-d)|el(49|ai)|em(l2|ul)|er(ic|k0)|esl8|ez([4-7]0|os|wa|ze)|fetc|fly(-|_)|g1 u|g560|gene|gf-5|g-mo|go(\.w|od)|gr(ad|un)|haie|hcit|hd-(m|p|t)|hei-|hi(pt|ta)|hp( i|ip)|hs-c|ht(c(-| |_|a|g|p|s|t)|tp)|hu(aw|tc)|i-(20|go|ma)|i230|iac( |-|\/)|ibro|idea|ig01|ikom|im1k|inno|ipaq|iris|ja(t|v)a|jbro|jemu|jigs|kddi|keji|kgt( |\/)|klon|kpt |kwc-|kyo(c|k)|le(no|xi)|lg( g|\/(k|l|u)|50|54|-[a-w])|libw|lynx|m1-w|m3ga|m50\/|ma(te|ui|xo)|mc(01|21|ca)|m-cr|me(rc|ri)|mi(o8|oa|ts)|mmef|mo(01|02|bi|de|do|t(-| |o|v)|zz)|mt(50|p1|v )|mwbp|mywa|n10[0-2]|n20[2-3]|n30(0|2)|n50(0|2|5)|n7(0(0|1)|10)|ne((c|m)-|on|tf|wf|wg|wt)|nok(6|i)|nzph|o2im|op(ti|wv)|oran|owg1|p800|pan(a|d|t)|pdxg|pg(13|-([1-8]|c))|phil|pire|pl(ay|uc)|pn-2|po(ck|rt|se)|prox|psio|pt-g|qa-a|qc(07|12|21|32|60|-[2-7]|i-)|qtek|r380|r600|raks|rim9|ro(ve|zo)|s55\/|sa(ge|ma|mm|ms|ny|va)|sc(01|h-|oo|p-)|sdk\/|se(c(-|0|1)|47|mc|nd|ri)|sgh-|shar|sie(-|m)|sk-0|sl(45|id)|sm(al|ar|b3|it|t5)|so(ft|ny)|sp(01|h-|v-|v )|sy(01|mb)|t2(18|50)|t6(00|10|18)|ta(gt|lk)|tcl-|tdg-|tel(i|m)|tim-|t-mo|to(pl|sh)|ts(70|m-|m3|m5)|tx-9|up(\.b|g1|si)|utst|v400|v750|veri|vi(rg|te)|vk(40|5[0-3]|-v)|vm40|voda|vulc|vx(52|53|60|61|70|80|81|83|85|98)|w3c(-| )|webc|whit|wi(g |nc|nw)|wmlb|wonu|x700|yas-|your|zeto|zte-/i.test(
            window.navigator.userAgent.substring(0, 4)
        )
    );
}

// Cleanup function for when the demo is closed or page is unloaded
const cleanup = (instance) => {
    if (typeof instance !== 'undefined' &#x26;&#x26; instance.UI) {
        // Clean up any resources if needed
        console.log('Cleaning up xfdf-annotations demo');
    }
};

// Register cleanup for page unload
window.addEventListener('beforeunload', () => cleanup());
window.addEventListener('unload', () => cleanup());

// UI section
//
// Helper code to add controls to the viewer holding the buttons
// This code creates a container for the buttons, styles them, and adds them to the viewer
//

// Choose File button
const filePicker = (instance) => {
    const button = document.createElement('button');
    button.className = 'btn-filepicker';
    button.textContent = 'Choose File';
    button.onclick = () => {
        const input = document.createElement('input');
        input.type = 'file';
        input.accept = '.pdf';
        input.onchange = async (event) => {
            const file = event.target.files[0];
            if (file) {
                const doc = await instance.Core.createDocument(file);
                instance.Core.documentViewer.loadDocument(doc);
            }
        };
        input.click();
    };

    return button;
}

// XFDF Modal for displaying and editing XFDF code
const xfdfModal = (instance) => {
    const modal = document.createElement('div');
    modal.className = 'xfdf-modal';

    // Close the modal when clicking outside of it
    modal.onclick = (event) => {
        if (event.target === modal) {
            modal.style.display = 'none';
        }
    };

    // Modal content (non-shaded part)
    const content = document.createElement('div');
    content.className = 'xfdf-modal-content';

    // header
    const header = document.createElement('div');
    header.className = 'xfdf-modal-header';

    // Title
    const title = document.createElement('h2');
    title.textContent = 'Form Data';

    // Close button
    const close = document.createElement('button');
    close.className = 'btn-xfdf-modal-close';
    close.textContent = '×';
    close.onclick = () => {
        modal.style.display = 'none';
    };

    // Assemble the modal header
    header.appendChild(title);
    header.appendChild(close);

    // Code block for XFDF
    const codePre = document.createElement('pre');
    codePre.className = 'xfdf-pre';
    const codeBlock = document.createElement('code');
    codeBlock.id = 'modal-xfdf-code';
    codeBlock.contentEditable = true;
    codeBlock.textContent = getFormattedXFDF();
    codeBlock.onchange = () => {
        xfdf = codeBlock.textContent;
    };
    codePre.appendChild(codeBlock);

    // Modal footer
    const footer = document.createElement('div');
    footer.className = 'xfdf-modal-footer';

    // Zoom buttons
    const zoom = document.createElement('div');
    zoom.className = 'xfdf-modal-zoom';

    // Zoom in button
    const zoomIn = document.createElement('button');
    zoomIn.className = 'btn-zoom-in';
    zoomIn.textContent = '+';
    zoomIn.onclick = () => {
        const codeBlock = document.querySelector('#modal-xfdf-code');
        if (codeBlock) {
            const currentFontSize = parseFloat(window.getComputedStyle(codeBlock).fontSize);
            codeBlock.style.fontSize = (currentFontSize + 2) + 'px';
        }
    };

    // Zoom label
    const zoomLabel = document.createElement('span');
    zoomLabel.textContent = 'Zoom';

    // Zoom out button
    const zoomOut = document.createElement('button');
    zoomOut.className = 'btn-zoom-out';
    zoomOut.textContent = '-';
    zoomOut.onclick = () => {
        const codeBlock = document.querySelector('#modal-xfdf-code');
        if (codeBlock) {
            const currentFontSize = parseFloat(window.getComputedStyle(codeBlock).fontSize);
            codeBlock.style.fontSize = (currentFontSize - 2) + 'px';
        }
    };

    // Assemble the zoom controls
    zoom.appendChild(zoomIn);
    zoom.appendChild(zoomLabel);
    zoom.appendChild(zoomOut);

    // Ok button to accept changes and close the modal
    const ok = document.createElement('button');
    ok.className = 'btn-xfdf-modal-ok';
    ok.textContent = 'OK';
    ok.onclick = async () => {
        xfdf = codeBlock.textContent;
        modal.style.display = 'none';
    };

    // Assemble the modal footer
    footer.appendChild(zoom);
    footer.appendChild(ok);

    // Append all parts to the modal content
    content.appendChild(header);
    content.appendChild(codePre);
    content.appendChild(footer);
    modal.appendChild(content);

    return modal;
};

// XFDF Code Block Element
const xfdfElement = () => {
    const wrapper = document.createElement('div');
    wrapper.className = 'xfdf-wrapper';

    // Open modal for XFDF code block
    const button = document.createElement('button');
    button.className = 'btn-modal';
    button.textContent = 'Open in Dialog';
    button.onclick = () => {
        const modal = document.querySelector('.xfdf-modal');
        if (!modal) {
            console.error('XFDF modal not found');
            return;
        }
        // Set the XFDF code block content
        const modalCodeBlock = modal.querySelector('#modal-xfdf-code');
        if (modalCodeBlock) {
            modalCodeBlock.textContent = getFormattedXFDF();
        }
        modal.style.display = 'block';
    };

    // Container for the XFDF code block
    const container = document.createElement('div');
    container.className = 'xfdf-container';

    // Code block for XFDF
    const codePre = document.createElement('pre');
    codePre.className = 'xfdf-pre';

    const codeBlock = document.createElement('code');
    codeBlock.id = 'xfdf-code';
    codeBlock.contentEditable = true;
    codeBlock.textContent = getFormattedXFDF();

    // Assemle the XFDF code block
    codePre.appendChild(codeBlock);
    container.appendChild(codePre);
    wrapper.appendChild(container);
    wrapper.appendChild(button);
    return wrapper;
};

// Export XFDF button
const exportButton = (instance) => {
    const button = document.createElement('button');
    button.className = 'btn-export';
    button.textContent = 'View Document XFDF';
    button.onclick = async () => {
        await extractXFDFFromDocument(instance);
        const codeBlock = document.querySelector('#xfdf-code');
        if (codeBlock) {
            codeBlock.textContent = getFormattedXFDF();
        }
    };
    return button;
};

// Import XFDF button
const importButton = (instance) => {
    const button = document.createElement('button');
    button.className = 'btn-import';
    button.textContent = 'Update Document XFDF';
    button.onclick = async () => {
        await getCodeFromCodeBlock(instance);
    };
    return button;
};

const createUIControls = (instance) => {
    // Create a container for all controls
    const controlsContainer = document.createElement('div');
    controlsContainer.className = 'button-container';

    // Insert the XFDF modal in the right panel (Notes Panel)
    const notesPanel = instance.UI.NotesPanel;
    if (notesPanel) {
        // Create the modal and append it to the notes panel container
        const modal = xfdfModal(instance);
        // Try to find the notes panel element in the DOM
        setTimeout(() => {
            const notesPanelElement = document.querySelector('[data-element="notesPanel"]') ||
                document.querySelector('.NotesPanel') ||
                document.querySelector('[class*="notes-panel"]');

            if (notesPanelElement) {
                notesPanelElement.appendChild(modal);
            } else {
                // Fallback: append to document body
                document.body.appendChild(modal);
            }
        }, 1000); // Wait for UI to be ready
    } else {
        // Fallback: add to main element
        element.insertBefore(xfdfModal(instance), element.firstChild);
    }

    // Add the file picker and Import/Export buttons to the controls container
    controlsContainer.appendChild(filePicker(instance));
    controlsContainer.appendChild(exportButton(instance));
    controlsContainer.appendChild(importButton(instance));

    // Add the XFDF code block element and controls container to the viewer
    element.insertBefore(xfdfElement(), element.firstChild);
    element.insertBefore(controlsContainer, element.firstChild);
};
</code></pre>


---

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