> 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/xamarin/basic-operations/basics/find-text-a.md).

# Add text search bar to Xamarin PDF viewer

Learn how to add text search functionality to your Xamarin.Android viewer with this step-by-step guide. Implement text search UI components and programmatically search for text in PDFViewCtrl. Optimiz

{% hint style="info" %}
**This tutorial only applies to Xamarin.Android. See Xamarin.iOS equivalent here .**
{% endhint %}

Text search functionality can be added to your viewer using the text search UI component. Alternatively, you can programmatically perform text search in PDFViewCtrl.

## Prerequisites

* Set up [PDFViewCtrl](/xamarin/guides/android/basics/open.md#view) and [ToolManager](/xamarin/annotation/config-annot-tools.md#android) in your activity.

## Add text search using UI component

Apryse provides [`SearchToolbar`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/xamarinandroid/tools/api/pdftron.PDF.Controls.SearchToolbar.html) and [`FindTextOverlay`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/xamarinandroid/tools/api/pdftron.PDF.Controls.FindTextOverlay.html) as utility classes for implementing text search in your document viewer. Here is a short guide on adding text search to your activity:

1. Add the search controls to your layout, a simple example will be something like:

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

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent">
  <LinearLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:orientation="vertical">
    <pdftron.PDF.Controls.SearchToolbar android:id="@+id/searchtoolbar" android:visibility="gone" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize" app:contentInsetStart="@dimen/second_keyline" android:background="?attr/colorPrimary" app:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar" app:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light" app:navigationIcon="@drawable/ic_arrow_back_white_24dp" />
    <pdftron.PDF.PDFViewCtrl android:id="@+id/pdfviewctrl" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="0dp" android:layout_weight="1" android:scrollbars="vertical|horizontal" />
  </LinearLayout>
  <pdftron.PDF.Controls.FindTextOverlay android:id="@+id/find_text_view" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:visibility="gone"/>
</RelativeLayout>
```

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

1. In `onCreate` of your activity, set up your `SearchToolbar` and `FindTextOverlay`:

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

```csharp
var searchToolbar = FindViewById<pdftron.PDF.Controls.SearchToolbar>(Resource.Id.searchtoolbar);
var searchOverlay = FindViewById<pdftron.PDF.Controls.FindTextOverlay>(Resource.Id.find_text_view);
searchOverlay.SetPdfViewCtrl(mPdfViewCtrl);

searchToolbar.ExitSearch += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchToolbar.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
    searchOverlay.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
    searchOverlay.ExitSearchMode();
};
searchToolbar.ClearSearchQuery += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchOverlay?.CancelFindText();
};
searchToolbar.SearchQuerySubmit += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchOverlay?.QueryTextSubmit(e.Query);
};
searchToolbar.SearchQueryChange += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchOverlay?.SetSearchQuery(e.Query);
};
searchToolbar.SearchOptionsItemSelected += (sender, e) =>
{
    int id = e.Item.ItemId;
    if (id == Resource.Id.action_match_case)
    {
        bool isChecked = e.Item.IsChecked;
        searchOverlay?.SetSearchMatchCase(!isChecked);
        searchOverlay?.ResetFullTextResults();
        e.Item.SetChecked(!isChecked);
    }
    else if (id == Resource.Id.action_whole_word)
    {
        bool isChecked = e.Item.IsChecked;
        searchOverlay?.SetSearchWholeWord(!isChecked);
        searchOverlay?.ResetFullTextResults();
        e.Item.SetChecked(!isChecked);
    }
};
```

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

1. Show the layout

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

```csharp
searchToolbar.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
searchOverlay.Visibility = ViewStates.Visible;
```

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

Now when running the app, you will see a toolbar that allows you to enter search terms as well as an overlay on top of the PDFViewCtrl that navigates among search results.

![](https://653871032-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FgjsBtuYmcKhWOdM9VCg4%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-458a76a40e34fcc6632629846962476e9ba5c017%2Fe03209a7fd9601c73d1ea180eea01fc2f0df581b-600x1200.gif?alt=media)

## Search results view

[`SearchResultsView`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/xamarinandroid/tools/api/pdftron.PDF.Controls.SearchResultsView.html) class enables users to easily search for a query and see the results.

![](https://653871032-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FgjsBtuYmcKhWOdM9VCg4%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-dbe944bce12238ddbb39e44e9942d70cfc8c9ec9%2F26e5ab9a7adb9084eddbb524fa44c1ec790c62eb-1080x2160.png?alt=media)

To set up your layout for a `SearchResultsView`, add an element to your XML layout as follows:

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

```xml
<com.pdftron.pdf.controls.SearchResultsView android:id="@+id/searchResultsView" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
```

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

Then, you need to set the following [`events`](https://sdk.apryse.com/api/xamarinandroid/tools/api/pdftron.PDF.Controls.SearchResultsView.html#events)

* An item from the search results is clicked
* A full-text search is started and result has not yet been ready
* A search is found

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

```csharp
searchResultsView.SetPdfViewCtrl(mPdfViewCtrl);
searchResultsView.FullTextSearchStart += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchToolbar?.SetSearchProgressBarVisible(true);
};
searchResultsView.SearchResultFound += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchToolbar?.SetSearchProgressBarVisible(false);
    searchOverlay?.HighlightFullTextSearchResult(e.Result);
};
searchResultsView.SearchResultClicked += (sender, e) =>
{
    searchOverlay?.HighlightFullTextSearchResult(e.Result);
    mPdfViewCtrl?.SetCurrentPage(e.Result.PageNum);
    searchResultsView.Visibility = ViewStates.Gone;
};
```

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


---

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