Table Generator Plugin for Aspose.PDF
How to Create and Insert Tables in PDFs in .NET

How to Create and Insert Tables in PDFs in .NET

This article shows how to programmatically generate and insert tables into PDFs using Aspose.PDF Table Generator for .NET. The Table Generator plugin streamlines table creation, making it simple to add structured, styled tables—whether for reports, forms, or dynamic content automation.

Real-World Problem

Creating well-structured tables in PDFs manually is tedious, especially with dynamic or bulk data. Automating this process within .NET applications saves time, ensures consistency, and reduces human error.

Solution Overview

Aspose.PDF Table Generator for .NET allows developers to define, format, and insert tables anywhere in a PDF document. Flexible APIs let you control rows, cells, and cell content—including text, HTML fragments, images, and math (TeX) equations.

Prerequisites

  • Visual Studio 2019 or later
  • .NET 6.0 or later
  • Aspose.PDF for .NET installed via NuGet
PM> Install-Package Aspose.PDF

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Install and Configure Aspose.PDF 

using Aspose.Pdf.Plugins;
using System.IO;

Step 2: Create a Table and Add to a PDF 

// Create TableGenerator
var generator = new TableGenerator();
// Create TableOptions and add a demo table to the first page
var options = new TableOptions()
    .InsertPageAfter(1)  // Insert after first page (or .InsertPageBefore(pageNum))
    .AddTable()
        .AddRow()
            .AddCell().AddParagraph(new HtmlFragment("<b>Header 1</b>"))
            .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment("Header 2"))
        .AddRow()
            .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment("Row 1 Cell 1"))
            .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TeXFragment("$E=mc^2$", true));
// Add input/output file sources
options.AddInput(new FileDataSource(@"C:\Samples\input.pdf"));
options.AddOutput(new FileDataSource(@"C:\Samples\output_table.pdf"));
// Process
generator.Process(options);

Use Cases & Applications (With Code Variations)

1. Add Table After or Before a Specific Page

Insert tables at precise locations in your document:

var options = new TableOptions()
    .InsertPageAfter(2)   // or .InsertPageBefore(3)
    .AddTable()
        .AddRow()
            .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment("After Page 2"));

2. Dynamic Table Generation Based on Data

Loop through collections to add dynamic rows and cells:

var data = new[] { new[] { "A", "B" }, new[] { "C", "D" } };
var tableBuilder = new TableOptions().AddTable();
foreach (var row in data)
{
    var rowBuilder = tableBuilder.AddRow();
    foreach (var cell in row)
    {
        rowBuilder.AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment(cell));
    }
}

Add the rest of your table structure and process as usual.

3. Support for Multiple Content Types in Cells

Cells can contain text, HTML, images, or TeX equations:

  • AddParagraph(new HtmlFragment("<b>Bold HTML</b>"))
  • AddParagraph(new TextFragment("Simple Text"))
  • AddParagraph(new TeXFragment("$a^2 + b^2 = c^2$", true))

4. Add Multiple Tables or Table Layouts in One PDF

Chain calls to .AddTable() to insert multiple tables in a single document.

5. Batch Generate Reports With Tables

Automate table insertion for a batch of PDFs or generate multi-page reports by looping over files and data sources.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Precise table placement or overlapping content Solution: Use .InsertPageAfter(pageNum) or .InsertPageBefore(pageNum) for exact positioning. Preview results for adjustment.

Challenge: Complex, variable data sources Solution: Build tables dynamically in code. Use loops to generate rows/cells per data item.

Challenge: Cell formatting or unsupported content Solution: Stick to supported content types (Text, HtmlFragment, TeXFragment, Image). For more advanced layouts, consider post-processing.

Performance and Best Practices

  • Preview output before large-scale automation
  • Use dynamic builders for variable-length tables
  • Chain table/cell/row builders to streamline structure
  • Validate input PDFs before processing

Complete Implementation Example 

using Aspose.Pdf.Plugins;
using System;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var generator = new TableGenerator();
        var options = new TableOptions()
            .InsertPageAfter(1)
            .AddTable()
                .AddRow()
                    .AddCell().AddParagraph(new HtmlFragment("<b>Header 1</b>"))
                    .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment("Header 2"))
                .AddRow()
                    .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TextFragment("Row 1 Cell 1"))
                    .AddCell().AddParagraph(new TeXFragment("$E=mc^2$", true));
        options.AddInput(new FileDataSource(@"C:\Samples\input.pdf"));
        options.AddOutput(new FileDataSource(@"C:\Samples\output_table.pdf"));
        generator.Process(options);
    }
}

Conclusion

Aspose.PDF Table Generator for .NET empowers developers to programmatically build, style, and insert tables in PDF documents. Use the flexible builder API for dynamic layouts, complex structures, and rapid automation—all from clean, readable C# code.

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