The C# PDF Library

HTML to PDF

using IronPdf;

// Disable local disk access or cross-origin requests
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

// Instantiate Renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create a PDF from a HTML string using C#
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>");

// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external html assets: Images, CSS and JavaScript.
// An optional BasePath 'C:\site\assets\' is set as the file location to load assets from
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

using IronPdf;

// Disable local disk access or cross-origin requests
Installation.EnableWebSecurity = true;

// Instantiate Renderer
var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create a PDF from a HTML string using C#
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World</h1>");

// Export to a file or Stream
pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");

// Advanced Example with HTML Assets
// Load external html assets: Images, CSS and JavaScript.
// An optional BasePath 'C:\site\assets\' is set as the file location to load assets from
var myAdvancedPdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<img src='icons/iron.png'>", @"C:\site\assets\");
myAdvancedPdf.SaveAs("html-with-assets.pdf");

PM >Install-Package IronPdf

Install-Package IronPdf

MIGRATION GUIDES

How to Migrate from BitMiracle Docotic PDF to IronPDF in C#

Curtis Chau

Updated: May 18, 2026

BitMiracle Docotic PDF is a well-regarded .NET PDF library known for its 100% managed code architecture and extensive programmatic PDF manipulation capabilities. However, its modular add-on structure - requiring separate packages for HTML-to-PDF conversion, layout features, and other functionality - adds complexity to project management and licensing. This comprehensive guide provides a step-by-step migration path from BitMiracle Docotic PDF to IronPDF - a unified .NET PDF library with built-in Chromium-based HTML rendering and all features included in a single NuGet package.

Why Migrate from BitMiracle Docotic PDF to IronPDF?

While BitMiracle Docotic PDF offers robust PDF manipulation features, several factors drive development teams to seek alternatives with more streamlined architecture.

Package Architecture Comparison

BitMiracle Docotic PDF uses a modular add-on approach that requires multiple packages for full functionality:

Aspect	BitMiracle Docotic PDF	IronPDF
HTML-to-PDF	Requires separate add-on (HtmlToPdf)	Built-in core feature
Package Structure	Core + multiple add-ons	Single NuGet package
Licensing Model	Per-add-on licensing	All features included
API Complexity	Separate namespaces per add-on	Unified API
HTML Engine	Chromium (via add-on)	Chromium (built-in)
Community Size	Smaller	Larger, more resources
Documentation	Technical reference	Extensive tutorials

Feature Parity

Both libraries support comprehensive PDF functionality:

Feature	BitMiracle Docotic PDF	IronPDF
Create PDF from scratch	✅	✅
HTML to PDF	✅ (add-on required)	✅ (built-in)
URL to PDF	✅ (add-on required)	✅ (built-in)
PDF manipulation	✅	✅
Text extraction	✅	✅
Merge/Split	✅	✅
Digital signatures	✅	✅
Encryption	✅	✅
Form filling	✅	✅
PDF/A compliance	✅	✅

Key Differences in Approach

BitMiracle Docotic PDF uses canvas-based drawing with coordinate positioning (canvas.DrawString(x, y, text)), while IronPDF leverages HTML/CSS for layout and positioning. This represents a paradigm shift that simplifies content creation for developers familiar with web technologies.

Pre-Migration Preparation

Prerequisites

Ensure your environment meets these requirements:

.NET Framework 4.6.2+ or .NET Core 3.1 / .NET 5-9
Visual Studio 2019+ or VS Code with C# extension
NuGet Package Manager access
IronPDF license key (free trial available at ironpdf.com)

Audit BitMiracle Docotic PDF Usage

Run these commands in your solution directory to identify all Docotic.Pdf references:

# Find all Docotic.Pdf usages in your codebase
grep -r "using BitMiracle.Docotic" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "PdfDocument\|PdfPage\|PdfCanvas" --include="*.cs" .

# Find NuGet package references
grep -r "Docotic.Pdf" --include="*.csproj" .

# Find all Docotic.Pdf usages in your codebase
grep -r "using BitMiracle.Docotic" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "PdfDocument\|PdfPage\|PdfCanvas" --include="*.cs" .

# Find NuGet package references
grep -r "Docotic.Pdf" --include="*.csproj" .

SHELL

Breaking Changes to Anticipate

Change	BitMiracle Docotic PDF	IronPDF	Impact
HTML rendering	Requires HtmlToPdf add-on	Built-in	Remove add-on package
Page indexing	0-based (`Pages[0]`)	0-based (`Pages[0]`)	No change needed
Coordinate system	Bottom-left origin	HTML/CSS flow	Use CSS for positioning
Canvas drawing	`PdfCanvas.DrawText()`	HTML markup	Paradigm shift
Text extraction	`page.GetText()`	`pdf.ExtractAllText()`	Method name change
Document loading	`new PdfDocument(path)`	`PdfDocument.FromFile(path)`	Constructor → static method
Saving	`document.Save(path)`	`pdf.SaveAs(path)`	Method name change
Disposal	`IDisposable` pattern	Not required	Simpler resource management

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Step 1: Update NuGet Packages

Remove BitMiracle Docotic PDF packages and install IronPDF:

# Remove Docotic.Pdf packages
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.Layout

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf

# Remove Docotic.Pdf packages
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf
dotnet remove package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.Layout

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf

SHELL

Step 2: Update Namespace References

Replace BitMiracle Docotic PDF namespaces with IronPDF:

// Remove these
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.Layout;
// HtmlConverter from the BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf NuGet package
// also lives in the BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf namespace (no extra using needed).

// Add this
using IronPdf;

// Remove these
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.Layout;
// HtmlConverter from the BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf NuGet package
// also lives in the BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf namespace (no extra using needed).

// Add this
using IronPdf;

Imports IronPdf

Imports IronPdf

Step 3: Configure License

// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Global.asax)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

// Add at application startup (Program.cs or Global.asax)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

' Add at application startup (Program.vb or Global.asax)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

' Add at application startup (Program.vb or Global.asax)
IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

Complete API Migration Reference

Document Operations

Task	BitMiracle Docotic PDF	IronPDF
Create empty document	`new PdfDocument()`	`new PdfDocument()`
Load from file	`new PdfDocument(path)`	`PdfDocument.FromFile(path)`
Load from stream	`PdfDocument.Load(stream)`	`PdfDocument.FromStream(stream)`
Load from bytes	`PdfDocument.Load(bytes)`	`PdfDocument.FromBinaryData(bytes)`
Save to file	`document.Save(path)`	`pdf.SaveAs(path)`
Get page count	`document.PageCount`	`pdf.PageCount`
Close/Dispose	`document.Dispose()`	Not required

HTML to PDF Conversion

Task	BitMiracle Docotic PDF (HtmlToPdf Add-on)	IronPDF
HTML string to PDF	`await converter.CreatePdfFromStringAsync(html)`	`renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)`
HTML file to PDF	`await converter.CreatePdfAsync(filePath)`	`renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf(path)`
URL to PDF	`await converter.CreatePdfAsync(new Uri(url))`	`renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url)`
Set page size	`options.Page.SetSize(PdfPaperSize.A4)`	`renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4`
Set margins	`options.Page.MarginTop = 20` (etc.)	`renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 20`

Merge and Split Operations

Task	BitMiracle Docotic PDF	IronPDF
Merge documents	`doc1.Append("file.pdf")` (path/Stream/bytes)	`PdfDocument.Merge(pdf1, pdf2)`
Split document	`document.CopyPage(index)` to new doc	`pdf.CopyPages(start, end)`

Code Migration Examples

HTML to PDF Conversion

The most common operation demonstrates the significant simplification IronPDF provides.

BitMiracle Docotic PDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf  (separate add-on required)
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

class Program
{
    static async Task Main()
    {
        // HtmlConverter is async-only and downloads Chromium on first use
        using var converter = await HtmlConverter.CreateAsync();

        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>";

        using var pdf = await converter.CreatePdfFromStringAsync(html);
        pdf.Save("output.pdf");

        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf.HtmlToPdf  (separate add-on required)
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

class Program
{
    static async Task Main()
    {
        // HtmlConverter is async-only and downloads Chromium on first use
        using var converter = await HtmlConverter.CreateAsync();

        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>";

        using var pdf = await converter.CreatePdfFromStringAsync(html);
        pdf.Save("output.pdf");

        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

Imports BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
Imports System
Imports System.Threading.Tasks

Module Program
    Async Function Main() As Task
        ' HtmlConverter is async-only and downloads Chromium on first use
        Using converter = Await HtmlConverter.CreateAsync()

            Dim html As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>"

            Using pdf = Await converter.CreatePdfFromStringAsync(html)
                pdf.Save("output.pdf")
            End Using

            Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
        End Using
    End Function
End Module

Imports BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
Imports System
Imports System.Threading.Tasks

Module Program
    Async Function Main() As Task
        ' HtmlConverter is async-only and downloads Chromium on first use
        Using converter = Await HtmlConverter.CreateAsync()

            Dim html As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>"

            Using pdf = Await converter.CreatePdfFromStringAsync(html)
                pdf.Save("output.pdf")
            End Using

            Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
        End Using
    End Function
End Module

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>";
        
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        string html = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>";
        
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim html As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>"

        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim html As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1><p>This is HTML to PDF conversion.</p></body></html>"

        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF eliminates the using statement requirement and provides a dedicated ChromePdfRenderer class that clearly indicates its Chromium-based rendering capability. For more HTML conversion options, see the HTML to PDF documentation.

Merging Multiple PDFs

BitMiracle Docotic PDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        using (var pdf1 = new PdfDocument("document1.pdf"))
        {
            // PdfDocument.Append accepts a file path, Stream, or byte[] —
            // not another PdfDocument instance.
            pdf1.Append("document2.pdf");
            pdf1.Save("merged.pdf");
        }

        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        using (var pdf1 = new PdfDocument("document1.pdf"))
        {
            // PdfDocument.Append accepts a file path, Stream, or byte[] —
            // not another PdfDocument instance.
            pdf1.Append("document2.pdf");
            pdf1.Save("merged.pdf");
        }

        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully");
    }
}

Imports BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
Imports System

Class Program
    Shared Sub Main()
        Using pdf1 As New PdfDocument("document1.pdf")
            ' PdfDocument.Append accepts a file path, Stream, or byte[] —
            ' not another PdfDocument instance.
            pdf1.Append("document2.pdf")
            pdf1.Save("merged.pdf")
        End Using

        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully")
    End Sub
End Class

Imports BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
Imports System

Class Program
    Shared Sub Main()
        Using pdf1 As New PdfDocument("document1.pdf")
            ' PdfDocument.Append accepts a file path, Stream, or byte[] —
            ' not another PdfDocument instance.
            pdf1.Append("document2.pdf")
            pdf1.Save("merged.pdf")
        End Using

        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully")
    End Sub
End Class

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf");
        var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf");
        
        var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(new List<PdfDocument> { pdf1, pdf2 });
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf");
        var pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf");
        
        var merged = PdfDocument.Merge(new List<PdfDocument> { pdf1, pdf2 });
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf")
        Dim pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf")
        
        Dim merged = PdfDocument.Merge(New List(Of PdfDocument) From {pdf1, pdf2})
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim pdf1 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document1.pdf")
        Dim pdf2 = PdfDocument.FromFile("document2.pdf")
        
        Dim merged = PdfDocument.Merge(New List(Of PdfDocument) From {pdf1, pdf2})
        merged.SaveAs("merged.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDFs merged successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF's static Merge method accepts multiple documents directly, providing a cleaner API than the iterative Append pattern. For more options, see the PDF merging documentation.

Text Extraction

BitMiracle Docotic PDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        using (var pdf = new PdfDocument("document.pdf"))
        {
            string allText = "";
            
            foreach (var page in pdf.Pages)
            {
                allText += page.GetText();
            }
            
            Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:");
            Console.WriteLine(allText);
        }
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf
using BitMiracle.Docotic.Pdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        using (var pdf = new PdfDocument("document.pdf"))
        {
            string allText = "";
            
            foreach (var page in pdf.Pages)
            {
                allText += page.GetText();
            }
            
            Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:");
            Console.WriteLine(allText);
        }
    }
}

IronPDF Implementation:

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf");
        string allText = pdf.ExtractAllText();
        
        Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:");
        Console.WriteLine(allText);
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
using IronPdf;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf");
        string allText = pdf.ExtractAllText();
        
        Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:");
        Console.WriteLine(allText);
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim pdf As PdfDocument = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf")
        Dim allText As String = pdf.ExtractAllText()
        
        Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:")
        Console.WriteLine(allText)
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim pdf As PdfDocument = PdfDocument.FromFile("document.pdf")
        Dim allText As String = pdf.ExtractAllText()
        
        Console.WriteLine("Extracted text:")
        Console.WriteLine(allText)
    End Sub
End Module

IronPDF reduces the text extraction from a multi-line loop to a single method call. For more extraction options, see the text extraction documentation.

Password Protection and Encryption

IronPDF Implementation:

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Confidential Document</h1>");

// Set security
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;

pdf.SaveAs("protected.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Confidential Document</h1>");

// Set security
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword";
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;

pdf.SaveAs("protected.pdf");

Imports IronPdf

Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Confidential Document</h1>")

' Set security
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword"
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword"
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = False

pdf.SaveAs("protected.pdf")

Imports IronPdf

Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Confidential Document</h1>")

' Set security
pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "userPassword"
pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "ownerPassword"
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights
pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = False

pdf.SaveAs("protected.pdf")

For comprehensive security options, see the encryption documentation.

Headers and Footers

IronPDF Implementation:

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = @"
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:12px;'>
            Company Header - Confidential
        </div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true,
    MaxHeight = 30
};

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = @"
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:10px;'>
            Page {page} of {total-pages}
        </div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true,
    MaxHeight = 25
};

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("with_headers.pdf");

using IronPdf;

var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = @"
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:12px;'>
            Company Header - Confidential
        </div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true,
    MaxHeight = 30
};

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = @"
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:10px;'>
            Page {page} of {total-pages}
        </div>",
    DrawDividerLine = true,
    MaxHeight = 25
};

var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("with_headers.pdf");

Imports IronPdf

Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = New HtmlHeaderFooter With {
    .HtmlFragment = "
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:12px;'>
            Company Header - Confidential
        </div>",
    .DrawDividerLine = True,
    .MaxHeight = 30
}

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = New HtmlHeaderFooter With {
    .HtmlFragment = "
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:10px;'>
            Page {page} of {total-pages}
        </div>",
    .DrawDividerLine = True,
    .MaxHeight = 25
}

Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>")
pdf.SaveAs("with_headers.pdf")

Imports IronPdf

Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = New HtmlHeaderFooter With {
    .HtmlFragment = "
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:12px;'>
            Company Header - Confidential
        </div>",
    .DrawDividerLine = True,
    .MaxHeight = 30
}

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlFooter = New HtmlHeaderFooter With {
    .HtmlFragment = "
        <div style='text-align:center; font-size:10px;'>
            Page {page} of {total-pages}
        </div>",
    .DrawDividerLine = True,
    .MaxHeight = 25
}

Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Document Content</h1>")
pdf.SaveAs("with_headers.pdf")

IronPDF supports placeholder tokens like {page} and {total-pages} for dynamic page numbering. For more options, see the headers and footers documentation.

Critical Migration Notes

Canvas to HTML Paradigm Shift

BitMiracle Docotic PDF's canvas-based drawing approach must be converted to HTML with CSS positioning:

BitMiracle Docotic PDF Pattern:

var canvas = pdfPage.Canvas;
canvas.DrawString(50, 50, "Hello, World!");

var canvas = pdfPage.Canvas;
canvas.DrawString(50, 50, "Hello, World!");

Dim canvas = pdfPage.Canvas
canvas.DrawString(50, 50, "Hello, World!")

Dim canvas = pdfPage.Canvas
canvas.DrawString(50, 50, "Hello, World!")

IronPDF Pattern:

var html = "<div style='position:absolute; left:50px; top:50px;'>Hello, World!</div>";
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

var html = "<div style='position:absolute; left:50px; top:50px;'>Hello, World!</div>";
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

Dim html As String = "<div style='position:absolute; left:50px; top:50px;'>Hello, World!</div>"
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

Dim html As String = "<div style='position:absolute; left:50px; top:50px;'>Hello, World!</div>"
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

Same Page Indexing

Both libraries use 0-based indexing (Pages[0] is the first page) - no changes needed for page access code.

Disposal Not Required

IronPDF doesn't require using statements for memory management, simplifying code structure:

// BitMiracle Docotic PDF - disposal required
using (var pdf = new PdfDocument("input.pdf"))
{
    // operations
}

// IronPDF - disposal optional
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("input.pdf");
// operations - no using statement needed

// BitMiracle Docotic PDF - disposal required
using (var pdf = new PdfDocument("input.pdf"))
{
    // operations
}

// IronPDF - disposal optional
var pdf = PdfDocument.FromFile("input.pdf");
// operations - no using statement needed

Async Support

BitMiracle Docotic PDF's HtmlToPdf add-on requires async patterns everywhere. IronPDF supports both synchronous and asynchronous methods:

// Synchronous
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Asynchronous
var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(html);

// Synchronous
var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);

// Asynchronous
var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(html);

' Synchronous
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

' Asynchronous
Dim pdf = Await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(html)

' Synchronous
Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)

' Asynchronous
Dim pdf = Await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync(html)

ASP.NET Core Integration

IronPDF Pattern:

[ApiController]
[Route("[controller]")]
public class PdfController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpGet("generate")]
    public IActionResult GeneratePdf()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report</h1>");

        return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf");
    }

    [HttpGet("generate-async")]
    public async Task<IActionResult> GeneratePdfAsync()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Report</h1>");

        return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf");
    }
}

[ApiController]
[Route("[controller]")]
public class PdfController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpGet("generate")]
    public IActionResult GeneratePdf()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report</h1>");

        return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf");
    }

    [HttpGet("generate-async")]
    public async Task<IActionResult> GeneratePdfAsync()
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        var pdf = await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Report</h1>");

        return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf");
    }
}

Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc

<ApiController>
<Route("[controller]")>
Public Class PdfController
    Inherits ControllerBase

    <HttpGet("generate")>
    Public Function GeneratePdf() As IActionResult
        Dim renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report</h1>")

        Return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf")
    End Function

    <HttpGet("generate-async")>
    Public Async Function GeneratePdfAsync() As Task(Of IActionResult)
        Dim renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = Await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Report</h1>")

        Return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf")
    End Function
End Class

Imports Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc

<ApiController>
<Route("[controller]")>
Public Class PdfController
    Inherits ControllerBase

    <HttpGet("generate")>
    Public Function GeneratePdf() As IActionResult
        Dim renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Report</h1>")

        Return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf")
    End Function

    <HttpGet("generate-async")>
    Public Async Function GeneratePdfAsync() As Task(Of IActionResult)
        Dim renderer = New ChromePdfRenderer()
        Dim pdf = Await renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdfAsync("<h1>Report</h1>")

        Return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", "report.pdf")
    End Function
End Class

Post-Migration Checklist

After completing the code migration, verify the following:

Run all unit tests to verify PDF generation works correctly
Compare PDF output quality (IronPDF's Chromium engine may render slightly differently - usually better)
Verify text extraction accuracy
Test form filling functionality
Validate digital signatures if applicable
Performance test batch operations
Test in all target environments
Update CI/CD pipelines
Remove Docotic.Pdf license files

Additional Resources

Migrating from BitMiracle Docotic PDF to IronPDF eliminates the complexity of managing multiple add-on packages while providing the same Chromium-based HTML rendering capabilities. The transition from canvas-based drawing to HTML/CSS positioning leverages web development skills most .NET developers already possess, resulting in more maintainable PDF generation code.

Please note: Bitmiracle Docotic.Pdf is a registered trademark of its respective owner. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Bit Miracle. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. Comparisons are for informational purposes only and reflect publicly available information at the time of writing.

Curtis Chau

Chat with engineering team now

Technical Writer

Curtis Chau holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Carleton University) and specializes in front-end development with expertise in Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. Passionate about crafting intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, Curtis enjoys working with modern frameworks and creating well-structured, visually appealing manuals.

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