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 Winnovative to IronPDF in C#

Curtis Chau

Updated: August 1, 2026

Winnovative has been a recognized name in the .NET PDF generation space, offering HTML-to-PDF conversion capabilities for C# applications. However, the long-running Classic library relies on an older proprietary rendering engine, and its support for modern CSS (Grid, recent Flexbox) and modern JavaScript (ES2017+) is inconsistent compared to a current Chromium browser. The vendor's response has been to ship a separate Chromium-class product, Winnovative.Pdf.Next, rather than upgrade Classic in place - which means existing Winnovative customers face a code migration either way.

This guide provides a migration path from Winnovative to IronPDF, with step-by-step instructions, code comparisons, and practical examples for .NET developers evaluating this transition.

Why Migrate from Winnovative

Winnovative's Classic library uses an older proprietary engine that has not been updated to modern web standards:

Inconsistent CSS Grid / modern Flexbox: Layouts that depend on CSS Grid or recent Flexbox features can render incorrectly compared to a current Chromium browser.

Modern JavaScript Compatibility Gaps: ES2017+ features (arrow functions, async/await, classes) are not reliably executed, which affects React, Vue, and other modern frameworks.

Slow Cadence: The Classic engine receives infrequent rendering-engine refreshes; the vendor's answer has been to ship the separate Winnovative.Pdf.Next Chromium-class product, leaving Classic feature-frozen.

Two-Product Migration Burden: Moving to Winnovative.Pdf.Next is itself a rewrite - the Next API lives under a different namespace (Winnovative.Pdf.Next) and is binary-incompatible with Classic.

Font Rendering Edge Cases: Web fonts and custom typography sometimes render differently from a modern browser.

Real-World Impact

Modern CSS and JavaScript that can render inconsistently in Winnovative Classic:

<!-- CSS Grid can render inconsistently in Winnovative Classic -->
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 20px;">
  <div>Column 1</div>
  <div>Column 2</div>
  <div>Column 3</div>
</div>

<!-- Modern JavaScript may not execute reliably in Classic -->
<script>
const items = data.map(item => item.name);
const result = await fetchData();
class Report { }
</script>

<!-- CSS Grid can render inconsistently in Winnovative Classic -->
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 20px;">
  <div>Column 1</div>
  <div>Column 2</div>
  <div>Column 3</div>
</div>

<!-- Modern JavaScript may not execute reliably in Classic -->
<script>
const items = data.map(item => item.name);
const result = await fetchData();
class Report { }
</script>

HTML

IronPDF vs Winnovative: Feature Comparison

Understanding the architectural differences helps technical decision-makers evaluate the migration investment:

Aspect	Winnovative Classic	IronPDF
Rendering Engine	Older proprietary engine	Chromium (Current)
CSS Grid	Inconsistent	Full Support
Flexbox	Inconsistent on edge cases	Full Support
JavaScript	Limited modern JS	ES2024
Bootstrap 5	Layout issues	Full Support
Tailwind CSS	Limited	Full Support
React/Vue SSR	Problematic	Works
Web Fonts	Unreliable in some setups	Full Support
Updates	Infrequent	Monthly
Pricing (per developer)	$450 Deployment / $1,200 Redistributable	See ironpdf.com/pricing

Quick Start: Winnovative to IronPDF Migration

The migration can begin immediately with these foundational steps.

Step 1: Replace NuGet Packages

Remove all Winnovative packages (verify which your project actually uses):

# Remove Winnovative (Classic + related utilities)
dotnet remove package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
# Also remove any of these your project references:
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.PdfMerge
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.PdfSecurity
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.Pdf.Next.Core
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.Client

# Remove Winnovative (Classic + related utilities)
dotnet remove package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
# Also remove any of these your project references:
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.PdfMerge
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.PdfSecurity
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.Pdf.Next.Core
# dotnet remove package Winnovative.Client

SHELL

Install IronPDF:

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf

# Install IronPDF
dotnet add package IronPdf

SHELL

Step 2: Update Namespaces

Replace Winnovative namespaces with the IronPDF namespace:

// Before (Winnovative)
using Winnovative;
using Winnovative.WebKit;

// After (IronPDF)
using IronPdf;

// Before (Winnovative)
using Winnovative;
using Winnovative.WebKit;

// After (IronPDF)
using IronPdf;

Imports IronPdf

Imports IronPdf

Step 3: Initialize License

Add license initialization at application startup:

IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY";

IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

IronPdf.License.LicenseKey = "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY"

Code Migration Examples

Converting HTML to PDF

The most common use case demonstrates the API differences between these .NET PDF libraries.

Winnovative Approach:

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertHtml(htmlString, "");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertHtml(htmlString, "");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("output.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

IronPDF Approach:

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Convert HTML string to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        
        ' Convert HTML string to PDF
        Dim htmlString As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString)
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        
        ' Convert HTML string to PDF
        Dim htmlString As String = "<html><body><h1>Hello World</h1></body></html>"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString)
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

Winnovative requires creating an HtmlToPdfConverter, setting a license key on the instance, calling ConvertHtml() with an empty base URL parameter, receiving raw bytes, and manually writing to a file. IronPDF simplifies this: create a ChromePdfRenderer, call RenderHtmlAsPdf(), and use the built-in SaveAs() method.

For advanced HTML-to-PDF scenarios, see the HTML to PDF conversion guide.

Converting URLs to PDF

URL-to-PDF conversion shows similar patterns.

Winnovative Approach:

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        string url = "https://www.example.com";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertUrl(url);
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        string url = "https://www.example.com";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertUrl(url);
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("webpage.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully");
    }
}

IronPDF Approach:

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        string url = "https://www.example.com";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully");
    }
}

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Convert URL to PDF
        string url = "https://www.example.com";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        
        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim url As String = "https://www.example.com"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url)
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()
        
        ' Convert URL to PDF
        Dim url As String = "https://www.example.com"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderUrlAsPdf(url)
        
        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("webpage.pdf")
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF from URL created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

Winnovative uses ConvertUrl() returning bytes that must be manually saved. IronPDF provides RenderUrlAsPdf() with a PdfDocument object that includes SaveAs() for convenience.

Explore the URL to PDF documentation for authentication and custom header options.

Adding Headers and Footers

Headers and footers reveal significant architectural differences. Winnovative uses a programmatic element-based approach with TextElement objects, while IronPDF uses HTML-based headers with placeholder tokens.

Winnovative Approach:

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;
using System.Drawing;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Enable header
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.ShowHeader = true;
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderHeight = 60;
        
        // Add header text
        TextElement headerText = new TextElement(0, 0, "Document Header", new Font("Arial", 12));
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.AddElement(headerText);
        
        // Enable footer
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.ShowFooter = true;
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterHeight = 60;
        
        // Add footer with page number
        TextElement footerText = new TextElement(0, 0, "Page &p; of &P;", new Font("Arial", 10));
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.AddElement(footerText);
        
        // Convert HTML to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertHtml(htmlString, "");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("document.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully");
    }
}

// NuGet: Install-Package Winnovative.HtmlToPdf
using Winnovative;
using System;
using System.Drawing;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create the HTML to PDF converter
        HtmlToPdfConverter htmlToPdfConverter = new HtmlToPdfConverter();
        
        // Set license key
        htmlToPdfConverter.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
        
        // Enable header
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.ShowHeader = true;
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.HeaderHeight = 60;
        
        // Add header text
        TextElement headerText = new TextElement(0, 0, "Document Header", new Font("Arial", 12));
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfHeaderOptions.AddElement(headerText);
        
        // Enable footer
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfDocumentOptions.ShowFooter = true;
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.FooterHeight = 60;
        
        // Add footer with page number
        TextElement footerText = new TextElement(0, 0, "Page &p; of &P;", new Font("Arial", 10));
        htmlToPdfConverter.PdfFooterOptions.AddElement(footerText);
        
        // Convert HTML to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>";
        byte[] pdfBytes = htmlToPdfConverter.ConvertHtml(htmlString, "");
        
        // Save to file
        System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes("document.pdf", pdfBytes);
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully");
    }
}

IronPDF Approach:

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Document Header",
            FontSize = 12
        };
        
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            FontSize = 10
        };
        
        // Convert HTML to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully");
    }
}

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

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Create a PDF renderer
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        
        // Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Document Header",
            FontSize = 12
        };
        
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter()
        {
            CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            FontSize = 10
        };
        
        // Convert HTML to PDF
        string htmlString = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>";
        var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString);
        
        // Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf");
        
        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully");
    }
}

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports IronPdf.Rendering
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Document Header",
            .FontSize = 12
        }

        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            .FontSize = 10
        }

        ' Convert HTML to PDF
        Dim htmlString As String = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString)

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

' NuGet: Install-Package IronPdf
Imports IronPdf
Imports IronPdf.Rendering
Imports System

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        ' Create a PDF renderer
        Dim renderer As New ChromePdfRenderer()

        ' Configure header and footer
        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Document Header",
            .FontSize = 12
        }

        renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = New TextHeaderFooter() With {
            .CenterText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
            .FontSize = 10
        }

        ' Convert HTML to PDF
        Dim htmlString As String = "<html><body><h1>Document with Header and Footer</h1><p>Content goes here</p></body></html>"
        Dim pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlString)

        ' Save to file
        pdf.SaveAs("document.pdf")

        Console.WriteLine("PDF with header and footer created successfully")
    End Sub
End Module

Winnovative requires enabling headers/footers through PdfDocumentOptions.ShowHeader, setting heights, creating TextElement objects with coordinate positions and System.Drawing.Font objects, and using &p; and &P; placeholders. IronPDF uses TextHeaderFooter objects with simple properties like CenterText and FontSize, and intuitive placeholders like {page} and {total-pages}.

For HTML-based headers with full CSS styling, see the headers and footers documentation.

Winnovative API to IronPDF Mapping Reference

This mapping accelerates migration by showing direct API equivalents:

Winnovative Class	IronPDF Equivalent
`HtmlToPdfConverter`	`ChromePdfRenderer`
`PdfDocument`	`PdfDocument`
`PdfDocumentOptions`	`RenderingOptions`
`PdfHeaderOptions`	`HtmlHeaderFooter`
`PdfFooterOptions`	`HtmlHeaderFooter`
`TextElement`	HTML in `HtmlFragment`
`ImageElement`	HTML `<img>`

Method Mapping

Winnovative Method	IronPDF Method
`ConvertUrl(url)`	`RenderUrlAsPdf(url)`
`ConvertUrlToFile(url, path)`	`RenderUrlAsPdf(url).SaveAs(path)`
`ConvertHtml(html, baseUrl)`	`RenderHtmlAsPdf(html)`
`ConvertHtmlToFile(html, path)`	`RenderHtmlAsPdf(html).SaveAs(path)`
`ConvertHtmlFile(path)`	`RenderHtmlFileAsPdf(path)`
`MergePdf(streams)`	`PdfDocument.Merge(pdfs)`
`AppendPdf(pdf)`	`pdf1.AppendPdf(pdf2)`

Options Mapping

Winnovative Option	IronPDF Option
`PdfPageSize.A4`	`PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.A4`
`PdfPageSize.Letter`	`PaperSize = PdfPaperSize.Letter`
`PdfPageOrientation.Portrait`	`PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait`
`PdfPageOrientation.Landscape`	`PaperOrientation = PdfPaperOrientation.Landscape`
`TopMargin = 20`	`MarginTop = 20`
`BottomMargin = 20`	`MarginBottom = 20`
`LeftMargin = 15`	`MarginLeft = 15`
`RightMargin = 15`	`MarginRight = 15`
`ShowHeader = true`	Set `HtmlHeader` property
`ShowFooter = true`	Set `HtmlFooter` property
`JavaScriptEnabled = true`	`EnableJavaScript = true`
Page number `&p;`	Page number `{page}`
Total pages `&P;`	Total pages `{total-pages}`

Common Migration Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: CSS Layouts Look Different

Symptom: Layouts that looked "okay" in Winnovative now look different in IronPDF.

Cause: Winnovative Classic's older proprietary engine has rendering quirks that developers worked around. IronPDF's current Chromium engine renders these correctly.

Solution: Remove Winnovative-specific CSS hacks and use standard CSS:

// Clean up legacy CSS
string cleanedHtml = html
    .Replace("-webkit-flex", "flex")
    .Replace("display: -webkit-box", "display: flex");

// Clean up legacy CSS
string cleanedHtml = html
    .Replace("-webkit-flex", "flex")
    .Replace("display: -webkit-box", "display: flex");

Dim cleanedHtml As String = html _
    .Replace("-webkit-flex", "flex") _
    .Replace("display: -webkit-box", "display: flex")

Dim cleanedHtml As String = html _
    .Replace("-webkit-flex", "flex") _
    .Replace("display: -webkit-box", "display: flex")

Issue 2: JavaScript Not Executing

Symptom: Dynamic content not appearing in PDF.

Cause: Need to configure JavaScript wait options explicitly.

Solution:

renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.JavaScript(5000);
// Or wait for specific element
renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.HtmlElementById("content-ready", 10000);

renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.JavaScript(5000);
// Or wait for specific element
renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.HtmlElementById("content-ready", 10000);

net

net

Issue 3: Base URL Not Working

Symptom: Relative URLs for images and CSS not resolving.

Cause: IronPDF needs explicit base URL configuration.

Solution:

renderer.RenderingOptions.BaseUrl = new Uri("https://example.com/");

renderer.RenderingOptions.BaseUrl = new Uri("https://example.com/");

renderer.RenderingOptions.BaseUrl = New Uri("https://example.com/")

renderer.RenderingOptions.BaseUrl = New Uri("https://example.com/")

Issue 4: Different Page Breaks

Symptom: Content breaking at different points than Winnovative.

Cause: Different rendering engines handle page breaks differently.

Solution: Use explicit CSS page break controls:

/* Control page breaks explicitly */
.no-break {
    page-break-inside: avoid;
}
.page-break-before {
    page-break-before: always;
}
.page-break-after {
    page-break-after: always;
}

/* Control page breaks explicitly */
.no-break {
    page-break-inside: avoid;
}
.page-break-before {
    page-break-before: always;
}
.page-break-after {
    page-break-after: always;
}

Text

Issue 5: Fonts Look Different

Symptom: Text appears in different fonts than expected.

Cause: IronPDF uses system fonts; web fonts need explicit loading.

Solution:

<style>
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto&display=swap');

body {
    font-family: 'Roboto', Arial, sans-serif;
}
</style>

<style>
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto&display=swap');

body {
    font-family: 'Roboto', Arial, sans-serif;
}
</style>

HTML

Winnovative Migration Checklist

Pre-Migration Tasks

Audit your codebase to identify all Winnovative usage:

# Find all Winnovative references
grep -r "Winnovative" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "HtmlToPdfConverter" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "PdfDocumentOptions" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "ConvertUrl\|ConvertHtml" --include="*.cs" .

# Find all Winnovative references
grep -r "Winnovative" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "HtmlToPdfConverter" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "PdfDocumentOptions" --include="*.cs" .
grep -r "ConvertUrl\|ConvertHtml" --include="*.cs" .

SHELL

Document current configurations including page sizes, margins, and header/footer settings. Identify CSS workarounds (webkit prefixes, float-based grids) that can be removed. Note JavaScript compatibility requirements.

Code Update Tasks

Remove Winnovative NuGet packages
Install IronPDF NuGet package
Update all namespace imports from Winnovative to IronPdf
Replace HtmlToPdfConverter with ChromePdfRenderer
Convert ConvertHtml() calls to RenderHtmlAsPdf()
Convert ConvertUrl() calls to RenderUrlAsPdf()
Update page size/orientation settings to RenderingOptions
Convert margin configurations
Migrate TextElement-based headers/footers to HTML-based TextHeaderFooter
Update page number placeholders from &p;/&P; to {page}/{total-pages}
Add IronPDF license initialization at startup

Post-Migration Testing

After migration, verify these aspects:

Test basic HTML to PDF conversion
Test URL to PDF conversion
Verify CSS Grid layouts render correctly
Verify Flexbox layouts render correctly
Test JavaScript-heavy pages with modern ES6+ syntax
Verify Bootstrap 5 compatibility
Test header/footer rendering
Verify page breaks
Compare PDF output quality

Cleanup Tasks

Remove Winnovative CSS workarounds (webkit prefixes)
Update ES5 JavaScript to modern syntax
Remove float-based grid fallbacks
Update documentation

Key Benefits of Migrating to IronPDF

Moving from Winnovative to IronPDF provides several critical advantages:

Modern Rendering Engine: IronPDF uses the current Chromium engine, ensuring full CSS3, CSS Grid, Flexbox, and ES2024 JavaScript support. Modern frameworks like Bootstrap 5, Tailwind CSS, and React/Vue render correctly.

Simplified API: HTML-based headers and footers replace programmatic TextElement positioning. Intuitive placeholders like {page} replace obscure &p; syntax. Built-in SaveAs() methods eliminate manual byte handling.

Active Development: IronPDF's monthly updates ensure compatibility with current and upcoming .NET versions.

Modern CSS Without Workarounds: CSS Grid, Flexbox, and modern typography work without webkit prefixes or float-based fallbacks.

Modern JavaScript: ES6+ features including arrow functions, async/await, classes, and modules execute correctly.

Please note: Winnovative is a registered trademark of its respective owner. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Winnovative Software. 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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