ASP.NET Display PDF in Panel Using IronPDF

How Does IronPDF Simplify PDF File Display in Panels?

IronPDF revolutionizes PDF handling in ASP.NET Core by shifting the rendering process entirely to the server side. This fundamental approach eliminates the traditional pain points associated with client-side PDF display while providing developers with powerful, programmatic control over document generation and presentation.

The library's server-side rendering engine means your PDFs display consistently regardless of the user's browser, operating system, or installed plugins. Users no longer need Adobe Reader, browser extensions, or any other third-party software to view PDFs within your application. This universality is particularly valuable in enterprise environments where IT policies may restrict plugin installations.

IronPDF's architecture also brings significant advantages for modern deployment scenarios. The library offers robust cross-platform support, running seamlessly on Windows, Linux, and macOS servers. Container deployment is fully supported, making IronPDF an ideal choice for applications running in Docker containers or Kubernetes clusters. This flexibility ensures your PDF display functionality works consistently across development, staging, and production environments.

How to Set Up IronPDF for Panel Display?

Getting started with IronPDF in your ASP.NET Core project requires just a few simple steps. First, open Visual Studio and navigate to Solution Explorer. Right-click on your project and select "Manage NuGet Packages" to install the IronPDF NuGet package. You can also run the following code in your Package Manager Console:

Install-Package IronPdf

Install-Package IronPdf

Alternatively, for your .NET Framework or .NET Core applications, you can use the .NET CLI to download the package:

dotnet add package IronPdf

dotnet add package IronPdf

Once installed, add the necessary using statement to your controller or service classes to access the IronPDF namespace:

using IronPdf;
using System;
using System.Web;

using IronPdf;
using System;
using System.Web;

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For optimal panel display functionality to view PDF files, configure your ASP.NET MVC or Core application to handle PDF content properly. In your Program.cs file, ensure your web application is configured to serve static files and handle the appropriate MIME types. This source code shows the basic configuration:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Add services to the container
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();
builder.Services.AddRazorPages();
var app = builder.Build();
// Configure the HTTP request pipeline
app.UseStaticFiles();
app.UseRouting();
app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");
app.Run();

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Add services to the container
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();
builder.Services.AddRazorPages();
var app = builder.Build();
// Configure the HTTP request pipeline
app.UseStaticFiles();
app.UseRouting();
app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");
app.Run();

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This configuration establishes the foundation for serving PDF content through your ASP.NET Core application. The AddControllersWithViews() service registration ensures your application can handle both API endpoints and view rendering, which is essential for displaying PDFs within panel controls. The routing configuration allows you to create specific endpoints for PDF generation and display, providing clean URLs for your panel-embedded PDFs. For more advanced configuration options, check our comprehensive API documentation.

How to Display a PDF File Directly in ASP.NET Panels?

Displaying PDF files within ASP.NET Core panels involves creating a controller action that generates or retrieves PDF document content and streams it directly to the browser. Here's a comprehensive implementation that demonstrates the core functionality for rendering PDF pages in ASP.NET panels. This code snippet shows the complete solution:

[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class PdfPanelController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpGet("display/{documentId}")]
    public IActionResult DisplayPdfInPanel(string documentId)
    {
        // Create a new Chrome PDF renderer instance
        var renderer = new IronPDF.ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Generate a PDF file from HTML string
        string filename = $"document_{documentId}.pdf";
        var htmlContent = $@"
            <html>
            <head>
                <style>
                    body {{ font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 40px; }}
                    h1 {{ color: #333; }}
                    .content {{ line-height: 1.6; }}
                </style>
            </head>
            <body>
                <h1>Document #{documentId}</h1>
                <div class='content'>
                    <p>This generated PDF file is dynamically created and displayed directly in your panel.</p>
                    <p>Current page generated at: {DateTime.Now:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}</p>
                </div>
            </body>
            </html>";
        // Render the HTML string as a PDF document
        using var pdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);
        // Convert to byte array for streaming
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfDocument.BinaryData;
        // Set HTTP header for content disposition
        Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename={filename}");
        return File(pdfBytes, "application/pdf");
    }
}

[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class PdfPanelController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpGet("display/{documentId}")]
    public IActionResult DisplayPdfInPanel(string documentId)
    {
        // Create a new Chrome PDF renderer instance
        var renderer = new IronPDF.ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Generate a PDF file from HTML string
        string filename = $"document_{documentId}.pdf";
        var htmlContent = $@"
            <html>
            <head>
                <style>
                    body {{ font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin: 40px; }}
                    h1 {{ color: #333; }}
                    .content {{ line-height: 1.6; }}
                </style>
            </head>
            <body>
                <h1>Document #{documentId}</h1>
                <div class='content'>
                    <p>This generated PDF file is dynamically created and displayed directly in your panel.</p>
                    <p>Current page generated at: {DateTime.Now:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}</p>
                </div>
            </body>
            </html>";
        // Render the HTML string as a PDF document
        using var pdfDocument = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlContent);
        // Convert to byte array for streaming
        byte[] pdfBytes = pdfDocument.BinaryData;
        // Set HTTP header for content disposition
        Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename={filename}");
        return File(pdfBytes, "application/pdf");
    }
}

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The above code demonstrates several key concepts for displaying PDF files in panels. The ChromePdfRenderer class serves as IronPDF's primary rendering engine on the server side, utilizing a headless Chrome browser internally to ensure accurate HTML to PDF conversion. The HTML string content can be dynamically generated based on your application's data, allowing you to create customized PDF documents on the fly that display perfectly within ASP.NET panels.

The RenderHtmlAsPdf method handles the conversion process, transforming your HTML string into a fully-formatted PDF document. This method preserves CSS styling, ensuring your PDF files maintain the visual design you specify when rendering in panels. The resulting PdfDocument object provides access to the PDF file's binary data through the BinaryData property. For more complex HTML structures, you can also use templates and styling options.

The response configuration is crucial for proper panel display in ASP.NET applications to display a PDF file correctly. Setting the Content-Disposition HTTP header to "inline" tells the browser to display a PDF directly rather than prompting for download. This enables seamless embedding within your panel controls, creating a smooth user experience when viewing PDF documents in ASP.NET web applications.

To display PDF files in your Razor view's panel, create a simple panel structure with runat="server" attribute support:

@page
@model IndexModel
<div class="container mt-4">
    <div class="card">
        <div class="card-header">
            <h3>PDF Display Panel</h3>
        </div>
        <div class="card-body">
            <div class="pdf-panel" style="height: 600px;">
                <iframe src="/api/PdfPanel/display/12345"
                        width="100%"
                        height="100%"
                        frameborder="0"
                        runat="server">
                </iframe>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

@page
@model IndexModel
<div class="container mt-4">
    <div class="card">
        <div class="card-header">
            <h3>PDF Display Panel</h3>
        </div>
        <div class="card-body">
            <div class="pdf-panel" style="height: 600px;">
                <iframe src="/api/PdfPanel/display/12345"
                        width="100%"
                        height="100%"
                        frameborder="0"
                        runat="server">
                </iframe>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

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This HTML structure creates a responsive panel that contains an iframe pointing to your PDF endpoint. The iframe seamlessly displays the server-rendered, generated PDF file without requiring any client-side PDF viewer libraries or plugins. The panel automatically adjusts to different screen sizes while maintaining the PDF pages' readability, making it ideal for displaying PDF files in ASP.NET Core applications. Note that for additional customization options, explore our rendering settings documentation.

How to Integrate a PDF Document with Dynamic Panels?

Dynamic panel updates and modal popup displays require a more sophisticated approach to PDF integration. According to Microsoft's ASP.NET Core documentation, asynchronous patterns are essential for maintaining responsive interfaces. Here's how to implement AJAX-based PDF loading for responsive user interfaces that display PDF files in panels with proper error handling:

[HttpPost("generate")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateDynamicPdf([FromBody] PdfRequestModel request)
{
    try
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Configure rendering options for optimal display
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight = 20;
        // Build HTML string from request data
        var htmlBuilder = new StringBuilder();
        htmlBuilder.Append("<html><body>");
        htmlBuilder.Append($"<h2>{request.Title}</h2>");
        htmlBuilder.Append($"<div>{request.Content}</div>");
        // Add any dynamic data tables or charts
        if (request.IncludeData)
        {
            htmlBuilder.Append("<table border='1' style='width:100%;'>");
            foreach (var item in request.DataItems)
            {
                htmlBuilder.Append($"<tr><td>{item.Key}</td><td>{item.Value}</td></tr>");
            }
            htmlBuilder.Append("</table>");
        }
        htmlBuilder.Append("</body></html>");
        // Generate the PDF file asynchronously
        var pdfDocument = await Task.Run(() =>
            renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlBuilder.ToString())
        );
        // Return PDF as base64 string for JavaScript handling
        byte[] byteArray = pdfDocument.BinaryData;
        var base64Pdf = Convert.ToBase64String(byteArray);
        return Ok(new { success = true, pdfData = base64Pdf });
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        return BadRequest(new { success = false, error = ex.Message });
    }
}

[HttpPost("generate")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateDynamicPdf([FromBody] PdfRequestModel request)
{
    try
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Configure rendering options for optimal display
        renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft = 20;
        renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight = 20;
        // Build HTML string from request data
        var htmlBuilder = new StringBuilder();
        htmlBuilder.Append("<html><body>");
        htmlBuilder.Append($"<h2>{request.Title}</h2>");
        htmlBuilder.Append($"<div>{request.Content}</div>");
        // Add any dynamic data tables or charts
        if (request.IncludeData)
        {
            htmlBuilder.Append("<table border='1' style='width:100%;'>");
            foreach (var item in request.DataItems)
            {
                htmlBuilder.Append($"<tr><td>{item.Key}</td><td>{item.Value}</td></tr>");
            }
            htmlBuilder.Append("</table>");
        }
        htmlBuilder.Append("</body></html>");
        // Generate the PDF file asynchronously
        var pdfDocument = await Task.Run(() =>
            renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(htmlBuilder.ToString())
        );
        // Return PDF as base64 string for JavaScript handling
        byte[] byteArray = pdfDocument.BinaryData;
        var base64Pdf = Convert.ToBase64String(byteArray);
        return Ok(new { success = true, pdfData = base64Pdf });
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        return BadRequest(new { success = false, error = ex.Message });
    }
}

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This asynchronous approach allows for non-blocking PDF generation, essential for maintaining responsive user interfaces when rendering PDFs in ASP.NET panels. The RenderingOptions property provides fine-grained control over the PDF's layout, including paper size, margins, and orientation. These settings ensure your PDFs display optimally within panel constraints. For advanced scenarios, you can also add headers and footers to your dynamically generated PDFs.

The method accepts a request model containing dynamic data, demonstrating how to build PDFs from user input or database content. The HTML construction process shows how to incorporate tables, lists, and other structured data into your PDFs programmatically, making it perfect for displaying data-driven PDFs in ASP.NET Core panels. IronPDF also supports rendering JavaScript and CSS for more complex dynamic content.

How to Handle Different PDF Sources?

IronPDF excels at generating PDF files from various sources, each suitable for different scenarios in panel display to ASP.NET display PDF in panel effectively. Let's explore the primary approaches to creating and loading PDF documents:

[HttpGet("from-html")]
public IActionResult GenerateFromHtmlString(string reportType)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Load HTML template from your application
    var htmlTemplate = GetHtmlTemplate(reportType);
    // Safely get the user name, fallback to "Unknown" if null
    var userName = User?.Identity?.Name ?? "Unknown";
    // Inject dynamic data into HTML string
    var processedHtml = htmlTemplate
        .Replace("{{DATE}}", DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"))
        .Replace("{{USER}}", userName)
        .Replace("{{REPORT_TYPE}}", reportType);
    // Render with custom CSS for specific page formatting
    renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
    var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(processedHtml);
    // Save the generated PDF file
    string path = $"{reportType}.pdf";
    var webRootPath = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "wwwroot");
    var fullPath = Path.Combine(webRootPath, path.TrimStart('/').Replace('/', Path.DirectorySeparatorChar));
    pdf.SaveAs(fullPath);
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}
// Add this private method inside the PdfPanel class to resolve CS0103
private string GetHtmlTemplate(string reportType)
{
    // Example: return a simple HTML template with placeholders
    return @"
        <html>
        <head>
            <title>{{REPORT_TYPE}} Report</title>
        </head>
        <body>
            <h1>{{REPORT_TYPE}} Report</h1>
            <p>Date: {{DATE}}</p>
            <p>User: {{USER}}</p>
            <div>Report content goes here.</div>
        </body>
        </html>";
}

[HttpGet("from-html")]
public IActionResult GenerateFromHtmlString(string reportType)
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Load HTML template from your application
    var htmlTemplate = GetHtmlTemplate(reportType);
    // Safely get the user name, fallback to "Unknown" if null
    var userName = User?.Identity?.Name ?? "Unknown";
    // Inject dynamic data into HTML string
    var processedHtml = htmlTemplate
        .Replace("{{DATE}}", DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"))
        .Replace("{{USER}}", userName)
        .Replace("{{REPORT_TYPE}}", reportType);
    // Render with custom CSS for specific page formatting
    renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
    var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(processedHtml);
    // Save the generated PDF file
    string path = $"{reportType}.pdf";
    var webRootPath = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "wwwroot");
    var fullPath = Path.Combine(webRootPath, path.TrimStart('/').Replace('/', Path.DirectorySeparatorChar));
    pdf.SaveAs(fullPath);
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}
// Add this private method inside the PdfPanel class to resolve CS0103
private string GetHtmlTemplate(string reportType)
{
    // Example: return a simple HTML template with placeholders
    return @"
        <html>
        <head>
            <title>{{REPORT_TYPE}} Report</title>
        </head>
        <body>
            <h1>{{REPORT_TYPE}} Report</h1>
            <p>Date: {{DATE}}</p>
            <p>User: {{USER}}</p>
            <div>Report content goes here.</div>
        </body>
        </html>";
}

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[HttpGet("from-url")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateFromUrl(string encodedUrl)
{
    var url = HttpUtility.UrlDecode(encodedUrl);
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Configure for web page capture to display PDF pages
    renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortWidth = 1920;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortHeight = 1080;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.RenderDelay(2000); // Wait for JS execution
    // Generate PDF from URL
    var pdf = await renderer.RenderUrlAsPdfAsync(url);
    // Return the generated PDF file
    string filename = "webpage.pdf";
    Response.Headers.Append("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename={filename}");
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}

[HttpGet("from-url")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateFromUrl(string encodedUrl)
{
    var url = HttpUtility.UrlDecode(encodedUrl);
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Configure for web page capture to display PDF pages
    renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortWidth = 1920;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.ViewPortHeight = 1080;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.WaitFor.RenderDelay(2000); // Wait for JS execution
    // Generate PDF from URL
    var pdf = await renderer.RenderUrlAsPdfAsync(url);
    // Return the generated PDF file
    string filename = "webpage.pdf";
    Response.Headers.Append("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename={filename}");
    return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf");
}

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What Are Common Implementation Considerations?

Successfully implementing PDF viewer functionality to display PDF in a panel requires attention to several key factors that ensure reliable performance across different scenarios when rendering PDF files in ASP.NET applications. Note that proper implementation requires careful planning.

public IActionResult OptimizedPdfGeneration()
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    renderer.RenderingOptions.CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = false;
    var htmlTemplate = GetHtmlTemplate("optimized");
    var processedHtml = htmlTemplate
        .Replace("{{DATE}}", DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"))
        .Replace("{{USER}}", "Test")
        .Replace("{{REPORT_TYPE}}", "Optimized");
    // Create the PDF document
    using (var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(processedHtml))
    {
        // Process and return immediately
        byte[] byteArray = pdf.BinaryData;
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        return File(byteArray, "application/pdf");
    }
}

public IActionResult OptimizedPdfGeneration()
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    renderer.RenderingOptions.CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = false;
    var htmlTemplate = GetHtmlTemplate("optimized");
    var processedHtml = htmlTemplate
        .Replace("{{DATE}}", DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"))
        .Replace("{{USER}}", "Test")
        .Replace("{{REPORT_TYPE}}", "Optimized");
    // Create the PDF document
    using (var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(processedHtml))
    {
        // Process and return immediately
        byte[] byteArray = pdf.BinaryData;
        pdf.SaveAs("output.pdf");
        return File(byteArray, "application/pdf");
    }
}

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Conclusion

IronPDF transforms the complex task of ASP.NET display PDF in panel controls into a straightforward, maintainable solution. By leveraging server-side rendering and seamless integration with ASP.NET Core's architecture, developers can create robust PDF display functionality without client-side dependencies or browser compatibility concerns. The ability to generate, render, and display PDF documents directly within panels makes IronPDF the ideal choice for modern web applications.

Start your free trial today to experience how IronPDF simplifies PDF handling in your ASP.NET applications. No credit card required to begin. For production deployments, explore our flexible licensing options that scale with your needs.