Generate PDF Reports in ASP.NET with C# or VB

How Do I Install IronPDF?

IronPdf on NuGet

Install-Package IronPdf

You can also download the IronPDF DLL manually. For advanced installation scenarios, check our comprehensive NuGet packages guide that covers configuration for Azure, AWS, Linux, Mac, and Windows platforms. If you're working with containerized applications, our Docker integration guide provides detailed setup instructions.

How to Tutorial

What Is the Methodology for Creating a PDF Report?

First generate the report as an HTML document, then render the HTML as a PDF using IronPDF. This tutorial shows you the steps to create a PDF report in ASP.NET C#. IronPDF's Chrome rendering engine ensures pixel-perfect conversion while supporting modern HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/csharp-pdf-reports-render-html-file.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf("report.html").SaveAs("report.pdf");

For more complex reporting needs, explore our comprehensive PDF creation tutorial which covers watermarks, compression, backgrounds, headers, footers, forms, and password protection.

How Do I Convert Crystal Reports to PDF with .NET?

Export Crystal Reports to HTML using:

File → Export → HTML 4.0

The resulting report can then be exported as a PDF using the above C# example code in the Methodology section. IronPDF provides excellent support for converting HTML files to PDF, maintaining all formatting and styles from your Crystal Reports output.

Here's an example:

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/csharp-pdf-reports-render-header-footer.cs

using IronPdf;
using IronSoftware.Drawing;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Add a header to very page easily
renderer.RenderingOptions.FirstPageNumber = 1;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.DrawDividerLine = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.CenterText = "{url}";
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.Font = FontTypes.Arial;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.FontSize = 12;

// Add a footer too
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.DrawDividerLine = true;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.Font = FontTypes.Arial;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.FontSize = 10;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.LeftText = "{date} {time}";
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.RightText = "{page} of {total-pages}";

renderer.RenderHtmlFileAsPdf(@"c:\my\exported\report.html").SaveAs("report.pdf");

For advanced header and footer customization, including HTML-based headers, visit our headers and footers guide.

using CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine;
using CrystalDecisions.Shared;
using System.IO;
using IronPdf;

public static void ExportRptToPdf(string rptPath, string pdfOutputPath)
{
    // Load the Crystal Report
    ReportDocument rpt = new ReportDocument();
    rpt.Load(rptPath);

    // Configure export options for HTML output
    DiskFileDestinationOptions diskOpts = new DiskFileDestinationOptions()
    {
        DiskFileName = @"c:\tmp\html\b.html" // Temporary HTML file
    };

    ExportOptions exportOpts = ExportOptions.CreateExportOptions();
    exportOpts.ExportDestinationType = ExportDestinationType.DiskFile;
    exportOpts.ExportFormatType = ExportFormatType.HTML40; // Export as HTML 4.0
    exportOpts.ExportDestinationOptions = diskOpts;

    // Export report to HTML
    rpt.Export();

    // Convert HTML to PDF using IronPDF
    var Renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Add dynamic header with URL
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.CenterText = "{url}";
    // Add footer with timestamp and page numbers
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.LeftText = "{date} {time}";
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.RightText = "{page} of {total-pages}";

    // Render the HTML file to PDF and save
    Renderer.RenderFileAsPdf(diskOpts.DiskFileName).SaveAs(pdfOutputPath);

    Console.WriteLine("Report Written To {0}", Path.GetFullPath(pdfOutputPath));
}

using CrystalDecisions.CrystalReports.Engine;
using CrystalDecisions.Shared;
using System.IO;
using IronPdf;

public static void ExportRptToPdf(string rptPath, string pdfOutputPath)
{
    // Load the Crystal Report
    ReportDocument rpt = new ReportDocument();
    rpt.Load(rptPath);

    // Configure export options for HTML output
    DiskFileDestinationOptions diskOpts = new DiskFileDestinationOptions()
    {
        DiskFileName = @"c:\tmp\html\b.html" // Temporary HTML file
    };

    ExportOptions exportOpts = ExportOptions.CreateExportOptions();
    exportOpts.ExportDestinationType = ExportDestinationType.DiskFile;
    exportOpts.ExportFormatType = ExportFormatType.HTML40; // Export as HTML 4.0
    exportOpts.ExportDestinationOptions = diskOpts;

    // Export report to HTML
    rpt.Export();

    // Convert HTML to PDF using IronPDF
    var Renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Add dynamic header with URL
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader.CenterText = "{url}";
    // Add footer with timestamp and page numbers
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.LeftText = "{date} {time}";
    Renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter.RightText = "{page} of {total-pages}";

    // Render the HTML file to PDF and save
    Renderer.RenderFileAsPdf(diskOpts.DiskFileName).SaveAs(pdfOutputPath);

    Console.WriteLine("Report Written To {0}", Path.GetFullPath(pdfOutputPath));
}

How Do I Generate PDF Reports from XML?

Exporting report data as XML is still common despite the prevalence of easier-to-code formats such as JSON. IronPDF offers excellent support for XML to PDF conversion, providing multiple approaches to handle XML data.

To style XML reports, parse the XML and generate HTML with the data.

A more elegant solution is to use XSLT to convert XML directly to HTML using the XslCompiledTransform class as documented in the article Using the XslCompiledTransform Class.

The resultant HTML string or file may then be rendered as a PDF using IronPDF:

using System.IO;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Xsl;
using IronPdf;

public static void ConvertXmlToPdf(string xml, string xslt, string pdfOutputPath)
{
    // Initialize XSLT transformation
    XslCompiledTransform transform = new XslCompiledTransform();
    using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(new StringReader(xslt)))
    {
        transform.Load(reader); // Load XSLT stylesheet
    }

    // Transform XML to HTML
    StringWriter results = new StringWriter();
    using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(new StringReader(xml)))
    {
        transform.Transform(reader, null, results); // Apply transformation
    }

    // Convert the generated HTML to PDF
    ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(results.ToString()).SaveAs(pdfOutputPath);
}

using System.IO;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Xsl;
using IronPdf;

public static void ConvertXmlToPdf(string xml, string xslt, string pdfOutputPath)
{
    // Initialize XSLT transformation
    XslCompiledTransform transform = new XslCompiledTransform();
    using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(new StringReader(xslt)))
    {
        transform.Load(reader); // Load XSLT stylesheet
    }

    // Transform XML to HTML
    StringWriter results = new StringWriter();
    using (XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(new StringReader(xml)))
    {
        transform.Transform(reader, null, results); // Apply transformation
    }

    // Convert the generated HTML to PDF
    ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(results.ToString()).SaveAs(pdfOutputPath);
}

Please visit the Convert XML to PDF in C# and VB.NET article to learn more about advanced XML transformation techniques and best practices.

How Do I Export SQL Server Reports to PDF?

Microsoft's SQL Server and the free SQL Server Express contain reporting tools. Exporting SSRS reports to a PDF in ASP.NET can be a useful use of IronPDF. For complex data visualization needs, IronPDF supports rendering JavaScript charts including popular libraries like C3.js, D3.js, and Highcharts.

Tutorial: How to locate and start Reporting Services tools (SSRS)

These reports may be generated as HTML which may then be customized and converted to PDF format using IronPDF. IronPDF's HTML string to PDF conversion feature provides complete control over the final output.

Render to HTML (Report Builder)

For enterprise environments requiring secure data access, IronPDF supports TLS website and system logins to handle authenticated report generation.

How Do I Secure PDF Reports?

To ensure a PDF report has not been modified or tampered with, digitally sign it. This is most easily achieved on a PDF report file after it has been rendered and saved to disk. IronPDF provides comprehensive PDF signing capabilities including support for Hardware Security Modules (HSM).

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/csharp-pdf-reports-sign-pdf.cs

using IronPdf.Signing;

// Sign our PDF Report using a p12 or pix digital certificate file
new PdfSignature("IronSoftware.pfx", "123456").SignPdfFile("signed.pdf");

If you do not have a digital signature, you can create a new digital signature file using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader on macOS and Windows. For additional security measures, explore our PDF permissions and passwords guide to control document access and editing rights.

How Do I Convert ASPX to PDF with ASP.NET Webforms?

The easiest way to serve HTML content in ASP.NET is to use the IronPdf.AspxToPdf class on the Form_Load event of an ASP.NET WebForms application. This powerful feature allows you to convert entire ASPX pages, including server-side controls and dynamic content, directly to PDF.

using IronPdf;

public static void RenderAspxToPdf()
{
    // Configure PDF rendering options
    var AspxToPdfOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
    {
        EnableJavaScript = false, // Disable JavaScript for simpler reports
        PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true, // Include background colors and images
        MarginTop = 20, // Set top margin in mm
        MarginBottom = 20, // Set bottom margin in mm
        PaperOrientation = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait,
        PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4
        // ...many more options available
    };

    // Render the HTML page to PDF and prompt download
    <code>AspxToPdf.RenderThisPageAsPdf(AspxToPdf.FileBehavior.Attachment, "Report.pdf", AspxToPdfOptions)</code>;
}

using IronPdf;

public static void RenderAspxToPdf()
{
    // Configure PDF rendering options
    var AspxToPdfOptions = new ChromePdfRenderOptions()
    {
        EnableJavaScript = false, // Disable JavaScript for simpler reports
        PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true, // Include background colors and images
        MarginTop = 20, // Set top margin in mm
        MarginBottom = 20, // Set bottom margin in mm
        PaperOrientation = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait,
        PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4
        // ...many more options available
    };

    // Render the HTML page to PDF and prompt download
    <code>AspxToPdf.RenderThisPageAsPdf(AspxToPdf.FileBehavior.Attachment, "Report.pdf", AspxToPdfOptions)</code>;
}

We hope this article has helped you in learning how to generate a PDF report in ASP.NET C# or VB.NET. You can also take a look through our full ASP.NET ASPX to PDF Tutorial to learn more about advanced scenarios including ASPX page to PDF settings and handling complex layouts.