ASP.NET MVC Generate PDF from View (Code Example Tutorial)

It is possible to serve an existing HTML file or string, an existing PDF document, as well as a PDF in ASP.NET MVC. We outline how in the tutorial below, making it easy to convert MVC view to PDF in your C# project.

ASP.NET MVC Generate PDF from View Tutorial

  1. Download ASP.NET MVC Generate PDF from View Library
  2. Install in your Visual Studio
  3. Serve PDF in ASP.NET MVC
  4. Serve Existing PDF File
  5. Serve Existing HTML File or String

Step 1

1. Install IronPDF

In order to serve existing PDF files, HTML files or strings, as well as serving a PDF in ASP.NET MVC, we can use the C# PDF Library from IronPDF. Download it free for development and get started with the tutorial below. Access it via DLL ZIP file or through the NuGet page.


 PM > Install-Package IronPdf

How to Tutorial

2. Serve PDF in ASP.NET MVC

To serve a PDF document in ASP.NET MVC requires generating a FileResult method. With IronPDF you can use MVC to return a PDF file.

This method may then be served by your controller as shown below.

/**
Serve PDF in ASPNET MVC
anchor-serve-pdf-in-asp-net-mvc
**/
public FileResult GetHTMLPageAsPDF(long id) {

  //Create a PDF Document

  using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf and MVC</h1>");

  //return a pdf document from a view

  var contentLength = PDF.BinaryData.Length;

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", contentLength.ToString());

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename=Document_" + id + ".pdf");

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

}
/**
Serve PDF in ASPNET MVC
anchor-serve-pdf-in-asp-net-mvc
**/
public FileResult GetHTMLPageAsPDF(long id) {

  //Create a PDF Document

  using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf and MVC</h1>");

  //return a pdf document from a view

  var contentLength = PDF.BinaryData.Length;

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", contentLength.ToString());

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename=Document_" + id + ".pdf");

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

}
'''
'''Serve PDF in ASPNET MVC
'''anchor-serve-pdf-in-asp-net-mvc
'''*
Public Function GetHTMLPageAsPDF(ByVal id As Long) As FileResult

  'Create a PDF Document

  Dim PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf and MVC</h1>")

  'return a pdf document from a view

  Dim contentLength = PDF.BinaryData.Length

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", contentLength.ToString())

  Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename=Document_" & id & ".pdf")

  Return File(PDF.BinaryData, "application/pdf;")

End Function
VB   C#

For a more advanced example, you might use your HTML View to generate a HTML string and then convert it to PDF as shown above.

3. Serve Existing PDF File

To directly serve a PDF file in other ASP.NET contexts is also possible.

/**
Serve Existing PDF
anchor-serve-existing-pdf-file
**/
Response.Clear();

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=\"FileName.pdf\"");

// edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite(System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes("MyPdf.pdf"));

// gets our pdf as a byte array and then sends it to the buffer

Response.Flush();

Response.End();

/**
Serve Existing PDF
anchor-serve-existing-pdf-file
**/
Response.Clear();

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=\"FileName.pdf\"");

// edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite(System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes("MyPdf.pdf"));

// gets our pdf as a byte array and then sends it to the buffer

Response.Flush();

Response.End();

'''
'''Serve Existing PDF
'''anchor-serve-existing-pdf-file
'''*
Response.Clear()

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=""FileName.pdf""")

' edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite(System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes("MyPdf.pdf"))

' gets our pdf as a byte array and then sends it to the buffer

Response.Flush()

Response.End()
VB   C#

4. Serve Existing HTML File or String

/**
Serve Existing HTML File or String
anchor-serve-existing-html-file-or-string
**/
 var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

 using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHTMLFileAsPdf("Project/MyHtmlDocument.html");

// or to convert an HTML string

//var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>");

Response.Clear();

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=\"FileName.pdf\"");

// edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite( PDF.BinaryData );

Response.Flush();

Response.End();

/**
Serve Existing HTML File or String
anchor-serve-existing-html-file-or-string
**/
 var Renderer = new IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer();

 using var PDF = Renderer.RenderHTMLFileAsPdf("Project/MyHtmlDocument.html");

// or to convert an HTML string

//var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>");

Response.Clear();

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=\"FileName.pdf\"");

// edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite( PDF.BinaryData );

Response.Flush();

Response.End();

'''
'''Serve Existing HTML File or String
'''anchor-serve-existing-html-file-or-string
'''*
 Dim Renderer = New IronPdf.ChromePdfRenderer()

 Dim PDF = Renderer.RenderHTMLFileAsPdf("Project/MyHtmlDocument.html")

' or to convert an HTML string

'var PDF = Renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello IronPdf</h1>");

Response.Clear()

Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"

Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition","attachment;filename=""FileName.pdf""")

' edit this line to display ion browser and change the file name

Response.BinaryWrite(PDF.BinaryData)

Response.Flush()

Response.End()
VB   C#