How to Generate a PDF in ASP.NET Using C#

Creating the Project

We will create this project and give it a fitting project name by running the following command:

dotnet new mvc -n PdfGeneratorApp
cd PdfGeneratorApp

Installing IronPDF

Before we begin generating PDF documents in ASP.NET, add IronPDF to your project by running the following lines in the NuGet Package Manager Console:

Install-Package IronPdf

Install-Package IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core

For detailed installation options, including NuGet packages configuration and Windows installer, refer to the official documentation.

Configuring Services in Program.cs

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures;
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Configure IronPDF license (use your license key)
License.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
// Add MVC services
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();
// Register IronPDF services
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IHttpContextAccessor, HttpContextAccessor>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ITempDataProvider, CookieTempDataProvider>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IRazorViewRenderer, RazorViewRenderer>();
// Configure ChromePdfRenderer as a service
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ChromePdfRenderer>(provider =>
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Configure rendering options
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft = 20;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight = 20;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // Wait for JS execution
    return renderer;
});
var app = builder.Build();
// Configure middleware pipeline
if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error");
    app.UseHsts();
}
app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseStaticFiles();
app.UseRouting();
app.UseAuthorization();
app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");
app.Run();

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures;
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Configure IronPDF license (use your license key)
License.LicenseKey = "your-license-key";
// Add MVC services
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();
// Register IronPDF services
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IHttpContextAccessor, HttpContextAccessor>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ITempDataProvider, CookieTempDataProvider>();
builder.Services.AddSingleton<IRazorViewRenderer, RazorViewRenderer>();
// Configure ChromePdfRenderer as a service
builder.Services.AddSingleton<ChromePdfRenderer>(provider =>
{
    var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
    // Configure rendering options
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft = 20;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight = 20;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript = true;
    renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 500; // Wait for JS execution
    return renderer;
});
var app = builder.Build();
// Configure middleware pipeline
if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseExceptionHandler("/Home/Error");
    app.UseHsts();
}
app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseStaticFiles();
app.UseRouting();
app.UseAuthorization();
app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Home}/{action=Index}/{id?}");
app.Run();

This configuration establishes IronPDF as a singleton service, ensuring efficient resource usage across your application. You can further modify the `RenderingOptions` to suit your specific requirements. At this point, your folder structure in the Solution Explorer in Visual Studio should look like:

Creating the Data Model

First, let's create a comprehensive model that represents a typical business document:

namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Models
{
    public class InvoiceModel
    {
        public string InvoiceNumber { get; set; }
        public DateTime InvoiceDate { get; set; }
        public DateTime DueDate { get; set; }
        public CompanyInfo Vendor { get; set; }
        public CompanyInfo Customer { get; set; }
        public List<InvoiceItem> Items { get; set; }
        public decimal Subtotal => Items?.Sum(x => x.Total) ?? 0;
        public decimal TaxRate { get; set; }
        public decimal TaxAmount => Subtotal * (TaxRate / 100);
        public decimal Total => Subtotal + TaxAmount;
        public string Notes { get; set; }
        public string PaymentTerms { get; set; }
    }
    public class CompanyInfo
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public string Address { get; set; }
        public string City { get; set; }
        public string State { get; set; }
        public string ZipCode { get; set; }
        public string Email { get; set; }
        public string Phone { get; set; }
    }
    public class InvoiceItem
    {
        public string Description { get; set; }
        public int Quantity { get; set; }
        public decimal UnitPrice { get; set; }
        public decimal Total => Quantity * UnitPrice;
    }
}

namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Models
{
    public class InvoiceModel
    {
        public string InvoiceNumber { get; set; }
        public DateTime InvoiceDate { get; set; }
        public DateTime DueDate { get; set; }
        public CompanyInfo Vendor { get; set; }
        public CompanyInfo Customer { get; set; }
        public List<InvoiceItem> Items { get; set; }
        public decimal Subtotal => Items?.Sum(x => x.Total) ?? 0;
        public decimal TaxRate { get; set; }
        public decimal TaxAmount => Subtotal * (TaxRate / 100);
        public decimal Total => Subtotal + TaxAmount;
        public string Notes { get; set; }
        public string PaymentTerms { get; set; }
    }
    public class CompanyInfo
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public string Address { get; set; }
        public string City { get; set; }
        public string State { get; set; }
        public string ZipCode { get; set; }
        public string Email { get; set; }
        public string Phone { get; set; }
    }
    public class InvoiceItem
    {
        public string Description { get; set; }
        public int Quantity { get; set; }
        public decimal UnitPrice { get; set; }
        public decimal Total => Quantity * UnitPrice;
    }
}

Building the Razor View

Create a view at Views/Invoice/InvoiceTemplate.cshtml that renders your PDF content:

@model PdfGeneratorApp.Models.InvoiceModel
@{
    Layout = null; // PDFs should not use the site layout
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>Invoice @Model.InvoiceNumber</title>
    <style>
        * {
            margin: 0;
            padding: 0;
            box-sizing: border-box;
        }
        body {
            font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
            line-height: 1.6;
            color: #333;
        }
        .invoice-container {
            max-width: 800px;
            margin: 0 auto;
            padding: 30px;
        }
        .invoice-header {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
            padding-bottom: 20px;
            border-bottom: 2px solid #2c3e50;
        }
        .company-details {
            flex: 1;
        }
        .company-details h1 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        .invoice-details {
            text-align: right;
        }
        .invoice-details h2 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            font-size: 28px;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        .invoice-details p {
            margin: 5px 0;
            font-size: 14px;
        }
        .billing-details {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .billing-section {
            flex: 1;
        }
        .billing-section h3 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
            font-size: 16px;
            text-transform: uppercase;
        }
        .items-table {
            width: 100%;
            border-collapse: collapse;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .items-table thead {
            background-color: #2c3e50;
            color: white;
        }
        .items-table th,
        .items-table td {
            padding: 12px;
            text-align: left;
            border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .items-table tbody tr:hover {
            background-color: #f5f5f5;
        }
        .text-right {
            text-align: right;
        }
        .invoice-summary {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: flex-end;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .summary-table {
            width: 300px;
        }
        .summary-table tr {
            border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .summary-table td {
            padding: 8px;
        }
        .summary-table .total-row {
            font-weight: bold;
            font-size: 18px;
            color: #2c3e50;
            border-top: 2px solid #2c3e50;
        }
        .invoice-footer {
            margin-top: 60px;
            padding-top: 20px;
            border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .footer-notes {
            margin-bottom: 20px;
        }
        .footer-notes h4 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        @@media print {
            .invoice-container {
                padding: 0;
            }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="invoice-container">
        <div class="invoice-header">
            <div class="company-details">
                <h1>@Model.Vendor.Name</h1>
                <p>@Model.Vendor.Address</p>
                <p>@Model.Vendor.City, @Model.Vendor.State @Model.Vendor.ZipCode</p>
                <p>Email: @Model.Vendor.Email</p>
                <p>Phone: @Model.Vendor.Phone</p>
            </div>
            <div class="invoice-details">
                <h2>INVOICE</h2>
                <p><strong>Invoice #:</strong> @Model.InvoiceNumber</p>
                <p><strong>Date:</strong> @Model.InvoiceDate.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy")</p>
                <p><strong>Due Date:</strong> @Model.DueDate.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy")</p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="billing-details">
            <div class="billing-section">
                <h3>Bill To:</h3>
                <p><strong>@Model.Customer.Name</strong></p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.Address</p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.City, @Model.Customer.State @Model.Customer.ZipCode</p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.Email</p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <table class="items-table">
            <thead>
                <tr>
                    <th>Description</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Quantity</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Unit Price</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Total</th>
                </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
                @foreach (var item in Model.Items)
                {
                    <tr>
                        <td>@item.Description</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.Quantity</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.UnitPrice.ToString("C")</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.Total.ToString("C")</td>
                    </tr>
                }
            </tbody>
        </table>
        <div class="invoice-summary">
            <table class="summary-table">
                <tr>
                    <td>Subtotal:</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.Subtotal.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td>Tax (@Model.TaxRate%):</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.TaxAmount.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
                <tr class="total-row">
                    <td>Total:</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.Total.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
        @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.Notes))
        {
            <div class="invoice-footer">
                <div class="footer-notes">
                    <h4>Notes</h4>
                    <p>@Model.Notes</p>
                </div>
            </div>
        }
        @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.PaymentTerms))
        {
            <div class="footer-notes">
                <h4>Payment Terms</h4>
                <p>@Model.PaymentTerms</p>
            </div>
        }
    </div>
</body>
</html>

@model PdfGeneratorApp.Models.InvoiceModel
@{
    Layout = null; // PDFs should not use the site layout
}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>Invoice @Model.InvoiceNumber</title>
    <style>
        * {
            margin: 0;
            padding: 0;
            box-sizing: border-box;
        }
        body {
            font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
            line-height: 1.6;
            color: #333;
        }
        .invoice-container {
            max-width: 800px;
            margin: 0 auto;
            padding: 30px;
        }
        .invoice-header {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
            padding-bottom: 20px;
            border-bottom: 2px solid #2c3e50;
        }
        .company-details {
            flex: 1;
        }
        .company-details h1 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        .invoice-details {
            text-align: right;
        }
        .invoice-details h2 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            font-size: 28px;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        .invoice-details p {
            margin: 5px 0;
            font-size: 14px;
        }
        .billing-details {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: space-between;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .billing-section {
            flex: 1;
        }
        .billing-section h3 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
            font-size: 16px;
            text-transform: uppercase;
        }
        .items-table {
            width: 100%;
            border-collapse: collapse;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .items-table thead {
            background-color: #2c3e50;
            color: white;
        }
        .items-table th,
        .items-table td {
            padding: 12px;
            text-align: left;
            border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .items-table tbody tr:hover {
            background-color: #f5f5f5;
        }
        .text-right {
            text-align: right;
        }
        .invoice-summary {
            display: flex;
            justify-content: flex-end;
            margin-bottom: 40px;
        }
        .summary-table {
            width: 300px;
        }
        .summary-table tr {
            border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .summary-table td {
            padding: 8px;
        }
        .summary-table .total-row {
            font-weight: bold;
            font-size: 18px;
            color: #2c3e50;
            border-top: 2px solid #2c3e50;
        }
        .invoice-footer {
            margin-top: 60px;
            padding-top: 20px;
            border-top: 1px solid #ddd;
        }
        .footer-notes {
            margin-bottom: 20px;
        }
        .footer-notes h4 {
            color: #2c3e50;
            margin-bottom: 10px;
        }
        @@media print {
            .invoice-container {
                padding: 0;
            }
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="invoice-container">
        <div class="invoice-header">
            <div class="company-details">
                <h1>@Model.Vendor.Name</h1>
                <p>@Model.Vendor.Address</p>
                <p>@Model.Vendor.City, @Model.Vendor.State @Model.Vendor.ZipCode</p>
                <p>Email: @Model.Vendor.Email</p>
                <p>Phone: @Model.Vendor.Phone</p>
            </div>
            <div class="invoice-details">
                <h2>INVOICE</h2>
                <p><strong>Invoice #:</strong> @Model.InvoiceNumber</p>
                <p><strong>Date:</strong> @Model.InvoiceDate.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy")</p>
                <p><strong>Due Date:</strong> @Model.DueDate.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy")</p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="billing-details">
            <div class="billing-section">
                <h3>Bill To:</h3>
                <p><strong>@Model.Customer.Name</strong></p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.Address</p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.City, @Model.Customer.State @Model.Customer.ZipCode</p>
                <p>@Model.Customer.Email</p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <table class="items-table">
            <thead>
                <tr>
                    <th>Description</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Quantity</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Unit Price</th>
                    <th class="text-right">Total</th>
                </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
                @foreach (var item in Model.Items)
                {
                    <tr>
                        <td>@item.Description</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.Quantity</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.UnitPrice.ToString("C")</td>
                        <td class="text-right">@item.Total.ToString("C")</td>
                    </tr>
                }
            </tbody>
        </table>
        <div class="invoice-summary">
            <table class="summary-table">
                <tr>
                    <td>Subtotal:</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.Subtotal.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td>Tax (@Model.TaxRate%):</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.TaxAmount.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
                <tr class="total-row">
                    <td>Total:</td>
                    <td class="text-right">@Model.Total.ToString("C")</td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </div>
        @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.Notes))
        {
            <div class="invoice-footer">
                <div class="footer-notes">
                    <h4>Notes</h4>
                    <p>@Model.Notes</p>
                </div>
            </div>
        }
        @if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.PaymentTerms))
        {
            <div class="footer-notes">
                <h4>Payment Terms</h4>
                <p>@Model.PaymentTerms</p>
            </div>
        }
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Implementing the Controller with Error Handling

Now let's create a robust controller that generates PDFs with comprehensive error handling:

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using PdfGeneratorApp.Models;
using System.Diagnostics;
namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Controllers
{
    public class InvoiceController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ILogger<InvoiceController> _logger;
        private readonly IRazorViewRenderer _viewRenderer;
        private readonly ChromePdfRenderer _pdfRenderer;
        private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _environment;
        public InvoiceController(
            ILogger<InvoiceController> logger,
            IRazorViewRenderer viewRenderer,
            ChromePdfRenderer pdfRenderer,
            IWebHostEnvironment environment)
        {
            _logger = logger;
            _viewRenderer = viewRenderer;
            _pdfRenderer = pdfRenderer;
            _environment = environment;
        }
        [HttpGet]
        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            // Display a form or list of invoices
            return View();
        }
        [HttpGet]
        public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateInvoice(string invoiceNumber)
        {
            var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
            try
            {
                // Validate input
                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(invoiceNumber))
                {
                    _logger.LogWarning("Invoice generation attempted without invoice number");
                    return BadRequest("Invoice number is required");
                }
                // Generate sample data (in production, fetch from database)
                var invoice = CreateSampleInvoice(invoiceNumber);
                // Log the generation attempt
                _logger.LogInformation($"Generating PDF for invoice {invoiceNumber}");
                // Configure PDF rendering options
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = false;
                // Add custom header with page numbers
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter
                {
                    CenterText = $"Invoice {invoice.InvoiceNumber}",
                    DrawDividerLine = true,
                    Font = IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Helvetica,
                    FontSize = 10
                };
                // Add footer with page numbers
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter
                {
                    LeftText = "{date} {time}",
                    RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
                    DrawDividerLine = true,
                    Font = IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Helvetica,
                    FontSize = 8
                };
                // Render the view to PDF
                PdfDocument pdf;
                try
                {
                    pdf = _pdfRenderer.RenderRazorViewToPdf(
                        _viewRenderer,
                        "Views/Invoice/InvoiceTemplate.cshtml",
                        invoice);
                }
                catch (Exception renderEx)
                {
                    _logger.LogError(renderEx, "Failed to render Razor view to PDF");
                    throw new InvalidOperationException("PDF rendering failed. Please check the template.", renderEx);
                }
                // Apply metadata
                pdf.MetaData.Author = "PdfGeneratorApp";
                pdf.MetaData.Title = $"Invoice {invoice.InvoiceNumber}";
                pdf.MetaData.Subject = $"Invoice for {invoice.Customer.Name}";
                pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "invoice, billing, payment";
                pdf.MetaData.CreationDate = DateTime.UtcNow;
                pdf.MetaData.ModifiedDate = DateTime.UtcNow;
                // Optional: Add password protection
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "user123";
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "owner456";
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
                // Log performance metrics
                stopwatch.Stop();
                _logger.LogInformation($"PDF generated successfully for invoice {invoiceNumber} in {stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds}ms");
                // Return the PDF file
                Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename=Invoice_{invoiceNumber}.pdf");
                return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", $"Invoice_{invoiceNumber}.pdf");
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                _logger.LogError(ex, $"Error generating PDF for invoice {invoiceNumber}");
                // In development, return detailed error
                if (_environment.IsDevelopment())
                {
                    return StatusCode(500, new
                    {
                        error = "PDF generation failed",
                        message = ex.Message,
                        stackTrace = ex.StackTrace
                    });
                }
                // In production, return generic error
                return StatusCode(500, "An error occurred while generating the PDF");
            }
        }
        private InvoiceModel CreateSampleInvoice(string invoiceNumber)
        {
            return new InvoiceModel
            {
                InvoiceNumber = invoiceNumber,
                InvoiceDate = DateTime.Now,
                DueDate = DateTime.Now.AddDays(30),
                Vendor = new CompanyInfo
                {
                    Name = "Tech Solutions Inc.",
                    Address = "123 Business Ave",
                    City = "New York",
                    State = "NY",
                    ZipCode = "10001",
                    Email = "billing@techsolutions.com",
                    Phone = "(555) 123-4567"
                },
                Customer = new CompanyInfo
                {
                    Name = "Acme Corporation",
                    Address = "456 Commerce St",
                    City = "Los Angeles",
                    State = "CA",
                    ZipCode = "90001",
                    Email = "accounts@acmecorp.com",
                    Phone = "(555) 987-6543"
                },
                Items = new List<InvoiceItem>
                {
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Software Development Services - 40 hours",
                        Quantity = 40,
                        UnitPrice = 150.00m
                    },
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Project Management - 10 hours",
                        Quantity = 10,
                        UnitPrice = 120.00m
                    },
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Quality Assurance Testing",
                        Quantity = 1,
                        UnitPrice = 2500.00m
                    }
                },
                TaxRate = 8.875m,
                Notes = "Payment is due within 30 days. Late payments subject to 1.5% monthly interest.",
                PaymentTerms = "Net 30"
            };
        }
    }
}

using IronPdf;
using IronPdf.Extensions.Mvc.Core;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using PdfGeneratorApp.Models;
using System.Diagnostics;
namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Controllers
{
    public class InvoiceController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ILogger<InvoiceController> _logger;
        private readonly IRazorViewRenderer _viewRenderer;
        private readonly ChromePdfRenderer _pdfRenderer;
        private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _environment;
        public InvoiceController(
            ILogger<InvoiceController> logger,
            IRazorViewRenderer viewRenderer,
            ChromePdfRenderer pdfRenderer,
            IWebHostEnvironment environment)
        {
            _logger = logger;
            _viewRenderer = viewRenderer;
            _pdfRenderer = pdfRenderer;
            _environment = environment;
        }
        [HttpGet]
        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            // Display a form or list of invoices
            return View();
        }
        [HttpGet]
        public async Task<IActionResult> GenerateInvoice(string invoiceNumber)
        {
            var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
            try
            {
                // Validate input
                if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(invoiceNumber))
                {
                    _logger.LogWarning("Invoice generation attempted without invoice number");
                    return BadRequest("Invoice number is required");
                }
                // Generate sample data (in production, fetch from database)
                var invoice = CreateSampleInvoice(invoiceNumber);
                // Log the generation attempt
                _logger.LogInformation($"Generating PDF for invoice {invoiceNumber}");
                // Configure PDF rendering options
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PaperOrientation = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperOrientation.Portrait;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.A4;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.PrintHtmlBackgrounds = true;
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.CreatePdfFormsFromHtml = false;
                // Add custom header with page numbers
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter
                {
                    CenterText = $"Invoice {invoice.InvoiceNumber}",
                    DrawDividerLine = true,
                    Font = IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Helvetica,
                    FontSize = 10
                };
                // Add footer with page numbers
                _pdfRenderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter
                {
                    LeftText = "{date} {time}",
                    RightText = "Page {page} of {total-pages}",
                    DrawDividerLine = true,
                    Font = IronSoftware.Drawing.FontTypes.Helvetica,
                    FontSize = 8
                };
                // Render the view to PDF
                PdfDocument pdf;
                try
                {
                    pdf = _pdfRenderer.RenderRazorViewToPdf(
                        _viewRenderer,
                        "Views/Invoice/InvoiceTemplate.cshtml",
                        invoice);
                }
                catch (Exception renderEx)
                {
                    _logger.LogError(renderEx, "Failed to render Razor view to PDF");
                    throw new InvalidOperationException("PDF rendering failed. Please check the template.", renderEx);
                }
                // Apply metadata
                pdf.MetaData.Author = "PdfGeneratorApp";
                pdf.MetaData.Title = $"Invoice {invoice.InvoiceNumber}";
                pdf.MetaData.Subject = $"Invoice for {invoice.Customer.Name}";
                pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "invoice, billing, payment";
                pdf.MetaData.CreationDate = DateTime.UtcNow;
                pdf.MetaData.ModifiedDate = DateTime.UtcNow;
                // Optional: Add password protection
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = "user123";
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = "owner456";
                // pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
                // Log performance metrics
                stopwatch.Stop();
                _logger.LogInformation($"PDF generated successfully for invoice {invoiceNumber} in {stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds}ms");
                // Return the PDF file
                Response.Headers.Add("Content-Disposition", $"inline; filename=Invoice_{invoiceNumber}.pdf");
                return File(pdf.BinaryData, "application/pdf", $"Invoice_{invoiceNumber}.pdf");
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                _logger.LogError(ex, $"Error generating PDF for invoice {invoiceNumber}");
                // In development, return detailed error
                if (_environment.IsDevelopment())
                {
                    return StatusCode(500, new
                    {
                        error = "PDF generation failed",
                        message = ex.Message,
                        stackTrace = ex.StackTrace
                    });
                }
                // In production, return generic error
                return StatusCode(500, "An error occurred while generating the PDF");
            }
        }
        private InvoiceModel CreateSampleInvoice(string invoiceNumber)
        {
            return new InvoiceModel
            {
                InvoiceNumber = invoiceNumber,
                InvoiceDate = DateTime.Now,
                DueDate = DateTime.Now.AddDays(30),
                Vendor = new CompanyInfo
                {
                    Name = "Tech Solutions Inc.",
                    Address = "123 Business Ave",
                    City = "New York",
                    State = "NY",
                    ZipCode = "10001",
                    Email = "billing@techsolutions.com",
                    Phone = "(555) 123-4567"
                },
                Customer = new CompanyInfo
                {
                    Name = "Acme Corporation",
                    Address = "456 Commerce St",
                    City = "Los Angeles",
                    State = "CA",
                    ZipCode = "90001",
                    Email = "accounts@acmecorp.com",
                    Phone = "(555) 987-6543"
                },
                Items = new List<InvoiceItem>
                {
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Software Development Services - 40 hours",
                        Quantity = 40,
                        UnitPrice = 150.00m
                    },
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Project Management - 10 hours",
                        Quantity = 10,
                        UnitPrice = 120.00m
                    },
                    new InvoiceItem
                    {
                        Description = "Quality Assurance Testing",
                        Quantity = 1,
                        UnitPrice = 2500.00m
                    }
                },
                TaxRate = 8.875m,
                Notes = "Payment is due within 30 days. Late payments subject to 1.5% monthly interest.",
                PaymentTerms = "Net 30"
            };
        }
    }
}

Code Explanation

Code Explanation

Real-World Healthcare Report Example

Here's a specific implementation for generating HIPAA-compliant medical reports:

public class MedicalReportGenerator
{
    private readonly ChromePdfRenderer _renderer;
    private readonly ILogger<MedicalReportGenerator> _logger;
    public MedicalReportGenerator(
        ChromePdfRenderer renderer,
        ILogger<MedicalReportGenerator> logger)
    {
        _renderer = renderer;
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public async Task<PdfDocument> GeneratePatientReport(PatientReportModel model)
    {
        var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
        // Configure for medical document standards
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.Letter;
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 50;
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 40;
        // HIPAA-compliant header
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter
        {
            Height = 45,
            HtmlFragment = $@"
                <div style='width: 100%; font-size: 10px;'>
                    <div style='float: left;'>
                        <strong>CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL RECORD</strong><br/>
                        Patient: {model.PatientName} | MRN: {model.MedicalRecordNumber}
                    </div>
                    <div style='float: right; text-align: right;'>
                        Generated: {{date}} {{time}}<br/>
                        Provider: {model.ProviderName}
                    </div>
                </div>"
        };
        // Generate report HTML
        var html = GenerateMedicalReportHtml(model);
        // Create PDF with encryption for HIPAA compliance
        var pdf = _renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        // Apply 256-bit AES encryption
        pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GenerateSecurePassword();
        pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = GenerateOwnerPassword();
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.NoPrint;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
        // Add audit metadata
        pdf.MetaData.Author = model.ProviderName;
        pdf.MetaData.Title = $"Medical Report - {model.PatientName}";
        pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "medical,confidential,hipaa";
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("ReportType", model.ReportType);
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("GeneratedBy", model.UserId);
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("Timestamp", DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("O"));
        stopwatch.Stop();
        _logger.LogInformation($"Medical report generated in {stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds}ms for patient {model.MedicalRecordNumber}");
        return pdf;
    }
    private string GenerateMedicalReportHtml(PatientReportModel model)
    {
        // Generate comprehensive medical report HTML
        // This would typically use a Razor view in production
        return $@"
            <!DOCTYPE html>
            <html>
            <head>
                <style>
                    body {{ font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0; padding: 20px; }}
                    .header {{ background: #f0f4f8; padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .patient-info {{ display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .section {{ margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .section h2 {{ color: #2c3e50; border-bottom: 2px solid #3498db; padding-bottom: 10px; }}
                    .vital-signs {{ display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 15px; }}
                    .vital-box {{ background: #ecf0f1; padding: 15px; border-radius: 5px; }}
                    .medication-table {{ width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }}
                    .medication-table th, .medication-table td {{ border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; text-align: left; }}
                    .medication-table th {{ background: #3498db; color: white; }}
                    .alert {{ background: #e74c3c; color: white; padding: 10px; border-radius: 5px; margin-bottom: 20px; }}
                </style>
            </head>
            <body>
                <div class='header'>
                    <h1>Patient Medical Report</h1>
                    <p>Report Date: {DateTime.Now:MMMM dd, yyyy}</p>
                </div>
                {(model.HasAllergies ? "<div class='alert'>⚠ PATIENT HAS KNOWN ALLERGIES - SEE ALLERGY SECTION</div>" : "")}
                <div class='patient-info'>
                    <div>
                        <strong>Patient Name:</strong> {model.PatientName}<br/>
                        <strong>Date of Birth:</strong> {model.DateOfBirth:MM/dd/yyyy}<br/>
                        <strong>Age:</strong> {model.Age} years<br/>
                        <strong>Gender:</strong> {model.Gender}
                    </div>
                    <div>
                        <strong>MRN:</strong> {model.MedicalRecordNumber}<br/>
                        <strong>Admission Date:</strong> {model.AdmissionDate:MM/dd/yyyy}<br/>
                        <strong>Provider:</strong> {model.ProviderName}<br/>
                        <strong>Department:</strong> {model.Department}
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Vital Signs</h2>
                    <div class='vital-signs'>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Blood Pressure</strong><br/>
                            {model.BloodPressure}
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Heart Rate</strong><br/>
                            {model.HeartRate} bpm
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Temperature</strong><br/>
                            {model.Temperature}°F
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Respiratory Rate</strong><br/>
                            {model.RespiratoryRate} /min
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>O2 Saturation</strong><br/>
                            {model.OxygenSaturation}%
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Weight</strong><br/>
                            {model.Weight} lbs
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Current Medications</h2>
                    <table class='medication-table'>
                        <thead>
                            <tr>
                                <th>Medication</th>
                                <th>Dosage</th>
                                <th>Frequency</th>
                                <th>Route</th>
                                <th>Start Date</th>
                            </tr>
                        </thead>
                        <tbody>
                            {string.Join("", model.Medications.Select(m => $@"
                                <tr>
                                    <td>{m.Name}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Dosage}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Frequency}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Route}</td>
                                    <td>{m.StartDate:MM/dd/yyyy}</td>
                                </tr>
                            "))}
                        </tbody>
                    </table>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Clinical Notes</h2>
                    <p>{model.ClinicalNotes}</p>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Treatment Plan</h2>
                    <p>{model.TreatmentPlan}</p>
                </div>
            </body>
            </html>";
    }
    private string GenerateSecurePassword()
    {
        // Generate cryptographically secure password
        using var rng = System.Security.Cryptography.RandomNumberGenerator.Create();
        var bytes = new byte[32];
        rng.GetBytes(bytes);
        return Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);
    }
    private string GenerateOwnerPassword()
    {
        // In production, retrieve from secure configuration
        return "SecureOwnerPassword123!";
    }
}
public class PatientReportModel
{
    public string PatientName { get; set; }
    public string MedicalRecordNumber { get; set; }
    public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public string Gender { get; set; }
    public DateTime AdmissionDate { get; set; }
    public string ProviderName { get; set; }
    public string Department { get; set; }
    public string ReportType { get; set; }
    public string UserId { get; set; }
    // Vital Signs
    public string BloodPressure { get; set; }
    public int HeartRate { get; set; }
    public decimal Temperature { get; set; }
    public int RespiratoryRate { get; set; }
    public int OxygenSaturation { get; set; }
    public decimal Weight { get; set; }
    // Medical Information
    public bool HasAllergies { get; set; }
    public List<Medication> Medications { get; set; }
    public string ClinicalNotes { get; set; }
    public string TreatmentPlan { get; set; }
}
public class Medication
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Dosage { get; set; }
    public string Frequency { get; set; }
    public string Route { get; set; }
    public DateTime StartDate { get; set; }
}

public class MedicalReportGenerator
{
    private readonly ChromePdfRenderer _renderer;
    private readonly ILogger<MedicalReportGenerator> _logger;
    public MedicalReportGenerator(
        ChromePdfRenderer renderer,
        ILogger<MedicalReportGenerator> logger)
    {
        _renderer = renderer;
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public async Task<PdfDocument> GeneratePatientReport(PatientReportModel model)
    {
        var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
        // Configure for medical document standards
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfPaperSize.Letter;
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 50;
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 40;
        // HIPAA-compliant header
        _renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter
        {
            Height = 45,
            HtmlFragment = $@"
                <div style='width: 100%; font-size: 10px;'>
                    <div style='float: left;'>
                        <strong>CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL RECORD</strong><br/>
                        Patient: {model.PatientName} | MRN: {model.MedicalRecordNumber}
                    </div>
                    <div style='float: right; text-align: right;'>
                        Generated: {{date}} {{time}}<br/>
                        Provider: {model.ProviderName}
                    </div>
                </div>"
        };
        // Generate report HTML
        var html = GenerateMedicalReportHtml(model);
        // Create PDF with encryption for HIPAA compliance
        var pdf = _renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
        // Apply 256-bit AES encryption
        pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GenerateSecurePassword();
        pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = GenerateOwnerPassword();
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.NoPrint;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
        pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
        // Add audit metadata
        pdf.MetaData.Author = model.ProviderName;
        pdf.MetaData.Title = $"Medical Report - {model.PatientName}";
        pdf.MetaData.Keywords = "medical,confidential,hipaa";
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("ReportType", model.ReportType);
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("GeneratedBy", model.UserId);
        pdf.MetaData.CustomProperties.Add("Timestamp", DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("O"));
        stopwatch.Stop();
        _logger.LogInformation($"Medical report generated in {stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds}ms for patient {model.MedicalRecordNumber}");
        return pdf;
    }
    private string GenerateMedicalReportHtml(PatientReportModel model)
    {
        // Generate comprehensive medical report HTML
        // This would typically use a Razor view in production
        return $@"
            <!DOCTYPE html>
            <html>
            <head>
                <style>
                    body {{ font-family: 'Segoe UI', Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0; padding: 20px; }}
                    .header {{ background: #f0f4f8; padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .patient-info {{ display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .section {{ margin-bottom: 30px; }}
                    .section h2 {{ color: #2c3e50; border-bottom: 2px solid #3498db; padding-bottom: 10px; }}
                    .vital-signs {{ display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 15px; }}
                    .vital-box {{ background: #ecf0f1; padding: 15px; border-radius: 5px; }}
                    .medication-table {{ width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; }}
                    .medication-table th, .medication-table td {{ border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; text-align: left; }}
                    .medication-table th {{ background: #3498db; color: white; }}
                    .alert {{ background: #e74c3c; color: white; padding: 10px; border-radius: 5px; margin-bottom: 20px; }}
                </style>
            </head>
            <body>
                <div class='header'>
                    <h1>Patient Medical Report</h1>
                    <p>Report Date: {DateTime.Now:MMMM dd, yyyy}</p>
                </div>
                {(model.HasAllergies ? "<div class='alert'>⚠ PATIENT HAS KNOWN ALLERGIES - SEE ALLERGY SECTION</div>" : "")}
                <div class='patient-info'>
                    <div>
                        <strong>Patient Name:</strong> {model.PatientName}<br/>
                        <strong>Date of Birth:</strong> {model.DateOfBirth:MM/dd/yyyy}<br/>
                        <strong>Age:</strong> {model.Age} years<br/>
                        <strong>Gender:</strong> {model.Gender}
                    </div>
                    <div>
                        <strong>MRN:</strong> {model.MedicalRecordNumber}<br/>
                        <strong>Admission Date:</strong> {model.AdmissionDate:MM/dd/yyyy}<br/>
                        <strong>Provider:</strong> {model.ProviderName}<br/>
                        <strong>Department:</strong> {model.Department}
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Vital Signs</h2>
                    <div class='vital-signs'>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Blood Pressure</strong><br/>
                            {model.BloodPressure}
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Heart Rate</strong><br/>
                            {model.HeartRate} bpm
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Temperature</strong><br/>
                            {model.Temperature}°F
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Respiratory Rate</strong><br/>
                            {model.RespiratoryRate} /min
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>O2 Saturation</strong><br/>
                            {model.OxygenSaturation}%
                        </div>
                        <div class='vital-box'>
                            <strong>Weight</strong><br/>
                            {model.Weight} lbs
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Current Medications</h2>
                    <table class='medication-table'>
                        <thead>
                            <tr>
                                <th>Medication</th>
                                <th>Dosage</th>
                                <th>Frequency</th>
                                <th>Route</th>
                                <th>Start Date</th>
                            </tr>
                        </thead>
                        <tbody>
                            {string.Join("", model.Medications.Select(m => $@"
                                <tr>
                                    <td>{m.Name}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Dosage}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Frequency}</td>
                                    <td>{m.Route}</td>
                                    <td>{m.StartDate:MM/dd/yyyy}</td>
                                </tr>
                            "))}
                        </tbody>
                    </table>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Clinical Notes</h2>
                    <p>{model.ClinicalNotes}</p>
                </div>
                <div class='section'>
                    <h2>Treatment Plan</h2>
                    <p>{model.TreatmentPlan}</p>
                </div>
            </body>
            </html>";
    }
    private string GenerateSecurePassword()
    {
        // Generate cryptographically secure password
        using var rng = System.Security.Cryptography.RandomNumberGenerator.Create();
        var bytes = new byte[32];
        rng.GetBytes(bytes);
        return Convert.ToBase64String(bytes);
    }
    private string GenerateOwnerPassword()
    {
        // In production, retrieve from secure configuration
        return "SecureOwnerPassword123!";
    }
}
public class PatientReportModel
{
    public string PatientName { get; set; }
    public string MedicalRecordNumber { get; set; }
    public DateTime DateOfBirth { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
    public string Gender { get; set; }
    public DateTime AdmissionDate { get; set; }
    public string ProviderName { get; set; }
    public string Department { get; set; }
    public string ReportType { get; set; }
    public string UserId { get; set; }
    // Vital Signs
    public string BloodPressure { get; set; }
    public int HeartRate { get; set; }
    public decimal Temperature { get; set; }
    public int RespiratoryRate { get; set; }
    public int OxygenSaturation { get; set; }
    public decimal Weight { get; set; }
    // Medical Information
    public bool HasAllergies { get; set; }
    public List<Medication> Medications { get; set; }
    public string ClinicalNotes { get; set; }
    public string TreatmentPlan { get; set; }
}
public class Medication
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Dosage { get; set; }
    public string Frequency { get; set; }
    public string Route { get; set; }
    public DateTime StartDate { get; set; }
}

Applying Security Settings

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Utilities
{
    public static class PdfSecurityHelper
    {
        public static void ApplySecuritySettings(PdfDocument pdf, SecurityLevel level)
        {
            switch (level)
            {
                case SecurityLevel.Low:
                    // Basic protection
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = true;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
                    break;
                case SecurityLevel.Medium:
                    // Restricted copying
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GeneratePassword(8);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.PrintLowQuality;
                    break;
                case SecurityLevel.High:
                    // Maximum security
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GeneratePassword(16);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = GeneratePassword(16);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.NoPrint;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
                    break;
            }
        }
    public enum SecurityLevel
    {
        Low,
        Medium,
        High
    }
}

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
namespace PdfGeneratorApp.Utilities
{
    public static class PdfSecurityHelper
    {
        public static void ApplySecuritySettings(PdfDocument pdf, SecurityLevel level)
        {
            switch (level)
            {
                case SecurityLevel.Low:
                    // Basic protection
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = true;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.FullPrintRights;
                    break;
                case SecurityLevel.Medium:
                    // Restricted copying
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GeneratePassword(8);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.PrintLowQuality;
                    break;
                case SecurityLevel.High:
                    // Maximum security
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.UserPassword = GeneratePassword(16);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.OwnerPassword = GeneratePassword(16);
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserCopyPasteContent = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserPrinting = IronPdf.Security.PdfPrintSecurity.NoPrint;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserAnnotations = false;
                    pdf.SecuritySettings.AllowUserFormData = false;
                    break;
            }
        }
    public enum SecurityLevel
    {
        Low,
        Medium,
        High
    }
}

In the helper class above, we use the SecurityLevel enum to set different security options for the PDF. For example, the low SecurityLevel applies basic protection but still allows FullPrintRights and copying and pasting from the PDF by setting the property AllowUserCopyPasteContent to true. These settings are enabled by adjusting the PDF class properties with IronPDF. For a complete list of properties and options for security, please consult the how-to guide.

Memory Management

For detailed guidance on handling memory leaks in IronPDF, implement the following pattern:

public class PdfMemoryManager : IDisposable
{
    private readonly List<PdfDocument> _openDocuments = new();
    private readonly ILogger<PdfMemoryManager> _logger;
    private bool _disposed;
    public PdfMemoryManager(ILogger<PdfMemoryManager> logger)
    {
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public PdfDocument CreateDocument(ChromePdfRenderer renderer, string html)
    {
        try
        {
            var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
            _openDocuments.Add(pdf);
            return pdf;
        }
        catch (OutOfMemoryException ex)
        {
            _logger.LogError(ex, "Out of memory while generating PDF");
            // Force garbage collection
            CleanupMemory();
            // Retry with reduced quality
            renderer.RenderingOptions.JpegQuality = 50;
            var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
            _openDocuments.Add(pdf);
            return pdf;
        }
    }
    private void CleanupMemory()
    {
        // Dispose all open documents
        foreach (var doc in _openDocuments)
        {
            doc?.Dispose();
        }
        _openDocuments.Clear();
        // Force garbage collection
        GC.Collect();
        GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
        GC.Collect();
        _logger.LogInformation("Memory cleanup performed");
    }
    public void Dispose()
    {
        if (!_disposed)
        {
            CleanupMemory();
            _disposed = true;
        }
    }
}

public class PdfMemoryManager : IDisposable
{
    private readonly List<PdfDocument> _openDocuments = new();
    private readonly ILogger<PdfMemoryManager> _logger;
    private bool _disposed;
    public PdfMemoryManager(ILogger<PdfMemoryManager> logger)
    {
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public PdfDocument CreateDocument(ChromePdfRenderer renderer, string html)
    {
        try
        {
            var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
            _openDocuments.Add(pdf);
            return pdf;
        }
        catch (OutOfMemoryException ex)
        {
            _logger.LogError(ex, "Out of memory while generating PDF");
            // Force garbage collection
            CleanupMemory();
            // Retry with reduced quality
            renderer.RenderingOptions.JpegQuality = 50;
            var pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf(html);
            _openDocuments.Add(pdf);
            return pdf;
        }
    }
    private void CleanupMemory()
    {
        // Dispose all open documents
        foreach (var doc in _openDocuments)
        {
            doc?.Dispose();
        }
        _openDocuments.Clear();
        // Force garbage collection
        GC.Collect();
        GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
        GC.Collect();
        _logger.LogInformation("Memory cleanup performed");
    }
    public void Dispose()
    {
        if (!_disposed)
        {
            CleanupMemory();
            _disposed = true;
        }
    }
}

Font Rendering Issues

public class FontTroubleshooter
{
    public static void EnsureFontsAvailable(ChromePdfRenderer renderer)
    {
        // Embed fonts in the PDF
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        // Use web-safe fonts as fallback
        var fontFallback = @"
            <style>
                body {
                    font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
                }
                @font-face {
                    font-family: 'CustomFont';
                    src: url('data:font/woff2;base64,YOUR_BASE64_FONT_HERE') format('woff2');
                }
            </style>";
        // Add to HTML head
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CustomCssUrl = "https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto:wght@300;400;700&display=swap";
    }
}

public class FontTroubleshooter
{
    public static void EnsureFontsAvailable(ChromePdfRenderer renderer)
    {
        // Embed fonts in the PDF
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        // Use web-safe fonts as fallback
        var fontFallback = @"
            <style>
                body {
                    font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
                }
                @font-face {
                    font-family: 'CustomFont';
                    src: url('data:font/woff2;base64,YOUR_BASE64_FONT_HERE') format('woff2');
                }
            </style>";
        // Add to HTML head
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CustomCssUrl = "https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto:wght@300;400;700&display=swap";
    }
}

Common Exceptions and Solutions

Debugging Tips

With IronPDF, you can easily debug and log all processes run by your application to search and verify any inputs and outputs. To enable logging, set `EnableDebugging` to true and specify a file path for the log by assigning a value to the LogFilePath property. Here's a quick code snippet showing how to do that.

public class PdfDebugger
{
    private readonly ILogger<PdfDebugger> _logger;
    public PdfDebugger(ILogger<PdfDebugger> logger)
    {
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public void EnableDebugging(ChromePdfRenderer renderer)
    {
        // Enable detailed logging
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.EnableDebugging = true;
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LogFilePath = "IronPdf.log";
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingMode = IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingModes.All;
        // Log rendering settings
        _logger.LogDebug($"Paper Size: {renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"Margins: T{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop} " +
                         $"B{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom} " +
                         $"L{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft} " +
                         $"R{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"JavaScript Enabled: {renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"Render Delay: {renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay}ms");
    }
    public void SaveDebugHtml(string html, string fileName)
    {
        // Save HTML for inspection
        var debugPath = Path.Combine("debug", $"{fileName}_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMdd_HHmmss}.html");
        Directory.CreateDirectory("debug");
        File.WriteAllText(debugPath, html);
        _logger.LogDebug($"Debug HTML saved to: {debugPath}");
    }
}

public class PdfDebugger
{
    private readonly ILogger<PdfDebugger> _logger;
    public PdfDebugger(ILogger<PdfDebugger> logger)
    {
        _logger = logger;
    }
    public void EnableDebugging(ChromePdfRenderer renderer)
    {
        // Enable detailed logging
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.EnableDebugging = true;
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LogFilePath = "IronPdf.log";
        IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingMode = IronPdf.Logging.Logger.LoggingModes.All;
        // Log rendering settings
        _logger.LogDebug($"Paper Size: {renderer.RenderingOptions.PaperSize}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"Margins: T{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop} " +
                         $"B{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom} " +
                         $"L{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft} " +
                         $"R{renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"JavaScript Enabled: {renderer.RenderingOptions.EnableJavaScript}");
        _logger.LogDebug($"Render Delay: {renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay}ms");
    }
    public void SaveDebugHtml(string html, string fileName)
    {
        // Save HTML for inspection
        var debugPath = Path.Combine("debug", $"{fileName}_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMdd_HHmmss}.html");
        Directory.CreateDirectory("debug");
        File.WriteAllText(debugPath, html);
        _logger.LogDebug($"Debug HTML saved to: {debugPath}");
    }
}

IIS Configuration

For deploying to IIS, ensure proper configuration:

<configuration>
  <system.webServer>

    <applicationPool>
      <processModel enable32BitAppOnWin64="false" />
    </applicationPool>

    <httpRuntime executionTimeout="300" maxRequestLength="51200" />

    <system.web>
      <compilation tempDirectory="~/App_Data/Temp/" />
    </system.web>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

<configuration>
  <system.webServer>

    <applicationPool>
      <processModel enable32BitAppOnWin64="false" />
    </applicationPool>

    <httpRuntime executionTimeout="300" maxRequestLength="51200" />

    <system.web>
      <compilation tempDirectory="~/App_Data/Temp/" />
    </system.web>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

Required Dependencies

Ensure these components are installed on your deployment server:

1. .NET Runtime - Version 6.0 or later
2. Visual C++ Redistributables - 2015-2022 (x64)
3. Windows Server - 2012 R2 or later recommended

File System Permissions

# Grant IIS_IUSRS write access to temp folder
icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\YourApp\App_Data\Temp" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)M" /T
# Grant access to IronPDF cache folder
icacls "C:\Windows\Temp\IronPdf" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)M" /T

# Grant IIS_IUSRS write access to temp folder
icacls "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\YourApp\App_Data\Temp" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)M" /T
# Grant access to IronPDF cache folder
icacls "C:\Windows\Temp\IronPdf" /grant "IIS_IUSRS:(OI)(CI)M" /T

Performance Tuning

// Startup.cs or Program.cs
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    // Configure IronPDF for production
    services.AddSingleton<ChromePdfRenderer>(provider =>
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Production optimizations
        renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 50; // Minimize delay
        renderer.RenderingOptions.Timeout = 120; // 2 minutes max
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        // Enable caching for static resources
        Installation.ChromeGpuMode = IronPdf.Engines.Chrome.ChromeGpuModes.Disabled;
        Installation.LinuxAndDockerDependenciesAutoConfig = false;
        return renderer;
    });
    // Configure memory cache for generated PDFs
    services.AddMemoryCache(options =>
    {
        options.SizeLimit = 100_000_000; // 100 MB cache
    });
}

// Startup.cs or Program.cs
public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    // Configure IronPDF for production
    services.AddSingleton<ChromePdfRenderer>(provider =>
    {
        var renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
        // Production optimizations
        renderer.RenderingOptions.RenderDelay = 50; // Minimize delay
        renderer.RenderingOptions.Timeout = 120; // 2 minutes max
        renderer.RenderingOptions.CssMediaType = IronPdf.Rendering.PdfCssMediaType.Print;
        // Enable caching for static resources
        Installation.ChromeGpuMode = IronPdf.Engines.Chrome.ChromeGpuModes.Disabled;
        Installation.LinuxAndDockerDependenciesAutoConfig = false;
        return renderer;
    });
    // Configure memory cache for generated PDFs
    services.AddMemoryCache(options =>
    {
        options.SizeLimit = 100_000_000; // 100 MB cache
    });
}

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