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Generate PDF

SØAD includes built-in support for PDF generation using Flying Saucer. This recipe demonstrates how to render an HTML view as a styled PDF document—ideal for invoices, reports, or certificates.

Generate PDF from HTML

invoice.py
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from utils import render

class Invoice(object):
    def view(self, ctx):
        # Set values to be rendered inside the HTML view
        ctx.output["invoice_no"] = "INV-2024-005"
        ctx.output["customer_name"] = "Ahmad Bin Ali"
        ctx.output["items"] = [
            {"desc": "Product A", "qty": 2, "price": 100},
            {"desc": "Product B", "qty": 1, "price": 250}
        ]
        grand_total = 0
        for item in ctx.output["items"]:
            total_price = item.get("qty") * item.get("price")
            item["total_price"] = total_price
            grand_total = grand_total + total_price
        ctx.output["total"] = grand_total

        # Generate the PDF from the HTML view
        ctx.go_to = render.as_pdf(ctx, "invoice", attachment=False)
invoice.html
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<html>

<head>
  <style>
    body {
      font-family: sans-serif;
    }

    h1 {
      text-align: center;
    }

    table {
      width: 100%;
      border-collapse: collapse;
      margin-top: 1em;
    }

    th,
    td {
      border: 1px solid #ccc;
      padding: 8px;
      text-align: left;
    }

    .right {
      text-align: right;
    }
  </style>
</head>

<body>
  <h1>Invoice</h1>
  <p><strong>Invoice No:</strong> {{invoice_no}}</p>
  <p><strong>Customer:</strong> {{customer_name}}</p>

  <table>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>Description</th>
        <th>Qty</th>
        <th>Price</th>
        <th>Total</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      {{#each items}}
      <tr>
        <td>{{desc}}</td>
        <td>{{qty}}</td>
        <td class="right">{{price}}</td>
        <td class="right">{{total_price}}</td>
      </tr>
      {{/each}}
    </tbody>
    <tfoot>
      <tr>
        <th colspan="3" class="right">Total:</th>
        <th class="right">{{total}}</th>
      </tr>
    </tfoot>
  </table>
</body>

</html>

View the PDF

The user can open this transaction via:

/t/example/invoice

The browser open the rendered PDF content.

Generate PDF using API

While SØAD provides built-in PDF rendering via Flying Saucer for HTML-to-PDF conversion, you can also use OpenPDF for programmatic PDF generation—ideal for simple layout control, table drawing, or dynamic document building without relying on HTML.

invoice.py
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from utils import render

from com.lowagie.text import Document, Paragraph, Font, FontFactory
from com.lowagie.text.pdf import PdfWriter
from java.io import ByteArrayOutputStream

class Invoice(object):
    def pdf(self, ctx):
        output_stream = ByteArrayOutputStream()

        document = Document()
        PdfWriter.getInstance(document, output_stream)

        document.open()
        title_font = FontFactory.getFont(FontFactory.HELVETICA_BOLD, 16)
        normal_font = FontFactory.getFont(FontFactory.HELVETICA, 12)

        document.add(Paragraph("Invoice Summary", title_font))
        document.add(Paragraph("Customer: Ahmad Bin Ali", normal_font))
        document.add(Paragraph("Invoice #: INV-2024-005", normal_font))
        document.add(Paragraph("Total: RM450", normal_font))

        document.close()

        ctx.go_to = render.as_blob(
            ctx,
            output_stream.toByteArray(),
            "application/pdf",
            "invoice.pdf",
            attachment=False 
        )

View the PDF

The user can open this transaction via:

/t/example/invoice/pdf

The browser open the rendered PDF content.

Do you know?

  • Use attachment=True to force download instead of displaying inline.
  • For simple HTML-to-PDF, prefer Flying Saucer for better styling support.