Export DataGridView Data To PDF In C#

Amit Mohanty

In this code example, we will learn how to export DataGridView data to a pdf file and save that in a folder using C# code.

In this program, first, we have to get connected to the database and fetch data from the DB and show it in the Data GridView like the below image.

Before we go to the coding section, we must add iTextSharp library reference to our project.

To do that, right-click on the project and select "Manage NuGet Package" menu. After that go to the "Browse" tab and search for iTextSharp and install it.

Project --> Manage NuGet Package --> Browse tab --> Search iTextSharp; then install.

Now, go to the page load event, fetch employee data and bind to the data GridView.

private void FrmExport_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SqlConnection sqlCon;
string conString = null;
string sqlQuery = null;
conString = "Data Source=.;Initial Catalog=DemoTest;Integrated Security=SSPI;";
sqlCon = new SqlConnection(conString);
sqlCon.Open();
sqlQuery = "SELECT * FROM tblEmployee";
SqlDataAdapter dscmd = new SqlDataAdapter(sqlQuery, sqlCon);
DataTable dtData = new DataTable();
dscmd.Fill(dtData);
dataGridView1.DataSource = dtData;
}

Then, on the buttonclick event handler, we have to create a PdfTable object and document, get data from DataGridView, and add rows and columns to the document.

private void btnPdf_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (dataGridView1.Rows.Count > 0)
{
SaveFileDialog sfd = new SaveFileDialog();
sfd.Filter = "PDF (*.pdf)|*.pdf";
sfd.FileName = "Output.pdf";
bool fileError = false;
if (sfd.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
if (File.Exists(sfd.FileName))
{
try
{
File.Delete(sfd.FileName);
}
catch (IOException ex)
{
fileError = true;
MessageBox.Show("It wasn't possible to write the data to the disk." + ex.Message);
}
}
if (!fileError)
{
try
{
PdfPTable pdfTable = new PdfPTable(dataGridView1.Columns.Count);
pdfTable.DefaultCell.Padding = 3;
pdfTable.WidthPercentage = 100;
pdfTable.HorizontalAlignment = Element.ALIGN_LEFT;
foreach (DataGridViewColumn column in dataGridView1.Columns)
{
PdfPCell cell = new PdfPCell(new Phrase(column.HeaderText));
pdfTable.AddCell(cell);
}
foreach (DataGridViewRow row in dataGridView1.Rows)
{
foreach (DataGridViewCell cell in row.Cells)
{
pdfTable.AddCell(cell.Value.ToString());
}
}
using (FileStream stream = new FileStream(sfd.FileName, FileMode.Create))
{
Document pdfDoc = new Document(PageSize.A4, 10f, 20f, 20f, 10f);
PdfWriter.GetInstance(pdfDoc, stream);
pdfDoc.Open();
pdfDoc.Add(pdfTable);
pdfDoc.Close();
stream.Close();
}
MessageBox.Show("Data Exported Successfully !!!", "Info");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show("Error :" + ex.Message);
}
}
}
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("No Record To Export !!!", "Info");
}
}

Now, run the application. When we click on the "Export To Pdf" button, it will ask where to save the file. Put a file name and click on OK. It will generate a pdf file with the given name.

I hope this code will help all readers. Happy Coding.

22 Comments

Join the conversation! Your thoughts help the community grow.

Giri Panicker3y ago
Worked, thanks for the help Amit.
Benyamin Dashtestani4y ago
HI Thanks it worked great but how to make it support UTF-8 to print Persian text Too?
Krzysztof Piech5y ago
Hi. First sorry for my english ;) . How to set a landscape page ( the A4_Landscape page size doesn't work ). And how to change font size, or do something like autofit font size to cell width ?
- Murat SULUPINAR4y ago
  Change iTextSharp.text.PageSize.A4.Rotate()
Langat Wesly5y ago
Am getting this error,,,, Error:object reference not set to an instance of an object.
- alexandra mircia5y ago
  You just have to press the little arrow on the upper right corner of the DataGridView design and uncheck the "enable adding". This worked for me.
- Langat Wesly5y ago
  That's also the error am getting here sir,
Kumaresh ALAGAPPAPILLAI5y ago
How to not show DataGridView table header when export to pdf using iTextSharp.
Harrold Lee5y ago
How to Exclude the First Column while exporting? Thank you in advance
- Harrold Lee5y ago
  The primary key in my database keeps showing in saved pdf file. I tried Hiding the Column and Rows in c# win form but that doesn't do anything.
Ulury Goncalves5y ago
I am using the same code, but i am getting some exception; "System.NullReferenceException: 'Refer?ncia de objeto n?o definida para uma inst?ncia de um objeto.'System.Windows.Forms.DataGridViewCell.Value.get returned null." this exception doesn't even make any sense to me
Brian.Kiser6y ago
I'm getting an error on line 48: Non-invocable member 'Document' cannot be used like a method. It's happening on the second half of the assignment statement.
- Amit Mohanty6y ago
  Send me your code I will check.
- Brian.Kiser6y ago
  I added "new" in front of the second Document and that solved the problem, but now I'm getting a NullReferenceException on the PdfWriter.GetInstance (pdfDoc, stream); line.
Sumonto Mehedi6y ago
If another image column exist on this table- is it possible to convert all images also?
- Sumonto Mehedi6y ago
  Amit Mohanty, thanks for replying!! im stucked..your coding approach got me error saying-Unable to cast object of type 'System.Drawing.Bitmap' to type 'System.Byte[]' its unable to cast datagridview bitmap image to byte[], what should i do now?
- Amit Mohanty6y ago
  Yes it's possible, but you have change some code.
- Amit Mohanty6y ago
  foreach (DataGridViewRow row in dataGridView1.Rows){ foreach (DataGridViewCell cell in row.Cells) { pdfTable.AddCell(cell.Value.ToString()); } } //Change the above code with below code foreach (DataGridViewRow row in dataGridView1.Rows) { string id = row.Cells[0].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(id); string name = row.Cells[1].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(name); string city = row.Cells[2].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(city); string department = row.Cells[3].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(department); string gender = row.Cells[4].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(gender); string email = row.Cells[5].Value.ToString(); pdfTable.AddCell(email); // Now your image cell byte[] imageByte = (byte[])row.Cells[6].Value; iTextSharp.text.Image myImage = iTextSharp.text.Image.GetInstance(imageByte); pdfTable.AddCell(myImage); }
Abubakr Mahdi7y ago
Good article.
- Amit Mohanty7y ago
  Thank you Abubakr
Pankajkumar Patel7y ago
Nice article
- Amit Mohanty7y ago
  Thank you Pankaj