How to Dynamically Generate a PDF Document Using PHP

etd_admin,

Generating PDF documents dynamically using PHP is a pretty common feature in web applications. You might need this feature for creating invoices, reports, tickets, or other documents. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to achieve this step-by-step using a popular PHP library called TCPDF.

TCPDF is a robust, open-source PHP library for generating PDF documents. It doesn’t require any external dependencies and supports features like text formatting, images, tables, and more.

Step 1. Install TCPDF

You can install TCPDF using Composer, which simplifies dependency management:

composer require tecnickcom/tcpdf

If you’re not using Composer, download the library from the TCPDF GitHub repository, extract the files, and include the tcpdf.php file in your project.

Step 2. Basic Code to Dynamically Generate a PDF Document Using PHP

Here’s a simple example of how to create a basic PDF with TCPDF:

<?php
// Include the TCPDF library
require_once 'path-to-tcpdf/tcpdf.php';

// Create a new PDF document
$pdf = new TCPDF();

// Set document information
$pdf->SetCreator('My Application');
$pdf->SetAuthor('Your Name');
$pdf->SetTitle('Sample PDF');
$pdf->SetSubject('Dynamic PDF Generation');
$pdf->SetKeywords('TCPDF, PHP, dynamically generate a PDF document');

// Add a page
$pdf->AddPage();

// Set font and write some text
$pdf->SetFont('Helvetica', '', 12);
$pdf->Write(0, 'Hello, this is a dynamically generated PDF document using PHP!');

// Output the PDF to the browser
$pdf->Output('sample.pdf', 'I'); // 'I' sends the PDF inline to the browser

Step 3. Customizing the PDF Content

You can include custom headers, images, and tables to enhance the PDF.

Adding an Image:

$pdf->Image('path-to-image.jpg', 15, 40, 50, 30, 'JPG');

Creating Tables:

$htmlTable = '
<table border="1" cellpadding="5">
    <tr>
        <th>Name</th>
        <th>Age</th>
        <th>City</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>John Doe</td>
        <td>25</td>
        <td>New York</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Jane Smith</td>
        <td>30</td>
        <td>Los Angeles</td>
    </tr>
</table>';
$pdf->writeHTML($htmlTable, true, false, false, false, '');

Adding Page Numbers: Override the default footer with custom content, like page numbers:

$pdf->setFooterCallback(function ($pdf) {
    $pdf->SetY(-15);
    $pdf->SetFont('Helvetica', 'I', 8);
    $pdf->Cell(0, 10, 'Page ' . $pdf->getAliasNumPage() . '/' . $pdf->getAliasNbPages(), 0, 0, 'C');
});

Step 4. Saving or Sending the PDF

TCPDF allows you to save the generated PDF on the server or send it directly to the browser:

Save to a file:

$pdf->Output(__DIR__ . '/sample.pdf', 'F'); // 'F' saves the file

Force download:

$pdf->Output('sample.pdf', 'D'); // 'D' forces the file to download

With the TCPDF library, you can dynamically generate a PDF document using PHP with ease. From adding text and images to creating tables and custom layouts, TCPDF provides extensive customization options. Whether you need a simple report or a complex document, TCPDF is a reliable tool to accomplish your PDF generation tasks.

The codes that I presented in this article will definitely help you to dynamically generate a PDF document using PHP in a way you can easily adapt to your project needs.

PHP