Adding comment on pdf layer (created using iTextsharp) in Adobe reader

Question

I am new to this topic.

What i have done so far,

1) I have read existing pdf document

2) I have created copy of existing pdf using pdfStamper of iTextSharp

3) and create three layer on new pdf using iTextSharp.

Now i want to open this pdf in adobe reader and i want to add comments on these three layer separately as regular pdf commenting option.

But problem is, it is not saving on respective layer, it is saving on pdf.

On/Off action of pdf layer for comment is not working.

can you guide me how to proceed further.

Thank You all

What does your code look like? Does the existing PDF already have Optional Content Groups (OCG)? — Bruno Lowagie
Hi, Thank You for your response... Existing pdf dont have any OCG. My requirement is Step1: Create Three Layer program ally (using iTextSharp). (Completed) Step 2: Then use that layer as OCG in Acrobat Reader & add comment on different layer separately. (Problem) Step3: Show the comment based on radio layer open. (Pending) — Mahesh

Bruno Lowagie Bruno Lowagie · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-15T10:59:14

Your problem can not be reproduced. Please look at the AddOCG to find out how I tried to reproduce the problem and failed. Which is a good thing, because it means that there is no problem.

I took the example from my book OptionalContentExample.cs and I changed it so that it doesn't create a new document from scratch, but instead adds optional content to an existing document.

This involves using PdfStamper and using the getPdfLayers() method:

PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(src);
PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader, new FileOutputStream(dest));
Map<String, PdfLayer> layers = stamper.getPdfLayers();
PdfWriter writer = stamper.getWriter();
PdfContentByte cb = stamper.getOverContent(1);
PdfLayer group = PdfLayer.createTitle("Grouped layers", writer);
PdfLayer layer1 = new PdfLayer("Group: layer 1", writer);
PdfLayer layer2 = new PdfLayer("Group: layer 2", writer);
group.addChild(layer1);
group.addChild(layer2);
cb.beginLayer(layer1);
ColumnText.showTextAligned(cb, Element.ALIGN_LEFT, new Phrase(
            "layer 1 in the group"), 50, 700, 0);
cb.endLayer();
cb.beginLayer(layer2);
ColumnText.showTextAligned(cb, Element.ALIGN_LEFT, new Phrase(
            "layer 2 in the group"), 50, 675, 0);
cb.endLayer();
stamper.close();
reader.close();

The resulting PDF hello_OCG.pdf has all the layers as expected and all layers work the same way the layers work in the book example. That is: the layers work when viewed in PDF Viewers that support this functionality. Some PDF viewers completely ignore OCG.

Adding comment on pdf layer (created using iTextsharp) in Adobe reader

1 Answers