Format PDF Text in Java

Aspose.PDF for Java offers text formatting controls for spacing, lists, notes, inline layout, and multi-column composition.

Set simple line spacing

Use this example when paragraph text should use a fixed line spacing value.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Load or prepare the source text and create a TextFragment.
Set the line spacing, add the fragment to the page, and save the document.

public static void specifyLineSpacingSimpleCase(Path outputFile) throws Exception {
        try (Document document = new Document()) {
            Page page = document.getPages().add();

            Path loremPath = dataDir.resolve("lorem.txt");
            String text = Files.exists(loremPath) ? Files.readString(loremPath) : "Lorem ipsum text not found.";

            TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment(text);
            textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(12);
            textFragment.getTextState().setLineSpacing(16);
            page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);

            document.save(outputFile.toString());
        }
    }

Compare line spacing modes with a custom font

Use this example when line spacing should be tested with different formatting modes for the same font.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Load the custom font and prepare two fragments with different line spacing modes.
Add both fragments to the page and save the PDF.

public static void specifyLineSpacingSpecificCase(Path outputFile) throws Exception {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        Path fontFile = dataDir.resolve("HPSimplified.ttf");
        Path loremPath = dataDir.resolve("lorem.txt");
        String text = Files.exists(loremPath) ? Files.readString(loremPath) : "Lorem ipsum text not found.";

        try (InputStream fontStream = Files.newInputStream(fontFile)) {
            Font font = FontRepository.openFont(fontStream, FontTypes.TTF);

            TextFragment fragment1 = new TextFragment(text);
            fragment1.getTextState().setFont(font);
            fragment1.getTextState().setFormattingOptions(new TextFormattingOptions());
            fragment1.getTextState().getFormattingOptions().setLineSpacing(TextFormattingOptions.LineSpacingMode.FontSize);
            page.getParagraphs().add(fragment1);

            TextFragment fragment2 = new TextFragment(text);
            fragment2.getTextState().setFont(font);
            fragment2.getTextState().setFormattingOptions(new TextFormattingOptions());
            fragment2.getTextState().getFormattingOptions().setLineSpacing(TextFormattingOptions.LineSpacingMode.FullSize);
            page.getParagraphs().add(fragment2);
        }

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Set character spacing with text fragments

Use this example when the same text should be shown with different character spacing values.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build text fragments with the helper method for several spacing values.
Add the fragments to the page and save the document.

public static void characterSpacingUsingTextFragment(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        page.getParagraphs().add(makeCharacterSpacingFragment(2.0f));
        page.getParagraphs().add(makeCharacterSpacingFragment(1.0f));
        page.getParagraphs().add(makeCharacterSpacingFragment(0.75f));

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

private static TextFragment makeCharacterSpacingFragment(float spacing) {
    TextFragment fragment = new TextFragment("Sample Text with character spacing");
    fragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
    fragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
    fragment.getTextState().setCharacterSpacing(spacing);
    return fragment;
}

Set character spacing inside a text paragraph

Use this example when character spacing should be applied inside a bounded text paragraph.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Create a TextParagraph with a target rectangle and wrapping options.
Append the styled text fragment and save the PDF.

public static void characterSpacingUsingTextParagraph(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextBuilder builder = new TextBuilder(page);
        TextParagraph paragraph = new TextParagraph();
        paragraph.setRectangle(new Rectangle(100, 700, 500, 750, true));
        paragraph.getFormattingOptions().setWrapMode(TextFormattingOptions.WordWrapMode.ByWords);

        TextFragment fragment = new TextFragment("Sample Text with character spacing");
        fragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        fragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        fragment.getTextState().setCharacterSpacing(2.0f);

        paragraph.appendLine(fragment);
        builder.appendParagraph(paragraph);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a bullet list with HTML

Use this example when unordered list formatting should be produced from HTML markup.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build the HTML list string.
Add it as an HtmlFragment and save the document.

public static void createBulletListHtmlVersion(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String htmlList = "<ul><li>First item in the list</li>"
                + "<li>Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior.</li>"
                + "<li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ul>";
        page.getParagraphs().add(new HtmlFragment(htmlList));
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a numbered list with HTML

Use this example when ordered list formatting should be produced from HTML markup.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build the ordered HTML list string.
Add it as an HtmlFragment and save the document.

public static void createNumberedListHtmlVersion(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String htmlList = "<ol><li>First item in the list</li>"
                + "<li>Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior.</li>"
                + "<li>Third item</li><li>Fourth item</li></ol>";
        page.getParagraphs().add(new HtmlFragment(htmlList));
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a bullet list with LaTeX

Use this example when unordered list formatting should be rendered from TeX markup.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Prepare the TeX list string with the itemize environment.
Add it as a TeXFragment and save the PDF.

public static void createBulletListLatexVersion(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String texList = "Lists are easy to create: \\begin{itemize}"
                + "\\item First item"
                + "\\item Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior."
                + "\\item Third item"
                + "\\item Fourth item"
                + "\\end{itemize}";
        page.getParagraphs().add(new TeXFragment(texList));
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a numbered list with LaTeX

Use this example when ordered list formatting should be rendered from TeX markup.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Prepare the TeX list string with the enumerate environment.
Add it as a TeXFragment and save the PDF.

public static void createNumberedListLatexVersion(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String texList = "Lists are easy to create: \\begin{enumerate}"
                + "\\item First item"
                + "\\item Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior."
                + "\\item Third item"
                + "\\item Fourth item"
                + "\\end{enumerate}";
        page.getParagraphs().add(new TeXFragment(texList));
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a bullet list with text paragraphs

Use this example when a manual bullet list should be built from plain text fragments.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build a TextParagraph and append bullet-prefixed fragments.
Add the paragraph to the page and save the document.

public static void createBulletList(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String[] items = {
                "First item in the list",
                "Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior.",
                "Third item",
                "Fourth item"
        };

        TextBuilder builder = new TextBuilder(page);
        TextParagraph paragraph = new TextParagraph();
        paragraph.setRectangle(new Rectangle(80, 200, 400, 800, true));
        paragraph.getFormattingOptions().setWrapMode(TextFormattingOptions.WordWrapMode.ByWords);

        for (String item : items) {
            TextFragment fragment = new TextFragment("- " + item);
            fragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Times New Roman"));
            fragment.getTextState().setFontSize(12);
            paragraph.appendLine(fragment);
        }

        builder.appendParagraph(paragraph);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a numbered list with text paragraphs

Use this example when a manual numbered list should be built from plain text fragments.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build a TextParagraph and append numbered fragments.
Add the paragraph to the page and save the document.

public static void createNumberedList(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();
        String[] items = {
                "First item in the list",
                "Second item with more text to demonstrate wrapping behavior.",
                "Third item",
                "Fourth item"
        };

        TextBuilder builder = new TextBuilder(page);
        TextParagraph paragraph = new TextParagraph();
        paragraph.setRectangle(new Rectangle(80, 200, 400, 800, true));
        paragraph.getFormattingOptions().setWrapMode(TextFormattingOptions.WordWrapMode.ByWords);

        for (int i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
            TextFragment fragment = new TextFragment((i + 1) + ". " + items[i]);
            fragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Times New Roman"));
            fragment.getTextState().setFontSize(12);
            paragraph.appendLine(fragment);
        }

        builder.appendParagraph(paragraph);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add a basic footnote

Use this example when a text fragment should reference a simple footnote.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Create the main text fragment and assign a Note as a footnote.
Add any inline continuation text and save the document.

public static void addFootnote(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with a footnote.");
        textFragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        textFragment.setFootNote(new Note("This is the footnote content."));
        page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);

        TextFragment inlineText = new TextFragment(" This is another text after footnote in the same paragraph.");
        inlineText.setInLineParagraph(true);
        inlineText.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        inlineText.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        page.getParagraphs().add(inlineText);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add a footnote with custom text style

Use this example when footnote content should use its own font, size, and color settings.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Create the main text fragment and configure a styled footnote note.
Attach the note and save the PDF.

public static void addFootnoteCustomTextStyle(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with a footnote.");
        textFragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);

        Note note = new Note("This is the footnote content with custom text style.");
        TextState noteTextState = new TextState();
        noteTextState.setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Times New Roman"));
        noteTextState.setFontSize(10);
        noteTextState.setForegroundColor(Color.getRed());
        noteTextState.setFontStyle(FontStyles.Italic);
        note.setTextState(noteTextState);
        textFragment.setFootNote(note);

        page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add a footnote with custom marker text

Use this example when the visible footnote marker should be replaced with custom text.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Assign the footnote to the main text fragment and override its marker text.
Add the remaining content and save the document.

public static void addFootnoteCustomText(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with a footnote.");
        textFragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        textFragment.setFootNote(new Note("This is the footnote content."));
        textFragment.getFootNote().setText("***");
        page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);

        TextFragment anotherText = new TextFragment(" This is another text without footnote.");
        anotherText.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        anotherText.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        page.getParagraphs().add(anotherText);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Customize the footnote separator line

Use this example when the line that separates footnotes from page content should be styled explicitly.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Configure the page note line style through GraphInfo.
Add text fragments with footnotes and save the document.

public static void addFootnoteWithCustomLineStyle(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        GraphInfo graphInfo = new GraphInfo();
        graphInfo.setLineWidth(2);
        graphInfo.setColor(Color.getRed());
        graphInfo.setDashArray(new int[] {3});
        graphInfo.setDashPhase(1);
        page.setNoteLineStyle(graphInfo);

        TextFragment text1 = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with a footnote.");
        text1.setFootNote(new Note("foot note for text 1"));
        page.getParagraphs().add(text1);

        TextFragment text2 = new TextFragment("This is yet another sample text with a footnote.");
        text2.setFootNote(new Note("foot note for text 2"));
        page.getParagraphs().add(text2);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add a footnote with image and table content

Use this example when the footnote itself should contain rich content such as images, text, and tables.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build a Note object with an image, inline text, and a table.
Attach it to the main text fragment and save the document.

public static void addFootnoteWithImageAndTable(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment text = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with a footnote.");
        page.getParagraphs().add(text);

        Note note = new Note();

        Image imageNote = new Image();
        imageNote.setFile(dataDir.resolve("logo.jpg").toString());
        imageNote.setFixHeight(20);
        imageNote.setFixWidth(20);
        note.getParagraphs().add(imageNote);

        TextFragment textNote = new TextFragment("This is the footnote content.");
        textNote.getTextState().setFontSize(20);
        textNote.setInLineParagraph(true);
        note.getParagraphs().add(textNote);

        Table table = new Table();
        table.getRows().add().getCells().add("Cell 1,1");
        table.getRows().add().getCells().add("Cell 1,2");
        note.getParagraphs().add(table);

        text.setFootNote(note);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Add an endnote

Use this example when a text fragment should reference endnote content instead of a page footnote.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Assign an endnote to the main text fragment and add supporting body text.
Save the document with the generated endnote content.

public static void addEndnote(Path outputFile) throws Exception {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with an endnote.");
        textFragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        textFragment.setEndNote(new Note("This is the EndNote content."));
        page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);

        String textContent = loremText();
        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
            TextFragment text = new TextFragment(textContent);
            text.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
            text.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
            page.getParagraphs().add(text);
        }

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

private static String loremText() throws Exception {
    Path loremPath = dataDir.resolve("lorem.txt");
    return Files.exists(loremPath) ? Files.readString(loremPath) : "Lorem ipsum sample text not found.";
}

Add an endnote with custom marker text

Use this example when the endnote marker should use a custom visible label.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Assign an endnote to the main text fragment and override its marker text.
Add the remaining document text and save the PDF.

public static void addEndnoteCustomText(Path outputFile) throws Exception {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment textFragment = new TextFragment("This is a sample text with an endnote.");
        textFragment.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        textFragment.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        textFragment.setEndNote(new Note("This is the EndNote content."));
        textFragment.getEndNote().setText("***");
        page.getParagraphs().add(textFragment);

        String textContent = loremText();
        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
            TextFragment text = new TextFragment(textContent);
            text.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
            text.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
            page.getParagraphs().add(text);
        }

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Force table content onto a new page

Use this example when formatted content should explicitly start on a new page.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Build a table and populate its rows.
Set the table to start on a new page and save the document.

public static void forceNewPage(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        Table table = new Table();
        table.setColumnWidths("150 150 150");
        table.setDefaultCellBorder(new BorderInfo(BorderSide.All));

        for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
            Row row = table.getRows().add();
            row.getCells().add("Row " + (i + 1) + " - Col 1");
            row.getCells().add("Row " + (i + 1) + " - Col 2");
            row.getCells().add("Row " + (i + 1) + " - Col 3");
        }

        table.setInNewPage(true);
        page.getParagraphs().add(table);
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Mix inline content inside one paragraph flow

Use this example when text and images should continue inside the same paragraph flow.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Add the first text fragment, then an inline image, then another inline text fragment.
Add any following standalone paragraph and save the document.

public static void usingInlineParagraphProperty(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TextFragment fragment1 = new TextFragment("This is the first part of the paragraph. ");
        fragment1.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        fragment1.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        page.getParagraphs().add(fragment1);

        Image image = new Image();
        image.setInLineParagraph(true);
        image.setFile(dataDir.resolve("logo.jpg").toString());
        image.setFixHeight(30);
        image.setFixWidth(30);
        page.getParagraphs().add(image);

        TextFragment fragment2 = new TextFragment("This is the second part of the same paragraph.");
        fragment2.setInLineParagraph(true);
        fragment2.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        fragment2.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        page.getParagraphs().add(fragment2);

        TextFragment fragment3 = new TextFragment("This is a new paragraph.");
        fragment3.getTextState().setFont(FontRepository.findFont("Arial"));
        fragment3.getTextState().setFontSize(14);
        page.getParagraphs().add(fragment3);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create a multi-column text layout

Use this example when article-style text should flow through multiple columns.

Create a new PDF document and configure page margins.
Add the heading content and create a multi-column FloatingBox.
Fill it with text and save the final PDF.

public static void createMultiColumnPdf(Path outputFile) throws Exception {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        document.getPageInfo().getMargin().setLeft(40);
        document.getPageInfo().getMargin().setRight(40);
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Graph graph1 = new com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Graph(500.0, 2.0);
        page.getParagraphs().add(graph1);
        graph1.getShapes().addItem(new com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Line(new float[] {1.0f, 2.0f, 500.0f, 2.0f}));

        String html = "<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18px;\"><strong>How to Steer Clear of money scams</strong></span>";
        page.getParagraphs().add(new HtmlFragment(html));

        FloatingBox box = new FloatingBox();
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnCount(2);
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnSpacing("5");
        box.getColumnInfo().setColumnWidths("105 105");

        TextFragment text1 = new TextFragment("By A Googler (The Official Google Blog)");
        text1.getTextState().setFontSize(8);
        text1.getTextState().setLineSpacing(2);
        box.getParagraphs().add(text1);

        text1.getTextState().setFontSize(10);
        text1.getTextState().setFontStyle(FontStyles.Italic);

        com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Graph graph2 = new com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Graph(50.0, 10.0);
        graph2.getShapes().addItem(new com.aspose.pdf.drawing.Line(new float[] {1.0f, 10.0f, 100.0f, 10.0f}));
        box.getParagraphs().add(graph2);

        String loremText = loremText();
        box.getParagraphs().add(new TextFragment(loremText.repeat(5)));
        page.getParagraphs().add(box);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Create aligned text with custom tab stops

Use this example when text should align like a simple table by using tab stop positions.

Create a new PDF document and add a page.
Configure the tab stops with alignment and leader settings.
Create the text fragments that use those tab stops and save the document.

public static void customTabStops(Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document()) {
        Page page = document.getPages().add();

        TabStops tabStops = new TabStops();
        TabStop tabStop1 = tabStops.add(100);
        tabStop1.setAlignmentType(TabAlignmentType.Right);
        tabStop1.setLeaderType(TabLeaderType.Solid);

        TabStop tabStop2 = tabStops.add(200);
        tabStop2.setAlignmentType(TabAlignmentType.Center);
        tabStop2.setLeaderType(TabLeaderType.Dash);

        TabStop tabStop3 = tabStops.add(300);
        tabStop3.setAlignmentType(TabAlignmentType.Left);
        tabStop3.setLeaderType(TabLeaderType.Dot);

        TextFragment header = new TextFragment("This is an example of forming table with TAB stops", tabStops);
        TextFragment text0 = new TextFragment("#$TABHead1 #$TABHead2 #$TABHead3", tabStops);
        TextFragment text1 = new TextFragment("#$TABdata11 #$TABdata12 #$TABdata13", tabStops);

        TextFragment text2 = new TextFragment("#$TABdata21 ", tabStops);
        text2.getSegments().add(new TextSegment("#$TAB"));
        text2.getSegments().add(new TextSegment("data22 "));
        text2.getSegments().add(new TextSegment("#$TAB"));
        text2.getSegments().add(new TextSegment("data23"));

        page.getParagraphs().add(header);
        page.getParagraphs().add(text0);
        page.getParagraphs().add(text1);
        page.getParagraphs().add(text2);

        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
}

Search and Extract PDF Text in Java