Reviewer, 2008-04-09 08:54:00

PDF library with HTML, EMF, JPG, works in VB, C#,.NET, ASP and ASP.NET. Full set of methods and properties to create rich PDF doc with text, HTML, transformed XML, images, objects. Provides support for EMF2PDF, Unicode and Security options.

Pros: Bytescout. PDF is a .NET library capable to write/ modify/ sign/ protect/ unprotect/ fill/ linearize/ optimize PDF documents from .NET programming languages like Visual Basic.NET, C#, ASP.NET. The library includes full set of methods and properties to add and manage text, HTML formatted text (incl. links, tables, fonts, local and remote images, support for XML to PDF transformation), Unicode text, images, annotations, outlines, controls (for "acroforms") and javascript actions.

Extensive image and attachment support is available. Support for file attachments in PDF (from local files or from URL http and https web-sites) exists. Image formats supported are Jpeg, Flate (BMP), CCITT 3, CCITT 3 (2D), CCITT 4 image compression modes. Additional free add-ons support PNG, TIFF, GIF images. Built-in EMF to PDF conversion engine including support for EMF images produced by virtual EMF printers is available. Support also exist for split, merge and extract of pages from other PDF documents adds value. Fonts embedding including Unicode support and security options including digital signatures make the library quite well rounded.

Detailed code examples in VB.NET, C# and ASP.NET for various situations make the integration of the library quite smooth.

Cons: One of the biggest concerns in integrating this kind of code is that bugs, not understood well, get introduced in the software system being developed. While thorough testing would be required for the integrated code, feedback should be sought from existing users to understand the kind of quality that is already built in.

Overall a rating of 4 stars.