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SwingToPDF Documentation

Version 1.3.1

SwingToPDF converts any Java Swing component tree into genuine vector PDF output. Text remains selectable, graphics stay sharp at any zoom level, and the output is a fraction of the size of rasterized alternatives.

Guides

Guide Description
Getting Started Installation, dependencies, JVM flags, and your first export
Export Modes DATA_REPORT vs UI_SNAPSHOT -- when to use each and how they differ
Builder Options Complete reference for every SwingPdfExporter builder method
Pagination How content flows across pages, margins, keep-together, and scaling
Headers & Footers Page banners with dynamic page numbers, styling, alignment, and per-page variation
AcroForm Fields Exporting interactive, fillable PDF form fields from Swing components
Fonts Font embedding, the resolution chain, custom FontResolver, and fallbacks
Supported Components Every Swing component with handler-specific rendering details
Vector Handlers Render custom-painted components as vector PDF with registerHandler
Troubleshooting Common issues, error messages, and how to fix them

At a Glance

SwingPdfExporter.from(myPanel)
    .pageSize(PageSize.LETTER)
    .orientation(Orientation.LANDSCAPE)
    .margins(36, 36, 36, 36)
    .title("Quarterly Report")
    .header(HeaderFooter.of("Quarterly Report").align(Alignment.LEFT))
    .footer(HeaderFooter.of("Page {page} of {pages}"))
    .export(Path.of("report.pdf"));

Key Concepts

  • Vector-first rendering -- handlers read Swing component state directly and emit PDF drawing operations. Text is real PDF text (selectable, searchable); shapes are real vector paths.
  • Vector component handlers -- register a VectorComponentHandler via registerHandler() to render custom-painted components (charts, diagrams) as vector PDF instead of rasterised bitmaps.
  • Raster fallback -- components without a dedicated handler or registered vector handler (or with custom paintComponent overrides) are rasterized at high quality and embedded as images.
  • Two export modes -- DATA_REPORT exports all data (every table row, every tab, full scroll content). UI_SNAPSHOT captures exactly what is visible on screen.
  • Automatic pagination -- content taller than one page is split intelligently at row boundaries and keep-together markers.
  • AcroForm support -- opt-in interactive PDF form fields that map Swing input components to their PDF equivalents.

Requirements

  • Java 17 or later
  • Apache PDFBox 3.x (pulled in automatically as a transitive Maven dependency)

Links