Create PDF documents in Django - Tutorial for Beginners

#beginners #python #django

Hello Coders,

This article explains how to generate PDF documents in Django using different techniques: via Django Shell, generate the document using a GET parameter pull an image from the internet, and use it to build a new (PDF) document.

👉 Django Apps a curated index with projects

For newcomers, Django is an open-source web framework designed by experienced developers that we can use to code from simple one-page projects to complex APIs and eCommerce platforms.

Topics covered in this tutorial

✅ Built a new Django App
✅ Configure Django to activate the new app
✅Add/explain code for each case
- Generate the PDF using Django CLI
- Generate a (simple) dynamic PDF in a new page
- Generate a dynamic PDF using an image
✅ Mention a few open-source Django Templates

Create PDF using Django CLI

This tutorial assumes the audience has already a Django project and we will add a new app that implements the PDF generation process. Complete beginners without a working project might find a dedicated Django tutorial that covers the Django basics: Django for Beginners.

Install dependencies using a Virtual Environment

$ virtualenv env           # create a VENV
$ source env/bin/activate  # activate VENV
$
$ pip install reportlab

reportlab is the library that brings all the PDF magic to our app. Let's use it and create a simple PDF document right in the Django shell:

$ python ./manage.py shell                   # start Django CLI
>>>
>>> import reportlab                         # import the library
>>> from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas      # import modules 
>>> p = canvas.Canvas('1.pdf')               # Init a PDF object
>>> p.drawString(200, 200, "Hello world.")   # Draw a simple String  
>>> p.showPage()                             # Create the PDF
>>> p.save()                                 # Clean UP the library usage

Once all instructions are executed, we should see a new PDF file created in the root of our Django project. Let's open the file, without leaving the Django shell:

>>> import os,sys
>>> os.startfile('1.pdf', 'open')

The startfile helper should open the PDF file using the default handler registered in the operating system.

Create the new Django app

$ # Current Dir: ROOT of the Django project
$ python manage.py startapp pdf_app

Code a simple PDF generator

# File contents: `app_pdf/views.py` (partial content)
...
from reportlab.pdfgen    import canvas
from reportlab.lib.utils import ImageReader
from datetime            import datetime
...

def pdf_dw(request):                                  

    # Create the HttpResponse object 
    response = HttpResponse(content_type='application/pdf') 

    # This line force a download
    response['Content-Disposition'] = 'attachment; filename="1.pdf"' 

    # READ Optional GET param
    get_param = request.GET.get('name', 'World')

    # Generate unique timestamp
    ts = datetime.utcnow().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S.%f')

    p = canvas.Canvas(response)

    # Write content on the PDF 
    p.drawString(100, 500, "Hello " + get_param + " (Dynamic PDF) - " + ts ) 

    # Close the PDF object. 
    p.showPage() 
    p.save() 

    # Show the result to the user    
    return response

This simple PDF generator will set a few properties to the HttpResponse object returned to the user, read an optional GET parameter and generate a timestamp saved in the PDF. Once the new PDF is saved in memory, we can return the contents to the user.

Sample Usage: http://localhost:8000/pdf_dw/?name=Bill Gates

Generate PDF with an Image

Using the same reportlab library we can generate PDF documents with embedded images without much effort - Let's see the code:

# File contents: `app_pdf/views.py` (partial content)
...
from reportlab.pdfgen    import canvas
from reportlab.lib.utils import ImageReader
from datetime            import datetime
...

def pdf_img(request):                                  

    # Create the HttpResponse object with the appropriate PDF headers. 
    response = HttpResponse(content_type='application/pdf') 

    # Create the PDF object, using the response object as its "file." 
    p = canvas.Canvas(response)     

    my_image = ImageReader('https://www.google.com/images/srpr/logo11w.png')

    p.drawImage(my_image, 10, 500, mask='auto')

    # Close the PDF object. 
    p.showPage() 
    p.save() 

    # Show the result to the user    
    return response

my_image object is the Google logo, downloaded from a public address and used in our PDF via drawImage directive.

Sample output served by http://localhost:8000/pdf_img/

Once we save the code, Django settings must be updated in order to activate the new app:

# Update Django Settings.py
...
INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'app_pdf',
]
...

Update Project Routing

urlpatterns = [
    path('admin/', admin.site.urls),
    path(""    , include("app_pdf.urls")),   # <-- NEW
]

Thanks for Reading! For questions related Django and PDF generation process, feel free to AMA in the comments section.

✅ More Django Templates

The open-source samples presented in this section might help beginners (and not only) to code faster a new project in Django by reusing codebase and provided features.

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