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Technical Article

Printing PDF Documents with PDFium VCL in Delphi

· PDF Programming

Printing PDF documents with accurate rendering and proper scaling is a common requirement. The Print PDF demo shows how to implement professional PDF printing with preview, page selection, and quality options using PDFium VCL Component.

Overview

This comprehensive demo provides a complete printing solution including print preview, page range selection, quality settings, scaling options, and recent file history. It demonstrates best practices for PDF printing in Delphi applications.

Key Features

  • Print Preview – Visual preview before printing
  • Page Selection – Print all pages or specific ranges
  • Quality Settings – Draft, normal, and high-quality modes
  • Scaling Options – Fit to page, shrink to fit, or no scaling
  • Multiple Copies – Print multiple copies with collation
  • Progress Tracking – Visual feedback during printing
  • Recent Files – Quick access to previously printed documents

PDFium DLL Requirements

Before running any PDFium VCL application, ensure the PDFium DLL files are installed:

  • pdfium32.dll / pdfium64.dll – Standard versions (~5-6 MB)
  • pdfium32v8.dll / pdfium64v8.dll – With V8 JavaScript engine (~23-27 MB)

Installation: Run PDFiumVCL\DLLs\CopyDlls.bat as Administrator to automatically copy the DLLs to Windows system directories.

Basic PDF Printing

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procedure PrintPdfSimple(const FileName: string);
var
  Pdf: TPdf;
  I: Integer;
  Bitmap: TBitmap;
begin
  Pdf := TPdf.Create(nil);
  try
    Pdf.FileName := FileName;
    Pdf.Active := True;
    
    Printer.Title := Pdf.Title;
    Printer.BeginDoc;
    try
      for I := 1 to Pdf.PageCount do
      begin
        if I > 1 then
          Printer.NewPage;
          
        Pdf.PageNumber := I;
        
        // Render page to printer
        Bitmap := Pdf.RenderPage(
          0, 0,
          Printer.PageWidth,
          Printer.PageHeight,
          ro0,
          [rePrinting]
        );
        try
          PrintBitmap(Printer, Bitmap);
        finally
          Bitmap.Free;
        end;
      end;
    finally
      Printer.EndDoc;
    end;
    
  finally
    Pdf.Active := False;
    Pdf.Free;
  end;
end;

Printing Bitmap to Printer

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procedure PrintBitmap(Printer: TPrinter; Bitmap: TBitmap);
var
  InfoHeaderSize, ImageSize: DWORD;
  InfoHeader: PBitmapInfo;
  Image: Pointer;
begin
  GetDIBSizes(Bitmap.Handle, InfoHeaderSize, ImageSize);
  
  InfoHeader := AllocMem(InfoHeaderSize);
  try
    Image := AllocMem(ImageSize);
    try
      GetDIB(Bitmap.Handle, 0, InfoHeader^, Image^);
      
      StretchDIBits(
        Printer.Canvas.Handle,
        0, 0, Bitmap.Width, Bitmap.Height,
        0, 0, Bitmap.Width, Bitmap.Height,
        Image, InfoHeader^,
        DIB_RGB_COLORS, SRCCOPY
      );
    finally
      FreeMem(Image);
    end;
  finally
    FreeMem(InfoHeader);
  end;
end;

Complete Printing with Options

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procedure TFormMain.PrintPDFPages;
var
  FromPage, ToPage, Page, Copy, CopyCount: Integer;
  FirstPage: Boolean;
  Bitmap: TBitmap;
  ScaleX, ScaleY, Scale: Double;
  DestWidth, DestHeight: Integer;
  Dpi: Integer;
begin
  // Get print quality DPI
  case cmbQuality.ItemIndex of
    0: Dpi := 150;  // Draft
    1: Dpi := 300;  // Normal
    2: Dpi := 600;  // High
  else
    Dpi := 300;
  end;
  
  // Determine page range
  if radAllPages.Checked then
  begin
    FromPage := 1;
    ToPage := Pdf.PageCount;
  end
  else
  begin
    FromPage := StrToIntDef(edtFromPage.Text, 1);
    ToPage := StrToIntDef(edtToPage.Text, Pdf.PageCount);
  end;
  
  // Handle copies and collation
  if chkCollate.Checked then
    CopyCount := 1  // Will repeat entire job
  else
    CopyCount := spnCopies.Value;
    
  FProcessing := True;
  FCancelled := False;
  
  Printer.Title := ExtractFileName(Pdf.FileName);
  Printer.BeginDoc;
  try
    FirstPage := True;
    progressPrint.Max := (ToPage - FromPage + 1) * spnCopies.Value;
    progressPrint.Position := 0;
    
    for Page := FromPage to ToPage do
    begin
      for Copy := 1 to CopyCount do
      begin
        if FCancelled then
          Break;
          
        if FirstPage then
          FirstPage := False
        else
          Printer.NewPage;
          
        Pdf.PageNumber := Page;
        
        // Calculate scaling based on settings
        case cmbScaling.ItemIndex of
          0: // No scaling
          begin
            DestWidth := Round(Pdf.PageWidth * Dpi / 72);
            DestHeight := Round(Pdf.PageHeight * Dpi / 72);
          end;
          
          1: // Fit to page
          begin
            ScaleX := Printer.PageWidth / (Pdf.PageWidth * Dpi / 72);
            ScaleY := Printer.PageHeight / (Pdf.PageHeight * Dpi / 72);
            Scale := Min(ScaleX, ScaleY);
            DestWidth := Round(Pdf.PageWidth * Dpi / 72 * Scale);
            DestHeight := Round(Pdf.PageHeight * Dpi / 72 * Scale);
          end;
          
          2: // Shrink to fit (only if needed)
          begin
            ScaleX := Printer.PageWidth / (Pdf.PageWidth * Dpi / 72);
            ScaleY := Printer.PageHeight / (Pdf.PageHeight * Dpi / 72);
            Scale := Min(ScaleX, ScaleY);
            if Scale > 1 then Scale := 1;
            DestWidth := Round(Pdf.PageWidth * Dpi / 72 * Scale);
            DestHeight := Round(Pdf.PageHeight * Dpi / 72 * Scale);
          end;
        end;
        
        // Render and print
        Bitmap := Pdf.RenderPage(0, 0, DestWidth, DestHeight,
          ro0, [rePrinting, reAnnotations]);
        try
          PrintBitmap(Printer, Bitmap);
        finally
          Bitmap.Free;
        end;
        
        progressPrint.Position := progressPrint.Position + 1;
        Application.ProcessMessages;
      end;
      
      if FCancelled then
        Break;
    end;
    
  finally
    Printer.EndDoc;
    FProcessing := False;
  end;
end;

Using Print Dialog

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procedure TFormMain.btnPrintClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if not FileExists(edtPdfFile.Text) then
  begin
    ShowError('Please select a valid PDF file first.');
    Exit;
  end;
  
  // Setup print dialog
  PrintDialog.MinPage := 1;
  PrintDialog.MaxPage := Pdf.PageCount;
  PrintDialog.FromPage := 1;
  PrintDialog.ToPage := Pdf.PageCount;
  PrintDialog.Options := [poPageNums, poSelection];
  
  if PrintDialog.Execute then
  begin
    PrintPDFPages;
  end;
end;

Print Preview

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procedure TFormMain.UpdatePreview;
var
  PreviewWidth, PreviewHeight: Integer;
  Scale: Double;
begin
  if not Pdf.Active then
    Exit;
    
  Pdf.PageNumber := FCurrentPreviewPage;
  
  // Calculate preview size to fit panel
  Scale := Min(
    pnlPreview.Width / Pdf.PageWidth,
    pnlPreview.Height / Pdf.PageHeight
  ) * (FCurrentZoom / 100);
  
  PreviewWidth := Round(Pdf.PageWidth * Scale);
  PreviewHeight := Round(Pdf.PageHeight * Scale);
  
  // Render preview
  FPreviewBitmap.Free;
  FPreviewBitmap := Pdf.RenderPage(
    0, 0, PreviewWidth, PreviewHeight,
    ro0, [reAnnotations], clWhite
  );
  
  // Display in image control
  imgPreview.Picture.Assign(FPreviewBitmap);
  
  // Update page info
  lblPageInfo.Caption := Format('Page %d of %d',
    [FCurrentPreviewPage, Pdf.PageCount]);
end;

Preview Navigation

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procedure TFormMain.btnFirstPageClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if Pdf.Active then
  begin
    FCurrentPreviewPage := 1;
    edtPreviewPage.Text := '1';
    UpdatePreview;
  end;
end;
 
procedure TFormMain.btnPrevPageClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if Pdf.Active and (FCurrentPreviewPage > 1) then
  begin
    Dec(FCurrentPreviewPage);
    edtPreviewPage.Text := IntToStr(FCurrentPreviewPage);
    UpdatePreview;
  end;
end;
 
procedure TFormMain.btnNextPageClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if Pdf.Active and (FCurrentPreviewPage < Pdf.PageCount) then
  begin
    Inc(FCurrentPreviewPage);
    edtPreviewPage.Text := IntToStr(FCurrentPreviewPage);
    UpdatePreview;
  end;
end;
 
procedure TFormMain.btnLastPageClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  if Pdf.Active then
  begin
    FCurrentPreviewPage := Pdf.PageCount;
    edtPreviewPage.Text := IntToStr(FCurrentPreviewPage);
    UpdatePreview;
  end;
end;

Zoom Control

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procedure TFormMain.cmbZoomChange(Sender: TObject);
begin
  case cmbZoom.ItemIndex of
    0: FCurrentZoom := 50;
    1: FCurrentZoom := 75;
    2: FCurrentZoom := 100;
    3: FCurrentZoom := 125;
    4: FCurrentZoom := 150;
    5: FCurrentZoom := 200;
  else
    FCurrentZoom := 100;
  end;
  
  UpdatePreview;
end;

Handling Page Rotation

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function GetPrintRotation(Rotation: TRotation): TRotation;
begin
  // Adjust rotation for printing (printer coordinate system)
  case Rotation of
    ro90:  Result := ro270;
    ro270: Result := ro90;
  else
    Result := Rotation;
  end;
end;
 
// Use in printing
Bitmap := Pdf.RenderPage(0, 0, Width, Height,
  GetPrintRotation(Pdf.PageRotation), [rePrinting]);

Save/Load Settings

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procedure TFormMain.SaveSettings;
var
  Ini: TIniFile;
begin
  Ini := TIniFile.Create(FSettingsFile);
  try
    Ini.WriteInteger('Print', 'Quality', cmbQuality.ItemIndex);
    Ini.WriteInteger('Print', 'Scaling', cmbScaling.ItemIndex);
    Ini.WriteInteger('Print', 'Copies', spnCopies.Value);
    Ini.WriteBool('Print', 'Collate', chkCollate.Checked);
    Ini.WriteInteger('Preview', 'Zoom', FCurrentZoom);
  finally
    Ini.Free;
  end;
end;
 
procedure TFormMain.LoadSettings;
var
  Ini: TIniFile;
begin
  if FileExists(FSettingsFile) then
  begin
    Ini := TIniFile.Create(FSettingsFile);
    try
      cmbQuality.ItemIndex := Ini.ReadInteger('Print', 'Quality', 1);
      cmbScaling.ItemIndex := Ini.ReadInteger('Print', 'Scaling', 1);
      spnCopies.Value := Ini.ReadInteger('Print', 'Copies', 1);
      chkCollate.Checked := Ini.ReadBool('Print', 'Collate', False);
      FCurrentZoom := Ini.ReadInteger('Preview', 'Zoom', 100);
    finally
      Ini.Free;
    end;
  end;
end;

Use Cases

  • Document Printing – High-quality printing of PDF documents
  • Batch Printing – Print multiple documents in sequence
  • Report Distribution – Print reports for distribution
  • Proof Printing – Print proofs before final production

Conclusion

The Print PDF demo shows how to implement professional PDF printing with PDFium VCL. From simple single-page printing to advanced multi-copy jobs with preview and quality settings, the component provides everything you need.

The RenderPage method with the rePrinting option ensures optimal output for printers, while the preview functionality lets users verify their settings before printing.

Add professional PDF printing to your applications with PDFium Delphi Component.