pdf-lib-simple-tables

PDF-lib Table Library

Overview

The PDF-lib Table Library is a TypeScript library that allows you to create and integrate tables into PDF documents. This library uses pdf-lib for PDF creation and offers advanced features such as custom fonts, cell styles, and cell merging.

Installation

Use npm or yarn to install the library:

npm install pdf-lib-simple-tables
# or
yarn add pdf-lib-simple-tables

Usage

Basic Example

import { PdfTable } from 'pdf-lib-simple-tables';

const table = new PdfTable({
  columns: 3,
  rows: 5,
});

table.setCell(0, 0, 'Header 1');
table.setCell(0, 1, 'Header 2');
table.setCell(0, 2, 'Header 3');

const pdfDoc = await table.toPDF();
const pdfBytes = await pdfDoc.save();

Advanced Options

Cell Styles

table.setCellStyle(0, 0, {
  fontSize: 14,
  fontColor: { r: 0, g: 0, b: 0 },
  backgroundColor: { r: 255, g: 255, b: 255 },
  borderColor: { r: 0, g: 0, b: 0 },
  borderWidth: 1,
  alignment: 'center',
});

Merging Cells

table.mergeCells(1, 0, 1, 2);

Custom Fonts

import { CustomFont } from 'pdf-lib-simple-tables';

const customFont = new CustomFont('MyFont', 'base64-encoded-font-data');
table.setCustomFont(customFont);

New Methods

Reading Cells

const cellValue = table.getCell(0, 0);
const cellStyle = table.getCellStyle(0, 0);

Editing Cells

table.removeCell(0, 0);

Adding/Removing Rows and Columns

table.addRow();
table.addColumn();
table.removeRow(0);
table.removeColumn(0);

Design Templates

PDF-lib Table Library now offers multiple design templates:

• materialDesignConfig: Material Design.
• classicDesignConfig: Classic look with serif font.
• modernDesignConfig: Modern, minimalist style.
• highContrastDesignConfig: High contrast for improved readability.

Example:

import { PdfTable, modernDesignConfig } from 'pdf-lib-simple-tables';

const table = new PdfTable({
  columns: 3,
  rows: 5,
  designConfig: modernDesignConfig,
});

table.setCell(0, 0, 'Header 1');
// ...more cell assignments...

const pdfDoc = await table.toPDF();
const pdfBytes = await pdfDoc.save();

Advanced Features

The library now also supports embedding tables into existing PDF documents – both as real, formatted tables and alternatively as embedded images.

Embedding Real Tables

Use the embedInPDF method to insert the table into an existing PDF document:

import { PDFDocument } from 'pdf-lib';
import { PdfTable } from 'pdf-lib-simple-tables';

async function embedTable() {
  const existingPdf = await PDFDocument.load(existingPdfBytes);
  const table = new PdfTable({ columns: 4, rows: 4, rowHeight: 20, colWidth: 80 });
  table.setCell(0, 0, 'Header 1');
  // ...more cell assignments...
  await table.embedInPDF(existingPdf, { x: 50, y: 300 });
  const updatedPdfBytes = await existingPdf.save();
}

Embedding Table as Image

Alternatively, you can embed the table content as an image in your PDF. First, generate an image (e.g., via a canvas renderer) and then use embedTableAsImage:

import { PDFDocument } from 'pdf-lib';
import { PdfTable } from 'pdf-lib-simple-tables';

async function embedTableImage() {
  const existingPdf = await PDFDocument.load(existingPdfBytes);
  const table = new PdfTable({ columns: 4, rows: 4, rowHeight: 20, colWidth: 80 });
  // ...set table data...

  // Assume imageBytes contains the PNG image of the table
  const imageBytes = await generateTableImageBytes(table); // External implementation
  await table.embedTableAsImage(existingPdf, imageBytes, { x: 50, y: 300, width: 320, height: 80 });
  const updatedPdfBytes = await existingPdf.save();
}

For more details and options, see the API documentation below.

API

Classes

PdfTable

• Constructor: new PdfTable(options: TableOptions)
• Methods:
  • setCell(row: number, col: number, value: string): void
  • setCellStyle(row: number, col: number, style: TableCellStyle): void
  • mergeCells(startRow: number, startCol: number, endRow: number, endCol: number): void
  • setCustomFont(font: CustomFont): void
  • toPDF(): Promise<PDFDocument>
  • getCell(row: number, col: number): string
  • getCellStyle(row: number, col: number): TableCellStyle
  • removeCell(row: number, col: number): void
  • addRow(): void
  • addColumn(): void
  • removeRow(row: number): void
  • removeColumn(col: number): void

CustomFont

• Constructor: new CustomFont(name: string, base64: string, extension?: string)

Interfaces

TableOptions

• columns: number
• rows: number
• rowHeight?: number
• colWidth?: number

TableCellStyle

• fontSize?: number
• fontColor?: { r: number; g: number; b: number }
• backgroundColor?: { r: number; g: number; b: number }
• borderColor?: { r: number; g: number; b: number }
• borderWidth?: number
• alignment?: 'left' | 'center' | 'right'

MergedCell

• startRow: number
• startCol: number
• endRow: number
• endCol: number

Development

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• npm or yarn

Installing Dependencies

npm install
# or
yarn install

Running Tests

npm test
# or
yarn test

Linting and Formatting

npm run lint
npm run format
# or
yarn lint
yarn format

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. For more information, see the LICENSE file.