Create layers in PDF and draw on each layer

Create a new PDF document with different layers and draw on each layer. This code sample shows how to create a document and adds two new layers. We draw on each layer by creating a LayerShape for each layer and adding shapes.

C# Create layer in PDF

Document document = new Document();
Page page = new Page(600, 600);
document.Pages.Add(page);

// create a Drawing and make it occupy all space within the margins of the page
ShapeCollection shapes = new ShapeCollection(100, 100, 400, 400);
page.Overlay.Add(shapes);

// Create layers
Layer gridLayer = new Layer("Grid");
LayerShape gridLayerShape = new LayerShape(gridLayer);
document.Layers.Add(gridLayer);

Layer graphicsLayer = new Layer("Graphics");
LayerShape graphicsLayerShape = new LayerShape(graphicsLayer);
document.Layers.Add(graphicsLayer);

shapes.Add(gridLayerShape);
shapes.Add(graphicsLayerShape);

VB.NET Create layer in PDF

Dim document As New Document()
Dim page As New Page(600, 600)
document.Pages.Add(page)

' create a Drawing and make it occupy all space within the margins of the page
Dim shapes As New ShapeCollection(100, 100, 400, 400)
page.Overlay.Add(shapes)

' Create layers
Dim gridLayer As New Layer("Grid")
Dim gridLayerShape As New LayerShape(gridLayer)
document.Layers.Add(gridLayer)

Dim graphicsLayer As New Layer("Graphics")
Dim graphicsLayerShape As New LayerShape(graphicsLayer)
document.Layers.Add(graphicsLayer)

shapes.Add(gridLayerShape)
shapes.Add(graphicsLayerShape)

Lets draw something on the layers.

C# draw on each layer

// coordinate (0, 0) lies at the bottom left of the shapes.

// draw a grid of 25 x 25 points in the GridLayer
Pen gridPen = new Pen(System.Drawing.Color.LightGray, 1);
for (double x = 0; x < shapes.Width; x += 25)
{
    for (double y = 0; y < shapes.Height; y += 25)
    {
        // Draw the lines
        gridLayerShape.Add(new LineShape(0, y, shapes.Width, y, gridPen));
        gridLayerShape.Add(new LineShape(x, 0, x, shapes.Height, gridPen));

        // Add axis numbering
        gridLayerShape.Add(new TextShape(0, y, y.ToString(), Font.Helvetica, 8));
        gridLayerShape.Add(new TextShape(x, 0, x.ToString(), Font.Helvetica, 8));
    }
}

//Add shapes to the graphics layer
// add a line
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new LineShape(25, 25, 75, 50));

// add an ellipse
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new EllipseShape(150, 50, 50, 25));

// add a rectangle
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new RectangleShape(250, 25, 75, 50, new Pen(System.Drawing.Color.Black), new SolidBrush(System.Drawing.Color.Yellow)));

// draw one bezier without the helper lines
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new BezierShape(325, 150, 375, 200, 325, 100, 375, 150));

// add a few arcshapes
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new ArcShape(50, 225, 25, 25));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new ArcShape(125, 225, 25, 25, 0, 45));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new ArcShape(200, 225, 25, 25, 0, 90));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new ArcShape(275, 225, 25, 25, 90, 180));

// add a few pieshapes
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new PieShape(50, 300, 25, 25));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new PieShape(125, 300, 25, 25, 0, 45));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new PieShape(200, 300, 25, 25, 0, 45));
graphicsLayerShape.Add(new PieShape(275, 300, 25, 25, 90, 270));

// add a multiline textshape         
MultilineTextShape multiLineText = new MultilineTextShape();
multiLineText.Fragments.Add(new Fragment(
    "This example show how you can create multiple layers using PDF Kit"));
multiLineText.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center;
multiLineText.Dock = DockStyle.Top;
multiLineText.Margin.Left = multiLineText.Margin.Right = 50;
shapes.Add(multiLineText);

using (FileStream file = new FileStream(@"..\..\createlayers.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write))
{
    document.Write(file);
}

VB.NET draw on each layer

' coordinate (0, 0) lies at the bottom left of the shapes.

' draw a grid of 25 x 25 points in the GridLayer
Dim gridPen As New TallComponents.PDF.Pens.Pen(Color.LightGray, 1)
For x As Double = 0 To shapes.Width - 1 Step 25
    For y As Double = 0 To shapes.Height - 1 Step 25
        ' Draw the lines
        gridLayerShape.Add(New LineShape(0, y, shapes.Width, y, gridPen))
        gridLayerShape.Add(New LineShape(x, 0, x, shapes.Height, gridPen))

        ' Add axis numbering
        gridLayerShape.Add(New TextShape(0, y, y.ToString(), Fonts.Font.Helvetica, 8))
        gridLayerShape.Add(New TextShape(x, 0, x.ToString(), Fonts.Font.Helvetica, 8))
    Next
Next

'Add shapes to the graphics layer
' add a line
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New LineShape(25, 25, 75, 50))

' add an ellipse
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New EllipseShape(150, 50, 50, 25))

' add a rectangle
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New RectangleShape(250, 25, 75, 50, New TallComponents.PDF.Pens.Pen(Color.Black), New TallComponents.PDF.Brushes.SolidBrush(Color.Yellow)))

' draw one bezier without the helper lines
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New BezierShape(325, 150, 375, 200, 325, 100,
    375, 150))

' add a few arcshapes
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New ArcShape(50, 225, 25, 25))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New ArcShape(125, 225, 25, 25, 0, 45))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New ArcShape(200, 225, 25, 25, 0, 90))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New ArcShape(275, 225, 25, 25, 90, 180))

' add a few pieshapes
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New PieShape(50, 300, 25, 25))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New PieShape(125, 300, 25, 25, 0, 45))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New PieShape(200, 300, 25, 25, 0, 45))
graphicsLayerShape.Add(New PieShape(275, 300, 25, 25, 90, 270))

' add a multiline textshape         
Dim multiLineText As New MultilineTextShape()
multiLineText.Fragments.Add(New Fragment("This example show how you can create multiple layers using PDF Kit"))
multiLineText.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center
multiLineText.Dock = DockStyle.Top
multiLineText.Margin.Left = multiLineText.Margin.Right = 50
shapes.Add(multiLineText)

Using file As New FileStream("..\..\createlayers.pdf", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write)
    document.Write(file)
End Using

Here is the result:

Switch the grid layer off: