Quickstart for Adobe PDF Electronic Seal API (.NET)
To get started using PDF Electronic Seal API, let's walk through a simple scenario - Applying an electronic seal on an invoice PDF document. In this guide, we will walk you through the complete process for creating a program that will accomplish this task.
Prerequisites
To complete this guide, you will need:
- .NET: version 8.0 or above
- .Net SDK
- A build tool: Either Visual Studio or .NET Core CLI.
- An Adobe ID. If you do not have one, the credential setup will walk you through creating one.
- A way to edit code. No specific editor is required for this guide.
Step One: Getting credentials
1) To begin, open your browser to https://acrobatservices.adobe.com/dc-integration-creation-app-cdn/main.html?api=pdf-services-api. If you are not already logged in to Adobe.com, you will need to sign in or create a new user. Using a personal email account is recommended and not a federated ID.
2) After registering or logging in, you will then be asked to name your new credentials. Use the name, "New Project".
3) Change the "Choose language" setting to ".Net".
4) Also note the checkbox by, "Create personalized code sample." This will include a large set of samples along with your credentials. These can be helpful for learning more later.
5) Click the checkbox saying you agree to the developer terms and then click "Create credentials."
6) After your credentials are created, they are automatically downloaded:
Step Two: Setting up the project
1) In your Downloads folder, find the ZIP file with your credentials: PDFServicesSDK-.NetSamples.zip. If you unzip that archive, you will find a folder of samples and the pdfservices-api-credentials.json
file.
2) Take the pdfservices-api-credentials.json
file and place it in a new directory.
3) In your new directory, create a new file, ElectronicSeal.csproj
. This file will declare our requirements as well as help define the application we're creating.
Copied to your clipboard<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk"><PropertyGroup><OutputType>Exe</OutputType><TargetFramework>netcoreapp3.1</TargetFramework></PropertyGroup><ItemGroup><PackageReference Include="log4net" Version="2.0.12" /><PackageReference Include="Adobe.PDFServicesSDK" Version="3.5.1" /></ItemGroup><ItemGroup><None Update="log4net.config"><CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory></None><None Update="sampleInvoice.pdf"><CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory></None><None Update="sampleSealImage.png"><CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory></None></ItemGroup></Project>
This file will define what dependencies we need and how the application will be built.
Our application will take an Invoice PDF document, sampleInvoice.pdf
(downloadable from here), and will use the sealing options with default appearance options to apply electronic seal over the PDF document by invoking Acrobat Services API and generate an electronically sealed PDF.
4) In your editor, open the directory where you previously copied the credentials and created the csproj
file. Create a new file, Program.cs
.
Now you're ready to begin coding.
Step Three: Creating the application
1) We'll begin by including our required dependencies:
Copied to your clipboardusing System;using System.IO;using System.Reflection;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.auth;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.exception;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.io;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.jobs;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.parameters.electronicseal;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.results;using log4net;using log4net.Config;using log4net.Repository;
2) Now let's define our main class and Main
method:
Copied to your clipboardnamespace ElectronicSeal{class Program{private static readonly ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(Program));static void Main(){}}}
3) Set the environment variables PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID
and PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET
by running the following commands and replacing placeholders YOUR CLIENT ID
and YOUR CLIENT SECRET
with the credentials present in pdfservices-api-credentials.json
file:
Windows:
set PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID=<YOUR CLIENT ID>
set PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET=<YOUR CLIENT SECRET>
MacOS/Linux:
export PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID=<YOUR CLIENT ID>
export PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET=<YOUR CLIENT SECRET>
4) Next, we can create our credentials and PDFServices instance:
Copied to your clipboard// Initial setup, create credentials instanceICredentials credentials = new ServicePrincipalCredentials(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID"),Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET"));// Creates a PDF Services instancePDFServices pdfServices = new PDFServices(credentials);
5) Now, let's upload the asset:
Copied to your clipboard// Creates an asset(s) from source file(s) and uploadIAsset asset = pdfServices.Upload(inputStream, PDFServicesMediaType.PDF.GetMIMETypeValue());IAsset sealImageAsset =pdfServices.Upload(inputStreamSealImage, PDFServicesMediaType.PNG.GetMIMETypeValue());
6) Now, we will define the document level permission:
Copied to your clipboard// Set the document level permission to be applied for output documentDocumentLevelPermission documentLevelPermission = DocumentLevelPermission.FORM_FILLING;
7) Now, we will define seal field options:
Copied to your clipboard// Create AppearanceOptions and add the required signature display items to itAppearanceOptions appearanceOptions = new AppearanceOptions();appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.NAME);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.LABELS);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.DATE);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.SEAL_IMAGE);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.DISTINGUISHED_NAME);// Sets the Seal Field Name to be created in input PDF document.String sealFieldName = "Signature1";// Sets the page number in input document for applying seal.int sealPageNumber = 1;// Sets if seal should be visible or invisible.bool sealVisible = true;// Creates FieldLocation instance and set the coordinates for applying signatureFieldLocation fieldLocation = new FieldLocation(150, 250, 350, 200);// Create FieldOptions instance with required details.FieldOptions fieldOptions = new FieldOptions.Builder(sealFieldName).SetVisible(sealVisible).SetFieldLocation(fieldLocation).SetPageNumber(sealPageNumber).Build();
8) Next, we create a CSC Certificate Credentials instance:
Copied to your clipboard// Sets the name of TSP Provider being used.String providerName = "<PROVIDER_NAME>";// Sets the access token to be used to access TSP provider hosted APIs.String accessToken = "<ACCESS_TOKEN>";// Sets the credential ID.String credentialID = "<CREDENTIAL_ID>";// Sets the PIN generated while creating credentials.String pin = "<PIN>";// Creates CSCAuthContext instance using access token and token type.CSCAuthContext cscAuthContext = new CSCAuthContext(accessToken, "Bearer");// Create CertificateCredentials instance with required certificate details.CertificateCredentials certificateCredentials = CertificateCredentials.CSCCredentialBuilder().WithProviderName(providerName).WithCredentialID(credentialID).WithPin(pin).WithCSCAuthContext(cscAuthContext).Build();
9) Now, let's create the job with seal parameters using certificate credentials and field options and set the seal image asset:
Copied to your clipboard// Create parameters for the jobPDFElectronicSealParams pdfElectronicSealParams =PDFElectronicSealParams.PDFElectronicSealParamsBuilder(certificateCredentials, fieldOptions).WithDocumentLevelPermission(documentLevelPermission).WithAppearanceOptions(appearanceOptions).Build();// Creates a new job instancePDFElectronicSealJob pdfElectronicSealJob = new PDFElectronicSealJob(asset, pdfElectronicSealParams);// Sets the optional input seal image for PDFElectronicSealOperation instancepdfElectronicSealJob.SetSealImageAsset(sealImageAsset);
This set of code defines what we're doing (an Electronic Seal operation), it defines parameters for the seal job and sets input seal image asset.
10) The next code block submits the job and gets the job result:
Copied to your clipboard// Submits the job and gets the job resultString location = pdfServices.Submit(pdfElectronicSealJob);PDFServicesResponse<PDFElectronicSealResult> pdfServicesResponse =pdfServices.GetJobResult<PDFElectronicSealResult>(location, typeof(PDFElectronicSealResult));// Get content from the resulting asset(s)IAsset resultAsset = pdfServicesResponse.Result.Asset;StreamAsset streamAsset = pdfServices.GetContent(resultAsset);
11) The next code block saves the result at the specified location:
Copied to your clipboard// Creating output streams and copying stream asset's content to itString outputFilePath = "/output/sealedOutput.pdf";new FileInfo(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + outputFilePath).Directory.Create();Stream outputStream = File.OpenWrite(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + outputFilePath);streamAsset.Stream.CopyTo(outputStream);outputStream.Close();
Here's the complete application (Program.cs
):
Copied to your clipboardusing System;using System.IO;using System.Reflection;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.auth;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.exception;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.io;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.jobs;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.parameters.electronicseal;using Adobe.PDFServicesSDK.pdfjobs.results;using log4net;using log4net.Config;using log4net.Repository;namespace ElectronicSeal{class Program{// Initialize the logger.private static readonly ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(Program));static void Main(){//Configure the loggingConfigureLogging();try{// Initial setup, create credentials instanceICredentials credentials = new ServicePrincipalCredentials(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID"),Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET"));// Creates a PDF Services instancePDFServices pdfServices = new PDFServices(credentials);// Creates an asset(s) from source file(s) and uploadusing Stream inputStream = File.OpenRead(@"SampleInvoice.pdf");using Stream inputStreamSealImage = File.OpenRead(@"sampleSealImage.png");IAsset asset = pdfServices.Upload(inputStream, PDFServicesMediaType.PDF.GetMIMETypeValue());IAsset sealImageAsset =pdfServices.Upload(inputStreamSealImage, PDFServicesMediaType.PNG.GetMIMETypeValue());// Create AppearanceOptions and add the required signature display items to itAppearanceOptions appearanceOptions = new AppearanceOptions();appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.NAME);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.LABELS);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.DATE);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.SEAL_IMAGE);appearanceOptions.AddItem(AppearanceItem.DISTINGUISHED_NAME);// Set the document level permission to be applied for output documentDocumentLevelPermission documentLevelPermission = DocumentLevelPermission.FORM_FILLING;// Sets the Seal Field Name to be created in input PDF document.String sealFieldName = "Signature1";// Sets the page number in input document for applying seal.int sealPageNumber = 1;// Sets if seal should be visible or invisible.bool sealVisible = true;// Creates FieldLocation instance and set the coordinates for applying signatureFieldLocation fieldLocation = new FieldLocation(150, 250, 350, 200);// Create FieldOptions instance with required details.FieldOptions fieldOptions = new FieldOptions.Builder(sealFieldName).SetVisible(sealVisible).SetFieldLocation(fieldLocation).SetPageNumber(sealPageNumber).Build();// Sets the name of TSP Provider being used.String providerName = "<PROVIDER_NAME>";// Sets the access token to be used to access TSP provider hosted APIs.String accessToken = "<ACCESS_TOKEN>";// Sets the credential ID.String credentialID = "<CREDENTIAL_ID>";// Sets the PIN generated while creating credentials.String pin = "<PIN>";// Creates CSCAuthContext instance using access token and token type.CSCAuthContext cscAuthContext = new CSCAuthContext(accessToken, "Bearer");// Create CertificateCredentials instance with required certificate details.CertificateCredentials certificateCredentials = CertificateCredentials.CSCCredentialBuilder().WithProviderName(providerName).WithCredentialID(credentialID).WithPin(pin).WithCSCAuthContext(cscAuthContext).Build();// Create parameters for the jobPDFElectronicSealParams pdfElectronicSealParams =PDFElectronicSealParams.PDFElectronicSealParamsBuilder(certificateCredentials, fieldOptions).WithDocumentLevelPermission(documentLevelPermission).WithAppearanceOptions(appearanceOptions).Build();// Creates a new job instancePDFElectronicSealJob pdfElectronicSealJob = new PDFElectronicSealJob(asset, pdfElectronicSealParams);pdfElectronicSealJob.SetSealImageAsset(sealImageAsset);// Submits the job and gets the job resultString location = pdfServices.Submit(pdfElectronicSealJob);PDFServicesResponse<PDFElectronicSealResult> pdfServicesResponse =pdfServices.GetJobResult<PDFElectronicSealResult>(location, typeof(PDFElectronicSealResult));// Get content from the resulting asset(s)IAsset resultAsset = pdfServicesResponse.Result.Asset;StreamAsset streamAsset = pdfServices.GetContent(resultAsset);// Creating output streams and copying stream asset's content to itString outputFilePath = "/output/sealedOutput.pdf";new FileInfo(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + outputFilePath).Directory.Create();Stream outputStream = File.OpenWrite(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + outputFilePath);streamAsset.Stream.CopyTo(outputStream);outputStream.Close();}catch (ServiceUsageException ex){log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);}catch (ServiceApiException ex){log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);}catch (SDKException ex){log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);}catch (IOException ex){log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);}catch (Exception ex){log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);}}static void ConfigureLogging(){ILoggerRepository logRepository = LogManager.GetRepository(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly());XmlConfigurator.Configure(logRepository, new FileInfo("log4net.config"));}}}
Next Steps
Now that you've successfully performed your first operation, review the documentation for many other examples and reach out on our forums with any questions. Also remember the samples you downloaded while creating your credentials also have many demos.