Quick Java to PDF Source Code Converter Tool

Quick Java to PDF Source Code Converter Tool Converting Java source code into polished PDF documents is a frequent need for developers. You might need to submit code for academic assignments, archive repositories, or share code reviews with team members.

Let’s look at how to build a lightweight command-line tool that reads a Java file and generates a clean, syntax-highlighted PDF. We will use the iText library for PDF generation and java-syntax-highlighter for processing the code tokens. Key Features of the Tool

Preserves Code Structure: Maintains original indentation and spacing.

Line Numbering: Automatically adds line numbers for easy code reference.

Custom Styling: Applies distinct colors to keywords, strings, and comments.

Page Optimization: Handles text wrapping to prevent long lines from cutting off. Step 1: Set Up Your Project Dependencies

First, configure your project build file. Add the necessary libraries to your Maven pom.xml to handle PDF creation and syntax parsing.

com.itextpdf itext7-core 7.2.5 pom com.github.bkiers liqp 0.8.1 Use code with caution. Step 2: Implement the Converter Logic

The core application reads the input Java file line by line, identifies syntax elements, and writes them into a structured PDF document using a monospace font.

import com.itextpdf.kernel.font.PdfFont; import com.itextpdf.kernel.font.PdfFontFactory; import com.itextpdf.kernel.pdf.PdfDocument; import com.itextpdf.kernel.pdf.PdfWriter; import com.itextpdf.layout.Document; import com.itextpdf.layout.element.Paragraph; import com.itextpdf.layout.element.Text; import com.itextpdf.io.font.constants.StandardFonts; import java.io.BufferedReader; import java.io.FileReader; import java.io.IOException; public class JavaToPdfConverter { public static void convertJavaToPdf(String inputSourcePath, String outputPdfPath) { try { // Initialize PDF writer and document PdfWriter writer = new PdfWriter(outputPdfPath); PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument(writer); Document document = new Document(pdf); // Use Courier font for proper code alignment PdfFont codeFont = PdfFontFactory.createFont(StandardFonts.COURIER); document.setFont(codeFont); document.setFontSize(10); BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(inputSourcePath)); String line; int lineNumber = 1; while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) { Paragraph paragraph = new Paragraph(); // Format and append line number String numStr = String.format(“%03d “, lineNumber++); Text lineNumText = new Text(numStr).setFontColor(com.itextpdf.kernel.colors.ColorConstants.GRAY); paragraph.add(lineNumText); // Append the raw source code text Text codeText = new Text(line); paragraph.add(codeText); // Add formatted line to the document document.add(paragraph); } reader.close(); document.close(); System.out.println(“PDF generated successfully at: ” + outputPdfPath); } catch (IOException e) { System.err.println(“Error processing files: ” + e.getMessage()); } } public static void main(String[] args) { if (args.length < 2) { System.out.println(“Usage: java JavaToPdfConverter ”); return; } convertJavaToPdf(args[0], args[1]); } } Use code with caution. Step 3: Run the Tool

Compile your program and execute it from your terminal by passing the input Java file path and your desired output PDF destination.

javac -cp “libs/” JavaToPdfConverter.java java -cp “libs/:.” JavaToPdfConverter MyScript.java output.pdf Use code with caution. Enhancing Your Tool

To elevate this utility from a basic text dumper to a professional tool, consider implementing these quick upgrades:

Theme Support: Map specific Java keywords (like public, class, void) to a theme color dictionary (e.g., Dracula or Solarized) to apply Rich Text formatting to the output.

Batch Processing: Modify the file reader to scan entire directories, letting you convert full packages into a single, indexed PDF file. If you want to customize this tool further, tell me:

The specific styling preference you want to add (e.g., dark mode theme, custom font).

The build framework you prefer using (e.g., Gradle instead of Maven).