How can I export data in pdf using MVC? - asp.net-mvc

Question

This is My Index method by which I am getting the list of data in webgird.How can I write a method for exporting this list of data when I click on button?
public ActionResult Index(string eMailId)
{
var refEntry = _moneyReport.GetAll().Where(a => a.EmailId == eMailId).ToList();
var credittotal = _moneyReport.GetAll().Where(a => a.EmailId == eMailId && a.PromoValue < 0).Sum(a => a.PromoValue);
decimal TotalCredit = Convert.ToDecimal(credittotal * -1);
var debittotal = _moneyReport.GetAll().Where(a => a.EmailId == eMailId && a.PromoValue >0).Sum(a => a.PromoValue);
decimal TotalDebit = Convert.ToDecimal(debittotal);
ViewBag.TotDebit = TotalDebit;
ViewBag.TotCredit = TotalCredit;
if(TotalCredit>TotalDebit)
{
decimal FinalTotal = TotalCredit - TotalDebit;
ViewBag.Total = FinalTotal;
}
else
{
decimal FinalTotal = TotalDebit - TotalCredit;
ViewBag.Total = FinalTotal;
}
return View(refEntry);
}
This is my View page where I am entering an emailid,load and Export button`enter code here.
#using (Html.BeginForm())
{
<div class="container-fluid form-row">
<div class="col-md-12 no-padding">
<div class="col-md-3 no-padding">
<input type="text" name="eMailId" id="eMailId" />
<span class="highlight"></span>
<span class="bar"></span>
<label class="no-left">Enter Email Id <sup class="star">*</sup></label>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<input type="text" id="gName" name="gName" readonly="readonly" />
<span class="highlight"></span>
<span class="bar"></span>
<label>Name</label>
</div>
<div class="col-md-3">
<input type="submit" id="btnLoad" class="btn btn-md pm-create" value="Load" />
<input type="submit" id="btnLoad" class="btn btn-md" value="Export To PDF" />
</div>
<input type="hidden" id="HdnEmail" value='#TempData["MailID"]' />
</div>
</div>
}
<div id="report-grid">
#{Html.RenderPartial("ImportMoneyReport", Model);}
</div>
ImPortMoneyReport is my partial page where i ve the webgrid.

Answer 1

To export model data to PDF you will have to use one of third party pdf export libraries such as few below. You will find sample examples on respective sites or google them. You will need to implement code to export pdf in and add that file/stream into Response.OutputStream by setting respective content type in ImportMoneyReport action. Also you will have to invoke ImportMoneyReport method on post/event you can not use Html.RenderPartial to export; otherwise you can put export code in Index action only.
PDF Sharp
iTextSharp

Answer 2

It you want something that's working and very easy to use. Take a look at https://github.com/andyhutch77/MvcRazorToPdf
Just read the documentation.
For sample code. Take a look at this.
https://github.com/andyhutch77/MvcRazorToPdf/tree/master/MvcRazorToPdfExample
If you encounter some issues go to their github page and click the Issues tab, maybe some of your questions are already resolved there.
P.S.
Some of the PDF libraries like Rotativa will require an executable program to run that will not work when your app is deployed to Azure because Azure doesn't support exe files (I guess for security purposes) else you'll create a webjob just for the exe file.