B4X Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Alignment of Replaced PDF Text: Right-Aligned Amounts

See more PDF Text Replacement Examples

When the new text is wider or narrower than the text it replaces, the "align" option decides where it sits. The default, "auto", keeps a placeholder in place when it is right-aligned with other text on the page or centered, and otherwise keeps its left edge; a label's value is always left-aligned after its label. The invoice template's amounts are right-aligned, so the new amounts keep their right edge, which the "grid" text layout (characters placed by position) shows. B4X

Dim success As Boolean = False

'  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
'  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

'  The PDF used in this example is available at invoice_template.pdf

Dim pdf As ChilkatPdf
pdf.Initialize("pdf")
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/invoice_template.pdf")
If success = False Then
    Log(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If


Dim json As ChilkatJsonObject
json.Initialize
json.UpdateString("placeholders.customer", "Acme Corp")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.date", "2026-10-18")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.po", "PO-88213")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.qty1", "12")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.desc1", "Cordless drill, 18 V")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.price1", "$460.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.amount1", "$5,520.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.qty2", "60")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.desc2", "Galvanized hinge, 4 inch")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.price2", "$12.50")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.amount2", "$750.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.subtotal", "$6,270.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.taxRate", "7.35%")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.tax", "$460.85")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.total", "$6,730.85")

'  "auto" is the default: a placeholder that is right-aligned with other text keeps its right edge.
'  The other choices are "left", "right" and "center".
json.UpdateString("align", "auto")

Dim jsonOut As ChilkatJsonObject
jsonOut.Initialize
success = pdf.TextReplace("apply", json, jsonOut)
If success = False Then
    Log("Not applied: " & jsonOut.Emit)
    If success = False Then
        Log(pdf.LastErrorText)
        Return
    End If

End If


'  A replacement that runs into neighbouring text or off the page is still made, with a warning.
Log("warnings: " & jsonOut.SizeOfArray("warnings"))

success = pdf.WriteFile("qa_output/invoice_aligned.pdf")
If success = False Then
    Log(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If


'  The "grid" layout places each character by its position on the page, so the right-aligned
'  amounts can be seen to line up (the wider amounts grew to the left).
Dim jsonText As ChilkatJsonObject
jsonText.Initialize
jsonText.UpdateString("layout", "grid")
Dim sbText As ChilkatStringBuilder
sbText.Initialize
success = pdf.ExtractTextSb("text", jsonText, sbText, jsonOut)
If success = False Then
    Log(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Return
End If

Log(sbText.GetAsString)

'  Sample output:

'  warnings: 0
'  INVOICE
'  Chilkat Hardware Supply
'  1200 Harbor Road, Suite 4
'  Portside, WA 98000
'  
'  
'  Bill To:         Acme Corp
'  Invoice #:       INV-0000
'  Date:            2026-10-18
'  PO Number:       PO-88213
'  Ref:             A-1
'  
'  
'  
'   Qty         Description                          Unit Price    Amount
'   12          Cordless drill, 18 V                     $460.00     $5,520.00
'   60          Galvanized hinge, 4 inch                 $12.50      $750.00
'  
'                                                         Subtotal:    $6,270.00
'                                                  Tax (7.35%):          $460.85
'                                                        Total Due:    $6,730.85
'  
'  Ref:             A-2
'  
'  Payment is due within 30 days. Please include the invoice number with your payment.
'  Thank you for your business, Acme Corp!
'  View this invoice online