How to: Use Word Processing Document API to Create a Fillable PDF Form

May 20, 2025
2 minutes to read

The Word Processing Document API allows you to generate a document with fillable fields. Fields remain interactive when you export the result to a PDF file.

Generate a Fillable Form

Add content controls to your document to generate a fillable form. The following types can be converted to interactive forms:

Check Box
Combo Box
Date Picker
Drop-Down List
Plain Text
Picture
Rich Text

Refer to the following help topic for more information on how to manage content controls: Content Controls in Word Processing Documents

The following code snippet inserts content controls to different table cells. Use the TableCell.ContentRange and TableCell.Range properties to obtain cell ranges.

C#
VB.NET

csharp

using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;

//...
using (var wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer()) {
    wordProcessor.LoadDocument(@"C:\Documents\appointment-form-template.docx");
    var table = wordProcessor.Document.Tables[0];

    var contentControls = wordProcessor.Document.ContentControls;

    // Insert a date picker
    contentControls.InsertDatePickerControl(table[2, 1].Range.Start);
    var textBox = contentControls.InsertPlainTextControl(table[8, 1].Range.Start);

    // Insert a plain text box
    var nameTextPosition = wordProcessor.Document.CreatePosition(textBox.Range.Start.ToInt() + 1);
    wordProcessor.Document.InsertText(nameTextPosition, "Click to enter a name");

    // Insert a drop-down list
    var dropDownList = contentControls.InsertDropDownListControl(table[9, 1].Range.Start);
    dropDownList.AddItem("Annual physical examination", "Annual physical examination");
    dropDownList.AddItem("Follow-up visit", "Follow-up visit");
    dropDownList.AddItem("Specific concerns", "Specific concerns");
    dropDownList.SelectedItemIndex = 0;

    // Insert multiple check boxes
    var cellParagraphs = wordProcessor.Document.Paragraphs.Get(table[11, 1].ContentRange);
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs[0].Range.Start);
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs[1].Range.Start);
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs[2].Range.Start);
//...
}

Imports DevExpress.XtraPrinting
Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit

'...
Using wordProcessor = New RichEditDocumentServer()
    wordProcessor.LoadDocument("C:\Documents\appointment-form-template.docx")
    Dim table = wordProcessor.Document.Tables(0)

    Dim contentControls = wordProcessor.Document.ContentControls

    ' Insert a date picker
    contentControls.InsertDatePickerControl(table(2, 1).Range.Start)
    Dim textBox = contentControls.InsertPlainTextControl(table(8, 1).Range.Start)

    ' Insert a plain text box
    Dim nameTextPosition = wordProcessor.Document.CreatePosition(textBox.Range.Start.ToInt() + 1)
    wordProcessor.Document.InsertText(nameTextPosition, "Click to enter a name")

    ' Insert a drop-down list
    Dim dropDownList = contentControls.InsertDropDownListControl(table(9, 1).Range.Start)
    dropDownList.AddItem("Annual physical examination", "Annual physical examination")
    dropDownList.AddItem("Follow-up visit", "Follow-up visit")
    dropDownList.AddItem("Specific concerns", "Specific concerns")
    dropDownList.SelectedItemIndex = 0

    ' Insert multiple check boxes
    Dim cellParagraphs = wordProcessor.Document.Paragraphs.Get(table(11, 1).ContentRange)
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs(0).Range.Start)
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs(1).Range.Start)
    contentControls.InsertCheckboxControl(cellParagraphs(2).Range.Start)
'...
End Using

Export the Document to PDF with Interactive Forms

Create a new PdfExportOptions object and set its ExportEditingFieldsToAcroForms to true to convert editable fields to interactive fields during PDF export.

Call the RichEditDocumentServer.ExportToPdf method and pass the created PdfExportOptions instance as the parameter to export the document to PDF.

C#
VB.NET

csharp

PdfExportOptions options = new PdfExportOptions();
options.ExportEditingFieldsToAcroForms = true;
wordProcessor.ExportToPdf("appointment-form.pdf", options);

Dim options As New PdfExportOptions()
options.ExportEditingFieldsToAcroForms = True
wordProcessor.ExportToPdf("appointment-form.pdf", options)