This example shows how to customize the iText Phrase object. We can change the default line spacing of the Phrase object by passing a float parameter. We can also use the setLeading() method.

We can also set the default font for the Phrase so that every Chunk added to this object will have the same font. If you want the chunk to have a different font, you can set it in the chunk object itself.

Let’s see an example below:

package org.kodejava.itextpdf;

import com.itextpdf.text.*;
import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfWriter;

import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;

public class PhraseCustomizeDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Document document = new Document();

        try {
            PdfWriter.getInstance(document,
                    new FileOutputStream("PhraseCustomizeDemo.pdf"));
            document.open();

            // Creates a phrase object, sets leading to 32 and
            // adds some chunks.
            Phrase phrase1 = new Phrase(20);

            // Set main font information of the Phrase object.
            phrase1.setFont(FontFactory.getFont(FontFactory.COURIER, 12,
                    Font.BOLD, new BaseColor(0, 0, 255)));

            for (int i = 0; i < 50; i++) {
                phrase1.add(new Chunk("Hello "));
            }

            // Add chunk to the phrase and replace the font information
            // for this chunk.
            phrase1.add(new Chunk("Hello",
                    FontFactory.getFont(FontFactory.HELVETICA)));
            document.add(phrase1);

            // Creates a phrase by defining the leading and a string.
            Phrase phrase2 = new Phrase(40, "Hello World!!!");
            document.add(phrase2);

            // Creates a phrase by defining the leading and add a chunk
            // into the phrase. The chunk has it own font face, font
            // style and color.
            Phrase phrase3 = new Phrase(50,
                    new Chunk("Hello I am BIG", FontFactory.getFont(
                            FontFactory.HELVETICA, 40,
                            Font.ITALIC, new BaseColor(255, 0, 0))));
            document.add(phrase3);
        } catch (DocumentException | FileNotFoundException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } finally {
            document.close();
        }
    }
}

Maven Dependencies

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.itextpdf</groupId>
    <artifactId>itextpdf</artifactId>
    <version>5.5.13.3</version>
</dependency>

The com.itextpdf.text.Phrase represent a phrase of text in the Document object. The Phrase object knows how to add spacing between lines of text. So if we add some phrase into the document it will start on a new line when it reaches the right edge of the document. The default leading / line spacing of a Phrase object is 16.

package org.kodejava.itextpdf;

import com.itextpdf.text.Document;
import com.itextpdf.text.DocumentException;
import com.itextpdf.text.Phrase;
import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfWriter;

import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;

public class PhraseDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Creates an instance of Document.
        Document document = new Document();
        try {
            // Write the pdf document into a file using the PdfWriter
            // and passes the document object and a FileOutputStream.
            PdfWriter.getInstance(document, new FileOutputStream("PhraseDemo.pdf"));
            document.open();

            // Add a some Phrase element into the document.
            document.add(new Phrase("This is the first text "));
            document.add(new Phrase("This is the second text "));
            document.add(new Phrase("This is the third text "));
            document.add(new Phrase("This is the fourth text "));
            document.add(new Phrase("This is the fifth text "));
        } catch (DocumentException | FileNotFoundException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } finally {
            document.close();
        }
    }
}

Maven Dependencies

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.itextpdf</groupId>
    <artifactId>itextpdf</artifactId>
    <version>5.5.13.3</version>
</dependency>