renatio/dynamicpdf-plugin

October HTML to PDF converter using dompdf library.

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laravel php pdf dompdf octobercms octobercms-plugin

Install
`composer require renatio/dynamicpdf-plugin`
Latest Version:	v8.0.3
PHP:	^8.2
License:	MIT
Last Updated:	Sep 16, 2026
Links:	GitHub · Packagist

Maintainer: mplodowski

Dynamic PDF Plugin

Create and edit PDF templates for October CMS in the backend — HTML and Twig in, a document out.

Demo URL: https://october-demo.renatio.com/backend/backend/auth/signin
Login: dynamicpdf
Password: dynamicpdf

Templates and layouts live in the database or in view files shipped by your plugins, and are rendered to PDF with dompdf through barryvdh/laravel-dompdf.

Features

PDF templates and layouts edited in the backend, with HTML and PDF preview rendered from sample data.
Templates and layouts registered by plugins as view files, synchronised to the database and customisable, with reset to the file version.
Twig markup with theme partials, translations, global variables and beforeRender / afterRender events.
Render per document with another layout, in another language, with page numbers, password protection and paper size and orientation.
Output as a browser stream, download, file on a storage disk or a System\Models\File ready to attach to a model.
PDF::fake() with render assertions for project tests, dynamicpdf:sync and dynamicpdf:check console commands.

Requirements

This plugin requires PHP 8.2 or higher and October CMS 4.0 or higher.

Templates are rendered with Twig without a sandbox, so the Manage templates and Manage layouts permissions should only be granted to trusted users.

Like this plugin?

If you like this plugin, give this plugin a Like or Make donation with PayPal.

My other plugins

Please check my other plugins.

Support

Please use GitHub Issues Page to report any issues with plugin.

Reviews should not be used for getting support or reporting bugs, if you need support please use the Plugin support link.

Icon made by Darius Dan from www.flaticon.com.

Documentation

Installation

There are couple ways to install this plugin.

Use php artisan plugin:install Renatio.DynamicPDF command.
Use composer require renatio/dynamicpdf-plugin in project root. When you use this option you must run php artisan october:migrate after installation.

PDF content

PDF can be created in October using either PDF views or PDF templates. A PDF view is supplied by plugin in the file system in the /views directory. Whereas a PDF template is managed using the back-end interface via Settings > PDF > PDF Templates. All PDFs templates support using Twig for markup.

PDF views must be registered in the Plugin registration file with the registerPDFTemplates and registerPDFLayouts method. This will automatically generate a PDF template and layout and allows them to be customized using the back-end interface.

PDF layouts views

PDF layouts views reside in the file system and the code used represents the path to the view file. For example PDF layout with the code author.plugin::pdf.layouts.default would use the content in following file:

plugins/                 <=== Plugins directory
  author/                <=== "author" segment
    plugin/              <=== "plugin" segment
      views/             <=== View directory
        pdf/             <=== "pdf" segment
          layouts/       <=== "layouts" segment
            default.htm  <=== "default" segment

The content inside a PDF view file can include up to 3 sections: configuration, CSS/LESS, and HTML markup. Sections are separated with the == sequence. For example:

name = "Default PDF layout"
==
body {
    font-size: 16px;
}
==
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>
        <title>Document</title>
        <style type="text/css" media="screen">
            {{ css|raw }}
        </style>
    </head>
    <body>
        {{ content_html|raw }}
    </body>
</html>

Note: Basic Twig tags and expressions are supported in PDF views.

The CSS/LESS section is optional and a view can contain only the configuration and HTML markup sections.

name = "Default PDF layout"
==
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>
        <title>Document</title>
        <style type="text/css" media="screen">
            {{ css|raw }}
        </style>
    </head>
    <body>
        {{ content_html|raw }}
    </body>
</html>

Configuration section

The configuration section sets the PDF view parameters. The following configuration parameters are supported:

Parameter	Description
name	the layout name, required.

Using PDF layouts

PDF layouts reside in the database and can be created by selecting Settings > PDF > PDF Templates and clicking the * Layouts* tab. These behave just like CMS layouts, they contain the scaffold for the PDF. PDF views and templates support the use of PDF layouts. The code specified in the layout is a unique identifier and cannot be changed once created.

PDF templates views

PDF templates reside in the file system and the code used represents the path to the view file. For example PDF template with the code author.plugin::pdf.invoice would use the content in following file:

plugins/                 <=== Plugins directory
  author/                <=== "author" segment
    plugin/              <=== "plugin" segment
      views/             <=== View directory
        pdf/             <=== "pdf" segment
          invoice.htm    <=== "invoice" segment

The content inside a PDF view file can include up to 2 sections: configuration and HTML markup. Sections are separated with the == sequence. For example:

title = "Invoice"
layout = "renatio.demo::pdf.layouts.default"
description = "Invoice template"
size = "a4"
orientation = "portrait"
==
<h1>Invoice</h1>

Note: Basic Twig tags and expressions are supported in PDF views.

Configuration section

The configuration section sets the PDF view parameters. The following configuration parameters are supported:

Parameter	Description
title	the template title, required.
layout	the layout code, optional.
description	the template description, optional.
size	the template paper size, optional, default `a4`.
orientation	the template paper orientation, optional, default `portrait`.

Note: size and orientation are read case-insensitively; A4 is stored as a4.

Using PDF templates

PDF templates reside in the database and can be created in the back-end area via Settings > PDF > PDF Templates. The code specified in the template is a unique identifier and cannot be changed once created.

Note: If the PDF template does not exist in the system, this code will attempt to find a PDF view with the same code.

Registering PDF templates and layouts

PDF views can be registered as templates that are automatically generated in the back-end ready for customization. PDF templates can be customized via the Settings > PDF Templates menu. The templates can be registered by adding the registerPDFTemplates method of the Plugin registration class (Plugin.php).

public function registerPDFTemplates()
{
    return [
        'renatio.demo::pdf.invoice',
        'renatio.demo::pdf.resume',
    ];
}

The method should return an array of pdf view names.

Registered views are synchronised to the database when the PDF Templates or PDF Layouts backend page is displayed and when php artisan dynamicpdf:sync or php artisan dynamicpdf:demo runs, not on every request. Synchronisation creates the missing templates and layouts, deletes the templates that are no longer registered and were never customised, and writes changed view files back to the rows of templates that are not customised, so list search and sort work on the current values. Customised templates and every layout are left alone. A code whose view file is missing is skipped and written to the application log once per process; a stored template whose view file went missing, parses to no content or whose layout code resolves to nothing keeps its stored content. Until a registered view is synchronised, PDF::loadTemplate() renders it straight from the file.

Like templates, PDF layouts can be registered by adding the registerPDFLayouts method of the Plugin registration class (Plugin.php).

public function registerPDFLayouts()
{
    return [
        'renatio.demo::pdf.layouts.invoice',
        'renatio.demo::pdf.layouts.resume',
    ];
}

The method should return an array of pdf view names.

Twig environment

Templates and layouts are rendered with the CMS Twig environment when the Cms module is installed and a theme is active, so theme partials and content blocks are available. Otherwise, for example in a backend-only installation that loads only the System and Backend modules, the system Twig environment is used. Filters and functions registered by plugins through registerMarkupTags work in both. Filters and tags provided by the Cms module itself (|theme, |page, {% partial %}) are unavailable without it.

Global variables

Variables every template and layout should receive, such as company details or a logo URL, are registered in the plugin registration class. A closure value is resolved when the document is rendered:

public function registerPDFVariables()
{
    return [
        'company' => 'Acme Ltd',
        'vat_rate' => fn () => Settings::get('vat_rate'),
    ];
}

Data passed to loadTemplate(), loadLayout() or parseTemplate() takes precedence over a registered variable. The names content_html, css, background_img and locale are reserved for the wrapper and ignored when registered. Every closure is resolved on every render, whether or not the template uses it, so keep them cheap.

Events

Event	Payload	Return value
`renatio.dynamicpdf.beforeRender`	`PDFWrapper $pdf`, `Template\|Layout $model`, `array $data`	an array merged on top of the render data
`renatio.dynamicpdf.afterRender`	`PDFWrapper $pdf`, `Template\|Layout $model`, `string $html`	a string replacing the rendered HTML

Event::listen('renatio.dynamicpdf.beforeRender', function ($pdf, $model, array $data) {
    return ['watermark' => $data['order']->isDraft() ? 'DRAFT' : null];
});

Both events fire once per document: for a template together with its layout (loadTemplate(), parseTemplate()), or for a layout rendered on its own (loadLayout(), parseLayout()). They also fire for the backend HTML and PDF preview, so keep side effects such as counters or audit entries out of the listeners or check $pdf for the preview context yourself. Every listener runs; the arrays they return are merged in turn, and the reserved names content_html, css, background_img and locale are stripped from what a listener returns.

Usage

PDF templates and layouts can be accessed in the back-end area via Settings > PDF > PDF Templates.

The list marks templates edited in the back-end as Customized (they no longer follow their view file) and layouts created from a registered view file as From view (they offer Reset to default instead of Delete), and links to the HTML and PDF preview of every record. A template's Sample data (a JSON object on the Options tab, nested objects and lists included) is passed to both previews, so {{ variables }} render with realistic values. A template becomes Customized only when a value the view file provides is changed; editing the sample data alone keeps it view-driven. The Actions column of both lists opens the PDF preview and duplicates, resets or deletes the record; a record that follows a view file offers Reset to default instead of Delete. Duplicate creates an editable copy with a _copy code (_copy2 and so on when that code is taken); the copy of a template is customised and the copy of a layout is not locked.

Layouts define the PDF scaffold, that is everything that repeats on a PDF, such as a header and footer. Each layout has unique code, optional background image, HTML content and CSS/LESS content. Not all CSS properties are supported, so check CSSCompatibility.

Templates define the actual PDF content parsed from HTML.

Permissions

Access is granted under Settings → Administrators, on the PDF tab. Super users bypass both.

Permission	What it unlocks
Manage templates	The PDF Templates page, and the template form, previews and duplicates.
Manage layouts	The layout form, its previews and duplicates.

Without Manage layouts the Layouts tab is hidden on the PDF Templates page.

Configuration

The default configuration settings are set in config/dompdf.php. Copy this file to your own config directory to modify the values. You can publish the config using this command:

php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Barryvdh\DomPDF\ServiceProvider"

You can still alter the dompdf options in your code before generating the PDF using dynamic methods for all options like so:

PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->setDpi(300)
    ->setDefaultFont('sans-serif')
    ->stream();

or you can use setOption method before generating the pdf using this command:

PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->setOption(['dpi' => 300, 'defaultFont' => 'sans-serif'])
    ->stream();

The options most often changed are dpi, default_font, default_paper_size, enable_remote (off by default; required for images, stylesheets and fonts loaded by URL), allowed_remote_hosts, chroot and font_dir. The full list with the current defaults is in the published config/dompdf.php and in Dompdf\Options; every option has a matching set*() method on the wrapper named after the camel-cased key, except the enable_* options, which are setIsRemoteEnabled(), setIsPhpEnabled(), setIsJavascriptEnabled(), setIsHtml5ParserEnabled(), setIsFontSubsettingEnabled() and setIsPdfAEnabled(). A setter that exists on neither dompdf nor its options throws UnexpectedValueException.

Self-signed certificates

Remote resources (requires enable_remote in the dompdf configuration) are fetched with full TLS verification. On a development host with a self-signed certificate set DYNAMICPDF_ALLOW_SELF_SIGNED=true in .env (or allow_self_signed_certificates in config/renatio/dynamicpdf.php), or call allowSelfSignedCertificates() on the wrapper for a single document. The setting applies to every wrapper instance, including loadHTML() and after setOptions().

Methods

Method	Description
loadTemplate($code, array $data = [], $encoding = null, $layout = null, $locale = null)	Load backend template, optionally with another layout and locale
loadLayout($code, array $data = [], $encoding = null, $locale = null)	Load backend layout, optionally in another locale
pageNumbers($text = 'Page {PAGE_NUM} of {PAGE_COUNT}', $position = 'bottom-center', $size = 9, $font = null, $margin = 20, $color = [0, 0, 0])	Stamp page numbers on every page of the loaded document
allowSelfSignedCertificates()	Accept self-signed TLS certificates for remote resources
allowRemoteApplicationAssets()	Limit remote resources to the configured and application hosts and local files to the asset directories
loadHTML($string, $encoding = null)	Load HTML string
loadFile($file)	Load HTML string from a file
loadView($view, array $data = [], array $mergeData = [], $encoding = null)	Load a Laravel view
parseTemplate(Template $template, array $data = [])	Parse backend template using Twig
parseLayout(Layout $layout, array $data = [])	Parse backend layout using Twig
setOption($attribute, $value = null)	Change one dompdf option, or an array of them
setOptions(array $options, $mergeWithDefaults = false)	Replace the whole dompdf options object
getDomPDF()	Get the DomPDF instance
setPaper($paper, $orientation = 'portrait')	Set the paper size and orientation (default A4/portrait)
setWarnings($warnings)	Show or hide warnings
output()	Output the PDF as a string
toFile($filename = 'document.pdf', $public = true)	Return the PDF as a System\Models\File to attach to a model
encrypt($password, $ownerPassword = '', $permissions = [])	Password-protect the PDF (CPDF backend)
fake()	Static: replace the wrapper with a recorder for tests
addInfo(array $info)	Set PDF metadata such as Title or Author
save($filename, $disk = null)	Save the PDF to a file, optionally on a storage disk
download($filename = 'document.pdf')	Make the PDF downloadable by the user
stream($filename = 'document.pdf')	Return a response with the PDF to show in the browser

All methods are available through Facade class Renatio\DynamicPDF\Classes\PDF.

Tips

Background image

To display background image added in layout use following code:

<body style="background: url({{ background_img }}) top left no-repeat;">

Background image should be at least 96 DPI size (793 x 1121 px).

If you want to use better quality image like 300 DPI (2480 x 3508 px) than you need to change template options like so:

return PDF::loadTemplate($model->code)
    ->setDpi(300)
    ->stream();

UTF-8 support

In your layout, set the UTF-8 meta tag in head section:

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>

If you have problems with foreign characters than try to use DejaVu Sans font family.

Page breaks

You can use the CSS page-break-before/page-break-after properties to create a new page.

<style>
.page-break {
    page-break-after: always;
}
</style>
<h1>Page 1</h1>
<div class="page-break"></div>
<h1>Page 2</h1>

Open basedir restriction error

On some hosting providers there were reports about open_basedir restriction problems with log file. You can change default log file destination like so:

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->setLogOutputFile(storage_path('temp/log.htm'))
    ->stream();

Embed image inside PDF template

You can use absolute path for image eg. https://app.dev/path_to_your_image.

For this to work you must set isRemoteEnabled option.

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice', ['file' => $file])
    ->setIsRemoteEnabled(true)
    ->stream();

I assume that $file is instance of October\Rain\Database\Attach\File.

Then in the template you can use following example code:

{{ file.getPath }}

{{ file.getLocalPath }}

{{ file.getThumb(200, 200, {'crop' => true}) }}

For retrieving stylesheets or images via http following PHP setting must be enabled allow_url_fopen.

The backend PDF preview fetches remote resources only from the hosts listed in allowed_remote_hosts of the dompdf configuration plus the application host (app.url and the custom site URLs); when no host can be resolved at all it fetches nothing remote. It reads local files only from the directories October publishes (web root, modules, plugins, themes, app assets, public uploads, media and the resize cache) unless chroot is set in the configuration, and writes the dompdf log file only when app.debug is on. A schemeless APP_URL such as myapp.test is understood.

When allow_url_fopen is disabled on server try to use relative path. You can use October getLocalPath function on the file object to retrieve it.

Attach the PDF to a model

toFile() returns a System\Models\File built from the rendered document, so the PDF can be attached with October's attachOne / attachMany relations instead of being written to disk by hand:

$order->invoice = PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice', ['order' => $order])->toFile('invoice.pdf', public: false);
$order->save();

Pass public: false for a relation declared with 'public' => false, otherwise the record points at the wrong directory. The file is written to the uploads disk as soon as toFile() returns, so attach and save it, or call $file->delete() when you abandon it.

Save to a storage disk and set metadata

PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->addInfo(['Title' => 'Invoice 2026/1', 'Author' => 'Acme'])
    ->save('invoices/2026-1.pdf', 's3');

Password protection

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')->encrypt('reader-password', 'owner-password', ['print'])->stream();

encrypt() renders the document, so call it last, right before the output method. Permissions are opt-in: without ['print', 'copy', ...] the reader cannot print or copy. Requires the CPDF backend.

Download PDF via Ajax response

OctoberCMS ajax framework cannot handle this type of response.

Recommended approach is to save PDF file locally and return redirect to PDF file.

Page numbers

Page numbers are stamped on every page after rendering, without enabling inline PHP:

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->pageNumbers('Page {PAGE_NUM} of {PAGE_COUNT}', position: 'bottom-center', size: 9)
    ->stream();

{PAGE_NUM} and {PAGE_COUNT} are replaced on each page. Positions: top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, bottom-right; font (a family available in the document, for example one declared with @font-face in the layout; the dompdf default font otherwise), margin (points) and color (RGB between 0 and 1) are optional. Requires the CPDF or PDFLib backend; the GD backend cannot draw page text.

Call pageNumbers() after loading the document; it applies to that document only. Inline PHP (setIsPhpEnabled(true)) is no longer needed for page numbers and should stay off.

Security warning: only enable setIsPhpEnabled(true) when the template content is fully trusted. Any <script type="text/php"> block in the HTML is executed on the server, so enabling it for templates that can be edited by backend users allows remote code execution. The backend HTML and PDF preview never enables it.

Testing

PDF::fake() replaces the wrapper for the rest of the test: no template is looked up, no Twig, dompdf, database or filesystem work happens, stream() and download() return an empty application/pdf response, output() returns an empty string, save() writes nothing and toFile() returns a record that can be attached and saved. The fake records every loadTemplate(), loadLayout(), loadView(), loadFile(), parseTemplate() and parseLayout() call with its data, layout and locale:

$fake = PDF::fake();

$this->get('/backend/acme/orders/pdf/1');

$fake->assertRendered('acme::pdf.invoice', fn (array $data) => $data['order']->id === 1);
$fake->assertRenderedTimes('acme::pdf.invoice', 1);
$fake->assertNotRendered('acme::pdf.reminder');

assertNothingRendered() covers the negative case and rendered() returns the raw records. pageNumbers() keeps validating its arguments under the fake.

Console commands

php artisan dynamicpdf:sync synchronises the registered PDF views with the database and lists what was created, updated, deleted or failed; it exits with code 1 when a registered code has no view file. Run it after a deployment so the templates exist before the first backend visit.

php artisan dynamicpdf:check reports the dompdf configuration that fails silently: font, cache and temporary directories (existence and write access, without creating anything), chroot, inline PHP and remote resources, and every registered code without a view file. It exits with code 1 on a failure, so it can guard a deployment. Run both commands after october:migrate.

Examples

Demo examples

There is a console command that will enable demo templates and layouts.

php artisan dynamicpdf:demo

To disable demo run following command:

php artisan dynamicpdf:demo --disable

The first example shows invoice with custom font and image embed.

The second example shows usage of header & footer, page break and full background image.

Render PDF in browser

use Renatio\DynamicPDF\Classes\PDF; // import facade

public function pdf()
{
    $templateCode = 'renatio::invoice'; // unique code of the template
    $data = ['name' => 'John Doe']; // optional data used in template

    return PDF::loadTemplate($templateCode, $data)->stream('download.pdf');
}

Where $templateCode is an unique code specified when creating the template, $data is optional array of twig fields which will be replaced in template.

In HTML template you can use {{ name }} to output John Doe.

Download PDF

use Renatio\DynamicPDF\Classes\PDF;

public function pdf()
{
    return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')->download('download.pdf');
}

Fluent interface

You can chain the methods:

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->save('/path-to/my_stored_file.pdf')
    ->stream();

Render with another layout

A template can be rendered with a different layout than the one stored with it, for example one letterhead per company, without changing the template in the database:

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice', $data, layout: 'renatio::layouts.company_b')->stream();

Only the layout markup, CSS and background image are swapped; paper size and orientation still come from the template, so call setPaper() when the other layout needs them changed.

Render in another language

The document language usually should not depend on the language of the backend user who generated it. Pass the locale to render in; language file translations (trans, __), Carbon dates and the locale template variable follow it while the template is parsed, and the application locale is restored afterwards, also when parsing fails:

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice', $data, locale: 'de')->download('rechnung.pdf');

loadTemplate() and loadLayout() always add the locale variable, holding the application locale when no argument is given; a locale key in your own data takes precedence. With RainLab.Translate installed its messages (|_) and translated model attributes follow the site locale, not this argument, and inline PHP executed by dompdf during output() runs after the locale has been restored.

Change paper size and orientation

return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')
    ->setPaper('a4', 'landscape')
    ->stream();

Available paper sizes.

PDF on CMS page

To display PDF on CMS page you can use PHP section of the page like so:

use Renatio\DynamicPDF\Classes\PDF;

function onStart()
{
    return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')->stream();
}

Header and footer on every page

<html>
<head>
  <style>
    @page { margin: 100px 25px; }
    header { position: fixed; top: -60px; left: 0px; right: 0px; background-color: lightblue; height: 50px; }
    footer { position: fixed; bottom: -60px; left: 0px; right: 0px; background-color: lightblue; height: 50px; }
    p { page-break-after: always; }
    p:last-child { page-break-after: never; }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <header>header on each page</header>
  <footer>footer on each page</footer>
  <main>
    <p>page1</p>
    <p>page2</p>
  </main>
</body>
</html>

Using custom fonts

Plugin provides "Open Sans" font, which can be imported in Layout CSS section.

@font-face {
    font-family: 'Open Sans';
    src: url({{ 'plugins/renatio/dynamicpdf/assets/fonts/OpenSans-Regular.ttf'|app }});
}

@font-face {
    font-family: 'Open Sans';
    font-weight: bold;
    src: url({{ 'plugins/renatio/dynamicpdf/assets/fonts/OpenSans-Bold.ttf'|app }});
}

@font-face {
    font-family: 'Open Sans';
    font-style: italic;
    src: url({{ 'plugins/renatio/dynamicpdf/assets/fonts/OpenSans-Italic.ttf'|app }});
}

@font-face {
    font-family: 'Open Sans';
    font-style: italic;
    font-weight: bold;
    src: url({{ 'plugins/renatio/dynamicpdf/assets/fonts/OpenSans-BoldItalic.ttf'|app }});
}

body {
    font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
    font-size: 16px;
}

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