Grails render PDF file - pdf

Question

I am trying to render a PDF file in my web page but using the bellow syntax I get a weird characters combination.
render file: new File ("path/to/file.pdf"), fileName: 'myPdfFile.pdf'
Does anyone knows what do I have to add more than the line above?
Thanks

Answer 1

I don't think that Grails does this by default.
Take a look at PDF rendering plugins. This looks to be the freshest, but make sure it's compatible with your Grails version.
If You are using Grails 3, this could be the way to go.

Answer 2

Coincidentally, I had the same problem yesterday but with some differences. I had to get to load a PDF from a Grails form in a new tab, using POST method to access a PHP script which generates PDF according some variables.
Anyway, I recommend you to check your header. If you get the binary file, for example, then you must define the header. So, we have for example:
Controller/Action:
def generatesReport = {
def url = StaticContextService.app.config.grailsPath.urlLocalServer,
path = 'some/url/which/generates/this.pdf',
parameters = /* defining parameters bla bla bla */
def bytes = SendHttpService.getYourBinaryHere(url, path, parameters)
/* HERE IS MY ANSWER, properly */
response.setContentType('application/pdf')
response.setContentLength(bytes.length)
response.setHeader('Content-Disposition', 'inline; filename="yourPdfFile.pdf"')
ServletOutputStream outputStream = response.getOutputStream()
outputStream.write(bytes,0,bytes.length)
outputStream.flush()
outputStream.close()
} // end method
There are many ways to define the header, and so you need to verify which settings are better for your demand (:
Don't forget to add the necessary libraries for your dependencies. Cheers!

Answer 3

in Grails 3, you can simply do
render file: new File ("path/to/file.pdf")

Answer 4

Did you try your suggested plugin? I am not able to use this dependency in my project. 1.0.0 Version does not exist, there are 2.0.0, 2.0.2 and 2.0.3 versions - but project compilation fails when I try to use them.
I have tried to download git sources and run them - website is up, but I also see error below:
Grails Runtime Exception
Error Details
Error 404:
Servlet: grailsDispatcherServlet
URI: /
When I try to visit particular controller action it ends like this:
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.beans.Introspector.getPublicDeclaredMethods(Introspector.java:1337)
at java.beans.Introspector.getTargetMethodInfo(Introspector.java:1197)
at java.beans.Introspector.getBeanInfo(Introspector.java:426)
at java.beans.Introspector.getBeanInfo(Introspector.java:173)
at grails.plugins.rendering.document.RenderEnvironment.init(RenderEnvironment.groovy:31)