Start by recording the exact iText Core and pdfHTML versions, then reduce the document to a static SVG with explicit dimensions and no external dependencies. “iText 7” is not specific enough to identify SVG behavior: support expanded across pdfHTML releases, and fixes for data-URI SVG, percentage sizing, embedded SVG resources, and viewBox handling arrived at different times. Also determine whether your SVG is inline, a data URI, an external file, an <object>, or a CSS background, and whether it relies on JavaScript, stylesheets, images, or fonts.
This guide gives a reproducible diagnostic path for missing, blank, clipped, or differently styled SVG output, followed by a browser-free alternative using ScreenshotNeo when your actual requirement is to capture a rendered page rather than produce a standards-based PDF with iText.
Why an SVG can disappear in pdfHTML
pdfHTML parses HTML and CSS and maps them to iText layout and drawing objects. It does not execute JavaScript or behave like a full browser. An SVG generated after page load by a script therefore does not exist in the input that pdfHTML receives. Even static SVG can fail when its resources cannot be resolved, its geometry collapses to zero, or the deployed version does not support the SVG construct being used.
SVG support was introduced in pdfHTML 2.1.0 with iText Core 7.1.3 and has continued to expand. pdfHTML 3.0.3 (released January 14, 2021) added direct SVG input using the data:image/svg+xml notation and SVG <pattern> support. Those milestones describe particular releases, not a promise that every SVG feature works in every iText 7-era package.
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The current feature FAQ surfaced for this topic is based on pdfHTML 6.3.3 with iText Core 9.7.0. Do not treat that matrix as a compatibility table for an older iText 7 deployment; use release notes matching the versions actually installed.
Step 1: capture versions and the exact input form
Record the runtime and packages
Write down the Java or .NET runtime, the exact iText Core version, the exact pdfHTML version, and every other iText add-on involved. Confirm that the add-on and Core versions are a supported combination. “iText 7” alone cannot distinguish a missing feature from a dependency mismatch or a regression fixed later.
Classify how the SVG enters HTML
| Input form | What to verify first |
|---|---|
Inline <svg> |
Explicit width, height, viewBox, and inline styles. |
data:image/svg+xml |
Direct data-URI support requires pdfHTML 3.0.3 or newer. |
<img src="file.svg"> |
Base URI, file permissions, MIME/path correctness, and nested resources. |
<object> or another embedded form |
Whether that element type and its referenced resource are supported by your release. |
| CSS background | Computed size, background-size, and viewBox interaction. |
Test each form independently. A data URI that works does not prove that an external file, CSS background, or object will work in the same version.
Step 2: build a minimal, self-contained reproduction
Create a temporary HTML file containing one static SVG and no JavaScript, external stylesheet, web font, image, filter, or nested reference. Give the outer SVG explicit dimensions and a matching viewBox:
<!doctype html>
<html><body>
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
width="240" height="120" viewBox="0 0 240 120"
role="img" aria-label="Test graphic">
<rect width="240" height="120" fill="#1463ff"/>
<circle cx="60" cy="60" r="35" fill="#fff"/>
<text x="110" y="68" fill="#fff" font-size="22">SVG test</text>
</svg>
</body></html>Convert this file with the same code path and converter properties used by your application. If it appears, restore dependencies one at a time: first the stylesheet, then fonts, images, masks or patterns, and finally any nested SVG references. The first addition that makes the image vanish identifies the dependency class to investigate.
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This reduction is a diagnostic method, not a universal workaround. Keep the original input and the minimal case so a vendor or community report contains a reproducible difference.
Step 3: resolve every resource from a known base URI
Relative URLs in HTML and SVG are resolved against a base URI. Set that URI deliberately rather than relying on the process working directory, and verify that the converter can read every referenced file or URL.
- Use an absolute, readable base directory for local assets.
- Check the path and case of every
href,xlink:href, CSSurl(), image, font, and nested SVG reference. - Confirm that the conversion process has permission to read the files in production, not only on a developer workstation.
- For remote resources, verify network access, redirects, authentication, TLS, and whether the resource is actually available to the server running iText.
- Temporarily inline CSS, fonts, and small images to distinguish resolution failures from unsupported SVG features.
iText release history records a historical issue in iText 7.1.7 concerning transfer of a preset base URI from HTML to an inner SVG. A later pdfHTML 6.1.0 release record lists external CSS support for embedded SVG. These notes make version-specific resource behavior especially important: reproduce with your installed release and read the corresponding release notes.
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Step 4: check geometry before styling
Set non-zero dimensions
An SVG can be present but occupy no visible area. Start with numeric width and height on the outermost SVG. Then verify that its viewBox covers the artwork and uses the expected coordinate system. A percentage width or height can collapse when the containing block has no resolved size.
Remove CSS sizing temporarily
Test without percentage dimensions, background-size, transforms, and complex layout rules. pdfHTML 6.1.0 release notes list fixes for percentage width and height on top-level SVG in HTML and for SVG images using background-size together with viewBox. If the fixed-size test works, restore responsive sizing incrementally and give the containing element an explicit size.
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Check clipping and paint
- Ensure paths are inside the
viewBox; artwork outside it is clipped. - Check that
fillandstrokeare not transparent or the same color as the page. - Remove masks, clip paths, filters, and blend modes for the first reproduction, then add them back separately.
- Check that a white SVG is not simply being drawn on a white PDF page.
Step 5: remove browser-only assumptions
pdfHTML does not evaluate JavaScript. If a framework inserts the SVG, fetches data, swaps a placeholder, or computes dimensions in the browser, supply the resulting static HTML/SVG to iText instead. Options include rendering the data before conversion in your application, exporting server-side markup, or using a browser engine when the page genuinely depends on client-side execution.
Do not use a browser screenshot as a silent substitute if you need selectable text, searchable PDF content, links, tagged structure, or predictable print pagination. Choose preprocessing only when JavaScript-generated content is a requirement that static pdfHTML input cannot satisfy.
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| Choice | Use it when | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the current version and simplify SVG | The failing construct is optional and can be replaced with basic static markup. | Least disruption, but may require design changes and still leaves unsupported features out. |
| Upgrade Core and pdfHTML | Your release notes show the needed support or a relevant fix in a newer compatible release. | Requires compatibility testing, dependency changes, and review of licensing terms. |
| Make resources self-contained | The SVG depends on relative files, external CSS, fonts, or images. | Improves reproducibility, but can increase HTML size and complicate asset updates. |
| Pre-render with a browser engine | JavaScript or browser-specific layout is essential. | Adds browser runtime, operational cost, and a different rendering pipeline; it is not equivalent to native pdfHTML output. |
Do not upgrade solely because the phrase “iText 7” sounds old. First map the failing feature to the release notes for your Core/pdfHTML pair, then test the smallest upgrade that addresses it. Commercial use of iText Core and pdfHTML requires a commercial license; open-source downloads are available under AGPL terms, so involve your legal and procurement teams before deployment.
Reference conversion patterns
Use your normal iText converter and set a base URI appropriate to your application. The exact API differs between Java and .NET versions, so keep the package-specific sample from the documentation for your release. The important properties are static HTML, a resolvable base URI, and matching Core/pdfHTML dependencies.
For a data URI, keep the SVG URL-encoded correctly and test it separately from a file URL. For an external file, use a deterministic base directory and confirm the file exists from the converter process. Capture converter logs and the input HTML in a failing test so changes can be compared.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
Nothing appears
- Confirm the SVG is present in the HTML passed to iText, not only in a browser’s post-JavaScript DOM.
- Replace it with the minimal fixed-size SVG.
- Check base URI and every external resource.
- Verify that the selected input form is supported by your pdfHTML version.
The SVG is blank but occupies space
- Inspect
fill,stroke, opacity, masks, filters, and clipping. - Check whether an external stylesheet failed to load.
- Remove advanced paint servers and restore them individually.
The SVG is clipped or tiny
- Compare the artwork bounds with
viewBox. - Replace percentages with numeric width and height.
- Remove
background-sizeand test a normal<img>or inline SVG.
Images or fonts inside the SVG are missing
- Resolve nested paths relative to the correct base URI.
- Inline a small image or font for diagnosis.
- Check file permissions, network access, authentication, and supported font formats.
It works after an upgrade but breaks elsewhere
- Pin Core and pdfHTML versions together in the build.
- Run the minimal SVG and representative production fixtures in CI.
- Record the release-note item that justified the upgrade and test licensing and deployment constraints.
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cURL
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What to include in a support report
Send the exact Core and pdfHTML versions, runtime and operating system, complete minimal HTML/SVG, converter properties, base URI, resource tree, exception and warning logs, and the PDF produced. State whether the SVG is inline, a data URI, external, an object, or a CSS background, and identify the first dependency that causes the minimal reproduction to fail. This information lets maintainers distinguish unsupported syntax, resource resolution, geometry, and a version-specific defect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does switching from inline SVG to PNG always fix the problem?
No. It can avoid SVG feature support issues, but it changes scalability, accessibility, text behavior, and asset management. Use it only when those trade-offs fit the document.
Can I rely on the latest pdfHTML feature matrix for an iText 7.1.x application?
No. The currently surfaced matrix is for pdfHTML 6.3.3 with Core 9.7.0. Check release notes and compatibility for the versions you actually deploy.
Why does the SVG look correct in Chrome but not in the PDF?
Chrome executes JavaScript, resolves browser resources, and supports a broader rendering model. pdfHTML consumes static HTML/CSS and has its own version-dependent SVG support.
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