From 979bb48e112ff3c90a58236476c9d1a0dbf012e4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "PROGRESS\\ykaraman" Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:31:57 +0300 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Generated KB article --- ...dfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md | 61 +++++++++++++++++++ .../editing/radfixeddocumenteditor.md | 1 + 2 files changed, 62 insertions(+) create mode 100644 knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md diff --git a/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md b/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d5b3c64b --- /dev/null +++ b/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md @@ -0,0 +1,61 @@ +--- +title: Choosing Between RadFlowDocumentEditor, RadFixedDocumentEditor, and FixedContentEditor +description: Learn the differences between the Word and PDF editors in Telerik Document Processing and choose the right API for your document-generation scenario. +type: how-to +page_title: Choose the Right Telerik Document Editor for Word and PDF Generation +slug: choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor +tags: radflowdocumenteditor, radfixeddocumenteditor, fixedcontenteditor, radwordsprocessing, radpdfprocessing, pdf, docx, document, generation +res_type: kb +--- + +# Choosing Between RadFlowDocumentEditor, RadFixedDocumentEditor, and FixedContentEditor + +## Environment + +| Version | Product | Author | +|---|---|---| +| 2026.2.707 | PdfProcessing and WordsProcessing | [Yoan Karamanov](https://www.telerik.com/blogs/author/yoan-karamanov) | + +## Description + +You need to decide between `RadFlowDocumentEditor`, `RadFixedDocumentEditor`, and `FixedContentEditor` for document generation in Progress® Telerik® Document Processing. The three editors serve different layout models, come from different libraries, and offer different levels of control and convenience. + +## Solution + +Use this rule first: + +* Choose `RadFlowDocumentEditor` when your source model is Word-like flow content (`RadFlowDocument`) and you need high-level editing. +* Choose `RadFixedDocumentEditor` when your output is PDF and you need flow-like authoring with automatic pagination. +* Choose `FixedContentEditor` when your output is PDF and you need precise, coordinate-based placement. + +### Library and Model Differences + +| Library | Main document model | What it is best at | Format notes | +|---|---|---|---| +| [RadWordsProcessing]({%slug radwordsprocessing-overview%}) | `RadFlowDocument` | Word-processing scenarios: rich text, sections, paragraphs, fields, tables | Supports multiple import and export formats. PDF support is [export only]({%slug radwordsprocessing-formats-and-conversion%}). | +| [RadPdfProcessing]({%slug radpdfprocessing-overview%}) | `RadFixedDocument` | Native PDF creation/import/edit/export | Designed for fixed-layout PDF content and page-level control. | + +### Editor Comparison + +| Editor | Library | Layout behavior | Pros | Cons | Best use cases | +|---|---|---|---|---|---| +| [RadFlowDocumentEditor]({%slug radwordsprocessing-editing-radflowdocumenteditor%}) | RadWordsProcessing | Flow-based in Word document model | High productivity API; inserts content in logical order; good for structured document generation | Not a PDF-native editor; final PDF output depends on WordsProcessing PDF export capabilities | DOCX-first generation, templates, mail-merge-like content assembly | +| [RadFixedDocumentEditor]({%slug radpdfprocessing-editing-radfixeddocumenteditor%}) | RadPdfProcessing | Flow-like authoring for PDF with automatic sizing and page flow | Less manual layout work; convenient for text-heavy PDF reports; handles page flow automatically | Less absolute control than coordinate-based drawing | PDF reports, invoices, catalogs, long flowing documents | +| [FixedContentEditor]({%slug radpdfprocessing-editing-fixedcontenteditor%}) | RadPdfProcessing | Fixed positioning on a specific PDF page/content root | Maximum control over exact placement, size, transforms, and drawing | You must manage coordinates, available space, and overlap/cropping risks manually | Pixel-precise layout, overlays, stamps, custom graphics, form-like positioned content | + +### Practical Guidance + +If you create content similar to a Word document, start with `RadFlowDocumentEditor`. +If you create a PDF directly and need easier layout flow, use `RadFixedDocumentEditor`. +If exact XY placement is mandatory, use `FixedContentEditor`. + +For Word-to-PDF conversion scenarios, RadWordsProcessing exports PDF based on its supported feature matrix. If a source document uses unsupported or partially supported features, visual differences can appear in exported PDF. Review [Formats and Conversion]({%slug radwordsprocessing-formats-and-conversion%}) for details. + +## See Also + +* [RadWordsProcessing Overview]({%slug radwordsprocessing-overview%}) +* [RadPdfProcessing Overview]({%slug radpdfprocessing-overview%}) +* [RadFlowDocumentEditor]({%slug radwordsprocessing-editing-radflowdocumenteditor%}) +* [RadFixedDocumentEditor]({%slug radpdfprocessing-editing-radfixeddocumenteditor%}) +* [FixedContentEditor]({%slug radpdfprocessing-editing-fixedcontenteditor%}) +* [RadWordsProcessing Formats and Conversion]({%slug radwordsprocessing-formats-and-conversion%}) diff --git a/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/radfixeddocumenteditor.md b/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/radfixeddocumenteditor.md index db9af591..f8dcb9c0 100644 --- a/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/radfixeddocumenteditor.md +++ b/libraries/radpdfprocessing/editing/radfixeddocumenteditor.md @@ -262,3 +262,4 @@ There is an additional overload of `InsertFormInline()` that allows you to pass * [How to Generate a PDF Document from Images with RadFixedDocumentEditor]({%slug pdf-from-images-with-radfixeddocumenteditor%}) * [Generating a Table with RadFixedDocumentEditor]({%slug generate-table-with-radfixeddocumenteditor%}) * [Generating a PDF Product Catalog]({%slug generating-pdf-product-catalog%}) +* [Choosing Between Word and PDF Editors for Document Generation]({%slug choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor%}) From 9c1d304b453988473f4a9d4f6ac39fae8edb482b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "PROGRESS\\ykaraman" Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:01:30 +0300 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] removed H1 --- ...ocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md | 4 +--- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md b/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md index d5b3c64b..ee800e01 100644 --- a/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md +++ b/knowledge-base/choose-right-editor-radflowdocumenteditor-radfixeddocumenteditor-fixedcontenteditor.md @@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ tags: radflowdocumenteditor, radfixeddocumenteditor, fixedcontenteditor, radword res_type: kb --- -# Choosing Between RadFlowDocumentEditor, RadFixedDocumentEditor, and FixedContentEditor - ## Environment | Version | Product | Author | @@ -18,7 +16,7 @@ res_type: kb ## Description -You need to decide between `RadFlowDocumentEditor`, `RadFixedDocumentEditor`, and `FixedContentEditor` for document generation in Progress® Telerik® Document Processing. The three editors serve different layout models, come from different libraries, and offer different levels of control and convenience. +You need to decide between `RadFlowDocumentEditor`, `RadFixedDocumentEditor`, and `FixedContentEditor` for document generation with the [Document Processing Libraries]({%slug introduction%}). The three editors serve different layout models, come from different libraries, and offer different levels of control and convenience. ## Solution