PDF Protection

Aspose.PDF Product Family
1

Chad> Is it possible to create a PDF that cannot be modified in adobe professional?
Chad> I’m generating certificates for insurance. I’ve been able to lock them down from adobe acrobat (the free version) - but in professional, they can still be modified.
Chad> do you know if these options have been verified in Acrobat Professional?

2

Hello Chad,

Thanks for considering Aspose.

Aspose.Pdf for .NET supports the capability to apply the security restrictions over the PDF document being generated. I’ve tested the scenario in which I created a PDF form with one DropDown combo and disabled all the user privileges over the document. Later on, I opened the document in Adobe Acrobat 5.0 and I was unable to change its contents. You can also take a look over the screenshot regarding the Document Security Settings. The resultant PDF is also in attachment. The document is generated using the following code snippet.

[C#]

Pdf pdf1 = new Pdf();
//pdf1.IsBookmarked = true;
Aspose.Pdf.Section sec1 = pdf1.Sections.Add();
//Assign a security instance to Pdf object
pdf1.Security = new Security();
pdf1.Security.IsDefaultAllAllowed = false;
//Create a form field
FormField combo = new FormField();
//Set the type of form field to Combo
combo.FormFieldType = FormFieldType.Combo;
//Set the field name
combo.FieldName = "ACombo";
//Add few options to the combo
combo.ChoiceOptions = new string[] { "Red", "Green", "Blue" };
//Set the default selected value of the combo field
combo.FieldValue = "Red";
//Set the width of the field
combo.FormWidth = 80;
//Set the height of the field
combo.FormHeight = 20;
//Add the combo form field to the paragraphs collection of the section
sec1.Paragraphs.Add(combo);

pdf1.Save(@"d:/pdftest/FormFieldTest.pdf");

You can download the latest version of Aspose.Pdf for .NET from here

I would also recommend you to visit the following link for information on how to Allow or Disallow Privileges on PDF Document

In case you still face any problem or you've any further query, please feel free to contact.

3

Thanks. However, per our original conversation, the issue is not with Acrobat 5.0 Reader , I agree that the protection works in the Adobe Reader.

The issue is Acrobat Professional (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatpro/). The same PDF’s are not protected when opened in thie product.

Thanks for your help.

4

Hello <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Chad,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Thanks for considering Aspose.

In my previous reply I mentioned that, I tested the scenario and I was unable to perform any modifications to the document. I used Adobe Acrobat 5.0 (not Adobe Reader 5.0). As per your request, I've again tested the document with Adobe Acrobat Professional 9.0 and during my test, I'm unable to perform the following functions.

  • Copy Text from document.
  • Modify the information in Annotations
  • Modify the contents of the document
  • Unable to print the document
  • Unable to fill in the Form data
  • Unable to save its copy.

Please take a look over the attached screen shot of security settings applied over the document, when I've opened it in Adobe Acrobat Professional 9.0. The document is generated using the code snippet that I've shared in my previous post (except I've added some more lines to add a simple text annotation).

Can you please elaborate what sort of restrictions over the document you would like to have.

We apologize for your inconvenience.