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Making sure PDF is most current version

Forum Index > Security > Making sure PDF is most current version
2009-05-07 11:34:42
DanB
Registered: May 8 2007
Posts: 34

We are considering making some PDF versions of Paper forms. The Paper forms are revised every so often so of course we will revise the PDF version.

I was wondering if there is a way that when a PDF is Opened, some javascript or other thing, calls home (home being a url) and checks the version. If it finds a new version, I would like the users saved version to be replaced or have a message appear telling the user that the form they opened is obsolete and needs to be replaced.

Thanks

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2009-05-27 10:24:11
#1
plevy
Expert
Registered: Jul 8 2008
Posts: 80
It is possible to do this, but be aware that since this is big potential vulnerability, the user is going to be asked if it is okay to talk to your web site and/or it may be necessary to configure your desktop machines to allow this. Beyond that, you can open a soap connection and read some data and if the result is that the version doesn't match, you can display a dialog informing the user that their version is out of date and point them to where to get a newer one. It probably isn't possible to just replace the file. There is an "Enhanced security" preference that makes things like this more restricted. It currently defaults to "off" but will be defaulted to "on" in the future. Be sure to test with both settings.

Adobe also make a product that does a more secure version of this called Livecycle Rights Management Server where you can mark documents as obsolete and users (who may have their own copies) will not be able to open them and will be informed that a newer version is available.
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