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Selling PDF using password setting help needed

Forum Index > Security > Selling PDF using password setting help needed
2009-02-01 10:41:33
Kimbly
Registered: Apr 16 2008
Posts: 79
Answered

Hello,

I am trying to sell some pdf files and I like to allow the person to view the pdf but not be able to print or make changes. They after then pay me, send them a password to open editing and printing but not copy or extract information.

I have been reading the help files but unable to see any way to do this.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Kimberly

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 8.0, Windows
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2009-02-01 11:17:52
#1
George_Johnson
Online
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
You can't do that with standard security. It might be easier to simply send them a new file that has different security settings. By the way, what type of editing are you talking about?

George
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2009-02-02 05:35:19
#2
Kimbly
Registered: Apr 16 2008
Posts: 79
George_Johnson wrote:
You can't do that with standard security. It might be easier to simply send them a new file that has different security settings. By the way, what type of editing are you talking about?George
What I do is make free printables of everything stationery, invitations, birthday cards, labels and the list is endless. I made been making my own templates since 1999 so I have a ton of templates. I offer them in pdf where people can type in their own text before printing. However adobe reader if very limited on the adobe reader end.

However people are always asking me if I can add a picture for them and change color and/or that font. So I wanted to offer a service where I will add the picture they email me and/or change fonts for a fee. I use to do this with other product but it was not cost effect and I really do not want to get involved in cafepress or zazzle again.

The plan was the send the a pdf they can only view to make sure it all the way they want. People love the fact I let them preview stuff. Then if they accept it and pay me, I sent them a password to open the printing and fill in the form features but that does not look like it will work.

Yes I can send them a second file with the right setting but it was more cost effective to give them a password to open the features but that does not look possible.

I love to run a shopping cart to sell printables but I simple do not have the knowledge to run one myself.

Thanks
Kimberly
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2009-02-02 06:00:40
#3
UVSAR
Expert
Registered: Oct 29 2008
Posts: 1357
The issue is with the specific combination of permissions you want to keep and turn off - as George says, the password options in Reader/Acrobat are either there or not there - you can secure a PDF against printing and editing, but it's the same password that does it, so when you send your customer the password they will get 'edit' permissions as well as 'print'. If you're not bothered about keeping the no-edit protection (and frankly, there's no real point in caring as a password-protected PDF is trivial to hack for anyone who really wants to steal your stuff), then you can indeed do what you want to do with the standard 'permissions' password.
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2009-02-02 06:13:21
#4
Kimbly
Registered: Apr 16 2008
Posts: 79
UVSAR wrote:
The issue is with the specific combination of permissions you want to keep and turn off - as George says, the password options in Reader/Acrobat are either there or not there - you can secure a PDF against printing and editing, but it's the same password that does it, so when you send your customer the password they will get 'edit' permissions as well as 'print'. If you're not bothered about keeping the no-edit protection (and frankly, there's no real point in caring as a password-protected PDF is trivial to hack for anyone who really wants to steal your stuff), then you can indeed do what you want to do with the standard 'permissions' password.
My web site was hacked a few years very badly due to the fault of the web host I had for years internal employee problem so I moved to costly managed hosting. So I don't worry to much about my pdf being hacked because either it close my business or risk get hacked. At least with pdf the average person can't steal my printable as images. I use to have a real problem with people copy and paste my jpg printable to their web site or blog so at least adobe makes it so people can't do that. It the best option I have at this point. On the free printables I password protect it so the can only fill in the blanks and print. If someone hacks on of the 1000's of pdf I have, no much I can do about it.

As far as selling printables, I am not sure where I will go with this.

Kimberly
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