11.0.9 changes the way graphical signing works - need advice

Question

After applying 11.0.9 to our Acrobat installation, users are no longer able to place a graphic signature like they once could. The option to do so just vanished. Instead they may only choose "Work with Certificates"

I have tracked down the cause of this change and how to re-enable that feature, but before doing so on a large scale, I would like to better understand the implications.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/PrefRef/Windows/Workflows.html

When deploying Acrobat XI we customized the settings using the installation wizard. One of the settings bEnableAcrobatHS we have configured to prevent integration with Adobe.com. We found it desireable to remove internet/social/cloud functions in Acrobat in our environment and configuring bEnableAcrobatHS took care of that for us.

According to the document linked above...(the document mentions Reader, but we have found this applies to Acrobat too)

11.0.09 change: In Reader, the Sign Pane is now called Fill and Sign and also contains the form's tools. This bEnableAcrobatHS service master switch disables all features of the Fill and Sign Pane except for the Work with Certificates accordion. When forms are opened, the Fill and Sign Pane does not auto open.

It appears that in order to allow our users to be able to place their graphical signatures on PDFs, we must also allow integration with Adobe.com - although the two seem entirely unrelated.

What does placing graphical signatures have to do with Adobe.com integration? What are the other implications of setting bEnableAcrobatHS to "1"? I'd like to enable users to place signatures on documents, but not if it means that I have to open up access to Adobe.com for sharing documents viaa Acrobat,com, CreatePDF online etc.

EnterpriseHelp · Accepted Answer

The feature has not changed across 11.x versions. What's changed is your use of bEnableAcrobatHS.

When enabled, the feature lets you create non-cert sig types and drop them on the document. On file save, an EchoSign dialog appears. The user can dismiss the dialog without using any EchoSign service and the signature will still appear in the document.

If you change bEnableAcrobatHS to 1 or delete it, all services access points get added back to the product UI. What appears depends on what product you are talking about. There is not a list of UI items available, but services include EchoSign, Acrobat.com, CreatePDF, ExportPDF, etc.

What you call a "signature" is not really a signature. It's just a graphic. Consider using stamps--perhaps a custom stamp with a signature graphic.

hth,

Ben

EnterpriseHelp · Answer

The summary of the preference is:

Toggles access to certain Adobe services in Acrobat products (varies across versions) other than shared reviews and forms distribution.

So it toggles all service access off and on for both Acrobat and Reader. EchoSign is a service, and those other signature options you see (all but "work with certificates") are part of EchoSign workflows.

You can change the pref value to one or just delete it altogether.

hth,

Ben

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