Skip to main content
shelleyd2436838
Participant
September 22, 2017
Answered

Password protected form that reader can edit?

  • September 22, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 2686 views

I want to send a fillable form to my sales team, which they will complete and then share.  When they share it, it needs to be locked so the end recipient cannot edit.

The sales team is using Adobe Reader, I am creating the form in Acrobat 9.

Can I password protect the form in Acrobat Pro, in a way that the Reader users can enter the password and fill in the document?  (protect against editing, not an open password).  Ultimately I want the end recipients to open the document without a password, but not be able to edit.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer shelleyd2436838

Actually, I used your response on another post, to use a java script to flatten the form, and that worked!

I've added a button for them to email the form they have completed for their client, and added the java to flatten within that button.  So far so good, but will continue to test.  Thank you.


flattenFields()

function flattenFields() {

    if (app.viewerType=="Reader") {

        for (var i=0 ; i<this.numFields ; i++) {

            var f = this.getField(this.getNthFieldName(i)) ;

            if (f==null) continue;

            f.readonly = true;

        }

    } else {

        this.flattenPages();

    }

}

2 replies

shelleyd2436838
Participant
September 22, 2017

I should clarify... the sales team will use Reader to complete the fillable form, not actually edit the file.  I'm trying to allow them to fill the form, but they will email it off as locked so the next recipient cannot edit what they have filled in.

Inspiring
September 23, 2017

Reader can also not password protect the form but with the use of JavaScript Reader and make fields read only or Reader can use digital certificates to lock and track any changes after signature. If your sales representatives are using mobile devices you need to test your forms with the applications that they are using. Mobile devices do not nativley support PDF forms.

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 22, 2017

Someone with only the free Reader can't edit a PDF file anyway (except for fill in form fields and add comments), so it's not really necessary to protect the file, but if you want to do it it's under File - Properties - Security.

shelleyd2436838
shelleyd2436838AuthorCorrect answer
Participant
September 25, 2017

Actually, I used your response on another post, to use a java script to flatten the form, and that worked!

I've added a button for them to email the form they have completed for their client, and added the java to flatten within that button.  So far so good, but will continue to test.  Thank you.


flattenFields()

function flattenFields() {

    if (app.viewerType=="Reader") {

        for (var i=0 ; i<this.numFields ; i++) {

            var f = this.getField(this.getNthFieldName(i)) ;

            if (f==null) continue;

            f.readonly = true;

        }

    } else {

        this.flattenPages();

    }

}