Extract pages from a digitally signed document.

[LuzCom]

Hello there.

I have some documents (i.e. bills) which are digitally signed. Those documents have more than 1 page and I need to send out just the first page (summary).

The issue comes because I cannot extract just one page in order to send it. Right now, what I do is:

• export documento into word
• save the word document as pdf
• extract just the first page

As you can see this is time consuming. How can I do that without that efford?

I do not see the point of not allowing to remove the signature.

How can I do that easily?

Thanks

[AkanchhaS]

Hi,

If we get this right, then you have been trying to extract the first page of a digitally signed document (bill). 

The issue comes because I cannot extract just one page in order to send it.

If document is not locked, then following these steps Acrobat>Organize Pages>Extract Pages you extract pages. Else, you need to follow the same steps mentioned above. 

I do not see the point of not allowing to remove the signature.

The purpose of applying signature or digital signature is to secure the document and verify the authenticity of the documents you send and receive. 

The digital signature verifies the signer's identity and ensures that the document hasn't been altered after it was signed. There's one condition to remove the signature-

If you're the only one signer, you can remove the signature and then work on the document or edit the source document.

To remove your signature, right-click the signature and then choose Clear Signature. Else, you cannot. 

Hope this answers your question.

Thanks,

Akanchha 

[try67]

Just be aware that even if you do extract pages using the methods shown above, they will not be signed, of course.

[LuzCom]

At this point in time, I do not care about the signature, of course.

[LuzCom]

Thanks for your answer, Akanchha.

It is clear the function of a signature of a document: to ensure that document has been altered. And this is important for the sender, not for the receiver. Let me explain:

The sender signs the document and he/she is sure that document cannot be changed. But, if there is a mechanism for deleting the signature, the reciever cannot forge the document and sign it again with senders certificate. Therefore, the document is not valid anyway

Having a signed document has limitations for the reciever, like extrating pages. In my case, I need to send just the summary page to others, but I do not want to send details. In my use case, I do not care about the fact that document is altered or not. That is a different issue.

Another use case can be to append all the bills in one document. When they are signed, I cannot do that. It is clear the I loose security but at this point on time, I do not care (and my provider do not care either).

In some cases, I have to go to an external provider for printing and instead of sending one single document with all my bills, I need to send it one by one and tell them to print only the first page (a pain in the neck!)

When you mention "Else, you need to follow the same steps mentioned above. ". Do you mean to export it to word?

Can you see how stupid that way of doing it?

Maybe solution could be that I could extract one page and pdf includes something like "document not signed / valid" or something.

Hope you understand my point here.

[becky5FEA]

I'm looking at the latest update of Acrobat Pro (2/23).  It no longer allows the extraction of every page of a signed document.  In fact, it doesn't allow an extraction from a signed document at all.  I can do it from unsigned.  Sometimes extractions from signed documents are needed.  Any help appreciated!

[polowoman]

Not being able to extract signed documents to return them to an editable form is creating big problems in my organization.   Adobe does not need to be a nanny!!  Extracted documents lose their certification of a valid signature.  If a recipient needs certification that a document as not been altered, they can require that certification.    Pleaase allow the rest of us an easier pathway of editing signed documents than exporting them to word!

[try67]

It has nothing to do with being a "nanny", but with maintaining the validity and completeness of a signed document.

Imagine someone could take a document you signed, remove some pages from it, maybe those detailing your rights in the contract, and then pretend you've signed that partial document as the whole contract.

You wouldn't want that, would you? Well, that's exactly what the digital signature is preventing from happening, as it should.

This is not going to change, nor should it. If you want to extract pages from a signed document it will invalidate the signatures already applied to it, and they'll have to be re-applied.

[polowoman]

But that is my point. :-).  If someone alters the document, the digital signature is no longer valid, and any one who opens the document can see that.  For documents where a valid digital signature is crucial - like documents for my bank, they do not accept them without a valid digital signature. 

However, there are things that we do in my organization where it does not matter if the digital signature is not valid, we need to be able to edit documents after they have been signed.

[try67]

Then sign them some other way, like using an image, a stamp, or even just the Pencil commenting tool.

[LuzCom]

I can answer myself:

The best way to extract pages from a digitally signed documents is:

- go to tools and select (sorry for the translation but my acrobat is in spanish "sort pages")

- Select pages you want to reuse and go to another document and paste those pages.

In this way, you can reuse those pages for anything else.

but I agree with polowoman if we want to extract pages we do not care about the signature.

Hope it helps

[Abambo]

IMHO, this does not work, as you cannot extract pages.

[LuzCom]

Hi Abambo,

Just in case I was dreaming of the solution, I just did it again, and it works for me. I have to say that the second document where you paste the pages must not be a signed document.

Let me refrase what I wrote just in case it was not clear:

- Select pages (AND COPY THEM (CONTROL-C) you want to reuse and go to another document and paste those pages (CONTROL-V)

This second document must not be a signed document, just a normal document.

Eventually in that normal document, remove the previous pages (if any) and save it.