How to make all attachments Reader Enabled, not just the main page.

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
September 28, 2021
6 replies
1039 views

I have created a pdf in Acrobat DC that contains 10 pdf attachments. Each attachment is a specific form that they can navigate to from the first page. The problem is even if I set Reader Enabled on the main pdf file, only the first/main page is allowed to save data entered in the fields, not the ten attachment forms, they display a "You cannot save data typed in this form" message.

Is there a way to enable those attachments to allow users to save a copy of their filled out data? Or is it a restriction because attachements are not recognized as an indivual page or something like that.

The reason this can be important is sometimes they need to start filling out a form but then need to save their work and continue later before they can print out a copy.

This topic has been closed for replies.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Instead of using attachments, maybe you can use hidden Pages Templates, that can be spawned on demand so that the user can fill them.

But this will create one document, not several.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

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Fancy_Flamingo157FAuthor

Participating Frequently

I hadn't thought of that, I will look into it as an option and see how it can be done. Thank you.

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Fancy_Flamingo157FAuthor

Participating Frequently

As stated, I do create these forms in Adobe Acrobat DC. The end user is using the latest version of Adobe Reader. So even if I do not prevent the pages from saving the filled out forms, when they are added as attachments to the main pdf, they automatically prevent the user from saving filled in data so they can edit again at a later date.

Reasons why we want to do it this way is:

All files are basically in one container, no missing files.

If the file path is changed, it still works with no missing pages.

We don't want to link to individual files in a folder because of that warning about opening up malicious files tends to create panic in people. Also if a file was removed from the folder or the file path changes, then it breaks.

So from what Try67 is stating, it sounds like what we want to do can't be enabled with Adobe Acrobat DC?

try67

Community Expert

Correct.

try67

Community Expert

The issue is not that the attached files are not Reader-enabled, but that editing an attached file is not allowed in Reader, unless you apply a very special right to the (main) file using Adobe LiveCycle Reader Rights Management (or whatever it's called now), which is a very expensive server product.