Non-fillable PDF?

[SBurnsandAssociates]

I completed a PDF fillable form. Now I want to make it non-fillable and send for signature.

The new updated program does not allow me to convert to non-editable form. Furthermore, it is a government form that has space for 8 signatures, but only two people are signing. The program is requiring a signature in all 8 signature boxes.

So far the updated features are not helpful ...

Suggestions appreciated.

Thank you.

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[sangrover]

Hi susanb2455682,

Thanks for reaching out to us. Can you please provide us some more information to understand the issue better :

1. Which application inside Acrobat are you using? It will be great if you can share a snapshot.

2. Detailed steps of your workflow.

3. Version of you Acrobat.

Regards,
Sandeep Grover

[SBurnsandAssociates]

I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

I can't screen shot because the form contains confidential information.

My work flow is as stated above. I accessed the form from a government website. It was available as a fillable PDF. I completed the information (filled in necessary data fields) in the form. Then I sent it for signature. The form has 8 data fields for signature, but I only need to use two of them. The recipient is unable to sign in one spot and move on. The document requires his signature in 8 places.

I want to do what I have always done with adobe signature: send a non-editable PDF for signature.

[sangrover]

Hi,

Since you mentioned that you accessed the form from a government website, could you please share the link of the form so that we can have a look at it first hand.

Also how did you sent the document for signature in Acrobat DC. It will be great if you can share detailed steps and version of your Acrobat.

Regards,

Sandeep

[SBurnsandAssociates]

Here is the form from the government website. https://www.sec.gov/about/forms/formd.pdf

As previously explained, I send it in two ways: first with "fill and sign" and then, after downloading and saving as a PDF, with "esign." In both instances, the PDF remained fillable or editable and required signature in 8 places.

The work-around was to go to a place where I could print the document, then scan the document, and then send for e-signature.

[Bernd Alheit]

Is this a form created with the help of Livecycle Designer?

[jane-e]

susanb24556827  wrote

The new updated program does not allow me to convert to non-editable form.

What did you already try that failed?

[anuragg75444724]

Hi,

Can you also try the same workflow from Sign In — e-signature and e-sign Software Solution — Adobe Sign 

and let us know if are facing the same problem ?

Please write back to anugupt@adobe.com for quick resolution.

Thanks

Anurag

[ls_rbls]

Hello Susan,

I just wanted to add a little bit more of salt and pepper to this recipe. I went to that link that you provided and the file opened fine on my end. I used three  different web browsers and downloaded the file directly just from copying and pasting it in the address you provided here in my browsers' URL Bar;  I also used two other downloading  methods.

When I tried using the same copy and paste method from a more secured browser ( i.e. behind a proxy or through a Tor network) as I browsed directly here: SEC.gov | Form D

short for (https://www.sec.gov/info/smallbus/cfformd.htm ) and as i performed an index search successfulyy from unsecured browsers, this time I got the following message: "

Access Denied

You don't have permission to access "http://www.sec.gov/about/forms/formd.pdf" on this server.

Reference #18.6d02655f.1566000797.3f02ba0"

and in another attempt to bypass this Denial of Access notice,  another message popped saying "Index Search is not allowed in the web page" (or something similar).

So I was not able to and manually click on the link you provided  to download FormD using that method.

Note how the website uses "HTTP" and not "HTTPS" . (the encryption security provided through HTTPS is the most current and better)

In Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Chrome,  the file opened straight in the current browsing tab allowing me to even use a Common Access Card to sign in all the signature blocks with digital certificates without the need to save to the local hard drive after previewing it in a web browser tab. So the issue does not seem to be the PDF Internet access plugins (at least in my computer running Windows 10).

So I went ahead and  used Windows Powershell to  invoked a web request to download the file manually using "wget" command like this:

wget http://www.sec.gov/files/formd.pdf -OutFile C:\Users\-\Download 

OR

wget https://www.sec.gov/files/formd.pdf -OutFile C:\Users\-\Download 

I used this method to recreate different scenarios that could've been the underrlying issues to your case, and to rule out  if by displaying the file directly in the web browser,  then saving it to the local hard drive, would have anything to do with the  PDF internet access plugin  causing any issue.

The file also downloaded just fineand I opened it straight in Acrobat DC regardless of the HTTP or HTTPS download request used. I was able to also worked on it and use digital signature on each field.

All of these being said, I also notice under the Document "Properties" that this "FormD" is not protected so it basically allows anyone to modify it. This actually should work to your advantage in the sense that you can lock the file after finding a work around.

As quick trial and error I would begin by deleting all the signature fields and adding new ones. Then save the file with a different name.

OR,

If you prefer to inspect each of the signature fields properties yourself chack the image below and see if this would help.

[ls_rbls]

The best way to really see what is going is to compare  between the good file that you initially had and then the same file that the other person was able to partially sign .

Have that person send it back to you and inspect all the properties between the two forms to see what are the changes that took place in the form that is partially working

[ls_rbls]

I forgot to add one more thing,

You mentioned "The new updated program does not allow me to convert to non-editable form. "

Are you saying that you tried to convert the file as a Reader DC document using  "Save As Other"---->"Reader Extended PDF"----> "Enable More Tools (includes form Fill In & Save)" and it didn't work for you?

See slide below: