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Participating Frequently
April 17, 2020
Question

Password Protected Website to PDF

  • April 17, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 9855 views

Hello all,

I'm searching up and down this community looking for help on this, but can't find any clear answers.

I want to convert a webpage to pdf using the Adobe Acrobat DC "file > create > PDF from webpage" function. I need to download the entire website using the "capture multiple levels" function set to 5 (it will be a pretty massive PDF). The problem is that the website requires a login at the beginning to gain access to your acccount. 

I've tried logging in first, then using the link in Adobe, but that makes a PDF of only the login page. I've tried "printing" as a PDF and that only makes a PDF of the one page.

Are there any work arounds? Any Advice?

Thanks

4 replies

ls_rbls
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 18, 2020

I would recommend that you don't use the method that you're currently using.

 

(NOTE: In all suggestions below, It is also very important that you become familiarized with the type of font encoding used in the HTML web pages so that you don't get PDF irrepairable errors with embedded text or alternate text after the export finalizes.  In addition, it is worth noting that this process is extremely slow and long. The download performs in bytes at a time. Consider a fast Internet connection over Ethernet. Do not perform this method using a Wi-Fi enabled computer.)

 

Login to the password protected website but use any of these three methods to download the entire website: 

 

  • Suggestion 1 - Use Save As option directly from web browser and select " Webpage, Complete (.htm, html)"  . Then convert the downloaded HTML file to PDF using Acrobat "Export To PDF"
  •  Suggestion 2 - Use the Adobe Acrobat PDF maker extension. For the results that you're looking in terms of splitting chunks of webpages or specific sections use the extension with Internet Explorer or Mozzilla Firefox. According to Adobe Helpx guidance these are the only two web browsers that allow to perform specific selections or sections of a web page. Otherwise, every other nethod just try to fetch and download everything at once.
  • Suggestion 3 - Use the same method that you're already familiarized with.  But since you've mentioned about the password login issue, this is how I would recommend to do it:

 

  1. Log-in to the password protected website, and then Use HTTrack or a similar tool to protect the whole integrity of the HTML website and download for offline use. This suggestion is to avoid your Acrobat from crashing while it fetches the large HTML content that you intend to export to PDF.
  2. With Acrobat open, go to tools and select "Create PDF". From the Wizard select "Web Page".  It is very important that you select the HTML file that was downloaded for off-line use. Do not  to use the fetching opion by entering a URL. 
  3. Tick the box "Capture Multiple Levels" and type in 5. Click on "Advanced Settings" to configure font type and encoding.  When you're done setting up your preferences click on "Create".

 

See slides below:

 

 

 

Before you click on Create, click on "Advanced Settings" 

 

 

 

This is a slide of showing the long and almost unresposnive process when you fetch a URL. I strongly recommend staying away from this option and download the website for off-line use in a separate process (Avoid using Acrobat for this or you won't be able to resolve your issue).

 

 

However, if you still prefer to fetch a large password protected website without the aid of HTML download tools ,  you may want to consider a javascript action or batch sequence which seems doable , in which case, and assuming that the secuirty enforced in that website also  uses javasript, then  you must contact the webmaster of such website and see if what you're trying to do is permissible to begin with.

 

You may end up bumping into other secured levels of the website, not just the first page.

 

Consider this additional information: 

 

https://www.yourhtmlsource.com/sitemanagement/passwordprotection.html

 

http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/cut10.shtml

 

Participating Frequently
April 19, 2020

Thank you again for the detailed response! 

 

Will try these options out

Participant
April 29, 2025

@harrisonray0426 
Hello, I'm having the same issue. Did you ever get it to work? Thanks! 

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020
  1. Go to site URL and log-in with your browser.
  2. Go to File > Print > and select your printer: Adobe PDF
  3. Navigate to the next site page and repeat Step 2.

I'm sorry, I have no automated way to do this for an entire domain.

 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
ls_rbls
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

I like that idea, but how are you able to preserve clickable links and use other navigational objects if you print a website to PDF? 

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

You can only do it from within the browser itself, not from Acrobat.

Participating Frequently
April 17, 2020

Thank you for the response.

Am I able to capture multple levels using a browser extension? And which browser? I am on a Mac for context.

ls_rbls
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

The Adobe Acrobat PDF Maker extension in Internet Explorer 11 and Mozilla Firefox allows some additional features that are not present in Chrome web browser, and thr new Microsoft Edge which is Chrome-based.

ls_rbls
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

In which webbrowser is this happening?

 

Are we talking about the Adobe Acrobat PDF Maker extension?

Participating Frequently
April 17, 2020

I have been using Google Chrome webbrowser.

 

I am able to use whichever application would work - but I was referring to the Acrobat DC application, not an extension.