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Participant
November 12, 2008
Question

"You do not have sufficient permissions" error when trying to edit a form

  • November 12, 2008
  • 6 replies
  • 33613 views
Help! (This is happening on all my forms created in LiveCycle Designer.)

I created a form in Live Cycle Designer 8. In the past, I was always able to open the form in Adobe Acrobat Pro version 8, edit the form (add a watermark), and then save the file as a PDF. Now that I upgraded to Adobe Acrobat Pro 9, when I try to do that, I get the error message "You do not have sufficient permissions to perform this task."

What I am doing is:
1. Saving a copy of the LiveCycle Designer form so it will remove the advanced user rights previously enabled.
2. Opening the copy in Adobe Pro
3. Trying to add a watermark (under Document | Watermark | Add Watermark menu)

When I enter the info, and then click OK to add the watermark, I get the error stating I don't have permission to perform this task.

I checked the security permissions on the file in Adobe Pro (under the File | Properties | Security tab) and the two options "Changing the Document" and "Document Assembly" are not allowed.

I know it has nothing to do with my login account permissions, the file is located on my desktop.

What gives and how do I get back the ability to edit it again?
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    6 replies

    Participant
    November 12, 2008
    That's correct. But that's OK. I didn't need it to remain a form, just a plain PDF with a watermark. I needed to create just a sample of the form to include in my documentation. I thought when I said I wanted to "save it as a PDF" in my first post that was what I was saying. But perhaps I didn't have my "Adobe lingo" quite right. :)

    thanks!
    Participant
    March 30, 2010

    Thanks so much for this answer! I had the same problem with Adobe Acrobat Professional Extended when trying to add a watermark. The solution is to create the PDF (out of Frame) by generating Acrobat data, and then using Distiller to create the PDF. If you create a PDF out of Frame using Save as PDF, you will receive the permissions error message when attempting to add a watermark. This is SOOOOO bizarre, I don't know why Adobe does this.

    Participant
    May 13, 2024

    I receive a pdf from my lawyer. I want to compress the document to send it and "I don't have permission"? This is crazy. Who can give me the permission? Adobe? 

     

    ~graffiti
    Legend
    November 12, 2008
    But then it won't be a form any more.
    Participant
    November 12, 2008
    OK, I either remembered or figured it out! I must be getting old. :-)

    If you open the form in LiveCycle Designer and select File | PRINT | Adobe PDF instead of File | SAVE AS | Adobe PDF, then you can open it in Adobe Pro and add the Watermark.
    Participant
    November 12, 2008
    I am not trying to change the form and keep it as a form, I just want to copy it and make a PDF with a watermark across it so I can add it as an example to some of my documentation.

    I used to be able to do this fine - open up the form in Adobe Pro with user rights not enabled as a PDF, add the watermark, and save it. So I KNOW it can be done. Or at least it could be before I upgraded.
    Inspiring
    November 12, 2008
    This all has to do with the different file specifications used by Acrobat PDFs and LiveCycle Designer PDFs. PDF's have a propriatory format and LiveCycle Foms saved as a PDF follow the XML format and a minimal PDF wrapper is used to make the form compatible with a PDF reader. If you create a form in LiveCycle Designer, you lose the ability to do a large number of Acrobat PDF actions.
    Bernd Alheit
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    November 12, 2008
    Adobe Acrobat can't change Designer-created forms.