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Watermark Saved Settings <no source file selected>

Community Beginner ,
Feb 06, 2021 Feb 06, 2021

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Before you give me a link to previous solutions in here, please note that I've already tried them.  It isn't a millimetre or inches issue, because when I select the file it works.  The issue is that it keeps making me "re-select" the file by Browsing for it.


The watermark file is also a PDF.

As for Acrobat DC I have deleted everything, uninstalled, rebooted, reinstalled, re-saved Watermarks, etc. 

We've tried this with both mapped drives to the network (example: "S:\") as well as the actual network path, and both have the same result.  It only started doing this in late 2020, and now I'm at the point where it is driving me nuts.

Every time I go back into Adobe DC to select a watermark, all the settings for appearance and position go to what matches for the watermark, but the file location says <no source file selected>  and it is making me Browse for the file every time I have restarted the app.

 

Examples:

So I create and add a watermark from an existing PDF (letterhead for example). 
I've painted a black box over top of the actual image to remove personal information below.

So I browse to the file, have the page ranges sent, the appearances set, everything set the way it should be. I save these settings as "Letterhead2020"

Below is what it should look like the next time I use the watermark when it is working properly. As long as I don't close my current session of Adobe Acrobat DC, the watermark file will be found in subsequent usage after I have browsed for the file the first time.  However, as soon as I close down the DC application, and restart DC, if I want to use the watermark again, I have to browse for the file again.  The settings were saved, and the rest of the settings are loaded (size, appearance, distance, etc) the XML file is correct, the directory is correct, everything is correct.

CGLtax_0-1612618755145.png

 

If I exit Acrobat DC, and re-open the application when I go to use the Saved Settings, and select "Letterhead2020" everything works except it says "<no source file selected>" beside file.  I then have to hit browse and bring it up again.  

I've already done repair.  I've already uninstalled and reinstalled.   I've already tried the link to the preferences troubleshooting, even going so far as to delete the preferences completely and start over.

This same issue happens every time.

 

As I said earlier, the image above shows what it looks like on the second and subsequent usage of the saved watermark during an Acrobat session after browsing for it the first time after I open a DC session. 

However, a new Acrobat session will end up leading to the image below:

 

CGLtax_1-1612619303676.png

 

Notice that the settings for everything else are pulled in from the XML file, except the watermark file itself.

It used to work fine, I'm not sure what I changed (if anything) in my profile settings, adobe settings, preferences, etc. that would be causing it.


The same issue happens no matter if I use the Network location or the local mapped drive location.

I've deleted the DC folders in AppData\Adobe\Local (from another thread)

I've deleted the DC folders in AppData\Adobe\Roaming (from another thread)
I've edited the XML file location (from another thread)

... and yes, I've rebooted my machine after each troubleshooting option.

Same issue every time.

Some Key System Info for troubleshooting:

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC version 2020.013.20074
System Parameters:
     Account Detail:
          User Rights: Admin
     Acrobat Detail:
          Protected View: Off
     Installed Acrobat:

          Version: 20.13.20074.411690
     OS Name: Microsoft Windows 10
     OS Version: 10.0.19042   (aka 20H2)
     Session Detail:
          Boot Type: Normal
          Network: Available

Please help, this is driving me nuts.   It was also doing it in MS Win10 OS Version 10.0.18363 (aka 1909) which is why I updated to the newest Win10 version as part of my troubleshooting for this.

TOPICS
Create PDFs , Edit and convert PDFs , General troubleshooting

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Feb 06, 2021 Feb 06, 2021

My guess: Protected mode. Look under Preferences -- Security (Advanced). Turn it OFF. 

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 06, 2021 Feb 06, 2021

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PS:  This problem does not exist with Text watermarks I create

If I use a JPG file instead of a PDF, the same thing happens as above, it all works fine during the session. However now the next time I open Acrobat to use the watermark, now it gives me an error message:
[actual file name.jpg] could not be converted to PDF. Please select another source file.

CGLtax_0-1612624075181.png


Then when I use "Browse..." and select the exact same file, the error disappears. 



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LEGEND ,
Feb 06, 2021 Feb 06, 2021

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My guess: Protected mode. Look under Preferences -- Security (Advanced). Turn it OFF. 

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 06, 2021 Feb 06, 2021

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Wow.   Can't believe it was seriously that simple!

 

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New Here ,
Feb 09, 2021 Feb 09, 2021

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Thank you for this solution... this has been driving me nuts as well for the last few weeks.

For clarity, the setting to be switched off (for Acrobat DC on Windows 10 at least), is Security (Enhanced) - Deselect "Enable Protected Mode at startup (Preview)"

 

 

 

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New Here ,
Jun 08, 2021 Jun 08, 2021

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I am getting the same error message but "Enable Protected Mode at startup (Preview)" was already deselected. Any other thoughts on what the issue may be? 

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New Here ,
Feb 17, 2022 Feb 17, 2022

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LATEST

I haven't found a solution, but I have developed a possible workaround for a watermark that goes on an 8.5"x11" paper:

  • First I screenshotted my settings for the watermark that wasn't saving (you could also just write them down if that's easier). 
  • Then I created a new, blank page in Acrobat DC where I applied the watermark from scratch using the recorded settings.  I didn't save this as a new watermark setting, but instead I saved the blank pdf with the watermark applied as a file (WM.pdf) to my computer.
  • Next I went back to a document that I wanted to add the watermark to.  This time I created a new watermark setting using the new "WM.pdf" as the source file and used 100% scaling for the settings (as well as any page range options or location options that you may need to use).
  • I saved that as a new watermark setting, applied it to this document, saved it and closed the document.
  • Lastly, I opened another document to add the new watermark to, and it worked!

Hope this helps someone out there looking for answers!

 

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