Urgent...need quick help in a PDF doc!

[pianodude123]

Hello....

I need to know how to password protect a pdf document that I just saved from word such that any user can open it, however you have to enter a password to copy or select text...

Thanks...

any help appreciated!

 

[WildCowboy]

Do you have Acrobat? That's what I use to lock my PDFs.

There may be free utilities that can do this, but I'm not aware of any specific ones.

 

[pianodude123]

No ...i dont...is there any way to do it in preview?

 

[WildCowboy]

No ...i dont...is there any way to do it in preview?

Nope...Preview isn't sophisticated enough for that.

And in a quick search, I'm not finding any free utilities for protecting PDFs.

Edit: Found this one for $20.

 

[iMeowbot]

PDFLab, freeware, can set encryption options under its Tools menu.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Nope...Preview isn't sophisticated enough for that.

Oh yes it is! Open the PDF in Preview, Save As... and select "encrypt." You'll be prompted for a password.

Done!

 

[WildCowboy]

PDFLab, freeware, can set encryption options under its Tools menu.

Oh yes...I always forget about PDFLab.

Oh yes it is! Open the PDF in Preview, Save As... and select "encrypt." You'll be prompted for a password.

Done!

That's all-or-nothing though, isn't it? You need a password to even view it. There's no way I'm aware of to allow users to view but not copy/print/edit/whatever it.

 

[IJ Reilly]

That's all-or-nothing though, isn't it? You need a password to even view it. There's no way I'm aware of to allow users to view but not copy/print/edit/whatever it.

True. PDFLab gives you all of those options, Preview only a general encryption option.

 

[pianodude123]

I have tried PDF lab...but it freezes every time i try to open something up....AGHHh

 

[IJ Reilly]

I have tried PDF lab...but it freezes every time i try to open something up....AGHHh

Actually freezes, as in has to be force-quit? I've never seen this behavior from PDFLab, and I use it constantly.

 

[pianodude123]

correct....this is the behavior im experiencing.

It occurs whenever I try to import a file.

 

[IJ Reilly]

correct....this is the behavior im experiencing.

It occurs whenever I try to import a file.

As in, add a file? Do you drag them into the PDFLab window, or use the File menu?