Skip to main content
LV_95778744-Participant
4-Participant
Oct 23, 2025 9:46 AM UTC
Question

Securing a PDF with master password BUT allowing commenting in Arbortext

Hi Arbortext Community,
I'm trying to secure PDF documents with an appcf file using the security element, but I want the user to be able to comment on the PDF. The issue is that, somehow even setting noAnnots="no", I keep having the Comment Creation as Not Allowed in the PDF protection menu.

Does someone know how to solve this?

 

Here my appcf file XML:

 

 

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!--Arbortext, Inc., 1988-2023, v.4002--><!DOCTYPE APPConfig PUBLIC "-//Arbortext//DTD APPConfig 1.0//EN" "appconfig/appconfig.dtd"><APPConfig version="1.0" xmlns="http://www.arbortext.com/namespace/APP/APPPrinterConfig"><Print><PageConfig bleedAreaBottom="4mm" bleedAreaLeft="4mm" bleedAreaRight="4mm" bleedAreaTop="4mm" bleedString="" cuttingGuideOffset="1mm" cuttingGuideSize="9mm" cuttingGuides="inherit" registrationMarks="inherit"/><PDFPrinter><OutputRange endPage="-1" startPage="1"/><PDFMode color="document" defaultLanguage="" fastWebView="no"/><Compatibility layers="yes" tagging="inherit"><PDF level="1.7"></PDF></Compatibility><ColorProfile defaultCMYK="" defaultGray="" defaultRGB=""/><Images epsDPI="600" linked="original"/><Compression compressText="yes"><MonochromeImages downsampleDPI="300" downsampleMode="off" downsampleThreshold="450" type="ccitt4"/><GrayscaleImages downsampleDPI="150" downsampleMode="off" downsampleThreshold="225" quality="med" type="auto"/><ColorImages downsampleDPI="150" downsampleMode="off" downsampleThreshold="225" quality="med" type="auto"/></Compression><Fonts subsetPercent="100" subsetting="yes"/><Open bindingLtR="yes" displayTitle="yes" interface="showAll" magnification="default" openOnPage="1" pageLayout="singlePage" show="useNone" window="fitWindow"/><Security masterPassword="master-test" noAccessible="no" noAnnots="no" noAssemble="yes" noCopy="no" noForms="yes" noHiresPrint="no" noModify="yes" noPrint="no"/><DocumentProperties></DocumentProperties></PDFPrinter></Print><Format><Passes compareMode="stability" maximum="6" minimum="2"/></Format><DocumentProperties></DocumentProperties></APPConfig>

3 replies

VladimirN24-Ruby IV
24-Ruby IV
Oct 23, 2025 8:48 PM UTC

Try using: noModify="no"

Translate
    LV_95778744-ParticipantAuthor
    4-Participant
    Oct 24, 2025 5:25 AM UTC

    But the user shouldn't be allow to modify without a password.

    Translate
    LV_95778744-ParticipantAuthor
    4-Participant
    Nov 21, 2025 4:34 PM UTC

    We were unable to solve this issue.

    The goal is to forbid modifications but allow commenting.

    Based on PTC documentation, this should be the relevant appcf configuration:

     

    <Security masterPassword="xxx" noAnnots="no" noModify="yes" ...... />

     

    However from our testing, the resulting pdf does not allow comments.

    Perhaps noModify=yes overrides noAnnots=no because comments are considered modifications?
    We are using Arbortext with Styler 8.2.2.0.

    Thanks

     

    Translate
    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement