Restrict Printing and download

[JHall]

Greetings,

I would like to create an Org level Group within a context that has restricted printing and downloading permissions. I see the ACL's to restrict downloading, but don't seem to see how one would prevent them from printing a document.

Our documents are PDFs, we are also restricting this Group from seeing any source documents.

Any ideas about restricting printing?  I'm assuming it has to be in Creo View.

- James - 
Windchill 11.0 M030 CPS08
WGM 11.0 M030
Inventor Pro 2017
Windows 10

[TomU]

It is possible to restrict printing from Creo View.  Take a look at this article:

https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article?n=CS32479

I do not know if this still works when a PDF is opened from Adobe Reader inside Creo View.

[JHall]

Thanks, @TomU

I'll check into that.  Also, it seems that if there was a PDF as Primary Content in a WTDocument, if you could download it, then, as you say, it would open in Adobe Reader, and you have the ability to print and save as from there.  I might have to restrict downloading of PDF's completely.

James

[TomU]

It seems like you should be able to control access to the representation separately from the primary content download.  See https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article?n=CS67396

[JHall]

@TomU   Looks like CS32479 is what I'm looking for, or at least a good portion of it.  However I think I'm going to have to talk to PTC to figure out the changes since Windows 10.  Looks like the folder structure doesn't match the video in the Article.  

[TomU]

If you just set the server side preferences and lock them you won't need to worry about the other preference files or folder locations unless you want to control Creo View behavior when not opening files from Windchill.

[JHall]

@TomU

So, apparently this is not possible on the level of groups/roles/members/profile, which was my original thinking.  It seems that to prevent printing I have to base the permissions on the container (product/org/site). 

I really would prefer to not do it at the product/org/site level, that would prevent everyone there from printing.

[TomU · Accepted solution]

Bummer.  I just did some searching and found this, which says the same thing:

https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article?n=CS177324

[JHall]

@TomU
It just occurred to me that perhaps I could create a profile that restricts downloading or printing, and add that specific group to the profile.

I wonder if that would work?

James

[TomU]

That wouldn't have any impact on printing from Creo View, would it?  (Unless you're going to prevent opening in Creo View completely...)

[JHall]

@TomU
I don't know - you are probably right, profiles restrict Windchill activity, not Creo View, I suppose.  Well drat...  🙂

[JHall]

@TomU

You know, it just occurred to me, that I can set up an ACL in that product for that group that at least restricts Downloading.  Field Techs will be able to print and 'save as' from Creo View, but at least I can prevent them from downloading anything else directly, right?

James

[TomU]

Correct.  From what I understand downloading from Windchill is a different ACL from (downloading and) viewing in Creo View.

[Indu]

Hi,

I am working on almost same requirement of restricting downloading of primary content.

Can you please help me out how you achieve it?

Thanks,

Indu

[TomU]

These may also be helpful:

• https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article?n=CS203136
• https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article?n=CS54372