Accessibility and Security issues with dynamic PDF created in Livecycle

[Former Community Member]

So, I've created a dynamic pdf via Livecycle Designer ES 2. I have two major issues which may or may not be intertwined. The first is the security, which I've struggled with for a while. The second is with accessibility. Let me describe the security first because I think that is easier to describe.

Security

In Livecycle, I go to form properties - PDF Security and make sure- both require a password and the permissions checkboxes are left unchecked. No passwords anywhere have been set for the document. There are digital signature fields for the document.

In the PDF itself, I go to Protection - More Protection - Document Properties. In the Security tab, Security Method is default set to No Securityu. However, under Document Restrictions Summary it says the following are not allowed:

1. Changing the Document

2. Document Assembly

3. Creation of Template Pages.

And undernearth it says * This PDF form restricts some operations.

I accidentally saved the file as a static PDF and when I went to check the accessibility, it was complaining that security settings were restricting the accessibility. Ultimately, if I can fix the accessibility issues without needing to meddle with the security settings, that's fine with me.

Accessibility

This one is...weird. So, the dynamic pdf is created in Livecycle. I make sure when saving that in Form Properties, Save Options has Generate Accessibility Information (Tages) for Acrobat and Embed Fonts are both checked before saving.

Opening the document in Acrobat, things get...funny. I open the Accessibility tab, and initially everything was greyed out except the Setup Assistant. I went through that and there were no changes. I tried a number of things but nothing worked. I was doing something else and created another page and go back- and TouchUp Reading Order is now no longer greyed out. I have no idea why or what is happening, why I can't even run a accessibility check on the document.

I suspect that this at least partially stems from the automatic security preventing changing the document. But I have no idea how to disable the security on the document. Advice is very welcome!

Edit: So, I decided to try a very basic experiment. I created a single page dynamic pdf and put a checkbox in the middle of it. After saving, I opened it up within Acrobat. Sure enough, the same security settings seem to be present, and the accessibility options are greyed out. Clearly this is systemic, and I have no idea how to alter this.

[_Bruce_Robertson]

Hi,

I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve using Acrobat that you can't in Designer.  I would not expect Acrobat to handle any of the accessibility functions for a dynamic form.

Bruce

[Former Community Member]

I'm perhaps unclear, which I apologize for- the idea is that I make the dynamic pdf in Livecycle, and then the end user opens it in Acrobat. Does that make more sense?

[mattiaswallin]

I understand your basic outline. Nevertheless I don't seem to comprehend the problem? You are setting the basic properties in LiveCycle, and then when you open the PDF in Acrobat later you check some settings that arent what you are expecting? What is the issue? Can you use the form properly?

Anyhow to shoot a bit in the dark here, I think all security you want to set to govern your document you will do in LiveCycle, what you see in acrobat is the "realization" of what you set in LiveCycle.

But to be honest, I can't see a question being asked anywhere here, sorry.

If you can ask your question a bit more "consice" and give examples on what isnt working/ what you want to achieve it will be easier.

Regards, Mattias

[Former Community Member]

I am trying to make a dynamic pdf which has no security restrictions. Security restrictions are disabled in Livecycle when I create it. When the dynamic PDF is opened in Acrobat, the accessibility features don't seem to work properly, and indicate security restrictions. When I check the security restrictions (which, again, were disabled in Livecycle) I see the following are Not Allowed:

1. Changing the Document

2. Document Assembly

3. Creation of Template Pages.

And underneath it says * This PDF form restricts some operations.

Does that make more sense?

[mattiaswallin]

Okay, when I am in my acrobat (X Pro) I never found those settings earlier. Now I found them and as I understand it , those things are simply that you arent able to change the actual properties of the document in Acrobat. Pretty much that people won't be able to tamper with the actual looks/structure of the documents. You have to keep in mind that Acrobat is a "creator" aswell, on a bit lower level than LiveCycle not only a tool for reading the PDF.

So this is not weird in any way but rather a protection of the layout etc you have created in LiveCycle. I am not really that well into the security side of things beyond a little experience on a few forms, but this is how I read the situation.

And I would suggest that you try to do what you are going to do before staring yourself blind at some percieved obstacle

I am quite certain if you just chuck in a few text fields and so on, the "form" you have created in LiveCycle wont be "protected" with any kind of security so that people actually can use it freely. But rather it's core will be protected to some degree that people can't tamper with the looks of the form in Acrobat.

I hope you can understand what I mean, even though I feel I couldnt explain it as well as I wanted!

Regards, Mattias.

[murrjames]

Hi, I am new to this forum, cant find where to ask a question.

To make a PDF accessible for assistive technology, do you use designer or server or both?

I am told you also need acrobat to fix tags? Can anyone clarify?

[BarlaeDC]

Hi,

I think there is a little misunderstanding of what is created out of LiveCycle Designer and the server products that products the final PDF files, they are not the same as a PDF file  that is created from InDesign, Illustrator, or any other PDF creation app ( just about ) they are a specific type of PDF which is only really created by LiveCycle, this PDF comes with restrictions, not technically security but that is how it is shown in the UI. It just means that acrobat cannot modify the file structure, it is allowed to modify the fields, and sign the document and so on. ( this is just a sligh re- hash of mattiaswallin response hoping to add some clarity )

You need to use both the designer to create the accessible form and then server to render the form for your device, you shouldn't have to use acrobat to fix the accessibility, if you do then there may be problem with the original form.

Due to this all the accessibility issues should be solved in Designer and then when the PDF file is created the form should be accessible.

hope this helps

Malcolm