Lost PDF file

DEVONthink Tips
1

I’ve scanned a PDF into DTPO (not an indexed file).

I opened with>Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 and added an encrypted password and saved. This name and icon are in my DTPO Group, but when clicking on the file is says “No Selection”. I can right click and show in Finder and it’s there, in the Files.noindex folder (and password protected).

I’ve Verify and Repaired and it still doesn’t open when clicking on it.

2

You can set two passwords in Acrobat. One is the Document Open password, the second is the Change Permissions password. If the Document Open password is the only one set, then when you select that PDF in DTPO you’ll see this screen. If the Change Permissions password is set, DTPO will only show “No Selection”.

I’ve noticed that if the password settings are modified, even removing the Change Permissions password does not revert the display back to the password prompt screen. In other words, “No Selection” is persistent. I suspect DTPO doesn’t know that the security settings were changed.

3

You nailed it. That was what I had done, made a change to security settings in Acrobat while in the DTPO database.

I had saved with v7 encryption, then found that the recipient of the PDF only had v6 of Acrobat Pro and changed it to an older version and saved. That’s when I ‘lost’ the document in DTPO.

Thanks for that insightful feedback. I removed all security and it’s “back” in DTPO.

Thanks again.

4

FWIW, for completeness, I find that documents with a Change Permissions password cannot be imported into DTPO. Don’t know if that matters to anyone, because it’s not a likely scenario.

5

That answers another issue I was having. I had a document like that that I created (PW to open and only allow print). I would drag it into DTPO and it never showed up.

But I have come across PDF documents from vendors that are configured to be ‘locked down’ and do see it as a scenario for some people.

Does it have something to do with how DTPO is indexing the file? If it’s PW protected against changes, DTPO can’t “change” it so it ignores it?

6

True, PMBOK versions 4+, for example, can’t be viewed in DEVONthink - or so I’ve experienced. The restrictions originate in the filesystem. PDFs with Change Permissions passwords cannot be moved in Finder, for example.