(VB.NET) PDF Get Encryption and Permissions Information

See more PDF Signatures Examples

Determine if a PDF is encrypted, and the associated user permissions.

Note: Some PDFs are encrypted but not password-protected. In such cases, encryption is used primarily for preventing unauthorized modifications to the document, but it doesn't restrict access. Therefore, you can open and read the document without a password.

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.96 or later.

Chilkat .NET Downloads Chilkat .NET Framework Chilkat for .NET Core

' This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
' See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

Dim pdf As New Chilkat.Pdf

' Open a PDF.
' Starting in Chilkat v9.5.0.96, the LastJsonData will contain information about encryption and permissions.
Dim success As Boolean = pdf.LoadFile("c:/someDir/sample.pdf")
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


' Examine the LastJsonData
Dim ljd As Chilkat.JsonObject = pdf.LastJsonData()
ljd.EmitCompact = False

Debug.WriteLine(ljd.Emit())

' Sample output:

' {
'   "pdfVersion": "1.6",
'   "encrypt": {
'     "filter": "/Standard",
'     "keyLength": 128,
'     "V": 4,
'     "R": 4,
'     "P": -1340,
'     "perm": {
'       "printLowResolution": "allowed",
'       "printHighResolution": "allowed",
'       "modifyOther": "not allowed",
'       "modifyAnnotations": "allowed",
'       "modifyForms": "not allowed",
'       "fillInForms": "allowed",
'       "assembleDoc": "allowed",
'       "extractAnyPurpose": "not allowed",
'       "extractAccessibility": "not allowed"
'     },
'     "method": "AESV2"
'   }
' }

' Use this online tool to generate parsing code from sample JSON: 
' Generate Parsing Code from JSON



Dim pdfVersion As String = ljd.StringOf("pdfVersion")
Dim Filter As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.filter")
Dim KeyLength As Integer = ljd.IntOf("encrypt.keyLength")
Dim V As Integer = ljd.IntOf("encrypt.V")
Dim R As Integer = ljd.IntOf("encrypt.R")
Dim P As Integer = ljd.IntOf("encrypt.P")
Dim PrintLowResolution As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.printLowResolution")
Dim PrintHighResolution As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.printHighResolution")
Dim ModifyOther As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.modifyOther")
Dim ModifyAnnotations As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.modifyAnnotations")
Dim ModifyForms As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.modifyForms")
Dim FillInForms As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.fillInForms")
Dim AssembleDoc As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.assembleDoc")
Dim ExtractAnyPurpose As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.extractAnyPurpose")
Dim ExtractAccessibility As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.perm.extractAccessibility")
Dim Method As String = ljd.StringOf("encrypt.method")