VB.NET Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Get the Encryption and Permissions of a Loaded PDF

See more PDF Protection Examples

Demonstrates the getInfo operation of Protection, which reports how the loaded PDF is protected: the method and algorithm, whether a password is needed to open it, how it was opened (with the user password, the owner password, an empty password, or a certificate), and each permission. The loaded member describes the file as it is, the pending member describes the security it will be saved with, and changed says whether the two differ. getInfo is the one operation that does not need owner rights. VB.NET

Dim success As Boolean = False

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

'  The PDF used in this example is available at encrypted_user_password.pdf

Dim pdf As New Chilkat.Pdf

'  The password must be set before loading.
pdf.UserPassword = "secret"
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf")
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


Dim json As New Chilkat.JsonObject
Dim jsonOut As New Chilkat.JsonObject
success = pdf.Protection("getInfo",json,jsonOut)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


jsonOut.EmitCompact = False
Debug.WriteLine(jsonOut.Emit())

'  "loaded" is the security the file has.  "pending" is the security it will be saved with, which
'  is the same until an operation such as encrypt or changePermissions changes it.
Debug.WriteLine("algorithm: " & jsonOut.StringOf("loaded.algorithm"))
Debug.WriteLine("opened with: " & jsonOut.StringOf("loaded.openedWith"))
Debug.WriteLine("password needed to open: " & jsonOut.BoolOf("loaded.userPasswordRequired"))
Debug.WriteLine("may print: " & jsonOut.StringOf("loaded.permissions.print"))
Debug.WriteLine("may copy: " & jsonOut.BoolOf("loaded.permissions.copy"))
Debug.WriteLine("changed: " & jsonOut.BoolOf("changed"))

'  Sample output:

'  {
'    "changed": false,
'    "loaded": {
'      "encrypted": true,
'      "method": "password",
'      "algorithm": "rc4-128",
'      "pdfVersion": "1.3",
'      "scope": "all",
'      "userPasswordRequired": true,
'      "ownerPasswordSet": true,
'      "openedWith": "user",
'      "permissions": {
'        "print": "full",
'        "modify": true,
'        "copy": true,
'        "accessibility": true,
'        "annotate": true,
'        "fillForms": true,
'        "assemble": true
'      }
'    },
'    "pending": {
'      "encrypted": true,
'      "method": "password",
'      "algorithm": "rc4-128",
'      "pdfVersion": "1.3",
'      "scope": "all",
'      "userPasswordRequired": true,
'      "ownerPasswordSet": true,
'      "permissions": {
'        "print": "full",
'        "modify": true,
'        "copy": true,
'        "accessibility": true,
'        "annotate": true,
'        "fillForms": true,
'        "assemble": true
'      }
'    }
'  }
'  
'  algorithm: rc4-128
'  opened with: user
'  password needed to open: True
'  may print: full
'  may copy: True
'  changed: False