(VBScript) 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 ActiveX Downloads ActiveX for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows

Dim fso, outFile
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'Create a Unicode (utf-16) output text file.
Set outFile = fso.CreateTextFile("output.txt", True, True)

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

' For versions of Chilkat < 10.0.0, use CreateObject("Chilkat_9_5_0.Pdf")
set pdf = CreateObject("Chilkat.Pdf")

' Open a PDF.
' Starting in Chilkat v9.5.0.96, the LastJsonData will contain information about encryption and permissions.
success = pdf.LoadFile("c:/someDir/sample.pdf")
If (success = 0) Then
    outFile.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    WScript.Quit
End If

' Examine the LastJsonData
' ljd is a Chilkat.JsonObject
Set ljd = pdf.LastJsonData()
ljd.EmitCompact = 0

outFile.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

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

outFile.Close