Signing PDF's

[Deleted User]

glennevis said:

Deleted_User said:

Still unable to find a way to edit PDF's for free 
I have tried online apps - only to discover that they are not free after all (PDF filler) 
Any suggestions 

Apache OpenOffice with a PDF Import extension is free. Been using it for decades for minor edits.

https://extensions.openoffice.org/en/project/pdf-import-apache-openoffice

Not converting to Doc - editing an existing PDF
This is a major form job 

[Deleted User]

I need to change permissions to allow me to "change the contents"

but when I right click on the file / security tells me that I have full rights over the file

Yet - from within the file - File/properties, security settings - tells me that I do not have permissions to print, modify or change the file

inspectorperez

Apologies if I'm stating the obvious, but here goes anyway.

If you open a new blank microsoft word document, the "file/open" selection allows you to open a pdf file, which it does by converting it to a word document format. The document is then capable of being edited and saved once more as a pdf file. Inserting a signature in the word document is quite straightforward which I am sure you know.

I have experienced both success and failure using this method basically because my editing skills in Microsoft word are not "advanced". With simple documents this is very easy but more demanding with long documents.

Anyway, just a thought which may be of some help

[Deleted User]

inspectorperez said:

Apologies if I'm stating the obvious, but here goes anyway.

If you open a new blank microsoft word document, the "file/open" selection allows you to open a pdf file, which it does by converting it to a word document format. The document is then capable of being edited and saved once more as a pdf file. Inserting a signature in the word document is quite straightforward which I am sure you know.

I have experienced both success and failure using this method basically because my editing skills in Microsoft word are not "advanced". With simple documents this is very easy but more demanding with long documents.

Anyway, just a thought which may be of some help

Thanks - yes Word does "open" PDF's and allows text to be edited/modified/removed - but this is a complex ESA50 form, with borders etc

I have tried it and it corrupts the form !

The problem is how do I change the security settings of the PDF file ?

inspectorperez

I have downloaded the ESA50 form and opened it.

I noticed on the tab that the author of the form has secured it and specified which fields can be completed by inserting text and signature in the appropriate space.

I signed in to the form using my google account and then found that I could insert details in all the relevant boxes and my signature at the end.

Just wondering if it is the "sign in" bit that you are missing, as this appears to be the key to allow you to proceed with filling in the relevant fields.

Maybe I'm missing the obvious with your particular issue?

I'm using Adobe Acrobat by the way.

olbas_oil

Deleted_User said:

olbas_oil said:

I'm not sure what 'fill and sign' actually means. If it is simply inserting an image of your signature into a pdf file, then the Free Basic version of PDFill will do this.

Neither Fill and Sign or editing works
Fill and sign is greyed out 

PDFill does not have a 'Fill and Sign' function. I was suggesting that you try it, and use the 'Signature Image from File' as shown above and get that to insert a signature into your file.
The ESA50 form on the web allows you to fill it out online, but does not give permission for 'signing' (which is a different thing to inserting an image of your signature). Perhaps it did in the past and that is what you were doing, but now I think your best option would be to download a fresh form and use PDFill to insert an image of your signature. 


I would not try to use Word, or any of the converters. They usually mangle all but the simplest PDFs.

[Deleted User]

@olbas_oil inspectorperez said:

I have downloaded the ESA50 form and opened it.

I noticed on the tab that the author of the form has secured it and specified which fields can be completed by inserting text and signature in the appropriate space.

I signed in to the form using my google account and then found that I could insert details in all the relevant boxes and my signature at the end.

Just wondering if it is the "sign in" bit that you are missing, as this appears to be the key to allow you to proceed with filling in the relevant fields.

Maybe I'm missing the obvious with your particular issue?

I'm using Adobe Acrobat by the way.

No it's the whole form that I am unable to fill in
As you say - I will download a fresh form and start again
It's permissions that are up the creek

[Deleted User]

inspectorperez said:

I have downloaded the ESA50 form and opened it.

I noticed on the tab that the author of the form has secured it and specified which fields can be completed by inserting text and signature in the appropriate space.

I signed in to the form using my google account and then found that I could insert details in all the relevant boxes and my signature at the end.

Just wondering if it is the "sign in" bit that you are missing, as this appears to be the key to allow you to proceed with filling in the relevant fields.

Maybe I'm missing the obvious with your particular issue?

I'm using Adobe Acrobat by the way.

I see no tab on any version of downloadable ESA50 - i DO see  a security pop up "enable ALL features" - which I accepted - is that what you meant ?

[Deleted User]

olbas_oil said:

Deleted_User said:

olbas_oil said:

I'm not sure what 'fill and sign' actually means. If it is simply inserting an image of your signature into a pdf file, then the Free Basic version of PDFill will do this.

Neither Fill and Sign or editing works
Fill and sign is greyed out 

PDFill does not have a 'Fill and Sign' function. I was suggesting that you try it, and use the 'Signature Image from File' as shown above and get that to insert a signature into your file.
The ESA50 form on the web allows you to fill it out online, but does not give permission for 'signing' (which is a different thing to inserting an image of your signature). Perhaps it did in the past and that is what you were doing, but now I think your best option would be to download a fresh form and use PDFill to insert an image of your signature. 


I would not try to use Word, or any of the converters. They usually mangle all but the simplest PDFs.

OK Tried again on a fresh PDF and it works - however, I saved it for a break after 10 minutes and guess what ?

It does not allow editing on re-opening the file

Is this a fault caused by something that I have done or is it a form fault ?

Security/Properties claim that I have permission to "fill the form fields"

There is no way that I can cope with an hour of form filling without a break

inspectorperez

This is the image I am looking at when I open the document in Adobe Acrobat. The narrative on the tab is ESA450 (Secured).