This article shows how to use PDFCreator to make a PDF that leverages some of their security features. Specifically, we'll create a file that uses:
- A "File open" password
- 128 bit encryption
- Preventing content copying
- Preventing modification
- Preventing printing
These code examples are built for PDFCreator, an open source PDF writer utility. Unlike Adobe Acrobat and CutePDF, which both require pro versions to create PDF's via code, PDFCreator is completely free! Download PDF Creator from Sourceforge here. Please note that this code will NOT work with Adobe Acrobat.
Versions Tested:
These routines were tested successfully using PDFCreator 0.9.1, GPLGhostscript.exe download package, on Windows XP Pro (SP2). Excel versions tested include:
- Excel 2003
- Excel 2007
NOTE: Before you "go it alone" with trying to adapt any of these routines, you may want to read this article, which shares some of the idiosyncrasies discovered in the development of the PDFCreator code samples.
VBA Code Required:
The following code all goes in a standard module:
Option Explicit
Sub PrintToPDF_WithSecurity()
'Author : Ken Puls (www.excelguru.ca)
'Macro Purpose: Print to PDF file using PDFCreator WITH SECURITY
' (Download from http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/)
' Designed for early bind, set reference to PDFCreator
Dim pdfjob As PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator
Dim sPDFName As String
Dim sPDFPath As String
Dim sMasterPass As String
Dim sUserPass As String
'/// Change the output file names and passwords (if security req'd)! ///
sPDFName = "testPDF.pdf"
sPDFPath = ActiveWorkbook.Path & Application.PathSeparator
sMasterPass = "master"
sUserPass = "letmein"
'Check if worksheet is empty and exit if so
If IsEmpty(ActiveSheet.UsedRange) Then Exit Sub
Set pdfjob = New PDFCreator.clsPDFCreator
With pdfjob
If .cStart("/NoProcessingAtStartup") = False Then
MsgBox "Can't initialize PDFCreator.", vbCritical + _
vbOKOnly, "PrtPDFCreator"
Exit Sub
End If
'Set details on where to save file to, and flag it automatic
.cOption("UseAutosave") = 1
.cOption("UseAutosaveDirectory") = 1
.cOption("AutosaveDirectory") = sPDFPath
.cOption("AutosaveFilename") = sPDFName
.cOption("AutosaveFormat") = 0 ' 0 = PDF
'The following are required to set security of any kind
.cOption("PDFUseSecurity") = 1
.cOption("PDFOwnerPass") = 1
.cOption("PDFOwnerPasswordString") = sMasterPass
'To set individual security options
.cOption("PDFDisallowCopy") = 1
.cOption("PDFDisallowModifyContents") = 1
.cOption("PDFDisallowPrinting") = 1
'To force a user to enter a password before opening
.cOption("PDFUserPass") = 1
.cOption("PDFUserPasswordString") = sUserPass
'To change to High encryption
.cOption("PDFHighEncryption") = 1
'Get ready for the print job
.cClearCache
End With
'Print the document to PDF
ActiveSheet.PrintOut copies:=1, ActivePrinter:="PDFCreator"
'Wait until the print job has entered the print queue
Do Until pdfjob.cCountOfPrintjobs = 1
DoEvents
Loop
pdfjob.cPrinterStop = False
'Wait until the file shows up before closing PDF Creator
Do
DoEvents
Loop Until Dir(sPDFPath & sPDFName) = sPDFName
Set pdfjob = Nothing
End Sub
