Password lock forms not printing - PDF Creator Server

When a user tries to print a PDF form that is password locked It fails to print and generates errors in the event log. The security settings on the PDF form allow filling and printing and they print correctly in all the other save to / print to PDF pieces of software. (Like the one in Windows 10 or Chrome) They also print to regular printers correctly.

Attached is a screen shot of the security settings on the PDF.

Windows Event Viewer (in order of event):
[Warn] pdfforge.PDFCreator.Server.WorkerManager.DoWork: Print job 226799 was not successful: Scanning C:\Windows\Fonts for fonts... 474 files, 282 scanned, 255 new fonts.
Querying operating system for font files...
This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file.
Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted.

C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\189-9B15C9DAB8244765923267DEB38BE257.inf

[Error] pdfforge.PDFCreator.Core.Jobs.AbstractJob.RunJob: Executing Ghostscript failed

[Error] pdfforge.PDFCreator.Core.Jobs.GhostscriptJob.RunJobWork: Ghostscript execution failed: Scanning C:\Windows\Fonts for fonts... 474 files, 282 scanned, 255 new fonts.
Querying operating system for font files...
This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file.
Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted.

PDF Creator Server log:
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.190]-------------------- = --------------------
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.190]Modul-PdfStartDocPort=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.190]DLL-FileVersion=0.9.7.0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.190]Modul-GetOsInfo=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.190]BuildNumber=9600
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]MajorVersion=6
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]MinorVersion=3
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]PlatformId=2
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]CSDVersion=
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]ProductType=3
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]ServicePackMajor=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]ServicePackMinor=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]SuiteMask=272
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-GetOsInfo=End (Void)
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]PrinterName=PDFS BW
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]JobId=217
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetPrintJobInfo=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]OpenPrinter=True
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]dwNeeded=1544
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pjob->pMachineName=VDI-WIN10-001
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pjob->TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]dm->dmCopies=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pjob->pUserName=removed
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pjob->pDocument=Practitioner and Provider Compliant and Appeal Request
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetPrintJobInfo=END
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetClientComputer=VDI-WIN10-001
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Copies=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetSessionInfo=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetSessionInfo=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]SessionId=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]SessionName=Services
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetUserEnvBlock=Begin
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetUserEnvBlock=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]RegOpenKeyEx failed=The system cannot find the file specified.

[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-GetServerPath=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]ServerPath=C:\Windows\TEMP
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]PDFCreatorServer=TRUE
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-GetDatFileName=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pDatFile=217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-GetDatFileName=End (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=SessionId=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=WinStation=Services
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=UserName=removed
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=ClientComputer=VDI-WIN10-001
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=SpoolFileName=217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=PrinterName=PDFS BW
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=JobId=217
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=DocumentTitle=Practitioner and Provider Compliant and Appeal Request
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=Timestamp=151689282
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=Copies=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=Typ=PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]PostscriptFile=C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]PostscriptFileName=217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]OpenPrinter=True
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=JobCounter=227337
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-PdfStartDocPort=End (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetPrintJobInfo1=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]pjob->PagesPrinted=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]=TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]GetPrintJobInfo1=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.206]Modul-PdfEndDocPort=Start (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]WriteDatFile=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]WriteDatFile=Write data
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=[0]
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=ClientComputer=VDI-WIN10-001
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=Copies=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=DocumentTitle=Practitioner and Provider Compliant and Appeal Request
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=JobCounter=227337
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=JobId=217
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=PrinterName=PDFS BW
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=SessionId=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=SpoolFileName=217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=Timestamp=151689282
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=Typ=PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=UserName=removed
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Data=WinStation=Services
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]WriteDatFile=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]StartPdfCreator=Begin
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]lpDatFile=C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.inf
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]cmdLine= /INFODATAFILE="C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\217-6452AED1C60A4E909C175193F4387FC2.inf"
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]program=C:\Program Files\PDFCreator Server\PrintJobSource.exe
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Server=true
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]StartPdfCreator=End (return = true)
[25.01.2018 09:07:08.221]Modul-PdfEndDocPort=End (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.145]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.145]=JobCounter=227338
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.145]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.145]Modul-PdfStartDocPort=End (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]GetPrintJobInfo1=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]pjob->PagesPrinted=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]AddSpoolDataS=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]=TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]AddSpoolDataS=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]GetPrintJobInfo1=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Modul-PdfEndDocPort=Start (True)
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]WriteDatFile=Start
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]WriteDatFile=Write data
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=[0]
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=ClientComputer=VDI-031
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=Copies=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=DocumentTitle=Java Printing
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=JobCounter=227338
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=JobId=218
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=PrinterName=PDFS BW
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=SessionId=0
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=SpoolFileName=218-4BF643744B984937862A001D2A6D2B16.PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=Timestamp=151689285
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=TotalPages=1
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=Typ=PS
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=UserName=jgreen
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.160]Data=WinStation=
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]WriteDatFile=End
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]StartPdfCreator=Begin
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]lpDatFile=C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\218-4BF643744B984937862A001D2A6D2B16.inf
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]cmdLine= /INFODATAFILE="C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator Server\Spool\218-4BF643744B984937862A001D2A6D2B16.inf"
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]program=C:\Program Files\PDFCreator Server\PrintJobSource.exe
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]Server=true
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]StartPdfCreator=End (return = true)
[25.01.2018 09:07:32.176]Modul-PdfEndDocPort=End (True)

Hi,

I am afraid this isn’t a bug but a Ghostscript limitation (or security feature, depending on your perspective),it is as the log says:
“This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file.
Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted.”

If software allows you to directly convert a encrypted PDF to PDF, you can basically use it to remove the restriction from existing PDF files.

There are however 2 potential workarounds:

  1. Printing PDFs from a different viewer. Ghostscript can only detect the original encryption if this is somehow included in the data sent to the printer. I think most non-Adobe viewers could work here.
  2. This is probably unsuitable for an automated server workflow, but you can convert the PDF to a lossless image format like png first and then reconvert the png to PDF. Only the direct conversion of an encrypted PDF to PDF isn’t permitted.

Best regards

Robin