Unlock_ald - Unlock/free pdf-forms created by Adobe products like the LiveCycle Designer
Unlock_ald - Unlock/free any pdf-file from main rights if there's no user password set

>>> FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING HAVE A LOOK AT UNLOCK_ALD.PDF WITH IMAGE-SAMPLES INSIDE <<<



Purpose of application
----------------------

If a pdf-form - originally created by an Adobe product - was processed and modified by an 
external third party tool it's possible that an error message will raise while opening the 
form with the Acrobat Reader like:
"This document enabled extended features in Adobe Acrobat Reader. The document has been 
changed since it was created and use of extended features is no longer available. Please 
contact the author for the original version of this document.".
Now this form can't be used as a form - now it's only a document.

There are no such problems using our Unlock_ald first!
After converting a pdf-form created by an Adobe product - for example the LiveCycle Designer - 
with Unlock_ald... the converted pdf-form can be used with any third party tool/sdk without 
any further problems while using it again with the Adobe Reader and other Adobe products.

As an internal addon you're able to strip any rights from a pdf-file - even if a main password is set.
A user password can prevent from doing this but you'll rarely find a file with a user password set ;-) 

The package contains two versions  32 bit and 64 bit.



How to use...
-------------

You can use it manually on the cmd-line.
You can use it directly from the explorer context via send-to.
You can use it inside cmd- or bat-files.
You can use it unvisible inside your programs via shell syntax.
After buying the unrestricted version you can use it manually or inside YOUR (published and 
distributed) applications with an unlimited license!



How to use detailed...
----------------------

For successful processing the cmd-exe needs two parameters and a special option:
1. Complete filename and -path.
2. 1 = Keep the original file (new file is named ..._conv.pdf)/ 0 = Overwrite the original file.
3. If you use only one parameter 9 without any filename Unlock_ald will be inserted into the windows-explorer-contextmenu at send-to.
If you use only parameter 8 without any filename Unlock_ald will be removed from windows-explorer-contextmenu at send-to.

>> A returning value 1 means function processed with success - 0 means error.



Using it via dialog
--------------------

If unlock_ald is inserted into the explorer context at "send to" you're able
to work on pdf-files directly in dialog.
Mark the pdf... open the explorer context menu/send to... choose "Unlock_ALD":
A small dialog (yes/no) offers two options (convert to a new file or overwrite).
With "yes" or "no" you can choose - It's that easy!

1. Mark the file with the mouse cursor. Activate the context menu. Choose send to. 
Klick on Unlock_ALD. 

2. The small dialogue asks if the converted (stripped) pdf shall be written into a 
new file (with _conv) or if the original (old) file shall be overwritten.

3. Yes was choosed  so a new file with an additional _conv was written.



Samples could be...
-------------------

Unlock_ald directly from the cmd-line

"c:\temp\unlock_ald.exe" "c:\temp\sample.pdf" 1 (keep the original file - new file is named ..._conv.pdf)
"c:\temp\unlock_ald.exe" "c:\temp\sample.pdf" 0 (overwrite the original file)
"c:\temp\unlock_ald.exe" 9 (insert into explorer-context at send-to)
"c:\temp\unlock_ald.exe" 8 (remove from explorer-context at send-to)

A returning exitcode-value you can see on the commandline as error-level/runtime-error-value.
Using unlock_ald via shell-syntax in your app you can get the exitcode after the process-loop.
Please have a look into the cmd-/bat-samples. 
In the zip-package are sample-projects for vb6, vb.net, C# and delphi.
Unlock_ald inside cmd- or bat-files

The additional zip-package contains samples for batch-files, vb6, vb.net, C# and delphi 
to show how to use Unlock_ALD via shell-syntax in your app



Delivered exit-codes / errors by Unlock_ald
--------------------------------------------

0	Common error using the function
1	Success using the function
9001	PDF-file not found
9002	It's not a pdf-file
9007	Error while loading the file
9008	Error dictionary failure
9009	Invalid or damaged page structure
9010	There is a user password set
9006	Parameters are missing
9021	Parameter 1 (processed path-/filename) is wrong or doesn't exist
9026	Parameter 2 (1 or 0 keep/overwrite original file) is wrong
9027	Parameter 1 (9 or 8 for insert into/remove from explorer context) is wrong

The runtime-errors youll get if there is a real data error.
If theres an error while using the parameters with the app a helping popup message will raise.  



Content of the package
----------------------

1. The console-application as 32- and 64 bit version.
2. An additional test-app (32bit/64bit) in the package to show you how Unlock_ALD can be 
used inside external apps.
3. The sources of the test-app, several batch-file-samples and samples for programming languages 
to show how to work with the shell syntax how to get the exit code and so on.
4. The file testversion_only_unlock_ald.pdf as necessary test-token.
5. The guides Unlock_ALD.pdf and the similar Unlock_ALD.txt.



Differences between test- and pro-version
------------------------------------------

1. The testversion of Unlock_ALD needs the unchanged pdf-file testversion_only_unlock_ald.pdf 
in the same directory! Without this file the testversion wont work.
2. The helping popup messages contains an additional text like:
This is the TESTversion - Try before you buy
You can buy the unlimited version at:
https://www.PDF-Analyzer.com (english website)
https://www.IS-Soft.de (german website)   
      
After buying the unrestricted version you can use Unlock_ALD manually or inside YOUR (published 
and/or distributed) applications. The license grants unlimited usage!




















[ Adobe, Acrobat, Adobe Reader and LiveCycle Designer are brands, trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. in the United States and/or other countries ]
[ Windows, Explorer and Windows Explorer are brands, trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft in the United States and/or other countries ]

  (c)2021-2022 by Ingo Schmoekel - www.PDF-Analyzer.com / www.IS-Soft.de  
