How do I lock a .pub doc so only certain fields may be edited?

[lcoverly]

I have created brochures for employees that I ONLY want certain information
to be editable. For instance, they can input their name, contact info, photo
but not be able to change the main body copy, headline, etc.

How do I lock down certain pieces of the brochure but not others?

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

Are they going to be working on the design of the brochure or are you trying to create a form?

If it's a form...output to Acrobat and create a pdf, then make it a fillable form.

If you're trying to lock aspects of the design process...dunno if that can be done. One of the gurus will have to address that.

 

[Mary Sauer]

This is best done the way Rob suggested or use Word...

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/

Are they going to be working on the design of the brochure or are you trying to
create a form?

If it's a form...output to Acrobat and create a pdf, then make it a fillable form.

If you're trying to lock aspects of the design process...dunno if that can be done.
One of the gurus will have to address that.

 

[Mary Sauer]

You could put all but the input items on a Master Page.

 

[lcoverly]

Thanks for the quick response. Our agents only have Reader and so creating a
PDF form would not work. Not to mention the limitations on how to format that
input information.

I'm hopeful someone will have a way to lock down everything but the
information I need to have the agent input. I did find the "Personal
Information Components" and that helps a bit. But now I'm wondering if I can
edit fields in the Personal Information box so that I can have different
fields than what is available like "years of employment", etc. Do you have
advice on this?

 

[lcoverly]

Actually that worked pretty well, only in reverse. I placed the input fields

 

[Ed Bennett]

Actually that worked pretty well, only in reverse. I placed the input
fields on the main page, leaving the Master Page for the items not to
be edited.

Isn't that what Mary said - "put all BUT the input items on a Master Page"

NOW if I could just lock down the Master Page! Can I?

Not to the best of my knowledge, although you could probably write a macro
to instantly change back to the main publication if someone switched to the
master page.

I was pretty certain that even those using Reader could fill out a
properly-formatted PDF form.

 

[Ron Cohen]

The advise about using a fillable PDF form is the best. You would be
creating the fillable form and the agents wouldn't need to have anything
other than the reader. OTOH, here is a trick you can try with Publisher that
can do what you need.

#1 As Mary suggested, put the items you don't want modified on the master
page and group them together.
#2 Once that is done, on the master page draw a box, make it transparent and
set it so that all text wrap is turned off.
#3 Expand the box you just created so that it extends to all the borders on
the pasteboard area. This creates in effect a protective layer over the
other items. It need to be as large as possible to achieve the maximum
protection so that unless the view is scaled down to the smallest level, the
fact that there is a group symbol won't be evident.
#4 Group this overlay with the other items so that it is now a single group.

If you are concerned about the agents moving the text frames or fields on
the foreground pages as they modify them, this same procedure can be used,
except the box would need to be behind the fields to be modified. Once the
entire page is grouped with this layer, the items in the foreground can be
modified, but not moved.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant modify the design.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

users with Reader only can fill in a pdf form.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant modify
the design.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

You sure? You can't do a Save As?
I'm gonna have to try it now....sheesh.

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant modify
the design.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

ack..you're right it doesn't save the form field info. I never use reader - only Acrobat, so I never tested that.

Thanks.

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant modify
the design.

 

[Ron Cohen]

Actually, there is a work around for not being able to save a filled in pdf
form. PrimoPDF (or any other pdf driver) to the rescue. Fill in the form and
then print to the pdf driver. I do this every year at income tax time since
a lot of my state forms are fillable pdf's.
--
Ron

message ack..you're right it doesn't save the form field info. I never use reader -
only Acrobat, so I never tested that.

Thanks.

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant
modify
the design.

 

[Ron Cohen]

Once filled in, print the form using a pdf driver, i.e. PrimoPDF.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash Gordon®\)]

AH!...so in theory you create a new pdf from the unsavable...cool...i'll have to give that a go!


| Actually, there is a work around for not being able to save a filled in pdf
| form. PrimoPDF (or any other pdf driver) to the rescue. Fill in the form and
| then print to the pdf driver. I do this every year at income tax time since
| a lot of my state forms are fillable pdf's.
| --
| Ron
|
| message | ack..you're right it doesn't save the form field info. I never use reader -
| only Acrobat, so I never tested that.
|
| Thanks.
|
|
| | > But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.
| >
| > --
| >
| > JoAnn Paules
| > MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
| >
| >
| >
| > message | > Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant
| > modify
| > the design.
| >
| >
| > | > > lcoverly <[email protected]> was very recently heard
| > > to utter:
| > > > Actually that worked pretty well, only in reverse. I placed the input
| > > > fields on the main page, leaving the Master Page for the items not to
| > > > be edited.
| > >
| > > Isn't that what Mary said - "put all BUT the input items on a Master
| > > Page"
| > >
| > > > NOW if I could just lock down the Master Page! Can I?
| > >
| > > Not to the best of my knowledge, although you could probably write a
| > > macro
| > > to instantly change back to the main publication if someone switched to
| > > the
| > > master page.
| > >
| > > I was pretty certain that even those using Reader could fill out a
| > > properly-formatted PDF form.
| > >
| > > --
| > > Ed Bennett - MVP Microsoft Publisher
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
|
|

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

I use Acrobat too but I have forms that I'd love my member to be able to
e-mail back to me. :-(

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message ack..you're right it doesn't save the form field info. I never use reader -
only Acrobat, so I never tested that.

Thanks.

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant
modify
the design.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

That will work but I'm dealing with people who are not always fond of
downloading and going thru a lot of muss and fuss. Yes, it's a great idea
and will work for some people but I have holdouts. Darn it!

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Actually, there is a work around for not being able to save a filled in
pdf form. PrimoPDF (or any other pdf driver) to the rescue. Fill in the
form and then print to the pdf driver. I do this every year at income tax
time since a lot of my state forms are fillable pdf's.
--
Ron

message ack..you're right it doesn't save the form field info. I never use
reader - only Acrobat, so I never tested that.

Thanks.

But they cannot save the form or email it back. It can only be printed.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Yes, using Adobe reader the user can complete a pdf form...just cant
modify
the design.

lcoverly <[email protected]> was very recently heard
to utter:
Actually that worked pretty well, only in reverse. I placed the input
fields on the main page, leaving the Master Page for the items not to
be edited.

Isn't that what Mary said - "put all BUT the input items on a Master
Page"

NOW if I could just lock down the Master Page! Can I?

Not to the best of my knowledge, although you could probably write a
macro
to instantly change back to the main publication if someone switched to
the
master page.

I was pretty certain that even those using Reader could fill out a
properly-formatted PDF form.