Hidden elements get displayed

[former_member356497]

Hi,

I have implemented an interactive pdf work report which is used by our service technicans. Before sending the pdf to the customer they click on a command button. Then a javascript coding will hide some elements (subforms, table rows), because they contain only internal data.

Everything is working fine. But sometimes the technicans tell me, that the customer can see the hidden elements. Firstly i thought, it would be a problem with the viewer, when cusomers don't use acrobat reader. In deed for example Xchange pdf viewer does not hidde correctly. But now i got a screenshot, proofing, that customer uses acrobat reader 8.1.2.

I don't think, it's a problem with the coding, because in >99% of all cases it's working fine.

And the technicans definitly did not forget to click on the button.

I tried to deactivate javascipt execution, before viewing the pdf. But even then the elements get hidden correctly.

So i can't reproduce this error.

Has anybody an idea, what the problem could be?

Thank you!

Bye

Peter

[former_member478617 · Accepted solution]

Hi Peter,

please check the version of your form-properties. Here you could define the target-version of your PDF-File for adobe reader 8.0 oder some else.

General you should upgrade the adobe reader, because there are many security problems with older adobe reader Systems.

For a clean and secure system you should use adobe reader 10 or higher.

For "inline-debugging" you could popup a messagebox with uniq text, so you could check, if the script will be processed.

For any questions, ask me.

Regards,

Jeremia Girke

[former_member356497 · Accepted solution]

Hello Jeremica Girke,

thank you for your helpful response.

The target version is set to "Acrobat and Adobe Reader 8.0 or higher".

But the generated pdf has version "1.6 (Acrobat 7.x)".

Unfortunatelly i cannot upgrade adobe reader, because the problem occurs on our customers site.

(I'am not a consultor, so with "customer" i mean a company, which buys our engines. So i cannot influence their software installation.)

I am sure, that the script gets executed, because after hiding the element i switch a signature field from hidden to visible. The signature field is visible and signed, so i am sure the script works.

And when the customer sends the pdf back to me, i am not able to see the hidden elements.

It seems to be viewer problem.

Is it a known problem, that older Adobe Reader versions may not display correctly?

If so, i have to think about creating a second static "flat" pdf, just for sending it to the customer (not a nice solution). But that's quite difficult and a lot of effort. And the signature gets lost.

Best regards

Peter

[former_member478617 · Accepted solution]

Hello Peter,

Thanks for the information about the use-case of your form. There are Problems with older Adobe Reader Verions at display.

Important ist the fact, that till the last 10 years adobe worked on the adobe reader:

Here is a important Information for your Customers:

Sicherheitsforscher: Zero-Day-Lücke im Adobe Reader | heise Security

The problem with the layout and the display could be from different versions of PDF and Reader-Version.

Using Interactive Forms with older Adobe Reader versions is a critical security problem. Without upgradeing the reader, your company or your customers are helpless.

For interactive forms the reader has a option: "extended Security". This helps you to prevent attacs to your system or the sytem of your customers.

If you have father questions to this point, please ask me.

Regards,

Jeremia