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Java Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Find Out Whether a PDF Needs a Password Before Loading It

See more PDF Protection Examples

Demonstrates PreLoadCheck, which examines a PDF file without loading it and without any password. It reports whether the file is encrypted, by which method and algorithm, whether a password is needed to open it, and what its permissions are. An application uses it to decide whether to ask for a password, or which certificate it needs, before calling LoadFile. PreLoadCheckBd does the same for a PDF held in memory.

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Java
import com.chilkatsoft.*;

public class ChilkatExample {

  static {
    try {
        System.loadLibrary("chilkat");
    } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
      System.err.println("Native code library failed to load.\n" + e);
      System.exit(1);
    }
  }

  public static void main(String argv[])
  {
    boolean success = false;

    //  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    //  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    //  The PDF used in this example is available at two_page_memo.pdf

    //  The PDF used in this example is available at encrypted_user_password.pdf

    //  The PDF used in this example is available at no_copy_permission.pdf

    CkPdf pdf = new CkPdf();
    CkJsonObject info = new CkJsonObject();

    //  A PDF that is not encrypted.  Nothing but "encrypted" is reported for it.
    success = pdf.PreLoadCheck("qa_data/pdf/two_page_memo.pdf",info);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("two_page_memo.pdf");
    System.out.println("  encrypted: " + info.BoolOf("encrypted"));

    //  A PDF that needs a password to open.
    success = pdf.PreLoadCheck("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf",info);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("encrypted_user_password.pdf");
    System.out.println("  encrypted: " + info.BoolOf("encrypted"));
    System.out.println("  method: " + info.stringOf("method"));
    System.out.println("  algorithm: " + info.stringOf("algorithm"));
    System.out.println("  openPasswordRequired: " + info.BoolOf("openPasswordRequired"));

    //  A PDF that opens without a password but is restricted.  The permissions are readable without
    //  any password.
    success = pdf.PreLoadCheck("qa_data/pdf/no_copy_permission.pdf",info);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("no_copy_permission.pdf");
    System.out.println("  encrypted: " + info.BoolOf("encrypted"));
    System.out.println("  openPasswordRequired: " + info.BoolOf("openPasswordRequired"));
    System.out.println("  may copy: " + info.BoolOf("permissions.copy"));

    //  The typical use: ask for a password only when one is needed, then load.
    success = pdf.PreLoadCheck("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf",info);
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    if (info.BoolOf("openPasswordRequired") == true) {
        //  An application would prompt for the password here.
        pdf.put_UserPassword("secret");
        }

    success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf");
    if (success == false) {
        System.out.println(pdf.lastErrorText());
        return;
        }

    System.out.println("loaded, pages: " + pdf.get_NumPages());

    //  Sample output:

    //  two_page_memo.pdf
    //    encrypted: False
    //  encrypted_user_password.pdf
    //    encrypted: True
    //    method: password
    //    algorithm: rc4-128
    //    openPasswordRequired: True
    //  no_copy_permission.pdf
    //    encrypted: True
    //    openPasswordRequired: False
    //    may copy: False
    //  loaded, pages: 1
  }
}