How to protect some input fields of one PDF when sent to a customer?

Question

Hi,
our company has a rather delicate problem. I think an example would be the best explaination:
• A salesperson and a customer discuss a tender over telephone.
• The salesperson fills out fields in a tender-PDF such as customer name, company, prices etc.
• Some fields might not get filled in during this conversation. This is just how it is and can't be changed for several reasons. The PDF thus has to be sent to the customer for completion.
• Now, when the PDF is received by the customer, we don't want the him/her to be able to change some of the fields, i.e. the agreed price fields. He/she should be "locked out" of those.
So, we have a problem: the PDF will have to be fully accessible to the salesperson, but not to the customer, who receives the PDF with some fields in a "locked" state.
Is this even possible to acheive? Any help would be most welcome.
Johan

Answer 1

The code below is intended to be used for a bookmark, but it can be used in a button as well. The idea is you should rename all of the fields that you want to lock/unlock so that they begin with "PRIV.", though you can use any prefix you want. You'll just have to change the code to match. This allows you to manipulate them as a group, which simplifies the code. If the correct password is entered, the readonly property of the fields in the group will be toggled. Post again of you have any questions.
(function () {
    // Prefix for group field names. Change to match what you want to use.
    // Rename the fields you want to lock to match this prefix (e.g., "PRIV.NAME")
    var f_prefix = "PRIV";
    // Your chosen password goes here
    var pw = "1234";
    // Get a reference to the first field in the group
    var f = getField(f_prefix).getArray()[0];
    //Determine new readonly state, which is the opposite of the current state
    var readonly = !f.readonly;
    var readonly_desc = readonly ? "lock" : "unlock";
    //Prompt user for the password
    var resp=app.response({
        cQuestion: "To" + readonly_desc + "the fields, enter the password:",
        cTitle: "Enter password",
        bPassword: true,
        cLabel: "Password"
    switch (resp) {
    case pw:
        getField(f_prefix).readonly = readonly;
        app.alert("The fields are now " + readonly_desc + "ed.", 3);
        break;
    case null:  // User pressed Cancel button
        break;
    default:  // Incorrect password
        app.alert("Incorrect password.", 1);
        break;
Again, this can't be considered secure, but it would be unlikely for Reader users to mess with . I like to use a bookmark since it isn't visible on the page like a button is and it won't receive the focus by tabbing through the fields. If you decide to use a button, you can make it small and invisible in an out of the way location, so the user doesn't see it (though it can still be tabbed to) but you'll know where it is. You can set it up so that the Shift key has to be pressed for it to work, which most users wouldn't think to do if they come across it.