Merging Password Protected PDFs

Here is some background:

writing an app that creates pdfs from data in a database, merges it with uploaded files from same database. All is fine until a pdf that is encrypted/password protected is encountered.  the Append method of the MergeDocument instance throws the exception:

11/19/2009 3:36:43 PM
Document can not be decrypted. Invalid owner password.
ceTe.DynamicPDF.35
   at ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.PdfDocument.g()
   at ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.PdfDocument..ctor(c0 A_0, String A_1)
   at ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.PdfDocument..ctor(String filePath)
   at ceTe.DynamicPDF.Merger.MergeDocument.Append(String filePath)
   at refrecToPDF.Form1.convert(DataTable dt) in D:\stuff\refrecToPDF\refrecToPDF\Form1.cs:line 271
   at refrecToPDF.Form1.but_go_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\stuff\refrecToPDF\refrecToPDF\Form1.cs:line 56


the code is as follows:

MergeDocument test = new MergeDocument();
test.PdfVersion = PdfVersion.v1_7;
           
foreach (string zz in fileList)
{
    test.Append(zz);
}
if (test.Pages.Count > 0)
{
    finalPDF = test.Draw();
}


I have used other pdf merging utilities and they merged just fine but did not support pdf spec 1.5+.  This is a must have for me since the files Im merging are letters of recommendation to a number of graduate programs at a university, which is why we get so many pdfs that are password protected.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
jimm

Hello jimm ,

You will have to to provide the password when merging the a PDF which is password protected. It is not possible to merge/edit the PDF document without password. You will have to use the PdfDocument object for providing the password. The Append method also will take the PdfDocument object as a parameter. Below is a sample code for this.

   PdfDocument pdf = new PdfDocument( filePath, password );
   document.Append( pdf );

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.