PDF EDITOR (and creator, but ok)?

[Nikolas]

I want to add watermarks to my scores, so I can still distribute them online, without having any other problems (see recent thread of mine, for related info).

So, I know that Adobe Acrobat pro does the trick, but at $459 or around that, it's hardly a good deal!

The other way would be Nitro PDF pro, which is at $99 and has almost all the features I'm looking for.

So

Basically 4 questions to the tech savvies in here:

1. If you put a watermark on a PDF file, can anyone remove it? (by using the same program, for example)
2. What is the "stamp" as opposed to "watermark" in PDF files?
3. Is there a FREE alternative to the above two, to be able to add watermarks? (apart from making the watermark from the source program)?
4. Embedded mp3 files! Adobe has the feature, Nitro does NOT! I'm looking for a PDF file with embedded mp3 files, that will open with a click of a button ON the text.

Any ideas, I'm most grateful.

Nikolas

[BOYD1981]

try out FoxIt Reader Creator (https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/creator/) it seems to have a free one year license, but it's only $29.99 to buy.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

A quick google search for 'pdf watermark remover' brought up a list of links to software and tricks for removing watermarks, so it would seem to be quite possible.  Unfortunately, there is no sure way to protect yourself against this sort of thing.

I would think you could copyright a musical score, though.  I'm not familiar with the copyright procedures in the UK, but in the US you are automatically granted a copyright on things like this without applying, though applying for one directly would probably make any lawsuits of unauthorized use or reproduction swing more in your favor since a copy of your work would be officially recorded and recognized.

[deadsuperhero]

OpenOffice 3.0 can export to non-editable PDF files. I'd say give that a shot.

[Nikolas]

Boyd: Thanks, I'll give it a try!

ProgZy: Indeed almost everywhere in the world, copyright is applied automatically. I just want the watermark, so I'll be able to distribute with less things on my mind.

aliance: Thanks mate! I've been using open office for quite some time and never knew that! :O Problem is that I want the watermark ON music scores (finale files, with *.mus extension). I'll research into that though. Thanks

[Trent R]

Can you add watermarks in your program and then use a PDF Printer driver? Of those, I use PrimoPDF (but I never tried out too many)

~Trent
[Edit]: Primo is made by Nitro. Also, just saw that you want to embed files... so Primo isn't what you want.

[m0ds]

FoxIt is awesome. For the record

If you pay to create a PDF you've been shafted up the anus!

No idea about embedding files though, sorry!

[auriond]

I haven't tried it yet, but here's a freeware PDF maker that claims to have the ability to include custom watermarks: http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/BullZip_PDF_Printer/BullZip-PDF-Printer.html

[Misj']

Basically 4 questions to the tech savvies in here:

1. If you put a watermark on a PDF file, can anyone remove it? (by using the same program, for example)

By importing the PDF-file in Adobe Illustartor of Corel Draw it is quite easy to remove contenct from a PDF (assuming your PDF is not just a stack of images, but a set of objects). Fortunately this can be prevented by setting the security rules for the PDF (allowing printing but no editing (without entering a password)). This way both Adobe and Corel require you to enter a code before you can open/edit the file. When the printing is allowed and the person tries to print the file to a PDF using acrobat pro he will get an output-file saying: "This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file. Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted". So he can't break the security this way (allowing him to import it in Illustrator or Draw). However...this is true when he tries to print it via de Adobe PDF-creators, I don't know whether 3rd party PDF creators also deny printing (I did test it with PDF995 and that didn't allow me to print it, so chances are you are safe).

2. What is the "stamp" as opposed to "watermark" in PDF files?

As far as I know these are the same in PDF. One might expect that the watermark would be a hidden internal code to test the originality of the file, but as far as I know this is not the case in PDF. Of course setting the securities and adding a password will indicate to you whether it's the original file (since it contains the original password).

3. Is there a FREE alternative to the above two, to be able to add watermarks? (apart from making the watermark from the source program)?

Quick Google search...
http://www.coolpdf.com/pdfwatermark.html
(but haven't tested it...since I always do everything in the source)

4. Embedded mp3 files! Adobe has the feature, Nitro does NOT! I'm looking for a PDF file with embedded mp3 files, that will open with a click of a button ON the text.

This is something I only use in Acrobat Pro (well, I use it for AVI-files, but the idea is the same). I'm not too fond of the way they implemented this, but it does work. I don't know how many of the other PDF-creators allow this option (I've never looked for it). And I don't know how many of the alternative PDF-readers understand embedded files (never tested it). An alternative to Adobe would be LaTeX which - as far as I know - is capable of embedding multimedia files. But you would have to look into how to do it (particularly imported PDFs, since you're not making your files in LaTeX)...which I doubt is the easiest way to go.

Alternatively to embedding the MP3-file you can attach the MP3-file (for example with: pdfbundle). When the security settings were set I could not save the file (and for some reason acrobat did not play it internally on this computer), so in order to play it, I had to change the acrobat settings: Edit/Preferences/Trust Manager and then set the 'Allow documents to open other files and launch other applications' option. Here you also find the Multimedia Permission Settings that allow Adobe to play multimedia files. The disadvantage of attaching files is, that I've had some problems with third-party PDF readers (like Foxit) in the past. However, attachments added with pdfbundle seem to work (I don't get an attachment-tab, but pdfbundle seems to add a huge paperclip to the page that - when clicked - allows me to open the attached file).

[magintz]

doPDF

Used it for years, never had any problems nice and simple.