I downloaded an application for a birth certificate in PDF format, opened it in the latest Acrobat Reader and tried to print it. If I try to print or convert the file to postscript, I get this error:

This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file.
Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted.

Error: /typecheck in --get--
Operand stack:
--nostringval-- Filter
Execution stack:
%interp_exit .runexec2 --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- 2 %stopped_push --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- false 1 %stopped_push 1 3 %oparray_pop 1 3 %oparray_pop --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval-- --nostringval--
Dictionary stack:
--dict:1052/1417(ro)(G)-- --dict:0/20(G)-- --dict:73/200(L)-- --dict:73/200(L)-- --dict:97/127(ro)(G)-- --dict:229/230(ro)(G)-- --dict:16/24(L)--
Current allocation mode is local
ESP Ghostscript 7.07.2: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1

How do you do this?

P.S. If I try to print with no filters, kprinter throws this error:

"no filter found for text plain"

I found a ghostscript font bug in 10.0 : http://bugs.mandrakelinux.com/query.php?bug=1184
/usr/share/fonts/default/ghostscript/Fontmap points to /usr/share/ghostscript/7.05/lib/Fontmap.GS
It should point to /usr/share/ghostscript/7.07/lib/Fontmap.GS. Fix that link and try again.

- Peder

Nope, I still get:

"no filter found for text/plain"

The line "This PostScript file was created from an encrypted PDF file. Redistilling encrypted PDF is not permitted."
sorta tells it all I guess (didn't see it at first).

The only solution I can think of right now is to get a screenshot and print that

- Peder

Windows prints it just fine. There must be a Linux way!

The linux way of printing, I think, is to convert the input (in this case PDF) to postscript and print using ghostscript.
This encrypted PDF doesn't seem to allow it. I bet you can print an ordinary PDF w/o problem.

Windows doesn't take the "convert to PS" route and thus avoids this problem.

I found some more info here: http://www.stillhq.com/ctpfaq/2001/c...aq-2001-02.txt

- Peder

have you tried xpdf ?

i used it to print a pdf before

The problem isn't which program you're using to open the PDF I think , the problem is that all programs
use "convert-to-ps-and-sent-to-ghostscript" routine for printing.
When dealing with an encrypted PDF that is prohibited (though the link I found might be a
way to circumvent it [but that might be illegal]).

- Peder

I can't figure out why someone would encrypt a form that's meant to be downloaded, printed and filled out by the end user.

Oh, well. I guess you just always have to keep a copy of Windows around.

Perhaps some overenthusiastic zealot who likes to check every box available when creating a PDF

Just to be sure, have you tried printing some other PDF?

- Peder

Yeah, other PDFs seem to print fine.

The PDF that won't print comes from a government site; enough said...

This intrigues me. Can you post a link to the problem file?

Sure:

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/publications/forms/pdf/vs111.pdf

Curiouser and curiouser! I get the same error and while playing with the file KDE 3.2 froze solid. I had to init 3.

The file has a Master Password but edits and printing are set as allowed. Kghostview would not open it.

I've made some progress with this.

To print from Acrobat Reader, enter lp as the print command, replacing the default kprinter. However, if you try to fill in the form, it won't print.

xpdf will open and print the document using either kprinter or lp.

Hope this helps.