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Johnfoster123

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What is the best software/company to use when creating a watermark on pfd/Dwg, so that it can't be removed?

We have various drawings that we need to send to clients, but the intellectual property on the drawings is highly sensitive and we don't want it being replicated. What is the best way to create a watermark that can't be removed? What is the best software/company to use? (don't trust free versions).
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Eirman
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I assume from your Topics that you submitting your documents in PDF format.
Adobe Acrobat is good at watermarking documents as described here ...
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/add-watermarks-pdfs.html

Then you must protect your PDF documents from being edited (which would allow removal of the watermark)
http://tv.adobe.com/watch/acrobat-x/how-to-protect-pdf-documents/

So, I suggest that you use the Professional version of Adobe Acrobat.
Be aware of the difference between Stamps and Watermarks when working with PDFs.
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Johnfoster123

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Dear Eirman,

Thank you very much for your help. Yes, we are looking at sending soft versions on pdf and also DWG (autoCAD). Is there a software we can use to watermark DWG documents?

Assume Adobe Acrobat X Pro, is the professional version we need. However, I have been warned that people can easily buy $10 software that removes passwords from pdf documents and thus they can easily remove the watermark etc - would you recommend using a DRM software? Or is adobe completely secure?

Thank you,

John
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For DWG protection, this seems to be the best out there ....
www.cadlock.com
Dear Capt.,

Thank you for your help - have had a look at Locklizard and they look good. Is there a DRM what would work for DWG (autoCAD) files?

How do you create DRM Wrappers? Is there an easy-to-use software available?

Also what do you think of CapLinked (http://www.caplinked.com/) or File Open (http://www.fileopen.com/) are they as reliable as Locklizard?

Thank you,

John
Hi John

I have neither experience with DWG files nor with the two other programmes you mentioned, so I could not comment.

LockLizard was (is being) used by a company we worked with and they used to send legal papers to their satellite offices and were very happy with the solution.

LockLizard should create the "wrappers" for you, it is just a phrase I use to describe that there is a layer of security wrapped around via a DRM programme such as LockLizard.
Thank you for the advice.

What do you make of a program called Foxit (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Security/protect-sign.php )?

Do you know of a similar program that works on a MAC?

Thank you,

John
Hi John

I personally have no experience with Foxit, but someone else here may. Fundamentally this is about how secure a protected PDF is when you secure it with Foxit.

But as you noticed this is not a Mac tool. However if someone here has worked with Foxit and the PDF security settings are as easy to circumvent as with Acrobat then it may not be worth looking further down this avenue.

Can you work with Password to open PDFs or do they need to be accessible for all but locked from edits? I think password protected PDFs that cannot be opened without it are much harder to manipulate thus providing a stronger protection.

capt.
Dear Capt.,

Thank you for that - sounds like Foxit, might be as unreliable as Acrobat in terms of security...if it's easy to circumvent the security settings.

Please could you explain your last paragraph more about the 'locked from edits' and how the password protected pdfs cant be opened - presume this will still be the case if they use the password removing software or not?

Thank you,

Jack
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Great, thank you for the advice.

John
Can you easily set up a pdf so it is locked for editing and password - how do you go about this?

Thank you,

John
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Hi Eirman,

Thank you for the help - how do you go about putting a watermark on a JPG file? Also if the file we want to watermark is a DWG file, how can we convert it to a JPG?

Thank you,

John
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great, thank you for all your help