Change a PDFs version from 1.2 to 1.6

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   What is the best way to read in a version 1.2 PDF and save it as a version 1.6?

I have a PDF that is version 1.2 and a PDF that is 1.5.  When I combine them using CopyPageRangeEX, the resulting document is shown as version 1.2 in Adobe Reader but when I move to the second page, (the 1.5 page) I get an error "Bad Parameter." That page is blank in the reader.  I can extract text from the page so I know it's in there.
I was able to combine the two documents then encrypt them which converts the entire document to version 1.6.  I'm encrypting it with a blank password so anyone can read it.  I'm wondering if there is a better method to do this.  Honestly, it took me a while to figure this out.  I've been using all the versions of this library from 9 to the current and I've combined literally thousands of PDFs and never seen this issue before.

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BobW Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 13 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote BobW Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Change a PDFs version from 1.2 to 1.6 Posted: 27 Mar 19 at 4:51PM
	What is the best way to read in a version 1.2 PDF and save it as a version 1.6? I have a PDF that is version 1.2 and a PDF that is 1.5. When I combine them using CopyPageRangeEX, the resulting document is shown as version 1.2 in Adobe Reader but when I move to the second page, (the 1.5 page) I get an error "Bad Parameter." That page is blank in the reader. I can extract text from the page so I know it's in there. I was able to combine the two documents then encrypt them which converts the entire document to version 1.6. I'm encrypting it with a blank password so anyone can read it. I'm wondering if there is a better method to do this. Honestly, it took me a while to figure this out. I've been using all the versions of this library from 9 to the current and I've combined literally thousands of PDFs and never seen this issue before.

tfrost Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 10 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 437	Post Options Post Reply Quote tfrost Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Mar 19 at 7:07PM
	The documentation says you can set the PDF Version using the SetInformation function. I have never tried this, so I have no idea whether it has any effect on the format of the the contents when you save it. Have you tried anything less ingenious (and clever) than encrypting it without a password?

BobW Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 13 Location: Minnesota Status: Offline Points: 64	Post Options Post Reply Quote BobW Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Mar 19 at 7:47PM
	That worked great! I'm going to use that instead. I was pretty sure the encryption would probably work. Since a 1.2 file can only go to 40 bits and to encrypt at 128 and higher requires a later version, it would have to update the version to get that level of encryption. This is a much better solution! I did try searching the forums, but "version" is found in nearly every post since the user needs to specify which version of the control they are using! Again, thanks!

tfrost Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 10 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 437	Post Options Post Reply Quote tfrost Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Mar 19 at 10:18PM
	No problem! I had just remembered having seen a means to set the stuff you see with Control-D in Acrobat, and I had an idea that PDF version was visible there also.