iText seems to break the PDF/A-1A conformance when applying a visible digital signature

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votes

I experience a problem when signing a PDF/A-1A document created with Microsoft Word 2013 and using iTextSharp with a visible signature. The signed document is no more conform, with the following errors from the PDF/A validator:

  • An end text operator is missing
  • A begin text operator is missing

A warning message is also displayed when printing the signed document with Acrobat (but not when opening the document).

Without a visbile signature the document remains conform.

I tested using iTextSharp release 5.5.7 and 5.5.8. Same effect. Signing the same PDF/A documents using acrobat reader or pro doesn't break the PDF/A-1A conformance. Signing PDF documents created by another software than MS Word 2013 (with the save as command) and using iText seems not to break the PDF/A-1A conformance.

The test documents can be downloaded here:

Online validators used: pdf-online, pdf-tools, Preflight (Adobe Acrobat). This validator also validates the signed document :-)

Is there any bug in the iText Library and any way to get a valid PDF/A-1A document?

Thanks for any help! Corto

Thanks for your answer. I tested a patch that iText delivered me in February. It solved the problem when printing the document (warning message). But the patch was probably not integrated in the final release (5.5.9) and the problem is not solved yet.

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itextdigital-signaturepdfa
Please show the signing code you're using – mkl
I have reproduced this error with a PDF/A-2 file. It seems there is a bug in iText when using the rendering mode GRAPHIC_AND_DESCRIPTION. This is not reproduced using rendering mode DESCRIPTION. So if you can omit the graphic part, you'll be able to avoid the bug. It has been reported in support issue SUP-1127. – Egl
Hi Egl, thanks a lot for looking at my issue and for your reply. Is there any possibility to get a patch for this bug before the end of year? For example by buying a license or paying Something for this patch? – Corto
Hi @Corto, I'm sorry. I do not belong to iText crew so I cannot answer your question. – Egl
According to the closing comments in SUP-1127, this was confirmed to be fixed? You are welcome to re-open that ticket if you have any further questions. – Amedee Van Gasse

1 Answers