Filling image field in a certified PDF form without breaking certification

Question

I have to fill a certified PDF form with itext. This form has been built with Adobe Life Cycle and contains, among others, image fields (PushButtonField).

With Adobe Reader, I can fill all types of fields, without breaking the certification signature, including image fields.

With itext, filling other types of fields works just fine, but when I try to fill the existing image fields, it breaks the form certification. I tried different ways, without success.

Way 1:

AcroFields form = pdfStamper.getAcroFields();
form.setField(fieldName, b64EncodedJpegByteArray)

With this code, image is displayed in Adobe Reader, but certification signature is broken.

Way 2 :

AcroFields form = pdfStamper.getAcroFields();
PushbuttonField pb = form.getNewPushbuttonFromField(fieldName);
pb.setImage(Image.getInstance(jpegByteArray);
form.replacePushbuttonField(fieldName, pb.getField());

With this one, the certification is also broken and the image is not displayed in Adobe Reader any more...

Has anyone met this before?

joelgeraci joelgeraci · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-11T15:42:44

I don't work with iText much anymore but I am familiar with the changes that are permissible to a PDF without breaking the Certification and your last line...

form.replacePushbuttonField(fieldName, pb.getField());

... may a step too far. You can only change field values and/or appearances, not replace fields, which changes the AcroForm dictionary.

You need to figure out how to use iText to change the default or "Normal" appearance of the button.

Filling image field in a certified PDF form without breaking certification

1 Answers