Technical PDF Related Questions

  • Why am I receiving an error message about hyperlinks and/or embedded metadata? (using Adobe 10)

    How to remove hidden hyperlinks or metadata

    in PDF documents with a single click.

    When docketing in CM/ECF using Mozilla Firefox, the system does not accept PDF documents with hidden hyperlinks or metadata. Attempting to attach such documents would present the following error message: “ERROR: This document contains embedded links (annotations and/ or hyperlinks). This PDF document cannot be accepted.” As a result, you must remove hidden hyperlinks or metadata on PDF documents before uploading it in CM/ECF.

    There are many ways to remove hidden hyperlinks on PDF documents. One method would be to “sanitize document.” The “sanitize document” removes sensitive information with a single click, including comments, metadata, links, form fields and more. Please note that the Federal Judiciary does not endorse or recommend any specific PDF software. However, as an illustration, for Adobe Acrobat version 10.1.3, follow these steps to sanitize a PDF document:

    1. Open the document in Adobe Acrobat

    2. Click View located on the menu bar

    3. Select Tools

    4. Select Protection

    5. Click Sanitize Document and a new window appears

    6. Rename the file and click Save

  • Why am I receiving an error message about hyperlinks and/or embedded metadata? (using Adobe 9)

    Use the Examine Document feature to find and remove content from a document that you don’t want, such as hidden text, metadata, comments, and attachments.

    If you want to examine every PDF for hidden content before you close it or send it in email, specify that option in the Documents preferences using the Preferences dialog box.

    1. Choose Document > Examine Document.

    If items are found, they are listed in the Examine Document panel with a selected check box beside each item.

    1. Make sure that the check boxes are selected only for the items that you want to remove from the document:

    Metadata - Metadata includes information about the document and its contents, such as the author’s name, keywords, and copyright information, that can be used by search utilities. To view metadata, choose File > Properties.

    File Attachments - Files of any format can be attached to the PDF as an attachment. To view attachments, choose View > Navigation Panel > Attachments.

    Annotations And Comments - This item includes all comments that were added to the PDF using the comment and markup tools, including files attached as comments. To view comments, choose View > Navigation Panel > Comments.

    Form Fields - This item includes form fields (including signature fields), and all actions and calculations associated with form fields. If you remove this item, all form fields are flattened and can no longer be filled out, edited, or signed.

    Hidden Text - This item indicates text in the PDF that is either transparent, covered up by other content, or the same color as the background. To view hidden text, click Preview. Click the double-arrow buttons to navigate pages that contain hidden text, and select options to show hidden text, visible text, or both.

    Hidden Layers - PDFs can contain multiple layers that can be shown or hidden. Removing hidden layers removes these layers from the PDF and flattens remaining layers into a single layer. To view layers, choose View > Navigation Panel > Layers.

    Bookmarks - Bookmarks are links with representational text that open specific pages in the PDF. To view bookmarks, choose View > Navigation Panel > Bookmarks.

    Embedded Search Index - An embedded search index speeds up searches in the file. To determine if the PDF contains a search index, choose Advanced > Document Processing > Manage Embedded Index. Removing indexes decreases file size but increases search time for the PDF.

    Deleted Hidden Page And Image Content - PDFs sometimes retain content that has been removed and which is no longer visible, such as cropped or deleted pages, or deleted images.

    1. Click Remove to delete selected items from the file, and click OK.

    Note: When you remove checked items, additional items are automatically removed from the document: digital signatures; document information added by third-party plug-ins and applications; and special features that enable Adobe Reader users to review, sign, and fill in PDF documents.

    1. Choose File > Save, and specify a filename and location. If you don’t want to overwrite the original file, save the file to a different name, location, or both.

    The selected content is permanently removed when you save the file. If you close the file without saving it, you must repeat this process, making sure to save the file.

  • Why am I receiving an error message about hyperlinks and/or embedded metadata? (using Adobe 8.x)

    When a PDF document that is embedded with hyperlinks and metadata is being e-filed in CM/ECF, an Internal Server Error will occur and the process of e-filing will not complete.

    Internal Server Error

    The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

    Please contact the server administrator, root @ localhost and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

    More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Apache Server at ecf.cacd.uscourts.gov Port 443

    Before making another attempt to e-file the same PDF document, all hyperlinks and metadata must be completely removed from the PDF document.

    In addition to Adobe Acrobat, there are other brands of commercially available software that can be used to create PDF files. Please consult the User Guide that is provided by your PDF software vendor for instructions on how to remove hyperlinks and metadata. If you are currently using a freeware to create your PDF files, be aware that advertisements may be embedded in your PDF documents. These advertisements are also not permitted and should be removed from the PDF documents.

    Please note that the Federal Judiciary does not endorse or recommend any specific PDF software. As an illustration, instructions for the removal of hyperlinks and metadata from PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat 8 are provided below.

    • Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat 8.
    • Click Edit > Preferences from the Menu Bar. The Preferences dialog box will open.
    • Under Categories on the left-hand side, click General to display its panel of settings.
    • Under Basic Tools, deselect the option to "Create links from URLs" and click OK.
    • Click File > Print from the Menu Bar. The Print dialog box will open.
    • Click the down arrow next to Name under Printer and select "Adobe PDF." Then click OK. The printer driver will print (publish) the document in PDF.
    • The Save PDF File As dialog box appears. Specify the location where you want to save the document and rename the filename. Click Save when done.
    • The new document is opened in Adobe Acrobat, and the hyperlinks have been removed.
    • Click Document > Examine Document from the Menu Bar. The Examine Document dialog box will open.
    • Any document information such as metadata, hidden text, and annotations should be automatically selected by default. If applicable, click the check box to select Check All. Then click Remove all checked items.
    • A pop-up window appears and confirms the removal of the selected document information, including metadata. Click OK.
    • Close the PDF document. Another pop-up window will appear and confirm saving the changes to the new document. Click Yes.
    • The Save As dialog box appears. Click Save.
    • A pop-up window appears. Click Yes to replace the existing file with the new file.
    • All hyperlinks and metadata have been successfully removed from the PDF document. The new document is now ready to be e-filed. Also, close the old document.
       
  • Why is the blue electronic stamp missing from the top of documents that were e-filed?

    Some pdf documents, especially those that have been scanned, might contain metadata which will cause this problem. Do not re-file the document unless so directed by the Court. For future filings, please flatten or sanitize your pdf document prior to e-filing.

  • What is the size limit of a PDF document to be filed in CM/ECF and what can I do to ensure I don’t exceed the limit on the size of PDF documents?

    The size limit of a PDF document to be filed in the CM/ECF system is 10 MB. This size is not dependent on the number of pages of the document as scanned documents can generate larger file sizes than electronically generated PDF documents.

    When scanning, be sure to set your scanner to black and white and 200 dpi. If your scanned document is larger than the limit, you can separate it into multiple smaller files. To check the size of the file, right click on the file and select properties.
     

  • I am using Adobe Acrobat 5. When I try to view PDF documents in CM/ECF, I see a blank screen. How can I fix this?

    In Adobe 5.0 or 6.0, make the following changes:

    • Go to Edit, Preferences, Options
    • Uncheck "Display PDF in browser"
    • Uncheck "allow fast web view"
  • Can I use Adobe Acrobat 5.0?

    The Administrative Office(AO) of the United States Courts' CM/ECF Development Team extensively tested and evaluated the capabilities and compatibility of the Adobe Acrobat version 5.0 with the CM/ECF service. These test results indicate that court personnel and lawyers can use Version 5 PDF documents without adverse effects to CM/ECF. It should be noted that CM/ECF does not endorse any specific software, just the use of the PDF.

  • Can I copy a PDF text file to my word processor?

    If a PDF document contains text, as opposed to an image, you can select text and do a normal copy and paste. Using the Acrobat Reader, you can select no more than a page at a time.

  • When I print an image from CM/ECF, the right edge gets cut off.

    After you click the print icon, click the ‘shrink to fit' box on the printer setup screen. Once the setting has been changed, it should remain this way for all PDF documents.

  • Why am I receiving an Internal Server Error when e-filing a PDF document?

    When a PDF document that is embedded with hyperlinks and metadata is being e-filed in CM/ECF, an Internal Server Error will occur and the process of e-filing will not complete.

    Internal Server Error

    The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

    Please contact the server administrator, root@localhost and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

    More information about this error may be available in the server error log.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Apache Server at ecf.cacd.uscourts.gov Port 443

    Before making another attempt to e-file the same PDF document, all hyperlinks and metadata must be completely removed from the PDF document.

    In addition to Adobe Acrobat, there are other brands of commercially available software that can be used to create PDF files. Please consult the User Guide that is provided by your PDF software vendor for instructions on how to remove hyperlinks and metadata. If you are currently using a freeware to create your PDF files, be aware that advertisements may be embedded in your PDF documents. These advertisements are also not permitted and should be removed from the PDF documents.

    Please note that the Federal Judiciary does not endorse or recommend any specific PDF software. As an illustration, instructions for the removal of hyperlinks and metadata from PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat 8 are provided below.

    • Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat 8.
    • Click Edit > Preferences from the Menu Bar. The Preferences dialog box will open.
    • Under Categories on the left-hand side, click General to display its panel of settings.
    • Under Basic Tools, deselect the option to "Create links from URLs" and click OK.
    • Click File > Print from the Menu Bar. The Print dialog box will open.
    • Click the down arrow next to Name under Printer and select "Adobe PDF." Then click OK. The printer driver will print (publish) the document in PDF.
    • The Save PDF File As dialog box appears. Specify the location where you want to save the document and rename the filename. Click Save when done.
    • The new document is opened in Adobe Acrobat, and the hyperlinks have been removed.
    • Click Document > Examine Document from the Menu Bar. The Examine Document dialog box will open.
    • Any document information such as metadata, hidden text, and annotations should be automatically selected by default. If applicable, click the check box to select Check All. Then click Remove all checked items.
    • A pop-up window appears and confirms the removal of the selected document information, including metadata. Click OK.
    • Close the PDF document. Another pop-up window will appear and confirm saving the changes to the new document. Click Yes.
    • The Save As dialog box appears. Click Save.
    • A pop-up window appears. Click Yes to replace the existing file with the new file.
    • All hyperlinks and metadata have been successfully removed from the PDF document. The new document is now ready to be e-filed. Also, close the old document.
       

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