Why would you want to make your PDF files non-printable? Many instructors use their course homepages as the means to distribute course materials to students. This approach is very convenient both for students and instructors, and in theory, very environmentally friendly, since it takes us towards the "paperless classroom". Unfortunately, many students end up just printing out the documents made available to them through the web, because it is more convenient for them to have hardcopy. This turns CAE into a copy center, a role which does not suit us well. We would prefer that large documents be placed on the web in non-printable form, with identical hardcopies made available at Bob's Copy Shop, or some other place better equipped for large-volume copying. This allows those students who want hardcopy to have it, but it also lets those students who wish to not spend the money to use a web version. You can use the Adobe Acrobat to convert various file formats (Word, Postscript, etc.) to pdf files and post them on the web. They provide security features that require users to have a password to either edit or print the file. Creating a Non-Printable PDF File

1. To change the security properties of your pdf to non-printable, click on Document > Security > Show Security Settings for This Document...
2. From the Security Method box in the Security tab, select Password Security.
3. From the Compatibility box select the earliest version of Acrobat you want your file to be readable from. Then in the Permissions section, select Use a password... and enter a password of your choosing into the Permissions Password box. Next select None from the Printing Allowed box and select the desired editability from the Changes Allowed box and select OK to continue.
4. Next, confirm your password. Note: You will need this password later to change the security settings. Back to Top
5. Finally, save your file to activate the settings you just created.