[cambro]

I just found this out and was SHOCKED that Apple would do this with absolutely no warning.

Whenever you use the built in "Save as PDF" feature in OS X, the resultant PDF is embedded with an author name that corresponds to the FULL NAME that you specify in Preferences->Users. So, if you send this file, anyone will be able to see who authored it.

This is a serious issue, IMO. I review papers and such annonymously and never dreamed that Uncle Apple would be including my name embedded in a file for the world to see without even hinting that it is doing so.

[mduell]

Why would you think Apple wouldn't do this? Apple loves meta-data.
I'd expect them to fill out every piece of meta-data available in the PDF spec.

[Thinine]

What application are you generating the PDF from? That app might be able to control what metadata is attached to the PDF.

[cambro]

Mac OS X uses PDF as the basis of it's imaging model (Quartz 2D is based on PDF). You don't need any application to save a PDF and this is an important feature of OS X.

That is why this really bothers me...

At least with Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office you have the OPTION of hiding/changing personal information that you don't want hidden within file headers. I really do think this is a screw up on Apple's part and it needs to be changed.

[peeb]

Wow - yes, that sucks.

[JKT]

This issue was recently discussed on the OmniGraffle mailing list (first post here). As PDFs are text files you can edit the information to remove your details after creation - I would read all the responses though as you can corrupt your file if the line endings are altered by your text editor.

If you don't want to read it all, here's a how-to you can test out:

1. Download the freeware TextWrangler (or if you have BBEdit, you can use that).
2. Launch TextWrangler and in Preferences>Text Files: Opening deselect the Translate Line Breaks option (very important).
3. Duplicate your pdf and work on the copy. Drag and drop the copy to the TextWrangler icon to open it.
4. Scroll to near the bottom of the file (or run a search for Author) and locate the Author (your name here) text. Then delete your name from between the ( ) and save.
5. Open your file in e.g. Preview and check that it still looks as it should. Perform a Get Info and the Author field should no longer exist.

HTH.

[cambro]

JKT:

Thanks for the info. I knew one could in principle edit the offending portion of the file (now I know how) but i guess the issue is that my name shouldn't be there in the first place...at least not without ASKING or INFORMING me.

Also, editing every single file is a real pain of a solution...for now, I changed my System Prefs->Accounts->Name field to nonsense.

[philm]

Your name is also saved within Word documents, and probably all the Office file formats.

[JKT]

Originally Posted by philm

Your name is also saved within Word documents, and probably all the Office file formats.

Not if you remove it from the Properties list, it isn't. That is Cambro's point, I suspect - you have the option to remove this info easily in Word but there is no interface for doing it in OS X for its printing to PDF mechanism.

[philm]

Good point, well made.

[kcmac]

I guess I don't understand why this is a problem. Unless you are forwarding or saving things you shouldn't...

[JKT]

Cambro has already stated why it is a problem for him/her - if you are reviewing articles for e.g. a scientific journal, the process is meant to be completely anonymous* to the person whose article you are reviewing. If they can identify you, then it can lead to problems with the review process.

* Generally - there are exceptions as some journals prefer it to be a completely open process.

[Sal]

Thank you to BareBones for putting AppleScript support into TextWrangler!

1) Before using this script, launch TextWrangler and in Preferences > Text Files: Opening, deselect the Translate Line Breaks option (very important)
2) Copy and paste this script into a new script in the Script Editor
3) Change the value of the author_name property to the long user name of your computer
4) Save the script as an application

To use, simply drag COPIES of PDF files onto the droplet to have it remove the author name.

-- SCRIPT FOLLOWS:

Code:
property author_name : "THE LONG USER NAME OF YOUR COMPUTER GOES HERE"

on open these_items
	repeat with i from 1 to the count of these_items
		set this_item to item i of these_items
		if the name extension of (info for this_item) is "pdf" then
			tell application "TextWrangler"
				activate
				open this_item
				replace "Author (" & author_name & ")" using "Author ()" searching in text document 1 ¬
					saving yes options {starting at top:true, showing results:false}
				close text document 1 saving no
			end tell
		end if
	end repeat
end open

BTW, if you're using Tiger, you can use this version of the script that automatically gets the long user name:

Code:
on open these_items
	set the author_name to the long user name of (system info)
	repeat with i from 1 to the count of these_items
		set this_item to item i of these_items
		if the name extension of (info for this_item) is "pdf" then
			tell application "TextWrangler"
				activate
				open this_item
				replace "Author (" & author_name & ")" using "Author ()" searching in text document 1 ¬
					saving yes options {starting at top:true, showing results:false}
				close text document 1 saving no
			end tell
		end if
	end repeat
end open

[Big Mac]

This is a truly exemplary thread for the forums - a person reports an issue, it's debated for a short period of time and then someone, in this case Sal, graciously comes up with a remedy. Truly great.

[packetattack]

Not if you remove it from the Properties list, it isn't. That is Cambro's point, I suspect - you have the option to remove this info easily in Word but there is no interface for doing it in OS X for its printing to PDF mechanism.

This is not accurate. Myself and others make a fair living showing lawyers just how much info is embedded into a Word doc that does NOT show up in the properties. Word docs are full of "stuff" and this is why software like DocX is available to clean (scrub) documents before they are sent to clients. I had an interview once and the company sent me an offer letter which popped up in my Word from Hilton. Since the company did clothes, I called them and asked if they were part of Hilton. Turns out their VP "borrowed" more than a few templates from her last job :o

MikeS
hackamac.packetattack.com

[JKT]

Originally Posted by packetattack

Not if you remove it from the Properties list, it isn't. That is Cambro's point, I suspect - you have the option to remove this info easily in Word but there is no interface for doing it in OS X for its printing to PDF mechanism.

This is not accurate. Myself and others make a fair living showing lawyers just how much info is embedded into a Word doc that does NOT show up in the properties. Word docs are full of "stuff" and this is why software like DocX is available to clean (scrub) documents before they are sent to clients. I had an interview once and the company sent me an offer letter which popped up in my Word from Hilton. Since the company did clothes, I called them and asked if they were part of Hilton. Turns out their VP "borrowed" more than a few templates from her last job :o

MikeS
hackamac.packetattack.com

Ah yes, too true. I should have said that at least in Word you *theoretically* have the ability to not have that information included

[cambro]

Thanks everyone for the comments/suggestions an thank you Sal for an excellent solution! You guys/gals are awesome!

[pendragon]

Word docs are full of "stuff" and this is why software like DocX is available to clean (scrub) documents before they are sent to clients. -Mike S

Mike, I have been unsuccessful in finding DocX on VersionTracker or MacUpdate. Have you a link, please!