pdf digital signatures in Porteus

[davlanders]

Howdy,

I am a newb to Linux. Some command line knowledge but not an expert by any means.

Anyway I really like Porteus and have good use for it in a portable environment for some mobile volunteer activities I do. I need to be able to digitally sign pdf files. I was able to download adobe in another distro (I think it was Puppy, but don't quote me) and I thought a linux based pdf reader. Is there a good option for this in Porteus? Am I relegated to installing adobe in Wine to do this?

Thanks for your help.

[davlanders]

NVM. I am a total newb. I hadn't updated my USM database. I see adobe in there now.

[davlanders]

Ok, back to square one. I've tried making a module out of Adobe and tried installing it. Neither resulted in a working program. I've gotten several other packages running including sylpheed that has multiple dependencies.

Thoughts?

[Bogomips]

Welcome to Porteus. No doubt someone with the necessary expertise will be along shortly.

[brokenman]

Is signing the file with gpg an option?

Code: Select all

gpg --clearsign --output=mySignedFile.pdf inputFile.pdf
gpg --verify mySignedFile.pdf

If it is a physical signature you need then perhaps this will work. I have not tried it thought.
http://www.howtogeek.com/215485/sign-pd ... ny-device/

[davlanders]

Thanks for the thoughts. I haven't used gpg before and will look into it but I don't think it will work. The documents I'm signing have a digital signature (see example below) by someone added before me, then mine, then I'm sending to someone else who will also sign (there are multiple signature fields on the typical document I'm signing). Adobe pdf reader does this well, but I haven't been able to get it to work (I'm going to keep fiddling with it, however, and will update here if I get it to work). I was hoping there was a native linux package that could do the same thing.

I was attracted to Porteus so I could put it on a thumb drive and use it on any computer in the area where I'm deployed but also would carry an old netbook I can boot to with the same porteus usb drive. Would make things very simple as I can just store all of the documents I need on this one usb drive and be good to go with my own hardware or someone elses.

Example digital signature:

http://blogs.adobe.com/security/files/2 ... .21-PM.png

[brokenman]

I don't think a FOSS pdf signer exists that can sign an existing adobe pdf file format. Adobe have probably used their own proprietary format. Anyway I noticed a 'digital signature' option in the menu in libreoffice. Libreoffice is available on our mirrors in the module folder.

[davlanders]

Thanks. Yes, it looks like the only way for me to do this is with adobe. That being said:

I have attempted to make a module from adobe 9.5 in USM (I made the module successfully, activated it, and moved it into the module folder) but when I attempt to open it nothing happens. I have made other modules successfully.

Can anyone help with getting adobe operational in Porteus?

[davlanders]

Update. I was able to put Adobe Reader 8 into a module from USM but it opens only in Italian (I selected English but still opens in Italian) and lots of error messages.

[ncmprhnsbl]

hi, one way to troubleshoot a non functioning module/program, is to try to run it via a terminal and see if any useful error messages appear..
not sure what executable for reader is .. maybe acroread ...
if not check /usr/share/applications for the reader .desktop file,open with a text editor, and see what the Exec= line says

[Bogomips]

Anyway I noticed a 'digital signature' option in the menu in libreoffice. Libreoffice is available on our mirrors in the module folder.

Had occasion previously to fill out pdf forms, and from all gleaned on the web, LibreOffice has got the goods. IMHO LibreOffice is your best bet.