Encrypt PDFs directly in Evernote with Automator (Mac Only)

[andy_vdg 12]

Hi everyone,

 

This should hopefully be helpful to some of you. 

I was looking for a way to set up an easy way to encrypt existing PDF files directly in Evernote without having to open them in some third party application. 

I got it working with automator and the third party action "Get Parent Folder" which you can find here: https://code.google.com/p/automator-actions/

It allows me to right click on a PDF within Evernote and click on Open With... Encrypt PDF (Automator app). 

 

Set up the Workflow as an application and use following example. Save the workflow as an App - I named mine Encrypt PDF. 

Ensure you include the space before (Encrypted) in rename finder items (thanks ENut)

 

I set it up so that it will automatically set the same password for all PDFs. If you want to be prompted for a password be sure to change the encryption step: 

 

Right click the Encrypt PDF application and select Show Package Contents then right click on Info.plist and open with Text Edit

 

Find the section that says

<key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>			<array>				<string>*</string>			</array>

Replace with 

<key>CFBundleTypeExtensions</key>			<array>				<string>pdf</string>			</array>

Save Info.plist

Now right click a PDF in Evernote and Open with... other. 

Browse to the Encrypt PDF app and open it. It should encrypt it and automatically update it in Evernote. 

PDF Encryptor should now be an option in the Open with... list. (if not try restarting your computer or relaunching finder)

 

 

There you go - once set up you have an easy automatic encryption of PDFs within Evernote. 

 

Known limitations so far: 

Will not work with already encrypted PDFs or PDFs with an owner/user password. There is no error checking around it - the workflow will simply fail. 

[ENnut 50]

Thanks Andy, I'm going to try this. They way I'm currently doing this is to open the pdf in Acrobat Pro, encrypt, then drag into EN.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

@andy_dg:

 

Thanks for sharing!  I haven't tried your process yet, but it looks like a great solution that will be useful to many users.   

 

I think this means that the entire PDF will be re-uploaded after the encryption.  So everyone should be aware that this could be a big hit on their monthly upload allowance, depending on the size of the PDF.

 

While this is a great solution for PDFs already in Evernote, perhaps it would be best to encrypt the PDF BEFORE uploading (the first time) to Evernote.  I'm thinking (hoping) that it would be easy to modify your process to encrypt the PDF while still in a Mac folder.

[ENnut 50]

Got this working. One thing to watch for.......there's a space before "(Encrypted)". I missed that at first. Won't work without the the space; it'll create a new file, foo .pdf (as opposed to foo.pdf) which will be placed in ParentFolder but not show/update in the note.

 

[andy_vdg 12]

@JMichael

Yes this is for PDFs which already exist in Evernote. I get quite a few in there via email or other sources and this is a handy way of encrypting already existing PDFs which I deem as not too sensitive to have to encrypt prior to uploading, but sensitive enough to want to encrypt in case someone get's physical access to my computer/iPad/iPhone with Evernote open.

Instead of opening PDFs in Acrobat you can always use this app outside of Evernote to drop PDFs on. Should save you a few steps and then everything gets uploaded encrypted which is what I do for any financial or very sensitive information.  

 

@ENut

I've updated the instructions to highlight the space before (Encrypted) - completely forgot about that - thanks.