I am trying to set the security options in a document I converted using the PDF Maker in MS Word 2003. Every time I try this, I get a message saying "Acrobat has encountered a problem and must close." Help???

Maybe you can give us step by step details as to how you are trying to add security.

No but it may at least give us another clue to the problem if it works.

Can you create a whole new PDF and add security?

OK, I just tried re-creating the document using the print option instead of the PDF Maker and the same thing happens.

In that case, try creating the PDF either way with the security off (since that seems to be the issue) and then set the security from within Acrobat. If you still can not create the PDF, then there is another issue, not security. What graffiti and I are trying to do is help you trouble shoot. Once the problem is found, then a work around or fix can probably be done. Right now, I am basically asking if you can even print a basic document.

I don't know what you mean by "with the security off". I am creating the document within MS Word, but once it has been converted to PDF I open Acrobat and set all the options from within Acrobat. I usually set some document options such as how it should open, etc. and then I set the security options. I can create the PDF using either the PDF Maker icon on the Word toolbar or use the print to the Adobe PDF printer option. It's after I open the document in Acrobat and start working with the security options. I can set how the document opens, but it hangs up when I go to the security tab of that same menu.

Here is a step by step account of what I am doing:

I open my document in MS Word, then I either choose the icon that on the toolbar to convert to PDF or I choose the Adobe PDF printer from my list of printers from the "print" menu.

I close the document and then open the PDF version in Adobe Acrobat.

I then choose from the File menu the Properties option and start to make my setting there, i.e. how the document opens, magnification, etc. and then I choose the "security" tab to set the security options.

I can get as far as the actually password menu and then it freezes when either I get to that menu or I try to click the checkbox to set a password for no copying, editing, etc.

The same sequence of events happens no matter whether I use the PDF Maker icon in MS Word or use the "print to" the PDF printer in MS Word.

Could there be a conflict between Acrobat and my Palm Hot Sync/Desktop software?

Well... stop ALL tasks that you don't really need at that time, and try again

If that works, add tasks back in until the problem occurs... then report back here so other people will know that "X won't work if Y is running in the background"

I am not doing anything else at the same time. In other words, I am not doing a Hot Sync with my Palm. It is just sitting in the tray. However, I did close it and one other thing that is in my tray and that didn't seem to help. I must have the Palm software on my PC in order to sync my PDA with my calendar, etc. So, uninstalling it is not an option. I was asking if anyone knew of a conflict with Palm software.

That was the last thing that was installed on my PC. The Adobe Acrobat was working on July 1st, and then the Palm software was installed on July 9th. I have tried removing Acrobat and re-installing it, but that didn't fix the problem.