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ACCESS DENIED for unmodified Adobe PDF file from same directory with new name

I opened an Acrobat form from a local Dropbox folder that is shared with my paralegal and tried to re-save the unmodified file in the same folder with a different name. This is the error message I got. I am a sole practitioner. Nobody else has this file open. It is also not marked with any security so I know it’s not read-only.

The only way I can save this file is to back thru the Dropbox (Personal) folder, navigate back to the subdirectory, and perform the Save As OR save it to my desktop and then move it into the right folder with File Explorer.

This only started about a month ago, and it is maddening. I figure it was either Adobe or Microsoft doing something they thought was cute with an added layer of security. Am I alone with this problem?

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Jay

Thanks for the info, this might help other users with similar issues in future!

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Jay

Hi @Patentguy, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Is this only occurring for this Adobe file only? What about for files not in the Dropbox folder?

If the Dropbox desktop application has been exited, do you get the same issue?

Keep me updated with any details!

Patentguy

The access denied message only occurs when Adobe Acrobat tries to save a file to a Dropbox folder. I can save the PDF to my desktop and then move it into a Dropbox folder OR go through the linked account process. I can't save directly.

I do not get this error message when I save to OneDrive or when I save a Word file to Dropbox.

Updates: Same error messages when I uninstall and reinstall Dropbox (saving all files to local hard drive rather than online) and after uninstalling/reinstalling Acrobat.

Jay

Thanks for the info, I'd recommend getting in contact with the support team directly for further assistance.

Once you get a ticket ID from the automated response, please let me know the number here so I can locate it in our system.

Patentguy

Contacted them by email. No response yet so no number.

Update 3: I can save a PDF from a website, e.g., filing receipt from the USPTO, directly to a Dropbox folder, but I cannot save a PDF into that same folder when: (a) I convert a Word document to a PDF using "Save as PDF", or (b) by printing the Word document to a pdf file using Adobe PDF or CutePDF.

Update 4: I had a Word version of the document I was working with in the above and found it renamed that morning as [filename](Lance Johnson's Conflicted Copy dated 12/10/2021). This is new. Is the Dropbox sync system acting in new ways that are causing these error messages?

Jay

Conflicted copies happen when a file is being saved while being open elsewhere.

Regarding your support ticket, you can locate it from this page online when you scroll down to view your active tickets.

Patentguy

15331738

Logan closed it and said it's an Adobe problem, not a Dropbox problem.

Patentguy

I think I have a solution. Win10 must have recently changed its Settings for Acrobat access to the Controlled Folders under its Virus and Threat Protection settings. (Settings - Security (advanced) - Virus & threat protection settings - Manage settings - Manage Controlled Folder access - Allow an app through Controlled folder access - Add an allowed app). Once I added Adobe and the associated services that had recently been blocked, I could save without the error message.

Jay

Thanks for the info, this might help other users with similar issues in future!