Need to print a print-restricted PPT

[Boze]

I have a PowerPoint presentation I've downloaded on which the ability to print has been disabled. I'm looking for a workaround. I am open to any and all solutions. Will have more details (if necessary) forthcoming (est. 4 to 5 hours).


--------------------------------
If the owner of the file has disabled the print option, then it is not intended to be printed.


Asking for assistance to circumvent the ownership is not acceptable

Senior Anandtech Moderator
Common Courtesy

 

[nace186]

use printscreen key? Or sent it to yourself on gmail, and use gmail to view it as html?

 

[corkyg]

Can you open the file (PPS, PPT) in Powerpoint and then edit that restriction - or do a SAVE as to a different filename? If you can get it in Powerpoint, then you also may be able to save it as a PDF file and print it in a PDF editor.

 

[bruceb]

If need be post the file where we can get to it. Then someone should be able to remove the restrictions.

 

[Boze]

Thanks to everyone for wanting to help. As it turns out, what my professor meant was, "I have converted this PowerPoint to a PDF file and disabled printing on it, and then I had the audacity to tell an entire class of 250 people that no one would ever be able to print this file, so I expect everyone to rewrite the notes."

I don't mind encouraging people to rewrite notes, in fact, its good for memory retention. However, she made a critical error in assuming that because we're all pre-med students, we don't know dick about computers. On top of all this, I'm prior military and worked with Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) for 4 out of my 5 years. Telling people like myself and ones I worked with that we "would never be able to" do something is going to make us march through Hell and back to find a way to make it happen.

Since it was just a PDF, I stripped out the password, printed it off, and handed it to her the next class period with a warning, "Any digital product of any kind and probably will be eventually hacked or circumvented. My suggestion is that you never tell someone what they can't do, and next semester, just omit the fact they file can't be printed. The kids will figure it out on their own." And at which point I promised her I wouldn't distribute the unlocked file, and that I did this merely out of principle and to prove a point.

So in short, this was merely a matter of me being a dick in the face of authority, so thanks for wanting to help guys. (by the way I'm sincere about that, the AnandTech community has always been one of the best on the net when it comes to lending a helping hand)

Oh, and to the Senior Anandtech Moderator who modified my post:
I don't care what you think is or is not acceptable. I'm not requesting ethical advice, and furthermore, I'm not interested in any ethical or moral advice you have to offer. I was interested only in technical advice. Unless you have a philosophy degree and specialized in ethics, or I specifically ask for it, kindly keep your advice to yourself.

 

[M0RPH]

Don't be so proud of yourself. There's a million ways to print out a file like that. It's nothing difficult.

Seems like your teacher was just trying to get you to write notes of your own so you could learn something. Instead you chose to take the lazy way out. Then you had the nerve to throw it back in his face. If I were him I'd keep that in mind when grading time comes around and you are hovering between that A and B.