Unable to create the folder - Access is denied

[tomizoso]

Hello,

We have a problem with PDF-XChange Editor 8.0 build 339.0 10.2.1 build 385 10.5.0, build 393.

If running the software with User permissions, in a File Explorer dialog inside the software, we cannot create a folder even if the user in question has full permissions to that folder. We'll get "Unable to create the folder - Access is denied". The same happens if we try to create any file (fe. text document), we'll get. "Unable to create the file - Access is denied"

If we run the software with an administrator account it works as expected and file and folder creation works.

Is this intended security feature or a bug?

[Radi - PDF-XChange]

Hello tomizoso,

Since this works with your Admin account and not with your user's account, this seems like an issue with your user permissions or permissions related to the application. This should be the first thing you can check.

Since your are running a very old version of the Editor, it may be a good idea to also check this with the latest version of the Editor. This can be downloaded here:
https://www.pdf-xchange.com/product/downloads

If you do not want to reinstall the Editor, you can try with the portable version.

Regards,
Radi

[tomizoso]

It is not a folder permissions issue. As I already stated the user has full permissions to the folder. The message "Unable to create the folder - Access is denied " will come in any folder from inside the PDF-Xchange application. The user can create files and folders to the same folders outside the PDF-Xchange application.

So is it a bug or a feature?

[tomizoso]

Updated to version 10.2.1 build 385. The same issue persists.

[Dimitar - PDF-XChange]

Hello tomizoso,

Please update the product to the latest version 10.5.0.393, as my colleague advised you, and check if this resolves the problem:

https://www.pdf-xchange.com/product/downloads

If it does not, please try starting the PDF Editor as admin ( Run As Administrator), and see if this has any effect on the problem.

Regards.

[tomizoso]

Installed version: 10.5.0, build 393 (14.1.2025; 0.21). The issue persists.
I have already verified that running the software as administrator allows to create folders.

If I run it as user, I cannot create folders anywhere, even if I have full control to the folder. For example: My Documents. I can create folders to the same locations from Windows or within any other software but PDF-Xchange.

I just want to verify:
You cannot create files or folders from inside PDF-Exchange as user regardless of folder permissions, you need to be an administrator.

So this is a feature?

[tomizoso]

We have also verified the issue with different user accounts. The issue remains.

[Dimitar - PDF-XChange]

Hello tomizoso,

This does sound like application permissions problem, which is also related to the user's access rights.

While you are trying to save a file from within the PDF Editor, please check if the current user has all the permissions needed for the saving process:

image(1).png

[tomizoso]

image(1).png

Error message when clicking New Folder

image.png

Folder C:\Data permissions

As I said already. This is not about folder permissions. I can create files and folders fine when not in PDF-Exchange.
If it were about folder permissions, I would not be able to create files and folders period.

So its a bug then? How do I fix it?

[Dimitar - PDF-XChange]

Hello tomizoso,

So this is a bug then?

No, it is not. At least not in our PDF editor. Maybe in the Windows operating system itself.

If this was a bug in our PDF editor, you would have encountered the same problem in the administrator account.

There is still a user rights issue, but it is just not possible for me to know where the problem is exactly, since I do not know how the user account was set up.

Also, none of the other users are having this issue, and many of them, including the workstations in our office, have the same setup on the user accounts.

Please try creating another user account and see if that resolves the issue.

You can also try deleting the PDF Editor's TEMP folder, as its permissions can also affect the save process.

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\PDFXEdit\

The PDF editor will recreate it with the correct permissions when it detects that it is missing.

You may also consider checking local policies and AppLocker, as this may also affect the new user account.

Regards

[tomizoso]

With the same logic we could say it must be in the software, because we have hundreds of software and thousands of users and PDF-Xchange is the only one behaving this way.

I deleted the folder C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp\PDFXEdit\ and the issue persists.

I will create a plain visitor account and try it out. But we have already replicated the issue with multiple user accounts.

What is weird about the error message, it is not even the standard Windows behavior. I mean if I try to create a folder in the generic file dialog to a location that I do not have permissions, it just prompts to enter admin credentials. In PDF-Xchange it gives the error immediately.

Here are Notepad and PDF-XChange side by side:

image.png

I think there is something wrong of how PDF-Xchange checks whether the user has permissions.

But I will investigate the issue further with Processmonitor if I can figure it out. I will let you know if I manage to resolve this.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi, tomizoso

would you be amenable to us doing a remote session to investigate?