# Document Protection and Editable Regions

> Restrict editing in a WPF TextControl: EditMode, DocumentPermissions and passwords, editable regions for single users, the Permissions tab and CanPrint checks.

- **Product:** TX Text Control .NET for WPF
- **Section:** Documentation
- **Kind:** Topic
- **Path:** TX Text Control .NET for WPF > Document Editor > Document Protection and Editable Regions
- **4045 words**
- **Web URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/protection/
- **LLMs URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/protection/llms.txt
- **LLMs-Full URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/protection/llms-full.txt

---

How do you let a user fill in the blanks of a contract without letting them rewrite the clauses? The WPF `TextControl` protects a document so that it can only be read, or edited within set limits, and marks *editable regions* that stay open for everyone or for one named user. Users configure all of this on the **Permissions** tab of the ribbon; your code does it through a few properties and collections, and the settings are saved in the document.

The examples extend a window with a `TextControl` named `textControl1`, as in [Create Your First WPF Application](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/getting-started/document-editor/first-application/llms-full.txt). The limits of this kind of protection outside the editor are the subject of [Document Protection](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/security/document-protection/llms-full.txt).

### How Document Protection Works

Protection starts with [EditMode](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editmode-property/llms-full.txt):

- **`Edit`**: no restrictions.
- **`ReadAndSelect`**: the text can be read and selected, and editing and formatting are restricted by the document permissions.
- **`ReadOnly`**: the text is displayed only; it can't even be selected.
- **`UsePassword`**: combined with `ReadAndSelect` by the bitwise OR operator, it opens a dialog box in which a password for the restrictions is entered.

[DocumentPermissions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/documentpermissions-property/llms-full.txt) returns the [DocumentPermissions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/llms-full.txt) object with the restrictions of `ReadAndSelect`. Each of its properties defaults to `true`:

| Property | When `true` |
|---|---|
| [ReadOnly](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/readonly-property/llms-full.txt) | The text and its formatting can't be changed |
| [AllowFormatting](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/allowformatting-property/llms-full.txt) | The document can be formatted |
| [AllowFormattingStyles](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/allowformattingstyles-property/llms-full.txt) | Styles can be applied, if `AllowFormatting` is also `true` |
| [AllowCopy](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/allowcopy-property/llms-full.txt) | Content can be copied to the clipboard |
| [AllowPrinting](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/allowprinting-property/llms-full.txt) | The document can be printed |
| [AllowEditingFormFields](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/documentpermissions/alloweditingformfields-property/llms-full.txt) | Form fields can be filled in |

RTF, DOC, DOCX, PDF and the TX Text Control format (TX) store the permissions and the password in encrypted form. When a document with a password is loaded, it is read-only, and only the same password sets the edit mode back to `Edit`.

In `ReadAndSelect` mode, *editable regions* can still be changed. A region belongs to a user name, or to everyone when the name is empty, and it is highlighted in a color per user. Which users work with the editor is set by [UserNames](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/usernames-property/llms-full.txt).

### Protect a Document With the Ribbon

The **Permissions** tab is a [RibbonPermissionsTab](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/ribbonpermissionstab/llms-full.txt) in the ribbon of the window. The `TextControl` finds it by name through its [RibbonPermissionsTab](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/ribbonpermissionstab-property/llms-full.txt) property; [Connecting Ribbon Tabs in XAML](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/ribbon-ui/ribbon-xaml/llms-full.txt) shows the markup. With the tab, a user protects a document like this:

1. Choose in **Restrict Formatting** and **Restrict Editing** what stays allowed, for example **Allow Printing**, **Allow Copy** or **Fill in Form Fields**, or click **Read Only**.
2. Click **Add Users** in the **Mark Exceptions and set Users** group, type a name under **New User**, click **Add** and close the dialog box with **OK**:

    ![The WPF Permissions tab with the Add Users dialog box, which contains a New User box, an Add button and the user John in the Users list.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/permissions-add-users.30af587a.webp)
3. Select text and check the user in the list of the group, or **Every User**, to make the selection editable:

    ![The WPF Permissions tab with the user John checked and the selected words general section highlighted in the document.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/permissions-user-exception.d6ca96ad.webp)
4. Click **Enforce Protection** and enter a password.

Clicking **Enforce Protection** again asks for the password and removes the protection:

![The Unprotect Document dialog box of the WPF sample asking for the password, with an editable paragraph highlighted in green in the document.](https://docs.textcontrol.com/assets/img/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/permissions-unprotect.d6bb3df6.webp)

The group **Edit restricted Document** also switches the highlighting of the regions on and off and moves to the previous or next region.

Your application can fill the **Add Users** dialog box with its own user list. [RegisteredUserNames](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/ribbonpermissionstab/registeredusernames-property/llms-full.txt) sets the names offered, and [AllowAddingUserNames](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/ribbonpermissionstab/allowaddingusernames-property/llms-full.txt) with `false` keeps users from typing others. Here, the tab has the `x:Name` `ribbonPermissionsTab1`:

```csharp
// Offer only the users of the application in the Add Users dialog box
ribbonPermissionsTab1.RegisteredUserNames = new string[] { "Tim Typer", "Ryan Reviewer" };
ribbonPermissionsTab1.AllowAddingUserNames = false;
```

### Mark Editable Regions in Code

The regions of a document are in the [EditableRegionCollection](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/llms-full.txt) that [EditableRegions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregions-property/llms-full.txt) returns. [Add](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/add-method/llms-full.txt) inserts a new [EditableRegion](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregion/llms-full.txt). Both classes are in the `TXTextControl` namespace:

```csharp
private void MarkSelectionButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    // Everyone may edit the selected text; the region has the ID 1
    EditableRegionCollection.AddResult result =
        textControl1.EditableRegions.Add(new EditableRegion(null, 1));

    if (result == EditableRegionCollection.AddResult.NoSelection)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("Select the text that should stay editable.");
    }
}

private void MarkForUserButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    // Only Tim Typer may edit characters 1 to 20; the start is one-based
    textControl1.EditableRegions.Add(new EditableRegion("Tim Typer", 2, 1, 20));
}
```

What the code does:

- The user name comes first. `null` or an empty string opens the region to everyone.
- The identifier is yours to choose, 1 or higher, or 0 for none. [GetItem](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/getitem-method/llms-full.txt) looks a region up by it.
- Without a start and a length, the region covers the selection. Otherwise it covers the range, counted from 1.
- [EditableRegionCollection.AddResult](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/addresult-enumeration/llms-full.txt) tells the outcome, such as `Successful`, `NoSelection`, or `Combined` if the region was merged with an overlapping or adjacent one of the same user and ID.

### Protect the Document in Code

With the regions in place, set the permissions and change the edit mode. `UsePassword` makes the editor ask the user for a password:

```csharp
private void ProtectButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    // What remains allowed outside the editable regions
    textControl1.DocumentPermissions.ReadOnly = true;
    textControl1.DocumentPermissions.AllowPrinting = true;
    textControl1.DocumentPermissions.AllowCopy = false;

    // Protect the document; a dialog box asks for the password
    textControl1.EditMode = TXTextControl.EditMode.ReadAndSelect | TXTextControl.EditMode.UsePassword;

    textControl1.Save("contract.docx", StreamType.WordprocessingML);
}
```

Without `UsePassword`, the same restrictions apply, but setting `EditMode` back to `Edit` lifts them without a password.

### Open a Protected Document

The user names have to be set before the document is loaded, for example in the `Loaded` handler of the control. The regions of these users and those open to everyone are then editable:

```csharp
private void TextControl1_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    // The regions of these users can be edited
    textControl1.UserNames = new string[] { "Tim Typer" };

    textControl1.Load("contract.docx", StreamType.WordprocessingML);
}
```

The first user name is also recorded as the author of tracked changes and comments; see [Track Changes](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/track-changes/llms-full.txt). Setting `EditMode` to `EditMode.Edit` in code removes the protection; for a document with a password, the editor asks for it first.

### Check What the User May Do

Read-only properties of the `TextControl` tell what the current edit mode and permissions allow. Check them before your own commands act, or use them to enable and disable buttons:

```csharp
private void PrintButton_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    if (!textControl1.CanPrint)
    {
        MessageBox.Show("This document cannot be printed.");
        return;
    }

    textControl1.Print("contract", false);
}
```

`Print` opens the print dialog; [Printing and Print Preview](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/printing/llms-full.txt) describes its parameters. The other properties:

| Property | Tells whether |
|---|---|
| [CanEdit](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/canedit-property/llms-full.txt) | Text or formatting can be changed |
| [CanPrint](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/canprint-property/llms-full.txt) | The document can be printed |
| [CanCopy](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/cancopy-property/llms-full.txt) | Selected text may be copied |
| [CanCharacterFormat](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/cancharacterformat-property/llms-full.txt), [CanParagraphFormat](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/canparagraphformat-property/llms-full.txt) | The selection can be formatted |
| [CanStyleFormat](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/canstyleformat-property/llms-full.txt) | Styles can be applied |
| [CanDocumentFormat](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/candocumentformat-property/llms-full.txt) | Page and section formatting, such as margins and page size, can be changed |
| [CanEditFormFields](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/caneditformfields-property/llms-full.txt) | Form fields can be filled in |

### Work With Editable Regions

| Member | Purpose |
|---|---|
| [GetItems](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/getitems-method/llms-full.txt) | The regions at the input position, or `null` |
| [Remove](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioncollection/remove-method/llms-full.txt) | Removes a region and keeps its text; with `true` as the second parameter, only the selected part, which can split the region |
| [EditableRegionHighlightMode](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregionhighlightmode-property/llms-full.txt) | Highlights all regions while they contain the input position (`Activated`, the default), always or never |
| [HighlightMode](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregion/highlightmode-property/llms-full.txt), [HighlightColor](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregion/highlightcolor-property/llms-full.txt) | The highlighting of one region; the `System.Drawing.Color` needs an alpha value below 255 |
| [ScrollTo](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregion/scrollto-method/llms-full.txt), [Text](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregion/text-property/llms-full.txt) | Moves the input position to the region; returns its text |

Four events report regions: [EditableRegionCreated](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregioncreated-event/llms-full.txt), [EditableRegionDeleted](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregiondeleted-event/llms-full.txt), [EditableRegionEntered](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregionentered-event/llms-full.txt) and [EditableRegionLeft](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol-wpf/textcontrol/editableregionleft-event/llms-full.txt). Connect a handler in XAML with `EditableRegionEntered="TextControl1_EditableRegionEntered"`. It receives [EditableRegionEventArgs](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioneventargs/llms-full.txt) with the region in [EditableRegion](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/editableregioneventargs/editableregion-property/llms-full.txt):

```csharp
private void TextControl1_EditableRegionEntered(object sender, EditableRegionEventArgs e)
{
    string user = string.IsNullOrEmpty(e.EditableRegion.UserName) ? "everyone" : e.EditableRegion.UserName;
    Title = $"Editable by {user}";
}
```

Headers, footers and text frames keep their regions in their own collections, [HeaderFooter.EditableRegions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/headerfooter/editableregions-property/llms-full.txt) and [TextFrame.EditableRegions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/textframe/editableregions-property/llms-full.txt). A [SaveSettings](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/savesettings/llms-full.txt) object with [OmittedContent](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/reference/txtextcontrol/savesettings/omittedcontent-property/llms-full.txt) set to `OmittedContent.EditableRegions` saves a document without the region markers but with their text.

### Next Steps

- [Document Protection](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/security/document-protection/llms-full.txt): what document protection guards against, and what not.
- [Form Fields and Conditional Instructions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/form-fields/llms-full.txt): forms that are filled in while the rest is protected.
- [Passwords and Access Permissions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/pdf/passwords/llms-full.txt): protection of PDF files.
- [Comments](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/comments/llms-full.txt): comments by the users set in `UserNames`.

---

## Nearby

- **Previous:** [Comments](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/comments/llms-full.txt)
- **Next:** [Spell Checking and Hyphenation](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-wpf/document-editor/spell-checking/llms-full.txt)