There is probably some third party cheapo PDF reader that doesn't pay attention to that either. Don't really need it with that Automator action, though. You'd think that they would encrypt that kind of stuff.

My problem is different, although, related. I do have some pdf files (huge manuals) that I would like to divide into several smaller pdfs (each for each chapter). I open them in Adobe Professional, select the pages I don't want and, when I try to delete them... nothing. The Delete command is even dimmed in the Edit menu. These pdfs don't ask me for any password but I can't edit them, anyway.
Is there any way to make them editable?
Thank you in advance for any reply.

Rui Batista

Check "Dcoument Security..." under File menu in Acrobat. If there is some level of restriction, open it in ColorSync and save to see if it goes away.