How to print PDF to postscript in OSX?

I have a (legally obtained) PDF that has DRM protection on it.

This particular PDF cannot be opened in Preview.app so I'm stuck opening it in Adobe Reader.app. This is particularly annoying because Preview is much better than Adobe Reader and I'd love to use Preview.

I can unlock the PDF in Adobe Reader, but it's not allowing me to save a copy without including the password protection. I've also tried unlocking and then printing the document to PDF but Adobe is smart enough to stop that too.

I'd like to install a postscript printer in OSX and choose that as my printer option when Adobe asks me to select a printer. Is this possible somehow?

This is a bit of a hack, but it might work. It's only about creating a useful pdf and includes using LaTeX, so if you're not using that already it's going to a slight to moderate hassle. Basically we're taking a snapshot of your DRM pdf, then using this to create another pdf. Steps:

1. Download and install MacTeX. You may have done this already.
2. Create a document and be sure to include \usepackage{pdfpages} in your document header (pdfpages explained).
3. \include{your_DRM_protected_file.pdf} and compile document to pdf.
4. See if it works!

For completion - if you are not accustomed to LaTeX- here's a document header+ender that works on my system (OS X 10.7.3, recent version of MacTeX):

\documentclass[english,a4paper,10pt]{article}
\usepackage{babel}              % Language
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}        % Fonts / letters
\usepackage[applemac]{inputenc} % Apple keyboard
\usepackage{pdfpages}           % Allows inclusion of pdf's
\begin{document}

% You only need to change this line on OS X
\includepdf[offset = 0 0, pages = {1-2}]{your_drm_pdf.pdf} 

\end{document}

A slight elaboration is in order. After completing step 1) above, steps 2) - 3) requires the following:

1. Copy/paste the above text into an empty LaTeX file
2. Save that file in the same folder as your DRM pdf
3. Edit the line beginning with \includepdf...
   1. File name
   2. Edit the number of pages from your pdf you want to use; works logically
   3. Maybe change offset; it has been set to zero by default but is known to be needed in odd cases. Changing the first value to negative integer values will move your pdf to the left in the resulting pdf, positive values move to the right. Second value has equivalent action in the down/up-direction

Note that the program you need to use is called TeXShop - it will be in your Applications folder after installing MacTeX.

Cheers!

\T

Printopia ($20) seems to be the most reliable for me so far.

It's a simple virtual printer that fools Adobe Acrobat into thinking it's printing to a physical device.

It's geared toward Air Printing for iOS devices but it works for OSX too. It allows you to print to a local folder on your hard drive, dropbox, or real printers etc.