{"record":{"id":"e341aa2bb92bd016","repo":"mozilla/pdf.js","slug":"doc-creator-is-read-only","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"doc.creator is read-only","messagePattern":"doc\\.creator is read-only","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"Error","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"src/scripting_api/doc.js","lineNumber":295,"sourceCode":"\n  set bookmarkRoot(_) {\n    throw new Error(\"doc.bookmarkRoot is read-only\");\n  }\n\n  get calculate() {\n    return this._calculate;\n  }\n\n  set calculate(calculate) {\n    this._calculate = calculate;\n  }\n\n  get creator() {\n    return this._creator;\n  }\n\n  set creator(_) {\n    throw new Error(\"doc.creator is read-only\");\n  }\n\n  get dataObjects() {\n    return [];\n  }\n\n  set dataObjects(_) {\n    throw new Error(\"doc.dataObjects is read-only\");\n  }\n\n  get delay() {\n    return this._delay;\n  }\n\n  set delay(delay) {\n    this._delay = delay;\n  }\n","sourceCodeStart":277,"sourceCodeEnd":313,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/mozilla/pdf.js/blob/5903d58d58e4dd9ce6ffa3834aea8480f06b4ada/src/scripting_api/doc.js#L277-L313","documentation":"PDF.js's scripting sandbox (src/scripting_api) implements the Acrobat JavaScript `doc` object inside a QuickJS sandbox. Per the Acrobat API specification this property is read-only, so the class defines a getter that returns the current value and a setter that unconditionally throws `Error(\"doc.<prop> is read-only\")`. The throw aborts the currently executing sandboxed script event and is reported back to the host. `creator` exposes the Info dictionary `Creator` field (the authoring application), seeded from `data.Creator`.","triggerScenarios":"A sandboxed PDF form/script executes an assignment to the property, e.g. `doc.creator = value;` or `doc.creator++`. Because the setter always throws (there is no condition), any write attempt triggers it.","commonSituations":"Scripts ported from desktop Acrobat where the creator string was writable; forms that try to stamp runtime state into document metadata on save/open; and PDFs generated by tools that emit non-spec-compliant JavaScript.","solutions":["Remove the assignment to `doc.creator`; read it through the getter instead.","Set the Creator Info field in the authoring tool and re-export.","If you cannot edit the PDF's embedded script, wrap the statement in try/catch so the rest of the form logic still runs."],"exampleFix":"// before\ndoc.creator = \"MyApp\";\n// after\n// creator is read-only — drop the assignment; read via doc.creator","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"// Known read-only doc properties (PDF.js scripting_api/doc.js)\nconst READONLY_DOC_PROPS = new Set([\n  'author','bookmarkRoot','creator','dataObjects','docID',\n  'documentFileName','dynamicXFAForm','external','filesize','hidden',\n  'hostContainer','icons','info','innerAppWindowRect','innerDocWindowRect',\n  'isModal','keywords','modDate'\n]);\nif (READONLY_DOC_PROPS.has('creator')) {\n  // skip the write; creator is read-only in pdf.js\n  console.warn('doc.creator is read-only in pdf.js');\n} else {\n  doc.creator = value;\n}","typeGuard":"// Known read-only doc properties (PDF.js scripting_api/doc.js)\nconst READONLY_DOC_PROPS = new Set([\n  'author','bookmarkRoot','creator','dataObjects','docID',\n  'documentFileName','dynamicXFAForm','external','filesize','hidden',\n  'hostContainer','icons','info','innerAppWindowRect','innerDocWindowRect',\n  'isModal','keywords','modDate'\n]);\nconst isReadOnlyDocProp = (name) => READONLY_DOC_PROPS.has(name);\n// usage: if (!isReadOnlyDocProp('keywords')) doc.keywords = v;","tryCatchPattern":"try {\n  doc.creator = value;\n} catch (e) {\n  // pdf.js throws Error('doc.creator is read-only')\n  if (/is read-only/.test(e.message)) { /* swallow, expected */ }\n  else { throw e; }\n}","preventionTips":["Treat every property listed in the Acrobat JS reference as read-only unless pdf.js provides a setter that stores the value.","Before assigning, check `isReadOnlyDocProp('creator')` or grep the setter in src/scripting_api/doc.js for a `throw`.","When porting scripts from Acrobat, run them against the pdf.js sandbox in the dev server first to surface writes early.","Prefer reading metadata through the Info dictionary at PDF authoring time rather than mutating it from a script."],"tags":["scripting","acrobat-api","read-only"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"5903d58d58e4dd9ce6ffa3834aea8480f06b4ada","analyzedAt":"2026-08-13T02:28:27.364Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-13T04:17:16.726Z"}