BigSecret 4.0
Copyright 1987,1994,1995,1996 © by John R. Montbriand.  All Rights Reserved.

A utility allowing you to make invisible those files or folders you do not wish others to see.

About BigSecret…

BigSecret is a program providing file security facilities for files you store on your computer.  The following facilities are provided:

• commands for making files or folders visible or invisible,
• facilities for ensuring invisible files remain invisible in other applications,
• facilities for recording information about the usage of certain files that you specify,
• password facilities for protecting access to the program,

The program will work with any variant of System 7.

HOW TO ADD FILES INTO THE PROGRAM

You can add files into the list of secret files using the following methods:
• dragging and dropping files and folders into BigSecret,
• dragging and dropping files into the secret files list (System 7.5),
• adding files using the "add file" button,
• adding folders using the "add folder button",
• adding files using the "Add File…" or "Add Invisible File…" commands in the Commands menu,
• adding folders using the "Add Folder…" or "Add Invisible Folder…" commands in the Commands menu,

You can add files into the observer window using the following method:
• Using the "Add File…" command in the observe menu,

Button Commands in the BigSecret Window

Select All  selects all of the files and folders listed in the secret files list.

Forget  tells BigSecret to forget about any selected files in the secret files list.  This command removes file names from the list.

Show  tells BigSecret to make any selected files in the secret files list visible.  NOTE:  sometimes you will have to open and close the finder windows containing these files to make them appear in the finder.  This is because BigSecret works with the file system and does not communicate directly with the finder.

Hide  tells BigSecret to make any selected files in the secret files list invisible.  NOTE:  sometimes you will have to open and close the finder windows containing these files to make them disappear in the finder.  This is because BigSecret works with the file system and does not communicate directly with the finder.  Icons beside invisible files are filled with a gray pattern.

Add File…  allows you to add a file to the secret files list.

Add Folder… allows you to add a folder to the secret files list.

Observe  If you have the SecretThing installed, this button opens the Observed Files window.

Quit  Exits the BigSecret program.

The File Menu

Secret Command…  That’s a secret.

Observed Files…  If you have the SecretThing installed, this command replaces the secret command and it opens the observed files window.

Close  closes the front window.  Closing the secret files window will take you back to the initial password window.

Page Setup…  allows you to configure the paper settings for your printer.

Print…  Allows you to print the contents of the Observed Files window.

Print Order Form…  prints out the order form for BigSecret.  Mail this with your payment.  If you don't have a printer, be sure to indicate you are purchasing a copy of BigSecret with your payment.

Help Text…  displays a help window with some helpful information about BigSecret.

Purchasing…  displays information about how you can purchase a copy of BigSecret.

Quit  Exit BigSecret.

The Commands Menu

The Commands menu is only available after you have successfully logged into BigSecret.  It appears to the right of the Edit menu in the menu bar.

Select All  selects all of the files and folders you have in your secret files list.

Forget  removes any selected files or folders from the secret files list.

Show  makes selected files or folders VISIBLE.

Hide  makes selected files or folders INVISIBLE.

Add File…  add a file to the secret files list. 

Add Folder…  add a folder to the secret files list.

Add Invisible File…  allows you to add an invisible file to the secret files list.

In the event that some of your secret files do not appear in the Secret Files list, you can put them back into the secret files list by using this command.  You may find this useful if your BigSecret Prefs file is misplaced or accidentally deleted leaving some of your secret files invisible.

WARNING: This feature is intended for emergencies only.  Some of the files you will see when this feature is active are used by the system, and should remain invisible.  So... if you don't recognize a file or folder as being one of yours, don't touch it, leave it alone, and don't add it to your secret files list.  There's no real danger here, however, some system files are invisible to prevent tampering that would interfere with normal system operation.  So for your own piece of mind, it's best to leave them alone and out of sight.

Add Invisible Folder… allows you to add an invisible folder to the secret files list.

Set Password  Allows you to change your password.  To do this, you enter your old password and your new password.

Install/Update SecretThing… SecretThing is a system extension you can install using this command.  If you have previously installed the SecretThing and a newer version is available, then you can update the installed SecretThing using this command.

Observed Files…  If you have SecretThing installed, this command opens the Observed Files… window.

The Observe Menu

The observe menu is only available while the Observer Window is open.  It appears to the right of the Commands menu in the menu bar.

Add File…  allows you to add a file to your collection of observed files.

Remove Selected File  removes the selected file from your collection of observed files.

View Selected File…  displays detailed observations for the selected file.  Double clicking on the file in the observed file window is the same as choosing this command.

About The SecretThing…

SecretThing does some secret stuff that you may find useful.  Here is a list of the things it does:

• prevents your secret files from appearing in the open dialog boxes in other applications,
• prevents your secret files from appearing in the Find File command,
• allows you to continuously observe and collect data about the usage of specific files.

About Observing Files...

You can use SecretThing to continuously observe files on your computer keeping track of the files you specify on a minute by minute basis.  With this program you will be able to tell exactly when a file is open, closed, locked, unlocked, visible, invisible, or changed at any time during the preceding twenty-four hour period.

How do I observe files?
When you install the SecretThing, it installs a monitoring task in your system that will look at your files and record information about them continuously while you are using your computer.  The SecretThing installs itself in the system and as a result, you do not have to have the BigSecret application running while file information is being recorded.  The only thing you need the BigSecret application for is to look at the information collected by SecretThing.

Confidence in your Observations
SecretThing uses parts of an industrial process monitoring and control software program made by the Author;  except, of course, instead of monitoring heavy machinery, it monitors files.  This same recording technique has been in use 24 hours a day for the past 10 years or so in that same program in real world industrial facilities, so you could say it's well tested and, has survived the test of time.

How often does it look at my files?
SecretThing will look at a file many times during the course of a second, perhaps even hundreds of times in the course of a minute.  One record is kept for each minute over the past twenty-four hours.  If at any time during a particular minute one of the the file’s properties changes then the record for that minute will reflect this.  SecretThing remembers over 7200 readings for every file it observes.

Is my file information secure?
Information about observed files is stored on disk, compacted, and scrambled.  And, barring against crashes and power outages, all file information is saved once every ten minutes.  Also, password facilities are provided inside of the BigSecret program allowing you to guard against unwanted access to the information the SecretThing collects.

What are those gaps in the graph?
The graph rotates from right to left displaying the most recent reading on the right hand side.  Breaks in the graph indicated times when either your computer was turned off, or the SecretThing was turned off.  Gray areas on the graph indicate times when the file could not be found.

Doesn’t that take a lot of memory?
No, SecretThing only requires approximately 1k for every file it observes.  On disk this requirement is even smaller as the information is compacted.  For example, today on my computer observations for 8 files occupies only 3k on disk.

Can I keep SecretThing a secret?
Some people may prefer to advertise that they are observing their files, others may prefer to keep it a secret.  In the event that you would like to hide the software, the following provisions have been made for you:
    • The names of any of files including 'SecretThing', 'Observed Files', or 'BigSecret Prefs' may be changed to anything--the software will find them regardless of what names you use.
    • You can make 'Observed Files', or 'BigSecret Prefs' invisible.
    • The SecretThing extension does not display an icon when it is installed,
    • And, feel free to paste different icons over any of these files.

About The Observed Files Window…

The observe window displays graphs showing file usage.  The open and locked properties are displayed in the graphs.  2880 readings are displayed for each file (two for each minute in the preceding 24 hour period).  Thick lines indicate the property is turned on, thin lines indicate it is off.  Blank spaces indicate times when the SecretThing was disabled, and gray areas indicate times when the file could not be found.

The window updates itself once every minute.  During updates (once every minute), the scroll bar blinks and you cannot scroll or resize the window.

You can double click on entries in the observer window to open a window displaying more detailed information about the file including the open, locked, visible, and changed attributes.  The changed attribute is set whenever SecretThing notices the file has been changed, which usually coincides with the time when the file is changed.

BigSecret 1996

I am pleased to announce that BigSecret has been awarded a Shareware Award in the American Online Macintosh Utilities forum and it now proudly displays their ‘The MUT 1996 Shareware Awards Button’ in it’s About box.  Be sure to check out the ‘The MUT 1996 Shareware Awards’ web page at:

    http://members.aol.com/macutility/mut_awards.html

COMMUNICATIONS

I have included my email address in the about box.  If you're using this program I would certainly like to hear your comments or suggestions.

Users who have paid for a copy can use this address for technical support regarding the program.  Paying customers have the option of emergency telephone support.

COOL TIPS

• Make your 'BigSecret Prefs' file invisible.  That's the place where your password and aliases to all of your secret files are kept.  It's an important file, keeping it a secret is a must.
• Holding down the command (apple) key while clicking in the list of secret files allows you to make disjoint selections of many files at once.
• Holding down the shift key while clicking in the secret files list allows you to select groups of files at the same time.
• Option-clicking on the Select All button selects and hides all of the files in the secret files list.
• Shift-clicking on the Select All button selects and shows all of the files in the secret files list.
• if Macintosh Drag and Drop is installed, then folder and file icons can be dragged from the Finder's windows and dropped into the secret files list,
• Install the SecretThing, it keeps your secret files from appearing in other applications, and it allows you to continuously record information about the usage of certain files.   See the description below.

THINGS NOT TO DO

• Do not forget your password.  If you forget your password and you have paid for your copy, then I can help you--in fact, you can call me on the telephone and I will talk you through the whole thing.  Otherwise, if you have not paid for your copy of BigSecret, and I don't have your name, then there's really no way I can tell if you're the person who's supposed to have access to the secret files or if you're a person trying to access a paying customer's files.  I have a responsibility to my customers here, and if you have chosen to keep a copy of BigSecret without paying for it, then you have no business jeopardizing their security in this way.

• Do not put your BigSecret Prefs file in the trash or delete it by some other means.  If you do, be sure to tell BigSecret to forget about all of your secret files before doing so.  If you happen to accidentally delete your preferences file, you may want to use the ‘Add Invisible File…’ or ‘Add Invisible Folder…’ menu commands described below.

BigSecret History

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 3.2 (in 4.0)

• New SecretThing that allows file observing,
• Observed Files window and detailed observations window,
• Observe… button in the main window,
• Observed Files… command in the Commands menu,
• and The Real Secret Command…

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 3.1 (in 3.2)

• Changed password commands for better support of non-english languages,
• passwords are now optional are turned off the first time the program is installed,
• added the “No Password” button in the set password window,
• added “The MUT 1996 Shareware Awards Button” in the about box.

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 3.0 (in 3.1)

• SecretThing,
• Recompiled with latest compilers,
• Replaced the somewhat obscure ‘Invisible Add’ feature with the ‘Add Invisible File…’ and ‘Add Invisible Folder…’ menu commands.

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 2.2 (in 3.0)

• BigSecret has been completely rewritten for better performance and stronger error checking,
• compiled for both PowerPC and 68000 processors,
• passwords are no longer case sensitive (some folks had some problems here),
• full path names are now displayed in the secret files list,
• closing the secret files window using the close box in the top left corner brings you back to the password window,
• help balloons work better,
• better interaction with the Finder,
• you an now drag and drop files and folders from the Finder into your secret files list,

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 2.1 (in 2.2)

• Removed Restart Finder command.  Changes now appear automatically in the Finder's windows.
• Added Balloon Help button in main window.
• For better privacy, passwords are now displayed using •'s while you type.

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 2.0 (in 2.1)

• Edit Password Command.
• Even more error checking for your safety.
• Saves your preferences more often.
• Quit button in main window.
• Added new, secret Invisible-Add feature.
• Online help text window

NEW FEATURES AND FIXES SINCE 1.0 (in 2.0)

• BigSecret will no longer allow you to make BigSecret invisible.
• The new 'Restart Finder' command allowing you to force the
Finder to redraw its windows.
• More online help including Balloons and a help item in the help menu.
• General fix ups in the user interface.
• More secret commands.
• compatible with earlier versions.