HOW TO LOCK A DISK

  The main window (titled SoftLock) has five buttons: Lock, Unlock, Eject, Drive, and
Disk Info. To lock a disk click the Lock button.  To unlock a disk click the Unlock button.
If a disk is physically locked, SoftLock can neither lock or unlock the disk.  This will be
evident as the Lock and Unlock buttons will be dimmed.

  Clicking the Drive button will cycle through all the mounted disks. If there are less
than two disks currently mounted, the Drive button will be dimmed.  Clicking the Eject
button will eject the current disk.  If the current disk can not be physically ejected,
the Eject button will be dimmed.

  Clicking the Disk Info button will bring up a window giving information about the
current disk.  The information includes: when the disk was created and last modified,
the amount of free space on the disk, how many times the disk has been written to, and
the number of files and folders it contains.

  All five buttons have keyboard shortcuts associated with them.  You can lock a disk by
pressing the 'L' key, and unlock a disk by pressing the 'U' key.  Similarly 'E', 'D' and 'I'
are shortcuts for the Eject, Drive and Disk Info buttons respectively.

  When a disk is locked, a lock symbol is drawn next to the disk's name.  When the disk is
software locked the lock symbol is unfilled.  When the disk is physically locked, the lock
symbol is filled.

  Some programs, such as the Finder™, also display the lock status of disks.  To ensure
that this information is kept up to date, SoftLock forces all other windows to be redrawn
whenever a disk is locked or unlocked.


USING PASSWORDS

  Sometimes it may be necessary to prevent an unauthorised person from unlocking a
disk that has been locked with SoftLock.  In order to achieve this a password can be
installed as the disk is locked.  When unlocking a disk, SoftLock looks for this password,
and if found will only unlock the disk if the identical password is entered.

  To specify a password choose the Set Password… item from the Options menu.  You
will be asked to enter a password twice.  The text of the password will not appear on the
screen, instead a number of dashes will mark the characters as they are typed.  Once
entered, the Set Password… menu item will be checked to inform you that the password
will be used whenever a disk is locked.

  To stop using a password, again choose the Set Password… item, clear the hilited text,
and click OK.  The Set Password… item will no longer be checked.

  When unlocking a disk that was locked with a password, a dialog will appear asking you to
enter the password.  Type in the password exactly as saved (including case) and the disk
will be unlocked.  As before the text of the password will be masked by dashes.

  SoftLock can only unlock a disk if the correct password is entered.  Note that the
password encryption formula has changed since the program was first released.  This
version of the program can unlock disks locked with a password using previous versions,
although the reverse is not necessarily true.

  If you do forget the password for a locked disk, your only option is to copy the contents
to another disk, and erase the locked disk with SoftLock or Disk First Aid.  See the next
section for details.


ADVANCED FEATURES

  When a disk is locked or unlocked, the windows in all other open applications are
redrawn to ensure that their information is correct.  As this process may take time,
it can be disabled by toggling the Always Redraw Windows item in the Options
menu. Note that if disabled, the information displayed in the Finder may not be correct.

  When locking a disk with a password, a warning appears to ensure that you intend
the password to be used.  This warning can be prevented from appearing by choosing
the Disable Warnings item from the Options menu.

  If a password is forgotten, your only option is to choose the Erase Disk… item from
the Options menu. Choosing this option will unlock the disk and delete all of its files.
Note that you can not erase a disk that is physically locked, or the disk used to start up
the Macintosh, or the disk containing the SoftLock program.


SHAREWARE DETAILS

  SoftLock is not free, it is shareware.  If you wish to use it, you should send US$10
or equivalent to the author at the following address.  By sending in the money you will
encourage further improvements to this and other useful programs.

Please send your name, address and shareware fee to:

                                           David Davies-Payne
                                           12, Grosvenor Terrace,
                                           Wadestown,
                                           Wellington 1
                                           New Zealand.

  In return, I will send you improved versions of the program, as they appear.  I can
be contacted via electronic mail at DAVPAYNE@OTAGO.AC.NZ

  Your support is appreciated.


WARRANTY

The author makes no warranty 
as to the performance of SoftLock. The user accepts
the program as it stands. The author will make every effort to fix any bugs found in
the software but is not obligated to do so.

The user is reminded that once a disk is locked with a password, that disk can only
be unlocked by supplying the correct password.

The author is not liable for any loss of data or profits associated with the use of
SoftLock. In no event will the author be liable for more than the price paid for SoftLock.