Folder Unlocker allows you to password protect folders on your disk. Once protected, the contents of a folder cannot be examined, deleted, replaced, etc. unless the folder has been unlocked using the password. This provides confidentiality for private documents and security for documents on a Macintosh™ system used by multiple persons or a system located in a common area. In addition, applications can be kept in a locked folder to prevent copying and still remain accessible for use.
How do I install it?
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Make a copy of Demo Folder Unlocker. Install the copy of Demo Folder Unlocker by dragging it into your System Folder. If you want to configure Demo Folder Unlocker, you should next run Configure Folder Unlocker. Do not configure Folder Unlocker on your master floppy in case you change your mind and wish to configure it differently later. You can configure four things:
Configure Unlocking key: You can choose Option, Command, or Control (if your keyboard has it) as the key to indicate that you want to unlock a locked folder. The Command key is the default key. If you have a keyboard with a Control key, it is the best choice.
Configure "Allow Disk Backup": Since no program can access the contents of a protected folder, this means that documents in such folders will not get backed up when you do a disk backup. Since such documents are presumably important, you need to consider your choices. For maximum security, you can just manually unlock all locked folders and then perform your disk backup. If you are a little less concerned about security you can specify the name of your disk backup program. It will then be permitted access to the contents of locked folders even though they have not been unlocked. This is slightly less secure because after the contents of a locked folder have been written to a backup device (usually a floppy) they become accessible on the backup device. However, you must weigh this risk against forgetting to backup the contents of a locked folder and maybe losing everything in a crash one day.
If you decide to permit access to a disk backup program, click the check box in the installer, locate your Disk backup program using the standard file selection dialog, and double click on its name. The name will then be recorded in the adjacent text box.
Configure "Using CPSDeleteTracking": Check this if you have CPSDeleteTracking (or CPSSaveDeletes) from Central Point Software in your System Folder. If you check this box, Folder Unlocker will be modified so that CPSSaveDeletes will still function. The only side effect of this is that Folder Unlocker may not work properly on Mac systems with greater than 8 Megabytes of memory.
Configure "Show Icon at Startup": This will cause it to show its icon at startup.
After you are satisfied with your configuration choices, click the Configure button. The standard file selection dialog will appear. Use it to find the copy of Demo Folder Unlocker on your disk. Double clicking Demo Folder Unlocker will configure it as you have specified. If you have Vaccine, Gatekeeper, etc. installed, you may need to grant permission to change Folder Unlocker.
After you complete configuration you should restart your system to activate the options that you selected and to activate Demo Folder Unlocker.
How do I lock a folder?
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Double click Demo Folder Locker to run it. You will see the standard file selection dialog. Using it, locate the folder that you want to lock. Do not double click the folder name — doing so will only open the folder. Instead, single click the folder name to select it and then click the Select button. Demo Folder Locker will then search for the folder which may take several seconds on a large hard disk with many folders. After it locates the folder, you will be prompted to enter a password for the folder. Passwords can be one to eight characters long and they are case sensitive, e.g., password "abc" is different from password "ABC". Enter your chosen password. You can also choose whether you want applications in the folder to be available for use but not copyable. After making this choice and entering your password, click OK. You will be asked to reenter the password to be sure that 1) you remember it and 2) you have typed it correctly. The folder is now locked using your chosen password. Don't forget your password. You will need it to open the folder later. If you're memory is bad, write the password down somewhere safe.
If the folder you select was previously locked, you will be prompted to enter the old password. After entering the old password, you can choose to remove password protection, change the password, or cancel. Removing the password eliminates password protection .
How do I unlock a folder?
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Let's say that you are using Command as your key to indicate folder unlocking. To unlock a locked folder from the Finder, double click the folder while holding down the Command key. You will see a dialog box requesting your password. Enter it and click OK. Note that your password is not displayed on entry (only apple characters). This ensures privacy if someone else is looking on (the demo version does not hide the password as it is typed in). If you enter your password correctly, the folder will open and display the contents. The folder is now unlocked and will remain so until you restart (Demo version only).
If you entered the wrong password or clicked Cancel, the folder will open but it will appear empty. A locked folder also appears empty if you just double click it.
If you are using the standard file dialog (what you see when you choose Open… in an application), the same method is used. Hold down the "unlocking" key, double click on the folder name, and enter the password when prompted.
How do I relock a folder?
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Make sure the folder is closed. Then hold down the "unlocking" key and double click the folder. It will open and appear empty. This completes the relocking. If you wish to unlock it again, do as previously described.
Note: You can only relock a folder by restarting your system when using the demo version.
How do I restrict access to applications?
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You can keep applications in a locked folder to provide limited or no access. If you specify that applications in the folder can be used, then the applications can be started by double clicking documents belonging to the application. The application itself is still protected from copying by being in the locked folder. This is useful for machines which have public access.
If you specify that applications in a locked folder cannot be used, then double clicking a document of an application in that folder will fail. If you try to start such a locked application, the Finder will decide the application does not exist and remove the information about where it thought the application was (in the locked folder). In order to make the application "document-startable" again you must "show" the Finder the location of the application. Do so by dragging the application from the locked folder (after unlocking it) to another folder and then drag it back. If you unlock the folder before opening a document that uses the application, you won't have this problem.
Usage Notes
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A locked folder can be used as a "drop folder". You can place documents into it without unlocking it first. If you put a document into a locked folder and then open it you will still be able to remove that document. This gives you a chance to retrieve the document if you put it in the wrong place. If you leave it there and close the folder you will have to unlock it in order to retrieve the document. If you move a document into an open window of a currently locked folder and close the window, the document will be locked away and inaccessible when you reopen the window. When used as a drop folder, the Finder may place the dropped documents at odd locations in the window. This should be no problem but you might have to scroll the window to find them.
Locked folders cannot be renamed or deleted (dragged to Trash Can), even if opened using the password. If you want to rename a locked folder or dispose of it, use Demo Folder Locker to remove the password. Locked folders can be moved into or out of other folders in order to rearrange your folders.
If you should happen to remove Folder Unlocker from your System Folder or deactivate it using an INIT manager, all locked folders will appear grayed out (in the demo version the locked folder just becomes unlocked). At this point Folder Unlocker is not running so the only protections left are those that the Finder can be made to provide. Residual protection is not as secure as when Folder Unlocker is present but you will still be unable to open the locked folder or drag it to the trash. You will need to restore Folder Unlocker in order to actually use your password and open one of the locked folders.
If you sit around with your finger on the "unlocking" key you may sometimes be surprised by a request to supply the password to unlock a folder. This is because the application that is currently running has (for some reason of its own) inquired about a locked folder. This may happen when a program is searching for one of its files or some related activity. Simply click the Cancel button and it will proceed merrily on its way just as if you had not been holding the key down. This can also happen in reverse — if you have unlocked folders and happen to be holding the unlocking key down they may get relocked. Just unlock them again.
Folder unlocking must be done slightly differently with alternative Finder-like programs such as Disktop™ and DiskTools™. Double click the locked folder and you will see an empty folder. Now hold down the unlocking key and move back up one folder level using the popup menu above the list of files. You will now be prompted for the password and can unlock the folder.
Symantec's SAM anti-viral program will complain that Folder Locker is using low level disk system writes when setting or clearing folder locks. This is normal and should be OKed.
Cautions and Caveats
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Folder Locker/Unlocker is not designed for use across AppleShare, TOPS or any other file server application — use it only a local machine. Folder Locker/Unlocker has been successfully tested with Apple Systems 6.0 through 6.0.5. It is known not to work on System 5.0 and previous.
No protection system is foolproof. Any protection system can be defeated by someone with enough smarts, determination and time. This one is no different. We make no claims that it cannot be defeated but it should provide reasonable security for most users. If you forget your password, you are out of luck. We don't know it.
Limitations in the demonstration version
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The demonstration version is limited in the following ways:
1) You can have only one locked folder.
2) The Passwords file (in the System Folder) is visible and can
be trashed. Do NOT do so or you will be unable to delete or
open the locked folder that you have created.
3) Passwords in the file are not encrypted so they can easily
be read.
4) If your machine is started from a floppy disk using a different
System (one not containing Demo Folder Unlocker), your locked
folder will no longer be locked. The contents become immediately
accessible. The same is true if someone removes Demo Folder
Unlocker from your System Folder and restarts your system.
You cannot make Demo Folder Unlocker invisible because Apple
System Software will not run INIT's whose invisible bit is set
(a good idea in these days of viruses).
5) Password entry is not obscured so people can see your password
as you enter it.
6) The password file is kept in the System Folder. In the full
version, the password for a locked folder is kept inside the
locked folder making it inaccessible.
7) A locked folder, once unlocked, cannot be relocked except by
a restart.
These limitations will still give you a chance to experience most of the functionality of Folder Unlocker (but without all of the security). None of these limitations apply in the full version.
How do I get the full version?
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The full version of Folder Locker/Unlocker is available for $30
(US funds) in the United States and Canada from:
Software Brewing Company
270 Apricot Lane
Mountain View, CA 94040
(415) 940-1946
CIS: 73647,3030 AppleLink: D3955 Genie: XTH19071
California residents add sales tax. International orders are $US 35.00 to cover additional shipping and currency conversions/bank charges. Sorry, we can't handle credit card orders. Current owners may upgrade to Folder Locker™ 1.2.4, by sending $5.00 to the above address to cover shipping and handling costs.
Apple, Macintosh,AppleShare, and Finder are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Disktop and Vaccine are trademarks of CE Software. DiskTools II is a trademark of Electronic Arts. Folder Locker is a trademark of Software Brewing Company.
