AC3D Forums - View Single Post

Galun · 15th January 2008, 11:38 AM

A .ac file is a plain text file and it works the same way as various other formats: The modeller can load the file.
Typically it's the application that imports a well-known format (like ac, 3ds, obj, whatever) and stores the model in an own or a standard format - perhaps in a "container" file together with other ressources. If the application is not open-sourced you may store a decryption key but of course this will only stop Joe user but not one who knows a bit about cracking. The problem here is that the application must know how to decrypt the file so the key must be in the code. You can raise the effort to crack it but it will never be secure.

It wouldn't really make sense to try to protect the modeller's format file. Look at the MS Office or ZIP password potection: With todays CPU power it's a matter of seconds to break the "protection".

15th January 2008, 11:38 AM	#2
Galun Member Expert member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 51	Re: Lock or password a .ac file... A .ac file is a plain text file and it works the same way as various other formats: The modeller can load the file. Typically it's the application that imports a well-known format (like ac, 3ds, obj, whatever) and stores the model in an own or a standard format - perhaps in a "container" file together with other ressources. If the application is not open-sourced you may store a decryption key but of course this will only stop Joe user but not one who knows a bit about cracking. The problem here is that the application must know how to decrypt the file so the key must be in the code. You can raise the effort to crack it but it will never be secure. It wouldn't really make sense to try to protect the modeller's format file. Look at the MS Office or ZIP password potection: With todays CPU power it's a matter of seconds to break the "protection".