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Old 15th January 2008, 04:56 AM   #1
mekgp
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Post Lock or password a .ac file...

As the title states, any method to lock or password protect an .ac file from being opened? Meaning, once an object has been created, and "plugged into" another outside application for use, can it be protected from...er....unauthorized use or prying eyes? The locking mechanism would have to not interfere with its use in that application but only come into "play" if or when the .ac file was reopened in AC3D. Make sense?

Hmmm....as I type this, I can start to see coding issues on the horizon from several directions!

This stems from discussions across a couple of groups that use AC3D in various projects. We are interested to find out if it can be done.
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Old 15th January 2008, 11:38 AM   #2
Galun
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Default 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".
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Old 15th January 2008, 01:16 PM   #3
mekgp
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Default Re: Lock or password a .ac file...

Thanks Galun...
We'll have to give this some more thought.
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