Restricting access to a .txt file

[Darth Predator]

Is there any way to make it so a .txt file can't be opened? Since there are no passwords in Notepad or Wordpad I wondered if there was some way to restrict access to opening them.

[Danial]

Originally posted by Darth Predator
Is there any way to make it so a .txt file can't be opened? Since there are no passwords in Notepad or Wordpad I wondered if there was some way to restrict access to opening them.

If you are using NTFS then you can set permission so that only you can have access to it. You could also try zipping the file and then assigning password to the zip file.

[dglienna]

set its attribute to HIDDEN. it's hard to open what you can't see

[visualAd]

To fool the average user you can make a VBScript with the following code and put it in your windows directory:

MsgBox "Access Denied", vbCritical, "Windows XP"

Then goto the registry and change the value in the following location:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\open\command

To:
wscript.exe %windir%\txt.vbs

This will discourage the average user but its very easy to get around.

P.s: Backup the rgistry before making changes and if you don't know that the regitry is, ignore everything I've just said.

[Darth Predator]

Well yes I know what the registry is, although I am reluctant to go making changes in it after a recent experience in which doing so completely screwed things up.

If you are using NTFS then you can set permission so that only you can have access to it.

What is NTFS? Apparently something I don't have....

[Danial]

Originally posted by Darth Predator
Well yes I know what the registry is, although I am reluctant to go making changes in it after a recent experience in which doing so completely screwed things up.


What is NTFS? Apparently something I don't have....

NTFS is a windows File Format. Your hard disk is formated either in FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS. NTFS was introduced in Windows 2000 i think. So if you have Win2k or XP then you can convert your Hard Disk to NTFS. Ntfs lets you assign read/write/execute/view/edit/delete etc permission for each file or folder to a group or user.

[Darth Predator]

Ah, I see now that it says I am using NTFS. Could you tell me how to set this permission?

[Danial]

Originally posted by Darth Predator
Ah, I see now that it says I am using NTFS. Could you tell me how to set this permission?

First of all make sure you are logged in as Adminstrator. Now right click on the Folder/File you want to protect, choose properties, Now you should see a tab called Security. Now only select the user you want to be able to open the file using add button, remove the rest of the user e.g Everyone, User if its there.


If you dont see the Security tab, then open any folder, click on the Tools menu then "Folder Options", then go to View Tab, scroll down to the last item, and make sure "Use Simple File sharing" is unchecked.