Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.sys.mac.system > #120272 > unrolled thread

App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file...

Back to article view | Back to comp.sys.mac.system

Contents

  App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... "J.Albert" <j.albert@nowhere.net> - 2019-01-07 17:08 -0500
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Alan Browne <bitbucket@blackhole.com> - 2019-01-07 17:14 -0500
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Elden <usenet@moondog.org> - 2019-01-07 16:52 -0600
      Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Alan Baker <nunya@ness.biz> - 2019-01-07 14:54 -0800
        Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... "J.Albert" <j.albert@nowhere.net> - 2019-01-08 11:19 -0500
          Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Alan Baker <nunya@ness.biz> - 2019-01-08 11:35 -0800
          Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Elden <usenet@moondog.org> - 2019-01-08 20:18 -0600
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Stephen Hoffman <seaohveh@hoffmanlabs.invalid> - 2019-01-07 17:52 -0500
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2019-01-07 23:05 +0000
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2019-01-07 23:42 -0500
    Re: App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file... Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2019-01-08 14:16 +0000

#120272 — App to password protect or encrypt a SINGLE file...

Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a 
SINGLE FILE ?

The file needs to be visible on the desktop, but require a 
password to open it.

I realize that one can create an encrypted disk image using 
Disk Utility, then put the file into that, etc., etc.
But I don't want it to be this complicated (the person for 
whom I'm going to set this up is not Mac-savvy, nor 
particularly computer-savvy at all).

It MUST be as thus:
1. File in plain view on desktop
2. Double-click file, this brings up dialog requesting password
3. Enter password, app (for file) opens, and the file itself 
then opens.
4. When done, close file (or quit app), and requires 
password to open again.

There seems to be nothing in the Mac OS (itself) that can 
accomplish this.
Are there any 3rd-party apps out there that can do this?

(BTW, I'm aware that it's possible to use Excel or 
LibreOffice to create a spreadsheet that requires a password 
to open, but both these programs would be overkill, and 
again too complicated for the user in question)

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#120274

On 2019-01-07 17:08, J.Albert wrote:
> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a SINGLE FILE ?
> 
> The file needs to be visible on the desktop, but require a password to 
> open it.
> 
> I realize that one can create an encrypted disk image using Disk 
> Utility, then put the file into that, etc., etc.
> But I don't want it to be this complicated (the person for whom I'm 
> going to set this up is not Mac-savvy, nor particularly computer-savvy 
> at all).
> 
> It MUST be as thus:
> 1. File in plain view on desktop
> 2. Double-click file, this brings up dialog requesting password
> 3. Enter password, app (for file) opens, and the file itself then opens.
> 4. When done, close file (or quit app), and requires password to open 
> again.
> 
> There seems to be nothing in the Mac OS (itself) that can accomplish this.
> Are there any 3rd-party apps out there that can do this?
> 
> (BTW, I'm aware that it's possible to use Excel or LibreOffice to create 
> a spreadsheet that requires a password to open, but both these programs 
> would be overkill, and again too complicated for the user in question)

I use PGP. Though the "protected" file will be a different file.

xyz.txt becomes xyz.txt.pgp.  Then you erase the original.

I know that's not what you want.


-- 
"2/3 of Donald Trump's wives were immigrants.  Proof that we
  need immigrants to do jobs that most Americans wouldn't do."
                                           - unknown protester

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120275

On 2019-01-07, J.Albert <j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:
> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a SINGLE FILE
> ?

I'm not in front of my Mac at the moment. But I've done that with a
Pages file. It's super easy. It could be a Pages/Numbers feature I'm not
sure.

-- 
-=Elden=-

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120277

On 2019-01-07 2:52 p.m., Elden wrote:
> On 2019-01-07, J.Albert <j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:
>> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a SINGLE FILE
>> ?
> 
> I'm not in front of my Mac at the moment. But I've done that with a
> Pages file. It's super easy. It could be a Pages/Numbers feature I'm not
> sure.
> 

'Pages for Mac: Password-protect a Pages document'

<https://support.apple.com/kb/PH23719?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US>

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120304

On 1/7/19 5:54 PM, Alan Baker wrote:
> 
> 'Pages for Mac: Password-protect a Pages document'

Thanks, Alan.
I didn't realize Pages could password-protect a document.
This looks like the solution that will work for my friend.

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120309

On 2019-01-08 8:19 a.m., J.Albert wrote:
> On 1/7/19 5:54 PM, Alan Baker wrote:
>>
>> 'Pages for Mac: Password-protect a Pages document'
> 
> Thanks, Alan.
> I didn't realize Pages could password-protect a document.
> This looks like the solution that will work for my friend.
> 
> --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---

No worries, and no need to go search for a reinvented wheel! ;-)

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120321

On 2019-01-08, J.Albert <j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:
> On 1/7/19 5:54 PM, Alan Baker wrote:
>> 
>> 'Pages for Mac: Password-protect a Pages document'
>
> Thanks, Alan.  I didn't realize Pages could password-protect a
> document.  This looks like the solution that will work for my
> friend.

I mentioned that very early in the thread. You could have saved yourself
some time.

-- 
-=Elden=-

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120276

On 2019-01-07 22:08:36 +0000, J.Albert said:

> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a SINGLE FILE ?

That'd need decryption support in the app.  PDFs have this 
password-protection support using Preview and Books, and it's prolly 
also possible to configure this using a web site.  Or you could write a 
shell script or an app, and leave that on the desktop or in the Dock.


-- 
Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC 

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120278

In message <q10il4$ccq$1@adenine.netfront.net> J.Albert <j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:
> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a 
> SINGLE FILE ?

Yes. Pleas learn how to punctuate properly in English.

> The file needs to be visible on the desktop, but require a 
> password to open it.

> I realize that one can create an encrypted disk image using 
> Disk Utility, then put the file into that, etc., etc.
> But I don't want it to be this complicated (the person for 
> whom I'm going to set this up is not Mac-savvy, nor 
> particularly computer-savvy at all).


> It MUST be as thus:
> 1. File in plain view on desktop
> 2. Double-click file, this brings up dialog requesting password
> 3. Enter password, app (for file) opens, and the file itself 
> then opens.
> 4. When done, close file (or quit app), and requires 
> password to open again.

You would need to install something like PGP/GPG for that. The default
Mac way to do this is with a disk image. Mount it, type the password,
open any files, dismount it.

> There seems to be nothing in the Mac OS (itself) that can 
> accomplish this.

There is, you've just excluded it.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120295

In article <q10il4$ccq$1@adenine.netfront.net>, J.Albert
<j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:

> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a 
> SINGLE FILE ?

an encrypted zip file.


> It MUST be as thus:
> 1. File in plain view on desktop
> 2. Double-click file, this brings up dialog requesting password
> 3. Enter password, app (for file) opens, and the file itself 
> then opens.
> 4. When done, close file (or quit app), and requires 
> password to open again.

if it *must* be all of that, then no.

a password will be required to unzip an encrypted zip file any time
it's double-clicked, however, you'll have an unencrypted copy which
will then need to be deleted afterwards, and if any modifications are
made, those would be lost unless it's re-encrypted and replaces the
original zip file.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#120302

J.Albert <j.albert@nowhere.net> wrote:
> Is there an app on the Mac that can "password protect" a 
> SINGLE FILE ?
> 
> The file needs to be visible on the desktop, but require a 
> password to open it.
> 
> I realize that one can create an encrypted disk image using 
> Disk Utility, then put the file into that, etc., etc.
> But I don't want it to be this complicated (the person for 
> whom I'm going to set this up is not Mac-savvy, nor 
> particularly computer-savvy at all).
> 
> It MUST be as thus:
> 1. File in plain view on desktop
> 2. Double-click file, this brings up dialog requesting password
> 3. Enter password, app (for file) opens, and the file itself 
> then opens.
> 4. When done, close file (or quit app), and requires 
> password to open again.
> 
> There seems to be nothing in the Mac OS (itself) that can 
> accomplish this.
> Are there any 3rd-party apps out there that can do this?

You’re describing the way StuffIt password-protected archives work.
Double-clicking one opens it in StuffIt Deluxe where you can access the
file(s) in the archive. It has built-in limited support for viewing images,
text files, and so on. Closing StuffIt Deluxe closes the archive until next
time.

StuffIt used to be the de facto standard way to compress files on classic
MacOS and remained popular for a short time after modern macOS came along,
but isn’t used by many people anymore since macOS has built-in ZIP
compression support. But it looks like you can still purchase it online:

https://my.smithmicro.com/stuffit-deluxe-mac.html

-- 
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[toc] | [prev] | [standalone]

Back to top | Article view | comp.sys.mac.system

csiph-web