Re: GS/OS applications on HFS disks

[CUTjefbla@bconnex.net (Jeff Blakeney)]

On 29 May 1998 15:14:56 GMT, gareth@vcn.bc.ca (Gareth Jones) wrote:

>OK, here's a question that I've mused about from time to time: can you
>protect the contents of a folder from prying by changing the filetype of
>the folder to something else (e.g. binary)? Or do the blocks of all the
>files in the folder then become available for other files to use?

As far as I know, if you change the filetype of a folder, nothing will
happen except that you will no longer be able to open that folder as a
folder from the Finder (on the IIgs) or using the ProDOS PREFIX
command (on an 8 bit) unless you write/patch them to work that way.

The blocks that are used by files and folders are stored in the volume
bit map and changing the filetype of a folder will not change the
volume bit map.  So any blocks used by that folder or the files
contained in it will still be marked as used regardless of the
filetype of the folder.

If you did write/patch some software to allow this, then you could
even add password protection to a folder if you desired but it still
wouldn't be perfect protection as the filetype of the folder could be
changed back so that it worked normally again.

However, if you don't mind the bother, yes, you can change the
filetype of a folder and it will keep anyone who doesn't know how to
change the filetype of a file from seeing the contents of that folder
without damaging any directory structures or overwriting already
existing files.

*** WARNING *** Never delete the folder if it has been changed to
another filetype as the blocks used by the files contained within that
folder will not be marked as available in the volume bit map.  You
will also not be able to delete those files except by using a hard
drive diagnostic program like Prosel et al.  Change the file
attributes at the same time you change the filetype to try to prevent
it from being deleted.  (Basically, lock the file.)  The password
program/patch routine could also step in to prevent the file from
being deleted.

I apologize if this post comes out a little disjointed or difficult to
understand but it is midnight and I just got home from work and I'm
pretty tired.  :)


=== I've had enough SPAM.  Cut the obvious from my address to email me. ===
         Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University on Delphi