How to lock a file

**satimis** · 03-09-2005

Hi folks,

How to lock a file of following format

1) .txt or .doc
2) .html or .htm

so that it can be read only. Copying its content with copy/paste command is not allowed, nor duplicating it. Kinldy advise.

TIA

B.R.
satimis

**lakerdonald** · 03-09-2005

This should work:

Code:

chmod 444 file

This sets the 'read' bit to one and all other bits to zero, since you don't seem to be dealing with executables.

**Sepero** · 03-09-2005

It's impossible to prevent duplication of a file if it can be read.

**lakerdonald** · 03-09-2005

Just giving him the closest thing I could come up with

**Sepero** · 03-09-2005

Actually, I was commented on the original post, but now that I think about it.

chmod 400 file

Use that to prevent anyone, except the file owner from reading(or duplicating) the file.

**IsaacKuo** · 03-09-2005

The basic problem is that the term "read-only" has a particlar meaning in computer jargon, and it does NOT mean what satimis hopes it means.

In computer jargon, "read-only" means that the file/device can't be written to (as opposed to "read-write" or "write-only). This doesn't imply any restrictions on what the person or program reading from the file/device does with the data.

Anywaaaaays, what are we doing here instead of on JustLinux, anyway?

**smindinvern** · 03-09-2005

^^I think we all know that, but rather, we're trying to provide a solution for him. Although I don't think it's possible to do what you're asking, you can change group permissions, that might give you something close to what you're looking for.

**satimis** · 03-09-2005

Hi folks,

Tks for your advice and postings.

I came across such files on web. I was not allowed to high-light their contents and paste the same to another file. I'm interested to learn how to do it.

However I can print such a file as a .pdf file. So if we can stop this last job then the file shall become read only. To touch it is impossible.

satimis

**lakerdonald** · 03-09-2005

you can acheive those locked html files on the web via javascript, but that won't apply to accessing them locally.

**Sepero** · 03-10-2005

Originally Posted by IsaacKuo

Anywaaaaays, what are we doing here instead of on JustLinux, anyway? :wink:

Here's my return message. :)
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/post-181397.html

Originally Posted by lakerdonald

you can acheive those locked html files on the web via javascript, but that won't apply to accessing them locally.

Generally, this is false. You can copy the content, you just have to copy from the page source instead. (Or save the page to disk, edit out the javascript, then re-open it locally.)

As for copying text from a pdf file: That's similar to trying to copy text from a graphic file. If you want to stop people from copying your text, only post screenshots of the text, instead of the actual text. (But that still won't stop people from duplicating the file.)

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