Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Can I protect my sub programs for editing & visibility both?

sak240277 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:19 am Can I protect my sub programs for editing & visibility both?

Could you please clarify what you are wanting to do? Your end goal?

Sub program is exactly what? I sub routine with in a G code file?

Customized Macros we used in main program needs to be protected with password for view & edit both e.g. M17, M18.

sak240277 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:19 am Can I protect my sub programs for editing & visibility both?

All this can be done with Windows, you can make files/folders read only and even hide files and folders. You can also set permissions for each file or folder and which users have access to them. This is a Windows feature and nothing to do with Acorn. Just Google it and you'll see how.

Read only will not do what the OP is looking for. Read only just protects (somewhat) from changing the file. It does not prevent you from viewing the contents.

Bottom line is RS274 is a text based file format with no provisions for encryption.

But if he makes it read only and makes it a hidden file this keeps someone from seeing and/or editing it. It's not password protected but it's better than nothing, no? Is this fool proof, of course not.

As soon as the control loads it, assuming it can find the hidden file, the contents will then be visible.

tblough wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:50 pm As soon as the control loads it, assuming it can find the hidden file, the contents will then be visible.

And the file editable....

The OP wrote "Customized Macros we used in main program needs to be protected with password for view & edit both e.g. M17, M18."

Is he not talking about macros? The g code will call the macro but you can't see the macro contents or edit it from within the g code when you try to edit the loaded cut file by pressing F6 after it's loaded. All you see is the M number in the g code. I've done this before. You can change the macro file attributes, any mfunc file in the cncm directory, to be read only and hidden and when it's called by the g code it runs as normal. You just cant see the macro in the cncm directory. I think he's trying to hide or protect the macros and this may be the easiest way. If you can't see it you cant edit it. Could one show hidden files or folders, yup, but your average pc user may not know how to do this.

I fully understand its text file.
My thought is to protect it from thief than normal one.
A rule is protect your intellectual property, not from common / normal operator (as he won't even try for it) but from a thief.
But a thief will enter your house even if it is locked, security system installed & burglar alarm set. Isn't it?
So shall we conclude or is there anyone who can suggest further robust methods with features like using IoT / IiOT to know?