Password-Protecting a Model File

In some instances, you may wish to protect a model file with a password, such that in order for someone to open it, they must provide a password.

You can do this by selecting File|Protect… from the main menu. When you do this, the following dialog will appear:

The password must have a length of 4 to 20 characters.

After you do this, anyone who tries to subsequently open the model will be presented with the following dialog:

Once a file is opened, you can remove the password by selecting File|Protect… from the main menu. If the file is protected, it will prompt you for the password again. Once you enter it, the Protect Model File dialog will be displayed (this time with the password):

To remove the password-protection, simply clear both fields and press OK.

Note that once a file is password-protected, users will be prompted for a password under the following circumstances:

• When the user tries to open the file;

• When the user tries to change the password (by accessing File|Protect…;

• When the model is used to create a Player file, and the Player file is opened;

• When the model is imported as a SubModel; and

• When the model is opened using command line arguments.

Warning: If you forget the password, there is no way to recover the file (as providing any kind of “backdoor” would weaken the security). So if you choose to use this feature, make sure you record the password!