Saving PNG/JPG as read only

RB
Posted By
Rich_Berkey
Feb 10, 2009
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1014
Replies
11
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Closed
I am using CS3 to make files for a online game. Is there a way in photoshop to make the files read only? So other gamers can not open and edit the file but the game can still read the file?
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png read save

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PR
Paul_R
Feb 10, 2009
Yes they can be made read only using a script ie:
var file = File("/c/folder/fileName.jpg");
file.readonly=true;
The user can of course change the atributes any time he/she wants, the read only is at system level NOT within the picture.
P
Phosphor
Feb 10, 2009
I’m giggling at your answers Michael & Paul…

Depending upon who’s on the receiving end, they may have no clue about changing permissions.

How many people do we all know who can’t even understand how to grab an attachment from an email? Or unZIP a compressed file? Or figure out how to read a PDF document?

🙂
RB
Rich_Berkey
Feb 11, 2009
Thanks guys but I am looking more along these lines. The file can be read by anyone but only the original producer of the file can edit and change the file. So it can not be at system level but the file has to contain the information.
P
Phosphor
Feb 11, 2009
There’s always a password-protected PDF.

But those can be cracked as well.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 11, 2009
But those can be cracked as well.

but only by the very determined.

So other gamers can not open and edit the file but the game can still read the file

you can use encryption. even zip encryption and have the application decrypt on the fly without ever exposing the password or encryption scheme.
MB
Michael_Brower
Feb 11, 2009
You can make them read only by right clicking the image in Windows and going to properties and clicking on the read-only attribute, but once they get the file they can change the read-only attribute by doing the same thing. JPG and PNG do not have built-in read-only attributes like PDF’s do.

Michael

wrote in message
I am using CS3 to make files for a online game. Is there a way in photoshop to make the files read only? So other gamers can not open and edit the file but the game can still read the file?
M
Mylenium
Feb 11, 2009
but only by the very determined.

Not really. There are tons of tools that simply remove the password and "liberate" the PDF. Unless you encrypt the entire document in Acrobat (which most users don’t), simply setting a password is of no use at all.

@Rich

I’m not clear what you are trying to do. Content protection would/should be part of the game engine and that goes beyond simple read-only bits. If it’s not, then beyond the already discussed lo-fi ways of protecting your assets are the only option. As a minor, the game should support encrypted 7z to guarantee integrity and protection of your stuff, but even that can be hacked within the context of most game engines…

Mylenium
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 11, 2009
Not really. There are tons of tools that simply remove the password and "liberate" the PDF.

right, but you’d have to be determined to go get that crack, and willing to install some cracker’s software on your system to get at the images. in my book, that’s "pretty determined".

Unless you encrypt the entire document in Acrobat (which most users don’t), simply setting a password is of no use at all.

right. which is why i think the better way is to actually encrypt the images.
RB
Rich_Berkey
Feb 11, 2009
Ok lets put it another way. You design a logo of your company in photoshop with a png file. You post it on your website. Someone see the logo and likes it but wants to change the color. The rip the logo off the site. Is there a way to make the file so it is read only so they can not change the color and use it for their own?
PR
Paul_R
Feb 11, 2009
No, if a picture is visible it can be copied and altered.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 11, 2009
. Is there a way to make the file so it is read only so they can not change the color and use it for their own?

read only in WHAT? if you’re viewing through a proprietary piece of software, like a game, then you can do whatever you want to lock it down. the game would have the "keys" to read it, but anyone trying to view it outside the context of the game or app would just see junk. you could even disable print-screen from within the context of your game or application.

if you mean to not be able to edit a standard unencrypted jpg in say ms paint? no. no way.

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