Protecting a dwg file

I need help protected a dwg file.

Is there a way of encripting or protecting a drawing so i can sent it to someone and they can insert it into one of there drawings but at the same time they cannot modify the drawing, like locking the layers but in a way that means they would not be able to unlock them or modify them.

I need help protected a dwg file.

Is there a way of encripting or protecting a drawing so i can sent it to someone and they can insert it into one of there drawings but at the same time they cannot modify the drawing, like locking the layers but in a way that means they would not be able to unlock them or modify them.

Not that easy. There is CADLock wich is a program that should do what you need but I've never tested and can't tell you if it's safe or not. http://www.cadlock.com/

Another way is offered from SmartLock,

http://www.summercad.com/english/page-3.asp

Or autocadownerguard

http://www.armjisoft.com/?page=autocadownerguard

Or have them sign a disclaimer.

And don't sent your title block with the drawing.

Don't you have a contract with this "someone"? What does it say about deliverables?

If not, can you send them a DWF? (which can be attached like an XREF)

You could also use WMFOUT and WMFIN to create an "exploded" copy of the drawing that you could send them.

why not send them a PDF of the file?

This little lisp seems to work... I'm not sure how easy it is to crack (works in 2007 on standard 2000i setting)...

/edit... make sure you keep the original safe & only lock a copy!

Lockup.lsp

Just to fill in a couple of blanks.

The drawings have been created for our client but we have been told to supply the drawings to another company for a report of theirs. They need to insert it into AutoCAD which rules out a PDF. We don't want to give them an open copy of our work because then they could use it to their advantage when bidding for work further down the design process. we therefore want to lock the drawing somehow so that all they can do is view it but not edit or manipulate it in any way.

I have had a quick look at CADLock but am having a few problems with it. i have created the vault drawing but it doesn't display on another Tech's machine so will need some more playing.

i will have a look at that lisp file too cheers.

any other help would be greatly appreciated

This little lisp seems to work... I'm not sure how easy it is to crack (works in 2007 on standard 2000i setting)...

 

/edit... make sure you keep the original safe & only lock a copy!

This Lisp seems to work, do you know of any lisp routines that unlock everything again? i don't want to unlock everything but i don't want them to be able to either.

The CADLock program only works if the person you are sending the file to also has the program so i would presume it is the same for all locking programs

This little lisp seems to work... I'm not sure how easy it is to crack (works in 2007 on standard 2000i setting)...

 

/edit... make sure you keep the original safe & only lock a copy!

It works. But exporting in WMF and importing the WMF file will give you an editable file, maybe not perfect but usable.

I guess that somebody who knows more tricks than me can find ways to get better results.

I've read discussions on this argument many times, but it looks like is not that easy to 100 % protect a dwg file...

It would really be nice to have the chance of inserting a password like in excel files, so that the file can be seen but not modified

but it looks like is not that easy to 100 % protect a dwg file...

Nothing is 100%.

Given enough time, a person could recreate your DWG from a paper plot. Any digital format is just a head start.

I agree. You have PDF2DWG and DWF2DWG and PLT2DWG for example.

Some years ago a colleague of mine witnessed in court and could document that one engineering companies had drawings with objects with the same handles as in drawings from another comany, so they where stolen, the draiwings.

It´s hard to work with people you don´t trust. Maybe the extra work for all parties costs more than the possible loss you risk.

One suggestion could be sending the file as a raster image (png for example)

That's about as close to sending a paper plot as you're probably going to get. There's nothing (other than time and probably some level of accuracy) to prevent them tracing that image though. Provided they scale it properly when they import the image they could have enough to work from.

The only question that comes to mind for me, is why they particularly need to insert it into AutoCAD if they aren't going to be doing any editing. Surely a PDF or a paper plot would be more than enough for someone who wasn't going to be working on the drawing itself.

The CADLock program only works if the person you are sending the file to also has the program so i would presume it is the same for all locking programs

I've got CADLock - there are two parts to the software, the main bit you pay for and use to lock your files, then a free bit they need to install to view it.

AutoCAD 2004+ gave us the ability to password protect our drawings.

Adding a password to a drawing:

-Go to File and select Save As from the pulldown menu.

-In the upper right hand corner of the pop-up window, under the big red square with the white X, click on Tools.

-Under Tools click on Security Options.

-In the Secuirty Options window, in the box labeled "Password or phrase to open this drawing" add your security word or phrase.

-Then click OK.

Note: You have the option of encrypting drawing properties as well.

For further information, consult AutoCAD Help and type in the word password.

WARNING! If you forget your password the drawing cannot be recovered. Make a backup copy prior to sending it out to another consultant or engineer.

This make me curious.

Can it not be opened by other applications?

Sorry, but I don't know the answer to that one. What other applications do you have in mind?

Bricscad, IntelliCAD, SolidWorks, Ailbre Design, Rhino

for example.

I also think many Adobe programs can import DWG?

OK, it seems to work quite OK.

I made a circle in AutoCAD 2008, saved it with a password protection, and couldn't open it in Bricscad. Insert and Xref didn't work. DWG2PDF didn't work.

I did get a bitmap preview though, in the xref dialog.

See the dwg file and have a try :-)

Circle Password Protected.dwg

Save as 2000 also seem to work OK.

Circle Password Protected 2000.dwg

AutoCAD 2004+ gave us the ability to password protect our drawings.

This does not help the OP. His recipient needs to be able to view/insert the drawing - which you cannot do without the password.