Lock and Unlock Folders/Files thro' VB

[gaycers]

How to Lock and Unlock Folders/Files through VB or how to open a folder which is password protected?

[Killer42]

How to Lock and Unlock Folders/Files through VB or how to open a folder which is password protected?

When you say "Lock and Unlock" are you referring to the Read-only attribute? If so, the FileSystemObject (requires a reference to "Microsoft Scripting Runtime" to be added to your project) will probably allow you to do it pretty easily.

Don't know about the password-protected folder. How do you password-protect a folder?

[Robbie]

Maybe he is referring to ZIP files which Windows XP wants to make newcomers believe is just a "compressed folder"? ;)
(Gotta hate it for at least that...)

I have a VB project I downloaded form somewhere but I have absolutely no idea where I got it from, so for now I'll be hosting it on my little server (please bear in mind I have a crap connection - if it doesn't work, try a little later):
Archive Explorer
However, on my system at least, it seems to 'lock' / get stuck in some infinite loop somewhere and never start responding again when it tries to extract a password-protected file (and I give it the password), but I don't remember anyone else complain about that so maybe it's just with me. T_T

What a waste of typing if you're not talking about zip files, haha....

[Killer42]

Maybe he is referring to ZIP files which Windows XP wants to make newcomers believe is just a "compressed folder"? ;)

Good point, that might be it.

(Gotta hate it for at least that...)

Actually, I've always rather liked the addition of "compressed folder" support. Not that I ever use it, since I prefer WinZip. But it's great to know that everyone can handle zip files.

The only real problem I have with it is the inability to easily toggle the option to search within archives. Most of the time I don't want to search them, and I have some big zip files hanging around. :(

[Robbie]

Good point, that might be it.
Actually, I've always rather liked the addition of "compressed folder" support. Not that I ever use it, since I prefer WinZip. But it's great to know that everyone can handle zip files.

The only real problem I have with it is the inability to easily toggle the option to search within archives. Most of the time I don't want to search them, and I have some big zip files hanging around. :(

Same here about wishing you could disable searching within ZIPs. But the support for browsing around within ZIP files with XP seems more like a last-minute extra add-on to me.

There are things which can be done with files in ZIPs (and practically every other archive I can think of) using dedicated archive programs, but not in XP's explorer which I wouldn't have thought would be too hard for MS to add. Such common things as renaming, or drag/drop from archive to program.

Out of interest I just right-clicked and chose Extract All... and the text is not even shown properly, being cut off! (Screenshot)
I'll be sticking to 7-Zip. ;)

</random_rant>