[kingjules]

Is it possible to put a password for opening in the pages documents? i would need to do something like that but i can't find the option nowhere.

thanks for your help
Jules

[rjenkinson]

you could save them to a password-protected disk image.

-r.

[kingjules]

good idea. one thing is: how to I create a protected disk image?

thanks
Jules

[rjenkinson]

open disk utility and make a new disk image. make sure the image is both readable and writable and set encryption to AES-128. save it and then enter a password for the image.

-r.

[moonmonkey]

This is a lot easier on a PC

[monkeybrain]

Using a disk image wouldn't let you create a document that cannot be edited though. It's little features like this that Apple needs to implement into Pages if it wants it to be a serious competitor to other word processors.

[Chuckit]

That's a big "if."

[JKT]

Originally Posted by monkeybrain

Using a disk image wouldn't let you create a document that cannot be edited though.

Er... yes it would. The disk image just has to be read/write and you can save to files with no problems.

[slugslugslug]

Originally Posted by JKT

Originally Posted by monkeybrain

Using a disk image wouldn't let you create a document that cannot be edited though.

Er... yes it would. The disk image just has to be read/write and you can save to files with no problems.

No, you're missing his point. He wants other people to be able to open the file but not edit it. That issue isn't affected at all by the ability to use an encrypted disk image.

Edit: or, I suppose, in the OP's case, he might want people to be able to see that the document exists but only open it with a password. A disk image is a whole extra step to explain to people when, with Word, you could just give some of them the password and tell 'em where to find the file.

[monkeybrain]

Yeah I frequently send a form to my clients which is password protected so they can only fill in certain parts and not edit the content. That can't be done with Pages.

It's all well and good having fancy things like embedded Quicktime, but I just don't understand why Apple leaves out simple features like this. I think Apple needs to give Pages an overall if they want it to be serious against apps like the upcoming fancy Office from that other lot.

[JKT]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

No, you're missing his point. He wants other people to be able to open the file but not edit it. That issue isn't affected at all by the ability to use an encrypted disk image.

Edit: or, I suppose, in the OP's case, he might want people to be able to see that the document exists but only open it with a password. A disk image is a whole extra step to explain to people when, with Word, you could just give some of them the password and tell 'em where to find the file.

Misinterpreted your post actually. I thought you meant that you wouldn't be able to save a file after editing it if you had it on a disk image. Now I have re-read it, I get what you mean.

FWIW, what makes anyone think that Pages is meant to be a "serious" competitor to Word (by which I assume you all mean a business app as this is generally the only place where you would want to have a password protected file)? It isn't even pitched at that level - it's a consumer application, pure and simple and IMO, already knocked the pants off Word as a consumer app in version 1.0 purely because it was 10 times easier to use.

[dimmer]

If you don't want people to edit it, saving as a PDF from Print will work (yes, those with Illustrator will mess with your head, but they are freaks anyway). The password "protection" in Word and Excel has always been easy to work around (Spotlight, for example, goes right past it). Having the ability to encrypt and secure at the OS level makes much more sense. Your word processor should not be your data security mechanic.