Mac Hyp: Write-Protected Stacks in HyperCard (50432)

MORE INFORMATION

HyperCard stacks can be write-protected. You can look at a write-protected stack and make copies of all or part of it, but you can't change it.

You can recognize a write-protected stack because a padlock appears to the right of the rightmost menu title on the menu bar. When a stack is write-protected, you can't type into any fields, and you can't use certain menu items:

• Compact Stack
• Delete Stack

Stacks are write-protected in a number of ways:

• The stack is on a CD-ROM.
• The stack is on a file server in a folder whose access privileges are set to Read Only.
• The Locked box is checked in the stack's Get Info box in the Finder.
• The stack is on a locked 3.5-inch disk.
• Can't Modify Stack is checked in the stack's Protect Stack dialog box.

When the stack is on a write-protected medium (for example, a locked disk, a CD-ROM, a locked folder on a file server), HyperCard automatically puts a check mark into the Can't Modify Stack option; you can't undo it.

To make permanent changes to such a stack, you'll first have to remove the write-protection. In many cases, copying a stack to an unlocked disk makes the stack modifiable. However, if a user has checked Can't Modify Stack in the stack's Protect Stack dialog box, or if the Locked box is checked in the stack's Get Info box in the Finder, you'll have to uncheck the proper boxes after copying before you can make stack changes.