1/1/01
Hi. Thanks for downloading Free Guard 1.4.
What is it?
Free Guard is a utility to hide files and folders. It is password protected at application startup. Nothing is encrypted, and someone could still make the files and folders visible without too much trouble. It is based on the "if they do not know its there, they wont look for it" theory.
How do I use Free Guard?
When the application is launched for the first time you will have to assign a password. If you do not wish to have a password, leave the fields blank. (you can add one later by going to "change password" under the file menu.)
You can add files, folders or applications to the list by dragging and dropping them onto the list, or add them through the "Choose..." button. Free Guard WILL NOT LET YOU hide a hard drive.
Double click an item in the list to toggle the visibility of it, or choose "Show / Hide".
TIP! Hold the command key down while double clicking on an item in the list and it will open the folder in the finder after making it visible.
The "Show All" button makes everything in the list visible.
The "Hide All" button makes everything in the list invisible.
Make a selection from the list, click the "Remove" button. A box will appear that will ask you to confirm your choice. If you choose to do so, Free Guard will make your selection visible, and then delete the entry from the list. (Free Guard will NOT delete anything from your computer!)
Fixes / Changes:
For 1.4
€ Added a popup menu to sort by "All, Files, Folders, Visible Items, Invisible Items"
€ Free Guard remembers the last sort view, and if you were viewing "more info" or "less info".
€ Built in a file utility that allows you to browse through your mounted drives to change the visibility of items without adding them to the list.
€ Added a button to rebuild the preference file. (the file that the list of items is stored in.)
€ Double clicking with the command key down will open the folder you are making visible.
€ Added icons in the list for applications, folders, and files.
For 1.3
€ When you choose to delete an item on the list you now have the option to delete the item on the list AND make the item visible before it is deleted from the list.
€ Fixed a bug that would cause Free Guard to crash when started again after it was quit using the close box in the window.
€ Made Free Guard a "Fat" application so it will run on both the 68k macs and the PowerPC macs.
For 1.2
€ The name in the list box now changes to italic when the file or folder is invisible. It is normal when the file or folder is visible.
€ Moved the password file to a much less obvious spot.
€ Added a "tool tip" window that will pop up when the mouse moves over the path so you can view the entire path.
(thanks to Frank Condello! http://www.globalseve.net/~frankco/rb/)
For 1.1
€ Free Guard will not let you choose a HARD DRIVE to hide through the "Choose..." button. (or any other way for that matter!)
€ Toned down the About box. Added links to my application page, and to email me.
€ Added a warning box when you are about to delete an entry from the list.
€ Altered the application icon so it wont look too much like a folder.
Why did I write Free Guard?
Free Guard was written after I downloaded an application that did basically the same thing I have made Free Guard do. There was a timed box when the application started telling you where to send your money to. That was kind of annoying. I went ahead and set up the application, played around with it a little and went to quit. ANOTHER timed box popped up reminding me where to send my money to!! THAT made me mad. So I wrote Free Guard. Dont get me wrong. The person or people who wrote the application that I am speaking of did a great job, and I am sure alot of effort went into creating it, and I would have sent them their money if it just wasnt for that timed pop up box when the application QUIT.
Contact me...
If you have any comments or bug reports about Free Guard please email me at
msrwerks@mindspring.com
Enjoy!
p.s. Free Guard is STILL FREEWARE! It has NO timed, pop up boxes!