Protect Published Files

During the publishing process, you can specify options that control users' access to the files, set expiration dates for the files, and assign passwords to them.

To protect published files

  1. At the File Security dialog box of the Publishing Wizard, select the desired protection options:
    • Lock component files to prevent editing assigns an encrypted password to the component file, which keeps the user from editing it.
    • Set expiration date for component files makes the published templates usable only until a certain date. Selecting this option causes the Component File Expiration dialog box to appear when you click Next. (See Step 2 for details.)
    • Register component files allows you to register templates for commercial use with HotDocs Player. (To do this, you must obtain a special publisher key (.HDK) file from your HotDocs sales representative. Once this file is obtained (including a password to use it), the publisher key must be copied to the HotDocs program folder. Then, when you publish your template set, these options will be available. The resulting published set can be used with Player. See Publish and Register Templates for Use With HotDocs Player.)

If your users upgrade to HotDocs Developer and then attempt to edit any published templates you have registered, those templates will no longer work with HotDocs Player. To prevent users from modifying component files, and thus unregistering them, you should lock the component files. (See above.)

    • Password protect published files requires users to enter a password before assembling the auto-assemble file or installing the auto-install file. You specify this password in the Password field.
    • Password protect documents sent to Microsoft Word requires users to unprotect the document before modifying assembled documents that have been sent to Microsoft Word. (They do this by entering the password you used to publish the file.) (This can include documents that were assembled from WordPerfect templates.) You specify this password in the Password field.
  1. If you selected Set expiration date for component files, the Component File Expiration dialog box appears. Select the desired expiration options:
    • Expiration date lets you specify the date on which you want the files to expire. Type the date in the field, or click the calendar icon next to the field to select the date.
    • Warning period lets you warn users that their files are about to expire. Click the up or down arrows to specify the number of days this warning will appear before the template actually expires and can no longer be used.
    • Extension period lets users continue to use the files for a specified amount of time after the template or template set has expired. Click the up or down arrows to specify the number of days.
    • Expiration message lets you include a custom message about the files that are set to expire. Enter your message in the text field. (HotDocs automatically includes information about the expiration date.)