forgot password of a locked area.

[rdelascasas]

to all,

I did something silly, I locked an area in a file and forgot the password.

Is there any way that I can retrieve the password or unlock the area?

Thank you in advance,

Rogelio

[PhilipOakley]

Which version of Mathcad? All the recent verions have had hard (difficult) encryption, so if it is locked and hidden you are done for [i.e. nothing can be done].

If it is locked and visible, you should (but I haven't checked) be able to either copy by eye, or possibly Ctrl-C, the content.

I personally recommend for internal design manuals (locked (certified), but visible) that the password be the date of locking (which is displayed on the area bar), as it never repeats, and we can easily check the date is intact to validate that someone used the design sheet without modification of the locked area.

[rdelascasas]

I created an area, colapsed it and locked it. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and forgot to write down the password. I know that it is my fault. but regularly, when i have such kind of problem in an internet site, they always have the possibility to email you or ask you for a private question to help you out.

Unfortunately, Mathcad, at least M015 does not have that option.

[Werner_E]

but regularly, when i have such kind of problem in an internet site, they always have the possibility to email you or ask you for a private question to help you out.

Unfortunately, Mathcad, at least M015 does not have that option.

You dont't have that kind of backdoor with password protected Word, Excel ord pdf files, either.

[rdelascasas]

yes, you are right!!

[ELSID]

You may want to install a trial of Prime. Sometime ago, someone mentioned that the "upconvert" broke the lock. You can then copy and past the sheet back to 15. Just a suggestion, cannot confirm it works, but you can search the forum about this issue.

[Werner_E]

ELSID wrote:

You may want to install a trial of Prime. Sometime ago, someone mentioned that the "upconvert" broke the lock. You can then copy and past the sheet back to 15. Just a suggestion, cannot confirm it works, but you can search the forum about this issue.

Don't remember having read this here, but then this must not mean anything, as there are a lot of things I don't remember anymore.

The region in question her was described as being collapsed and as far as I know Prime would not convert collapsed regions, regardless if they are protected or not.

[RichardJ]

That's not correct. A locked area will not convert.

[rdelascasas]

i tried to convert the file from mathcad 15 to prime 2 and did not work

[ValeryOchkov]

Mathcad Prime 2 and 3 has not passwords for areas.

At one hand it is bad, at others hand it is good - not forget a password

[RichardJ]

I might be able to open it for you, but I will not disclose, either publically or privately, how. If you want me try then you will have to convince me that you do actually have rights to what is in that area, which might not be easy. Over the years a number of people have asked how to unlock areas, and I have always made the same offer. To date, nobody has even bothered to try and convince me they have such rights (which implies to me that none of them did, and they knew they would not be able to convnce me).

[rdelascasas · Accepted solution]

it will really be easy for me because i already re-created what was in that locked and collapsed area.

i can send you both files, the one with the collapsed area and the new one that i recreated.

Rogelio

[RichardJ]

Well, congratulations on being the first one who (in my opinion) actually does have rights to what is in the area

You convinced me in way that means opening the locked area won't actually get you anything, but if you send me the files I'll see if I can unlock it, just to see if I can

[rdelascasas]

Please, find the two files attached.

i have deleted anything that is not related just to that calculation.

The file that is with no collapse area is a little bit better. Second times are always better.

Have fun, and let me see what you can do.

The file that include the word unlocked is the re-created one.

regards,

Rogelio

[RichardJ]

Here you go

I happened to name it the same as your new version, but it is the old one with the lock removed from the area. It's possible a couple of regions got slightly damaged by this process, but hopefully not.

[rdelascasas]

Richard,

thank you very much.

Rogelio