[Q] Folder password protection - Streak 5 Themes and Apps

I've created on my desktop a shortcut to a project folder on my SD card. Can anyone recommend an app that will let me set up a password for that folder?
I'm not looking to encrypt all the data in the folder, I just want password-restricted access to it. I can't find anything suitable in The Market.
Thanks.

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If it's not encrypted, then its not protected.
Really, seriously, utterly, there is no way at all that you can "protect" a folder on an SD card other than encrypting the contents. Other apps, will always be able to access it, and, equally, anyone could take the card out and stick it in a PC card reader.

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I appreciate that, and that's fine! I'm not looking for total protection from access, either through SD card reading or via apps. I'm just looking for password-restricted access when accessed through the desktop shortcut.

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SmartLock will let you lock your photos/videos, as well as apps and such but I don't think it does folders. The best you could probably do would be to hide the folders using SmartLock or a similar app along those lines.

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Yes, I have discovered SmartLock, thanks. But I have to say I'm not a fan at all of the whole mentality with mobile phones that data is split into storage of photos, videos, "music", etc, in separate locations and treated separately.
The folder in question contains mp3, pdf, jpg, xls and doc files.
Hiding the folder would be completely against what I'm trying to do, which is to have a clearly visible, easily accessible desktop shortcut. I guess basically I'm looking for the Android equivalent of a zip file with password.

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AidanBell said:
I've created on my desktop a shortcut to a project folder on my SD card.
. . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you write desktop, do you mean homescreen or as a network shortcut on your PC? If the latter you can use the desktop's OS to protect the link.
AidanBell said:
. . . I guess basically I'm looking for the Android equivalent of a zip file with password.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't the Android equivalent be a zip file with a password? ES File Explorer is free and supports password protected archives.

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Sorry, terminology!
Yes, I mean the home screen on my Streak (or strictly speaking one of them!).
I already have and use ES File Explorer, that's how I created the Homescreen shortcut!
So if it turns out that what I'm looking for is already a feature of that program, then how's that for irony!

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Glad you've found a solution that works for you, but... you do know that password protected zipfiles are encrypted,

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jim-bo said:
Glad you've found a solution that works for you...
Click to expand...
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Thank you, but regrettably I haven't.
When you zip a folder it of course creates a copy of that folder, zipped, which is not what I want at all. I'm amazed that what I do want doesn't seem to be readily available; in order to open a folder you have to enter a simple password, and then you're in the folder. Simple as that ...

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AidanBell said:
Thank you, but regrettably I haven't.
When you zip a folder it of course creates a copy of that folder, zipped, which is not what I want at all. I'm amazed that what I do want doesn't seem to be readily available; in order to open a folder you have to enter a simple password, and then you're in the folder. Simple as that ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, part of the reason that nobody makes such an app / feature, is that it is pretty much the equivalent of selling a security system for your house that consists of a door that doesn't lock, with a sign on it saying "no unauthorized entry". It really offers no actual protection at all.
That being said, what you're trying to achieve sounds more like you want to protect an app / shortcut on your launcher screen, rather than protecting the folder itself
Take a look at something like https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sp.protector.free&feature=search_result (I searched for password any app, if you want to see other options). It may let you achieve what you're after.

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Thanks for your thoughts. To use your analogy, yes; I do indeed want the sign that says "no unauthorized entry" but I don't want the door to be locked. Precisely!
Perhaps I should explain my situation more closely. I'm taking my Streak in to meetings with colleagues who will also make use of it. All I want is to prevent casual non-malicious access of the folder by other people. I neither need nor want encryption or strong security, I just want that tiny bit of difficulty, the little hint that says "you're not supposed to be doing this".

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Thanks for your thoughts.
Using your own analogy; yes, that's exactly what I do want; the sign says, "no unauthorized entry", but the door remains unlocked!
Let me explain. I take my Streak in to meetings where it is also used by other people. What I want to prevent is non-malicious, accidental access by others. I want a gentle hint, not a 100% secure lock-out or data encryption, just a little kick that says "you're not supposed to be doing this".
Smart App Protector would be ideal if it would protect a folder. It's exactly what I want, but I need it for for folders, not apps.

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You said that you wanted the prompt to come up when you hit an icon on your desktop - that would be app-protection, or shortcut protection, since it is the launch of the app / shortcut that causes the password prompt.
If you are saying that you are already in a file browser, and you want the prompt to pop up when you choose a certain folder to enter, then you are going to need to find a file browser that supports protecting or "hiding" folders, since it will have to be a direct function of the file browser app itself. I'm afraid that I don't know of any that offer anything like that feature.
To be absolutely clear, there are no features or functions in an SD card filesystem that will allow this sort of security flagging, and to do it at the OS level would involve some relatively low level dalvik / libc / kernel patching, which would require root, a custom ROM, and quite possibly end up being device specific, which explains why you can't find anything in the market.

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I seem to manage to make a habit of this: There are literally tens of thousands of available apps that do everything under the sun. Yet the simple, not unique or unusual, function that I'm after isn't available! Oh well, many thanks for your kind help nevertheless.

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AidanBell said:
I seem to manage to make a habit of this: There are literally tens of thousands of available apps that do everything under the sun. Yet the simple, not unique or unusual, function that I'm after isn't available! Oh well, many thanks for your kind help nevertheless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, this one isn't simple (you are asking for a low-level redesign of the security model), and while it may not be uniquem it is something that not many people would want - referring back to the previous metaphor, how many people would buy a front door with no lock, just a keep out sign, really? Especially once they learned that burglars can't always read...
But if I ever do come across anything that might help, I'll definitely let you know

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AidanBell said:
Thank you, but regrettably I haven't.
When you zip a folder it of course creates a copy of that folder, zipped, which is not what I want at all. I'm amazed that what I do want doesn't seem to be readily available; in order to open a folder you have to enter a simple password, and then you're in the folder. Simple as that ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't you then delete the folder and use the zip. When you tap on the zip you can see the file names, but to open a file you need the PW. Not ideal since ES Fie Explorer doesn't support copying directly to a zip file, but it is as close as you can get, I think.
Edit: I don't usually put shortcuts to things I don't want others peeking at on the homescreen.