Microsoft Publisher - Can I right-click protect my web content?

Author

Can I right-click protect my web content?

Cindy Maggard

2005-05-11, 7:27 pm

On one of the online photo galleries I subscribe to, I have the ability to
right-click protect my photos so that they cannot be copied by those who view
them. Is it possible to do this in Publisher? And if so, how do I go about
it? We are a non-profit and have privacy issues to address, so that our
clients are protected. We have permisiion to use the photos, but I am not
comfortable with the idea that anyone could right-click and copy them off of
the website. Thanks for your help.

David Bartosik [MSFT MVP]

2005-05-11, 7:27 pm

> On one of the online photo galleries I subscribe to, I have the ability to
> right-click protect my photos so that they cannot be copied by those who
> view
> them.

Some common sense points...

- A web browser downloads all web content to the client PC to be able to
display it. Any one can go to the Interent temp files folder on thier pc and
grab images. Anything on the web is free to be taken. That is the nature of
the web.

- The technique professionals in the image trade use is that of watermarking
images and of only displaying low quality versions. Visit a professional
image online seller and you can see these techniques. That is the proper way
to protect any image content short of not displaying it at all.

- The no right click thing is only a little java script "trick". Any idiot
that likes to copy images knows to go into the browser settings and turn off
java script support. Which then enables them to right click until their
fingers go numb.

- the fastest way is to just go to View, Source and look at the page source
for the image file name and then go to that URL and viola you have the
image. for example the site www.realsimple.com - image is at
http://i.timeinc.net/realsimple/i/dsgn/logo.gif

> Is it possible to do this in Publisher? And if so, how do I go about
> it?

Trick question. Publisher has no support for dynamic features (i.e.
scripting). But scripts can typically be implemented via the Publisher html
fragment dialog tool. But.... Pub 2003 implements VML technology, which if
viewed in a VML browser (IE 6+) you will find that there is no save picture
as option in the right click menu... look at www.davidbartosik.com/test1/
for example. Of course thsi does not prevent you from viewing source to find
the image path...
http://www.davidbartosik.com/test1/...es/image321.jpg

> We are a non-profit and have privacy issues to address, so that our
> clients are protected. We have permisiion to use the photos, but I am not
> comfortable with the idea that anyone could right-click and copy them off
> of
> the website.

ok. not really relevant to the question.

> Thanks for your help.

your welcome.

short cut answer use Pub 2003.
best way answer, use watermarking.

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
www.publishermvps.com
www.davidbartosik.com