Users will sometimes ask “How do I protect my Origin project data?” Please read this document for detailed information. This blog will discuss some general cases.
- To add a password to your project file, open the project file. Use Tools: Protection: Protect Project… to add password. Then save the project.
- To protect data in worksheet or workbook, use layer -lw 、 page -lw Labtalk commands.
- To protect some cells, using Format Cells dialog, check Disable Editing checkbox.
Add Password to Project File (OPJ, OPJU)
You can prevent unauthorized persons from opening your Origin project by creating a password:
- Select Tools: Protection: Protect Project from the main menu.
- In the Password dialog, create a password.
- Save the project.
Subsequently, when someone tries to open the project, they will be prompted for a password. This applies to any method of opening the project, including by appending to an existing project file or by attempting to open the file programmatically.
This method may be all that many users need. If you share a laboratory workstation and simply want to prevent a co-worker from accidentally opening your project file and modifying it, this method should suffice.
To clear password, leave new Password and Confirm New Password field blank and save the project again.
Protect Data in Worksheet or Workbook
A second type of protection was implemented in Origin 9.1. These protections, applied and administered via various LabTalk commands, are aimed at preventing accidental or unauthorized changes to worksheets or workbooks in the Origin project file.
You can decide which workbook elements to protect by assigning different protection flags. These hex values are used with the LabTalk layer 、 page commands:
- layer -lw hex(hex value); // apply or remove protections at the sheet level
- page -lw hex(hex value); // apply or remove protections at the book level
So, for instance, to prevent modifications to a particular worksheet, you could activate the sheet, then open the Script window (Window: Script Window) and type:
layer -lw
to turn on all the protection flags, or
layer -lw hex(82)
to protect only the data and sheet structure. As you can see that the these flags are additive so that by typing the following …
layer -lw hex(482)
… you would protect data, sheet structure 、 prevent sheet deletion.
Please note that these protections can be removed by anyone with access to the project file by issuing, for example,
layer -lw 0
This removes all protections on the current worksheet. If this is a concern you can establish a password-protected Admin mode for the entire project that prevents unauthorized persons from issuing these LabTalk protection commands.
Protect Cells in Worksheet
Select the cells and right click. Choose Format Cells. In the dialog that opens, there is a Disable Editing checkbox. Try to type new values in these cells, it’s not allowed. Note: This method only prevent accidental typing, if you import data into the worksheet, the data in these cells will be replaced.
Thanks for your time. If you want to read further on the subject of Origin project protections, see these topics in our online documentation:
Japanese 
English