We've all been in the situation where we've locked ourselves out of the ACL and know how infuriating it can be. Well, you might like to know that you can completely remove the ACL from an NSF file using a free HEX editor.
Before you try what I am about to describe, I encourage you to make a copy of a local database so you don't do anything you regret. Change the ACL of this copy so you have no access and make sure the ACL is consistent on local replicas. Check you have no access by trying to open it in the the client. Now:
- Download, install and launch a copy of frhed.
- From frhed's file menu open the database copy you made.
- Find the range of bits between offset 0x16c and 0x1a7, as highlighted below. This is the ACL.
- Set any that aren't 00 to be 00. Two cases in the example below.
- Save changes to the file from frhed's file menu.
Switch back to your Notes client and try and launch the copy you had no access to. All being well, you will get in. Notice the ACL is completely blank!
This trick/hack is something I've been sat on for a while now while I plucked up the courage to make it public. It was sent to me be a regular reader who I will leave with the option of whether or not he wants to own up to the hacking side of things.
I publish this tip in the hope that you will not use it for anything other than to undo your own mistakes. Any damage you may cause while using this method is your own fault and in no way my responsibility. Blah, blah, blah.