Digital Workshop

Ok i know how to set it up with the "Standard Evaluation Dialog" but it promotes OPUS Pro in it .


I find the help files to be kinda vague on how to make a screen thats more tailored to what i want it to do . What i want is when a person buys the program and loads it , it will run 1 time then ask them to email in there product code so we can set the program to only 1 computer . I think this is a great anti theft tool and would like to use it in that manner .

The Standard Dialog says That the evaluation is over and i would rather it say " Please register your program" soft of thing , and then tell them how to gegain access to the product......Maybe on the Next Opus they can have the text editable so we can do just that

Can anyone dirrect me to info on how to do this ?????
Thanks in Advance
Al Barnes

Ps: i am not a scripter guy/gals , but i am looking into course's

Hi Al,

Without giving away the keys to the vault - all my (interaktiv) software uses the publication ID as the unique code for single user licences.

If you download either scroggle or plethos from the site, you will see the activation screen. It doesn't have to look anything like the DW one. You can complete design your own graphics and dialogues and scripts.

I have a database program (created in Opus) that creates either a site / single licence based on the information supplied from the user and then automatically emails a licence file (you'll see an evaluation version of these if you activate scroggle / plethos)

My main gripe with the publication ID is that it's not locked to the computer, but the Window's installation - which is fine for people like me that image, but could be a real pain dual boots / upgrades and re-installs.

If you use Opus VI you can puchase a DLL that will generate a unique 'computer' based code but it does cost.

Mack

www.interaktiv.co.uk

... I think this should be possible for all messages. A simple reason for that is that it is a little bit strange to get an english message in a publication which is build for non english speakers. In worst case the users cannot understand what the message means.

T.

Hi Mack ,

Thanks again for being so active in helping others . Where could i get that DLL and do you know how much LOL.......will it break the bank

I am not a script user only because i haven;t learned yet ( wish i could ) . I hope in the near future i can find a night class for a 46 yr old like myself to get into...

Thanks

Al

Hi Al,

Somewhere around here is collection of useful DLL websites but this old mind can't find them - yet.

However, my I have saved the GetDiskSerial.dll and so must assume that I'd found it useful. It's not that expensive and if you're looking for system rather than OS ID then it's probably a good investment. See http://www.devlib.net/getdiskserial.htm

The DLL Export Viewer (somebody posted info about this before) shows the functions and I vaguely remmber gettting it to return something. However, I do remember that one of the DLLs I found wasn't return the correct disk number - I use winhex to check - but you could look at the HDD label.

Mack

I am interested the way of change the text of standard evaluation dialog, too.

Could you please tell me how I can use the Publication ID in a variable?

I have looked in the main variable list, but it does not appear to be there.

I just wish to use it in my own unlock solution as the unique ID for an installation and use it to generate another unique key which the user will provide to me so I can generate an unlock code for them.

I'm pretty sure I can do the code generation, I just need to find out how to obtain a unique code to start with. From what your saying the Publication ID should be just that, but I cannot work out how to access it, how is this done? Is it a hidden variable or something?

Thanks
James

Hi James,

It's GetPublicationKey() but you need the registration options active in the security tab.

Mack

Thanks Mark, that's exactly what I was after!

Cheers!

I have the getpublicationkey working perfectly, but I cannot find a way to detect if a publication has been unlocked or not.

Is there a variable/function that will give the the unlock status of a publication?

I initially thought I could used the PUBLICATION_EVALUATION variable, but it appears to only change to -2 to show that the application has been unlocked if you close and then open the publication after unlocking it.

Thanks
James

Hi James,

Not sure what you're trying to achieve. If you've already tested the key and change the status of evaluation mode - why do you need to check it again until the program is restarted - which can be done using the variable you mention?

Mack

Thanks for your reply Mack,

We have a publication where we want only certain sections of it to be accessible before it has been unlocked. Once the publication has been unlocked then the user will be able to access all sections.

I was planning to do this with a simple check whenever the user clicks on a button to a section for unlocked users only. Which would check the unlcoked state, and if unlocked let them view it, if not unlcoked then display a message saying so.

At the moment if a user unlocks the publication and immediately trys to access an unlocked only section they will receive a message saying the program has not been unlocked, because the PUBLICATION_EVALUATION variable only changes to -2 once the publication has first been closed and opened again.

I need a reliable method to test if the publication is unlocked or not.

I hope that makes sense!

Many Thanks
James

Crystal.

I assume that the evaluation dialogue box reads the value from the registry but because this box is not part of your program it doesn't update the variable. You see this a lot in other software, but I think it might be worth adding it to the wish list of changes.

You need to implement your own dialogue box. It's a little messy but I've included a very basic example. Personally, I'd add the unlock aspect to a frame which is initially hidden but is automatically displayed if the variable is not <0.

Hope it helps,

Mack

I have searched the OpusScript help a couple of times for PUBLICATION_EVALUATION and there is very little on the variable and nothing in the manual.

I just want to confirm the different states, as I cannot find the last project I created where I used PUBLICATION_EVALUATION via scripting for a Windows EXE publication that expires after x days and can be activated.

PUBLICATION_EVALUATION >= 1 is active and can be used as long as days is above 0.
PUBLICATION_EVALUATION == 0 is a trial app and has expired and will no longer work and will go to the app expired page.
PUBLICATION_EVALUATION == -1 not an evaluation app, no time restriction.
PUBLICATION_EVALUATION == -2 is unlocked and can be used for ever.

How do I change the state of evaluation via OpusScripting? There are three options in Actions: 1) Reset evaluation time. 2) Ignore the expiry time. 3) Expire.

Is there any other state I need to be aware of, I must email DW and ask them to add this to their OpusScript Help search.



Thanks, Luke