Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.lang.basic.visual.misc > #183

Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

Show key headers only | View raw

MikeD used his keyboard to write :
>
> "GS" <gs@somewhere.net> wrote in message news:irbkgl$23g$1@dont-email.me...
>> Some of my apps can be 'portable' in that they can be installed/licensed to 
>> a USB memstik or USB external drive. It's a hardware locked licensing 
>> scheme I use and so I need to get USB Device info from the target drive. 
>> Going this route is at the user's option and so they must select the USB 
>> drive they wish to use. (My licensing scheme allows for 2 'seats' by 
>> default<g>)
>>
>
> So tell me (us) if I have this correct:
>
> *Basically*, your app exists on removable media and the licensing (which I'm 
> assuming means your app is at least less functional if not licensed) needs to 
> be "valid" regardless of what computer that specific removeable media is 
> attached to.
>
> Is that close? If so, that's really kind of a bizarre licensing scheme. And 
> if that's close, I do actually have some rough ideas. But obviously don't 
> know if they'd suit your needs. Before presenting them, I'd like confirmation 
> that I'm understanding your situation (because otherwise, they're moot 
> ideas).

That's pretty close, Mike. The licensing scheme only prevents the app 
from running on any other removable drive. So in effect, it simulates a 
'roam license' without the need for live activation every time it's 
used. If you think of the USB drive as a hardware 'dongle' then include 
that the app is on it, then you've got the picture.

What I need is to service this scenario...

My app provides the option for users to create a 'roam license' only if 
their app is already installed and licensed to a PC.

  This obviates the need for a 'trial' version in a 'roam' profile
  since the PC installed as a trial and, if licensed, user doesn't
  need another trial of the same app.
  (Thus the default 2-seats allowed with a valid license)
  (Multi-seat licensing is also supported)

The app prompts the user to 'plug in' the target USB drive, and click 
OK after it's connected.

The user is then presented with a dialog listing all valid candidate 
USB drives where the user selects the one they want to use.

The app then prepares a folder on the target USB drive and copies all 
app files to there, along with a set of encrypted 'license' files.

When the folder is set up and ready to use, the user is prompted to 
register the new install to activate the license. This opens my 
UserGuide to the reg.htm for the subject app, where they fill out the 
reg info and 'Submit'. This, in turn, sends me an email with all the 
reg/license info. I process that into a new license string and compile 
a LicenseKey_<SeatID>.EXE to email back to the user with instruction to 
save it to the app folder on the target drive and run it there.

The app won't run on the USB drive until its license is 'activated'.

The user can initially install the app to a USB drive attached to their 
PC and license it to that PC. It will run as long as it's being used on 
that PC. Moving the USB drive to another PC causes startup to abort as 
it can't validate the license because it doesn't have a 'roam license' 
profile. As a result, it tries to validate against the host PC's 
validation info and fails.

The info I need to collect to make this 'roam' thing work for both 
drive types 2,3 is...

  PnPDeviceID, Drive Index, Total Size, Drive Letter

I'd be happy to entertain any suggestions you might have!

-- 
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
ClassicVB Users Regroup! comp.lang.basic.visual.misc

Back to comp.lang.basic.visual.misc | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar

Thread

Need help with writing drive property GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-21 16:54 -0400
  Re: Need help with writing drive property "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-21 19:10 -0400
    Re: Need help with writing drive property GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-21 19:35 -0400
      Re: Need help with writing drive property "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-21 23:27 -0400
        Re: Need help with writing drive property GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 00:49 -0400
          Re: Need help with writing drive property GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 00:58 -0400
        Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 02:07 -0400
          Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "MikeD" <nobody@nowhere.edu> - 2011-05-22 09:02 -0400
            Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 14:29 -0400
              Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "MikeD" <nobody@nowhere.edu> - 2011-05-22 17:01 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 18:28 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 18:29 -0400
                Re: [OT] Bolding text. Dee Earley <dee.earley@icode.co.uk> - 2011-05-23 10:54 +0100
                Re: [OT] Bolding text. "Jim Mack" <no-uce-ube@mdxi.com> - 2011-05-23 09:33 -0400
                Re: [OT] Bolding text. Helmut_Meukel <Helmut_Meukel@bn-hof.invalid> - 2011-05-23 17:48 +0200
                Re: [OT] Bolding text. Helmut_Meukel <Helmut_Meukel@bn-hof.invalid> - 2011-05-23 18:00 +0200
                Re: [OT] Bolding text. Dee Earley <dee.earley@icode.co.uk> - 2011-05-24 10:44 +0100
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "MikeD" <nobody@nowhere.edu> - 2011-05-23 08:51 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-23 10:48 -0400
          Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-22 09:23 -0400
            Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 14:36 -0400
            Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 14:49 -0400
            Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 16:26 -0400
              Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-22 18:29 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 18:33 -0400
              Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-22 18:36 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 18:49 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution "Mayayana" <mayayana@invalid.nospam> - 2011-05-22 20:48 -0400
                Re: Need help with writing drive property: Possible solution GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-22 21:30 -0400
  Re: Need help with writing drive property "MikeD" <nobody@nowhere.edu> - 2011-05-21 19:42 -0400
    Re: Need help with writing drive property GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-21 20:14 -0400
  Re: Need help with writing drive property - Final Approach GS <gs@somewhere.net> - 2011-05-23 13:20 -0400

csiph-web