First, you use the KeyBuild program to
Build a unique Key for your Product.
You specify things like your Product Name, starting Serial Number,
and any Limits you want to place on the Key.
Of course, you can also store Registration Information, Feature-Flags,
and any Secret information that your program needs to run.
You don't have to worry about keeping track of all this.
KeyBuild saves everything in a Product Options File.
By default, it also records all program activity in a Log file, so
you can always see exactly what was done and when it was done.
Finally, you supply a Product "secret" so your Keys are unique and
cannot be duplicated.
Second, you add one or more "Key Checks"
to your program to verify the presence of your unique Key.
To make this as easy as possible, we've provided a number of Examples
in various languages that can be copied and pasted.
However, it is important to point out that since this step is under
your control, the security of your Product is much stronger than if
we provided an automated way of protecting your software.
After all, only you will know how many of these KeyChk Calls
(checks for the Key) are in your program and when they are
executed.
At the same time your program does a KeyChk Call, it will also be retrieving the Customer's Registration and Product information. These are items like Customer Name, Company Name, Contact Info, Product Name, Serial Number, Execution Limit, Time Limit, Feature-Flags and any Secret information you might have stored in the Key.
Your program containing the KeyChk Calls can be freely copied, backed up and restored with no restrictions or special considerations. However, any copy of your protected program will require the presence of your unique Key. And since the Key can only be in one place at one time, you can be assured that your licensing terms are being enforced at the Customer site.
After the Product is Installed at the Customer site,
our Renew program can be used to modify the
Options in the Key.
Renew allows you to modify the Execution Limit, Time Limit or
Feature-Flags, which are all securely stored in the Key.
Execution and Time Limits can be extended or removed.
Each one of the 16 Feature-Flags might represent additional Product
options or Add-On Products.
All 16 Flags can be individually or collectively turned On or Off
with a single Renew Code.
The KeyBuild program allows you to Build a Renew Code
that performs a specific modification to the Key Options.
You can also specify that the Renew Code is unique to that
Customer's Key.
So, no one else can use the Renew Code and even the Customer can
only use the Renew Code once.
Renew Codes are 15-digits long (3 groups of 5 digits), so you can easily deliver them by
Email or Phone.
Once the Customer has the Renew Code, they run the Renew
program, enter the code, and their Key is updated.
At any time, the KeyShow program may be used to display the
non-Secret information in your Keys.
This includes the Serial Number, current Uses Limit, Time Limit,
Expiration Date, Feature-Flags and Registration Information.
It will also report the current status of the Keys,
i.e. whether they are AOK or Expired.
This utility program is so useful that many Developers redistribute
it to their Users as an easy-to-use diagnostic tool.