BorlandTalk.com Borland discussion newsgroups   Archives   FAQ   Search   Memberlist   Usergroups   Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in  Want to make an update program for only use once.          BorlandTalk.com Forum Index -> comp.lang.pascal.delphi.misc View previous topic :: View next topic   Author Message Kai Inge Guest Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 2:37 am    Post subject: Want to make an update program for only use once. How can I delete the updateprograms exefile when the updateprogram runs once. Deletefile(myupdateprogram.exe) does not work. I want it to be deleted so the updateprogram can not be used to update more than one instance of my databaseprogram. (Kinda primitive copyprotection) Of course if the user is aware of it he can make copies of the update program before using it, and also he can reuse the attachment in the mail with the program. Nevertheless I want it to delete itself and also delete the mail with the attatchment if possible. Or is there better ways of doing this? Thanks in advance. -- Kai Inge [email]kibNO (AT) bluezone (DOT) no[/email] (Bort med NO ved svar) Back to top Maarten Wiltink Guest Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:04 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote Quote: How can I delete the updateprograms exefile when the updateprogram runs once. Deletefile(myupdateprogram.exe) does not work. I want it to be deleted so the updateprogram can not be used to update more than one instance of my databaseprogram. (Kinda primitive copyprotection) Of course if the user is aware of it he can make copies of the update program before using it, and also he can reuse the attachment in the mail with the program. Nevertheless I want it to delete itself and also delete the mail with the attatchment if possible. Or is there better ways of doing this? I would get horrendously mad at any software supplier that messed with *my* email. You already know that the scheme is easily thwarted. Why bother at all? Is this really what you want to base your security on? Groetjes, Maarten Wiltink Back to top Jamie Guest Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2004 9:46 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. that is a simple one. run the update, have your main app use the command line parameter to see if it needs to delete some files on start up. when your update program is done it can start your app using the ShellExecute or createProcess etc, passing a command line option that your app understands with maybe the name of the update program along with it. your main app will use a timer if it see's this option to allow for the update program to exit, the timer will need to make several trys before it is able to delete the file. if you were on a NT kernal there is a function that you can use that tags the file to be deleted after use . i just can't remember what it is now.. Kai Inge wrote: Quote: How can I delete the updateprograms exefile when the updateprogram runs once. Deletefile(myupdateprogram.exe) does not work. I want it to be deleted so the updateprogram can not be used to update more than one instance of my databaseprogram. (Kinda primitive copyprotection) Of course if the user is aware of it he can make copies of the update program before using it, and also he can reuse the attachment in the mail with the program. Nevertheless I want it to delete itself and also delete the mail with the attatchment if possible. Or is there better ways of doing this? Thanks in advance. Back to top Kai Inge Guest Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. I can see your point about the email, so that solution is already on its way down the drain The update sets some variables in the database to allow continued use of the program after the payment once a year. Since the users is no datagurus intending to crack my programs this low security has been enough. Of course I can use keys and numbers, but just a button click is easier for my users than complex numbers to put into it. I have also tried to collect the serial numbers of the hardware, but this easily ends up in a mess after hardware replacement. So I guess I'll have to put all the security behind the button click and in the communication between the update program and the main program, and then don't bother deleting the update. What is a good solution that offers good security and little effort from the users? :) Kai Inge "Maarten Wiltink" <maarten (AT) kittensandcats (DOT) net> wrote Quote: "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote in message news:1073961473.407771 (AT) gurney (DOT) .. How can I delete the updateprograms exefile when the updateprogram runs once. Deletefile(myupdateprogram.exe) does not work. I want it to be deleted so the updateprogram can not be used to update more than one instance of my databaseprogram. (Kinda primitive copyprotection) Of course if the user is aware of it he can make copies of the update program before using it, and also he can reuse the attachment in the mail with the program. Nevertheless I want it to delete itself and also delete the mail with the attatchment if possible. Or is there better ways of doing this? I would get horrendously mad at any software supplier that messed with *my* email. You already know that the scheme is easily thwarted. Why bother at all? Is this really what you want to base your security on? Groetjes, Maarten Wiltink Back to top pr Guest Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote Quote: What is a good solution that offers good security and little effort from the users? Why not send them an annual licence file, tied to the company name, and which only you can generate? PR Back to top Ryan Guest Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:24 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. Two methods I would suggest. The easy one which fits in with what you wanted is to create a file (ini) that you app writes to when it has completed. When it opens, have it check for whatever value in the file and disable and terminate itself if it's there. You can put whatever you want in the file so it would be pretty difficult to guess what is or isn't expected. This way, you can probably figure out a way of re-enabling it should there be a problem. Option 2 is to store a value in the database which contains a string that allows you to work out when an app is valid from and to. I did one on one of mine a while ago which has various parts to work out the dates using hex, julian dates and a few other tasty bits (check digits) thrown in. The app checked what these were, converted them back to a value it can use and then worked out if it would allow the app to run. It is quite complex, but was worthwhile for my needs. It is crackable, but not by your average numpty. Ryan www.ryan.dial.pipex.com "pr" <shin (AT) netactive (DOT) co.za> wrote Quote: "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote in message news:1074115930.293353 (AT) gurney (DOT) .. What is a good solution that offers good security and little effort from the users? Why not send them an annual licence file, tied to the company name, and which only you can generate? PR Back to top J French Guest Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:53 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 22:32:09 +0100, "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote: Quote: I can see your point about the email, so that solution is already on its way down the drain The update sets some variables in the database to allow continued use of the program after the payment once a year. Since the users is no datagurus intending to crack my programs this low security has been enough. Of course I can use keys and numbers, but just a button click is easier for my users than complex numbers to put into it. I have also tried to collect the serial numbers of the hardware, but this easily ends up in a mess after hardware replacement. So I guess I'll have to put all the security behind the button click and in the communication between the update program and the main program, and then don't bother deleting the update. What is a good solution that offers good security and little effort from the users? It will not be much use for now, but for the future it might be an idea to send the 'key' by Email in an attached file with a special extension. Your App could register that file extension so that your App is associated with that extension - the ShellExecute stuff built into Windows The update/key gen would then be a single click operation from the users Email program Back to top Ian Robinson Guest Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 10:50 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. 2 other options... You are updating the database so in each version of your update program check to see if the previous changes are there and if they are then terminate the update program ...OR... Version"ize" your update program and on each completion write to the rigistry the LastUpdate version. Each update program checks the registry to see if it's been applied. In message <1074115930.293353@gurney>, Kai Inge <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> said Quote: I can see your point about the email, so that solution is already on its way down the drain The update sets some variables in the database to allow continued use of the program after the payment once a year. Since the users is no datagurus intending to crack my programs this low security has been enough. Of course I can use keys and numbers, but just a button click is easier for my users than complex numbers to put into it. I have also tried to collect the serial numbers of the hardware, but this easily ends up in a mess after hardware replacement. So I guess I'll have to put all the security behind the button click and in the communication between the update program and the main program, and then don't bother deleting the update. What is a good solution that offers good security and little effort from the users? :) Kai Inge "Maarten Wiltink" <maarten (AT) kittensandcats (DOT) net> wrote in message news:4003b49b$0$314$e4fe514c (AT) news (DOT) xs4all.nl... "Kai Inge" <kibNO (AT) bluecom (DOT) no> wrote in message news:1073961473.407771 (AT) gurney (DOT) .. How can I delete the updateprograms exefile when the updateprogram runs once. Deletefile(myupdateprogram.exe) does not work. I want it to be deleted so the updateprogram can not be used to update more than one instance of my databaseprogram. (Kinda primitive copyprotection) Of course if the user is aware of it he can make copies of the update program before using it, and also he can reuse the attachment in the mail with the program. Nevertheless I want it to delete itself and also delete the mail with the attatchment if possible. Or is there better ways of doing this? I would get horrendously mad at any software supplier that messed with *my* email. You already know that the scheme is easily thwarted. Why bother at all? Is this really what you want to base your security on? Groetjes, Maarten Wiltink -- Best regards Ian Robinson FOREST SOFTWARE +44(0)1594 564457 (Office) +44(0)7718 806 006 (UK Mobile) +34 653 209 592 (Overseas Mobile) +44(0)1594 564038 (Out of hours support) Back to top J French Guest Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 11:39 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 10:50:44 +0000, Ian Robinson <ian (AT) forest2000 (DOT) co.uk> wrote: Quote: 2 other options... You are updating the database so in each version of your update program check to see if the previous changes are there and if they are then terminate the update program ...OR... Version"ize" your update program and on each completion write to the rigistry the LastUpdate version. Each update program checks the registry to see if it's been applied. Hmm Then /when/ the User has a mega crash and/or moves the App to another machine, that Registry entry is not present - and the whole thing screws up in no uncertain manner Back to top Ian Robinson Guest Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:48 am    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. In message <4007c9d3.6650448 (AT) news (DOT) btclick.com>, J French <erewhon (AT) nowhere (DOT) com> said Quote: On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 10:50:44 +0000, Ian Robinson [email]ian (AT) forest2000 (DOT) co.uk[/email]> wrote: 2 other options... You are updating the database so in each version of your update program check to see if the previous changes are there and if they are then terminate the update program ...OR... Version"ize" your update program and on each completion write to the rigistry the LastUpdate version. Each update program checks the registry to see if it's been applied. Hmm Then /when/ the User has a mega crash and/or moves the App to another machine, that Registry entry is not present - and the whole thing screws up in no uncertain manner OK, then each time the program is run it can write the version number for the data it is using to the registry then each update can check that version number to see if it should be applied. -- Best regards Ian Robinson FOREST SOFTWARE +44(0)1594 564457 (Office) +44(0)7718 806 006 (UK Mobile) +34 653 209 592 (Overseas Mobile) +44(0)1594 564038 (Out of hours support) Back to top J French Guest Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Want to make an update program for only use once. On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 10:48:51 +0000, Ian Robinson <ian (AT) forest2000 (DOT) co.uk> wrote: Quote: In message <4007c9d3.6650448 (AT) news (DOT) btclick.com>, J French [email]erewhon (AT) nowhere (DOT) com[/email]> said On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 10:50:44 +0000, Ian Robinson [email]ian (AT) forest2000 (DOT) co.uk[/email]> wrote: 2 other options... You are updating the database so in each version of your update program check to see if the previous changes are there and if they are then terminate the update program ...OR... Version"ize" your update program and on each completion write to the rigistry the LastUpdate version. Each update program checks the registry to see if it's been applied. Hmm Then /when/ the User has a mega crash and/or moves the App to another machine, that Registry entry is not present - and the whole thing screws up in no uncertain manner OK, then each time the program is run it can write the version number for the data it is using to the registry then each update can check that version number to see if it should be applied. Gawd - what a complicated way of performing a simple task It is like putting strapping a mobile phone on a dog's collar - rather than (sub optimally) a dog tag - or ideally a tattoo ... 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