computerprogramer
asked on
Trial Period
Hey,
How in my Delphi Application could I embed a Trial Period so when it runs out the program will popup at start up saying "Trial Period Expired"? I want a program/component that is free for commerical use. I have already tried AV Lock, Software Key, Etc.
Iam using Delphi 7,
Cheers,
Jeremy
How in my Delphi Application could I embed a Trial Period so when it runs out the program will popup at start up saying "Trial Period Expired"? I want a program/component that is free for commerical use. I have already tried AV Lock, Software Key, Etc.
Iam using Delphi 7,
Cheers,
Jeremy
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There are problems associated with any way of time-trialing and anti-cracking.... You need to be REALY careful how you code this.... An excellent resource for this kind of problems
http://www.inner-smile.com/nocrack.phtml
Lots of similar information on this thread
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21071015/how-to-protect-source-code.html#11660670
A selection of info....
>you need to "obfuscate" or confuse the source code, replace all meaningful varible/procedure names with junk like var001 so that even if anyone were able to reverse your code, it would be still for him too complicate to understand it. To find a code obfuscator try with google (found http://www.cocolsoft.com.au/cocolcloak/cocolcloak.htm but it's old)
www.chosenbytes.com
it hasn't been cracked for 4 years. If you try to run a debbuger it will stop it! I secure my app with their system i can't even run the program in the IDE it will immediatly stop. I can only compile the program and run it from windows explorer.
David
http://www.inner-smile.com/nocrack.phtml
Lots of similar information on this thread
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21071015/how-to-protect-source-code.html#11660670
A selection of info....
>you need to "obfuscate" or confuse the source code, replace all meaningful varible/procedure names with junk like var001 so that even if anyone were able to reverse your code, it would be still for him too complicate to understand it. To find a code obfuscator try with google (found http://www.cocolsoft.com.au/cocolcloak/cocolcloak.htm but it's old)
www.chosenbytes.com
it hasn't been cracked for 4 years. If you try to run a debbuger it will stop it! I secure my app with their system i can't even run the program in the IDE it will immediatly stop. I can only compile the program and run it from windows explorer.
David
Quote DavidBirch2dotCom: "http://www.inner-smile.com/nocrack.phtml"
The most important you must get from this is that yóu need to decide what is more important: building a HUGE defence against crackers, or improving your code. Also asses whether it's worthwhile creating such protection for your program: is your program really so neat, good, unique?
Quote DavidBirch2dotCom: "www.chosenbytes.com
it hasn't been cracked for 4 years. If you try to run a debbuger it will stop it! I secure my app with their system i can't even run the program in the IDE it will immediatly stop. I can only compile the program and run it from windows explorer."
It may or may not have been cracked for ages, however, crackers need to find a program that's popular before they will even begin cracking it. Trust me, if some crackers start with your program, whether you take any fancy protection libary, they wíll crack it. Maybe your protection is safe, but another part of your program my not be safe.
Also, protection against debuggers, decompillers, disassemblers, etc. is never entirely 100%. These programs can always be altered in such a way they can run even with such protection in place. Also, there are other ways in finding the weak spots of protected programs...
Honestly speaking, I haven't ever tried such a code obfuscator... However, obfuscating your code is good if you don't have to review your code ever again. Especially if you're going to use yourself meaningless names for your procedures.
Another way of better protecting your code is using interfaces. These interfaces make it much harder for any cracker to decompile your code...
for more info see (where you can also find some info about buffer overruns):
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21079010/Secure-code-for-Delphi-apps.html
Evarest
The most important you must get from this is that yóu need to decide what is more important: building a HUGE defence against crackers, or improving your code. Also asses whether it's worthwhile creating such protection for your program: is your program really so neat, good, unique?
Quote DavidBirch2dotCom: "www.chosenbytes.com
it hasn't been cracked for 4 years. If you try to run a debbuger it will stop it! I secure my app with their system i can't even run the program in the IDE it will immediatly stop. I can only compile the program and run it from windows explorer."
It may or may not have been cracked for ages, however, crackers need to find a program that's popular before they will even begin cracking it. Trust me, if some crackers start with your program, whether you take any fancy protection libary, they wíll crack it. Maybe your protection is safe, but another part of your program my not be safe.
Also, protection against debuggers, decompillers, disassemblers, etc. is never entirely 100%. These programs can always be altered in such a way they can run even with such protection in place. Also, there are other ways in finding the weak spots of protected programs...
Honestly speaking, I haven't ever tried such a code obfuscator... However, obfuscating your code is good if you don't have to review your code ever again. Especially if you're going to use yourself meaningless names for your procedures.
Another way of better protecting your code is using interfaces. These interfaces make it much harder for any cracker to decompile your code...
for more info see (where you can also find some info about buffer overruns):
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21079010/Secure-code-for-Delphi-apps.html
Evarest
well thanks for destorying all my points ;-p) I was only trying to help ....
>Honestly speaking, I haven't ever tried such a code obfuscator... However, obfuscating your code is good if you don't have to >review your code ever again. Especially if you're going to use yourself meaningless names for your procedures.
well duh..... you save a copy of the code obfuscate that distribute that.... If you need to re-distribute then simple save another copy and obfuscate that .... no problems ! ;)
true, anything you do could eventualy be cracked ... even interfaces, which are quite hard to code, if they are not needed then again is it necessary ..... there are simpler ways of stopingcrackers
Quote Evarest
The most important you must get from this is that yóu need to decide what is more important: building a HUGE defence against crackers, or improving your code. Also asses whether it's worthwhile creating such protection for your program: is your program really so neat, good, unique?
true
David
>Honestly speaking, I haven't ever tried such a code obfuscator... However, obfuscating your code is good if you don't have to >review your code ever again. Especially if you're going to use yourself meaningless names for your procedures.
well duh..... you save a copy of the code obfuscate that distribute that.... If you need to re-distribute then simple save another copy and obfuscate that .... no problems ! ;)
true, anything you do could eventualy be cracked ... even interfaces, which are quite hard to code, if they are not needed then again is it necessary ..... there are simpler ways of stopingcrackers
Quote Evarest
The most important you must get from this is that yóu need to decide what is more important: building a HUGE defence against crackers, or improving your code. Also asses whether it's worthwhile creating such protection for your program: is your program really so neat, good, unique?
true
David
Oh, David,
"well thanks for destorying all my points ;-p) I was only trying to help ...."
It wasn't my intention destroying any of your points... I just gave my idea about the whole protection concept... The whole idea behind Experts-exchange is to hand each-other a helping hand, isn't it?
"there are simpler ways of stopingcrackers"
and that's true, as i pointed in my first post and you stated in yours, you might consider a component suite (freeware of shareware, depending on your revenues) to easily give some adequate, but not fullproof protection for your creation...
Kind regards,
Evarest
"well thanks for destorying all my points ;-p) I was only trying to help ...."
It wasn't my intention destroying any of your points... I just gave my idea about the whole protection concept... The whole idea behind Experts-exchange is to hand each-other a helping hand, isn't it?
"there are simpler ways of stopingcrackers"
and that's true, as i pointed in my first post and you stated in yours, you might consider a component suite (freeware of shareware, depending on your revenues) to easily give some adequate, but not fullproof protection for your creation...
Kind regards,
Evarest
Hi
I wish somebody would just buy my software......
I have been selling software for 10 years and had some success - but I still have the day job.
Quote:
'you need to "obfuscate" or confuse the source code, replace all meaningful varible/procedure names with junk like var001 so that even if anyone were able to reverse your code, it would be still for him too complicate to understand it. To find a code obfuscator try with google'
I really dont see the point in this unless you have written the ultimate app - in which case you probably sold it to Microsoft or IBM (someone who could actually afford to market the thing) and are living in luxury (France would be my choice).
Try http://atma-software.com - the 1Way product seems very good - what do I use - not telling....
Voodooman
I wish somebody would just buy my software......
I have been selling software for 10 years and had some success - but I still have the day job.
Quote:
'you need to "obfuscate" or confuse the source code, replace all meaningful varible/procedure names with junk like var001 so that even if anyone were able to reverse your code, it would be still for him too complicate to understand it. To find a code obfuscator try with google'
I really dont see the point in this unless you have written the ultimate app - in which case you probably sold it to Microsoft or IBM (someone who could actually afford to market the thing) and are living in luxury (France would be my choice).
Try http://atma-software.com - the 1Way product seems very good - what do I use - not telling....
Voodooman
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tponguard/
For free...
Evarest