Machine License Utilities

The end-user utilities for Machine License include the Register, Transfer, Remake, and Destroy. As Machine License has the Key system implemented on the hard drive, these utilities allow the user to handle the license for the protected application in situations via the License Key (as well as the Activation Key). For example, the Register utility allows the user to activate and upgrade the license. The Transfer utility allows the user to transfer the license between machines or deactivate the license through the Activation Server.

The end-user utilities for Machine License are available in two versions, for the Local Key and Network Key. Both versions have the same functionality, but for the different types of the Key accordingly. The Local Key utilities interface with the Local Key on the same machine. The Network Key utilities have the capability to communicate with the NetKey License Server through the network. Besides, they interface with the Network Key via the NetKey License Server, which could be on the same machine or a remote server.

Creating End-User Utilities for Local Key

When using the shell protection for Machine License, ElecKey Integrator creates the end-user utilities for the protected application automatically. In ElecKey Integrator, under the Select Application License Type dialog, select the license type as Machine License. Note that the created utilities will have the Program ID embedded as same as the one assigned to the protected application. So they cannot be used for another protected application.

If you deploy the Activation Server, you can enable the end-user utilities to support automatic activation via the Activation Key. The utilities will have the ability to connect to the server for automatic online methods, e.g. license activation, upgrade, deactivation, and transfer. In ElecKey Integrator, under the Customize Messages dialog, ensure that you select the Dialog Box Style with the Auto Activation option. In the Registration Dialog Box Properties dialog box / Options tab, you must also specify the web service URL of your Activation Server.

NOTE: If you use the KeyCheck API, you can use the API functions to create your own end-user utilities as needed. Or, if you want to use the provided utilities, you can use ElecKey Integrator to create them as well. In this case, you must use the Integrator to protect a program (e.g. the provided test program, Hello World, etc.) by assigning the same Program ID as the one used in your API code. Then, you can keep the created end-user utilities for your API application, and discard the shell protected program.

Creating End-User Utilities for Network Key

The end-user utilities for Network Key are not created automatically when using ElecKey Integrator to protect your application for the network license. This is because the network license (Network Key) is supposed to be installed and activated on a server for only once. The protected application does not need to create the Network Key. The client machines can just connect to the NetKey License Server to access the network license on the server.

To create the end-user utilities for Network Key, in ElecKey Integrator, under the Select Integration Task dialog, select Build End-User Utilities for Network Key. In the Set Identification dialog, ensure that you assign the same Program ID as the protected application.

As same as the Local Key, you can enable the end-user utilities for Network Key to support automatic activation via the Activation Key. In ElecKey Integrator, under the Customize Messages dialog, ensure that you select the Dialog Box Style with the Auto Activation option. In the Registration Dialog Box Properties dialog box / Options tab, you must also specify the web service URL of your Activation Server.

Command Line Interface

Besides the standard GUI (Graphical User Interface), the end-user utilities for Machine License are also available in the CLI (Command Line Interface) mode, when enabled to support automatic activation via the Activation Key. The CLI or console mode is particularly useful that you can create a batch or script to run the utilities in silent mode to handle the license automatically, for instance, during software installation and uninstallation.

Below is the command usage for the end-user utilities.

Usage: <Utility Name> <Activation Key> <Reserved> <Options>

Where

Activation Key: The Activation Key passed to the utility

Reserved: Must be 0

Options: Display options

0 = None

1 = Display error message

Examples

To run the Register utility in silent mode:

REGISTER 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123

To run the Register utility with error message:

REGISTER 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123 0 1

To run the Transfer utility in silent mode:

TRANSFER 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123

To run the Transfer utility with error message:

TRANSFER 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123 0 1

To run the Destroy utility in silent mode:

DESTROY 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123

To run the Destroy utility with error message:

DESTROY 0123-4567-89AB-CDEF-0123 0 1

Note that when Machine License is activated through the Activation Server, it is assigned a User ID to be saved in the Key. Thereafter, you can use # (instead of the Activation Key) to pass to the utility. This method has an advantage that the utility can automatically obtain the User ID from the Key and uses it to connect to the Activation Server. It can be useful in scenarios, for example, deactivating or destroying the license automatically during uninstallation. To use this feature, the Activation Server must be version 2.0.8.6 or higher.

Examples

To run the Transfer utility using User ID in silent mode:

TRANSFER #

To run the Transfer utility using User ID with error message:

TRANSFER # 0 1

To run the Destroy utility using User ID in silent mode:

DESTROY #

To run the Destroy utility using User ID with error message:

DESTROY # 0 1

Deploying Machine License Utilities

The end-user utilities for Machine License requires the ElecKey system files as same as the protected application. To deploy the end-user utilities, please ensure that the needed system files are placed in the same folder as the end-user utilities. See the topic Protecting Windows Apps / Deployment for more details.

Customizing Messages

When using ElecKey Integrator to protect your program, in the dialog Customize Messages / Registration Dialog Box, you can customize messages for the registration dialog box, including the Register utility. For the other utilities (Transfer, Destroy, and Remake), you can customize messages by creating INI files with the same name (e.g. Transfer.ini, Destroy.ini, and Remake.ini) and place them in the same folder. You can find the examples of these INI files in the ElecKey folder under Bin\Reserverd.

See Also