Making Trial of software expire?

[hipopony66]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone could give me any information on how I would go about securing my program with a 15 day trial. I've noticed many programs do this. Do I need to write something to the registry to check each time the program loads or what? How would I go about doing this. Any info appreciated. Thanks

[adzzzz]

When the user first loads your program, save the date to registry (or your own settings file) then check 15 days from that date every time they load the program, maybe you could also encrypt it or something. Saying that I'm not entirely sure how you'd prevent them from changing their system clock to get around it though.

-adehh

[adzzzz]

I just found this thread about trial software, seems it could prove pretty helpful. Had you done a search before you posted?
-adehh

[usamaalam]

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...ighlight=trial

or search the forums. I am sure you can find a great many posts regarding this.

[SilverHawk]

Hello,

I used SerialShield to protect my software, you can found here :

http://www.ionworx.com/SerialShield.html

Greetings,
SilverHawk

[Algar]

Or, just create a txt file in System32 like this:

'On your form_load put this, checking to see if the file has already been made
 
Dim strVar As String
 
If Dir$("C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SystemSetLogs.dat") = "" Then
Open "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SystemSetLogs.dat" For Output As #1 'SystemSetLogs.dat will be made now.
Print #1, Date
Close #1
Else
Open "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SystemSetLogs.dat" For Input As #1 'SystemSetLogs.dat will be read now.
Line Input #1, strVar 'Now check to see if this variables is - 15 the date or something. But if someone does something to this then your program could be used no longer as shareware but as freeware, yet an experienced hacker could also change the registry settings so there is really now way out
Close #1
End If

[Hu Flung Dung]

Trial software is simply too easy to hack!

[ßädbö¥]

Making evaluation copy of software
U can use system registry for this purpose. When user use ur programme for the first time u add the current date in sys registry and while running ur pro u've to check date every time if the current date is geater than 15 day's of the date saverd in registry then show message and exit ur software. But there is one problem in this technique. any 1 can crack ur softwae if u used thiss method by searching the registry. if he found the starting date then he can change the that date and can use ur software more than 15 days.

I'm telling u another technique 2 make evaluation copy of ur software. U use the same technique of writting date in registry and along with the starting date u add some ASCII code in registry and whle running ur pro check that ascii code not date. and if 15 days get over then add the special ascii character to registery and write code if that char is found in registry then shows message that ur software is expired the date doesn't make any difference if is is get changed......


It's sooooooooo easy.......

[Tequila_worm]

What ever you do , make sure you encrypt your stored value. Becuase if they find a text file in there with a date in it well you can just guess what can happen, same with the registry don't just save a date encrypt it.

my 2 cents.