[RESOLVED] How can i make a serial code for my program

[Emcrank]

Ok i am having my app available for 30days free trial, but after that you have to purchase a serial, how can i make my app only recognise a specific type e.g NumberLetterLetterNumberLetterLetterNumberNumber-NumberLetter-Letter:NumberNumberNumberNumber?

OR what would be the easiest way to have serials recognised?

[sparrow1]

Hi,

You can find some information about how to create a License for your Application, here.

[Emcrank]

that is like really advanced all i want is my program to be able to recognise the serial
So how do i like check to see if the string(the serial) put in is in the format
NumberLetterLetterNumberLetterLetterNumberNumber-NumberLetter-Letter:NumberNumberNumberNumber?

[satory]

I dont know enough about regular expressions, but couldn't you check the string against stored pattern?

If it matches the pattern then its a legitimate serial number?

[Pc_Not_Mac]

It all dependence on how advance you want to make it.
For example
Were do you want to keep the keys
local database or a online server.
The list goes on and on.

[Emcrank]

@PC NOT MAC
I wasn't going to keep keys anywhere all i wanted to do was make like a string with different combination of things in it and the program recognises whether it is a valid serial (If it has the correct combination of things) then it accepts the serial, i know it wont be very secure but im going to make the serial very long.
The program needs to recognise if the string has for example a NumberLetterLetterNumberLetterLetterNumberNumber-NumberLetter-Letter:NumberNumberNumberNumber
So how would i do this?

@SATORY
How do i check it againsted a stored pattern???? ( This sounds like what i want to do )

[patplays852]

using regex, here is a sample project I put together. (this is comparing to the example you gave (for your serial number)

Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions
 
Public Class Form1
 
     Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
          Dim myreg As New Regex("^\d\w{2}\d\w{2}\d{2}-\d\w-\w:\d{4}\b")
 
          Dim str As String = "3su3wi28-2d-s:43782"
          If myreg.ismatch(str) Then
               Console.WriteLine(True)
          Else
               Console.WriteLine(False)
          End If
     End Sub
End Class

Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions

Public Class Form1

     Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
          Dim myreg As New Regex("^\d\w{2}\d\w{2}\d{2}-\d\w-\w:\d{4}\b")

          Dim str As String = "3su3wi28-2d-s:43782"
          If myreg.ismatch(str) Then
               Console.WriteLine(True)
          Else
               Console.WriteLine(False)
          End If
     End Sub
End Class

here are the two sites i used (first one on how to impliement into vb, 2nd one is how to make the regex (there is a nice table about 1/4th down the page)
http://visualbasic.about.com/od/usin...RegExNET_2.htm
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dotnet/regextutorial.aspx

[Emcrank]

Ok thankyou for this, that link is really helpful

[patplays852]

good news, YOU can do REGEX!, the only problem is that the parentheses are "special" in regex, they are used for groups or something (no idea, this is my first day i've tried regex with any success, so im just as a beginner as you here.

following works perfectly (just took out the parentheses and replaced the \w\w{5} with \w{6}

Dim myreg As New Regex("^\d\w{3}\d{2}\w\d{2}\w{2}\d{7}\w\d:-=\w{3}\d{3}:=:\w{2}\d\w\d\w{6}~\d{2}\w\d\w\d{2}$")

          Dim str As String = "1hgj75j34jh7685678k6:-=jhk657:=:ho5g6hhgjfk~56j5k67"
          If myreg.IsMatch(str) Then
               MsgBox("I can do regex!")
          Else
               MsgBox("I cant do regex :(")
          End If