Code to make a trial period software

[tultul]

Hi..! i need to make a trial period software. Do anyone knows how to do it. I have gone through many links and still searching in google, but everywhere i found only some points mentioning about the way of doing it, but no one explains about how to do it...

i need to make a 30days validity period software such that if a user installs it in one PC then it must run for 30days only, irrespective of changing the system time. Can anyone give me some link or give me some code of doing it....

Any help from you will highly be appreciated.

[harinath_2007]

Here's a useful link which may be helpful to you...

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/Trial_Maker.aspx

[tultul]

Thank you for your reply. But i downloaded the source file and found all are in asp.net code. But below is given some description, which i tried to understand but where to implement the code..... whether i have to use different classes....?? please suggest me.... as i am completely new to this and have no idea about it.

[stultuske]

when you first run your application, you write a properties folder containing the current date, which equals the date of the first day the application ran.

next times you run it, you compare the system date with the date which is stored into the file.

off course, you could also store the 'number of days' in this file, and subtract one every time you run the program, but naturally this will not give the same result.

a few things to consider though:
- the user may NOT be able to simple edit the date in the file, so you might want to hide it, or encode the information before you write it to the file.
- the application should not be able to run unless it can find and read the file, otherwise you won't be able to compare the dates
- if your application uses a database, you could off course put the original date in a separate table in the database
- naturally, if the user is able to change the system date on his own system, there goes that option .. there it might be a bit more reliable to store both the original date in combination with some sort of 'nr of days left' counter
- if you are sure that your application will only run on systems having access to the web, you may want to "register" your application to a service online you're having, where it stores an id and the first date it was used.

now, since this approach will make it possible for you to do the verification on a remote location, a server of your own perhaps, you know for a fact that the user will not be able to change the 'first date', nor the date of the system, so he shouldn't be able to use the trial longer than you want them to. the only down side is, they won't be able to use it when the application is not capable of checking online whether or not the trial period has expired.

[tultul]

thank you again. but will you please give me some code of how to do it.... actually i don't know how to proceed. i am completely new and i don't have any idea..... please if you can give me something in coding....

[\007]

This all sounds weak to me. I think the best way to go about this is to release a demo without the full features. Then sell the full-featured program. It will be a matter of hours before something like that is cracked. If your goal is money release a demo and pray people buy it and don't redistribute it.

[stultuske]

@tultul: no, we won't. we are here to help you on your way, not to provide you with customized code. try and write it yourself, if you get into problems, show us your code and the error message you get, we'll be able to help you further, but we won't do your work for you.

@\007: that is not 'the best way to go about this', since it doesn't do what it's supposed to do. off course it's a lot easier, but if the application description provided to tultul by either his instructor or employer, states that it has to be fully operational, but to be restricted to 30 days, the demo without-full-features would propably lead to rejected software at work, or a failed programming class for that matter

[mKorbel]

to @stultuske 1st. reply plus more chances raising usage of Java Code Obstrufator

correct way is sell service (with support) as sell Sw Licence

[tultul]

i have used Rampart for this. and it is working for me fine!!! i will share the link where i found it...
http://rampartlicensing.com/tour-2/

but i don't know whether it will be working for me fine. it shows me everything what i needed, but i have one confusion there is a JButton called "Install My Licence". What is its use? i don't know what this JButton do? please let me know. please give me some suggestion. Whether using of Rampart is useful for me or not? please.... help me. please......

actually i am a student and i have no intention in gaining money, i just need to complete my work which is given to me.

[stultuske]

install my licence : looks to me like you have the possibility to buy a licence while using the trial, and by 'installing it' to enter your serial, so the 30 day limit drops and you get an official (licenced) product without restrictions

[tultul]

thank you... but i want to whether it will be ok for me to use.... i thought that i had to buy rampart.... and it can be used for trial version.....!!! please clear my doubt....

[tultul]

I have found the solution. i need to purchase the Rampart, so it is not working for me... So "install my license" means i have to purchase the license key from Rampart to use it.