Creating ADD ONS
in [Visual Basic]
|
From: Dee Earley on 12 Feb 2010 07:56 On 12/02/2010 09:19, Dee Earley wrote: > On 12/02/2010 05:48, Webbiz wrote: >> Suppose you have a VB6 application that is already completed, but you >> want to now add new functionality by way of ADD ONS that are purchased >> separately. >> >> What is the direction one would take to do this? >> >> For example, say you have a stock charting program and you want to >> make available various 'modules' that a user can purchase. When >> purchased and properly installed, it shows up under the ADDON menu >> that the user can now select and it will do its thing. >> >> This would be the first time I've tried to do something like this and >> I'm not sure what the approach is. >> >> Suggestions, pointers, etc. would be appreciated. > > Personally, I'd look at COM for doing this. > > You make the main project an ActiveX exe, then create a class structure > for addins to be able to register/setup icons, etc. > Each addin on install would then list its ProgID somewhere the app can > read it from. > On startup, the app creates each object in turn asking it to set itself up. > > That's the basic structure, but I can't give many more details as it > will be VERY specific to your app, what they need to provide, UI, etc. This is of course best designed in form the beginning, but can be retrofitted (and does require work on the main app) -- Dee Earley (dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk) i-Catcher Development Team iCode Systems
From: Henning on 12 Feb 2010 08:02 "Dee Earley" <dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk> skrev i meddelandet news:evSR5K%23qKHA.4284(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > On 12/02/2010 12:49, Henning wrote: >> "Webbiz"<nospam(a)noway.com> skrev i meddelandet >> news:6jq9n5131mbqvq03htf378bqdrlca13b7g(a)4ax.com... >>> Suppose you have a VB6 application that is already completed, but you >>> want to now add new functionality by way of ADD ONS that are purchased >>> separately. >> >> As a lot of others, ship the complete app with parts of it disabled if >> not >> activated by a new key. > > Not much use for 3rd party components, or components that are updated > later, and leaves it open for someone to crack the protection. > > -- > Dee Earley (dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk) > i-Catcher Development Team > > iCode Systems The crack protection is secondary when sold to "safe" users. Besides there is no un-crack-able app. /Henning
From: Henning on 12 Feb 2010 08:12 "Henning" <computer_hero(a)coldmail.com> skrev i meddelandet news:%231OlTO%23qKHA.3536(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > > "Dee Earley" <dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk> skrev i meddelandet > news:evSR5K%23qKHA.4284(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> On 12/02/2010 12:49, Henning wrote: >>> "Webbiz"<nospam(a)noway.com> skrev i meddelandet >>> news:6jq9n5131mbqvq03htf378bqdrlca13b7g(a)4ax.com... >>>> Suppose you have a VB6 application that is already completed, but you >>>> want to now add new functionality by way of ADD ONS that are purchased >>>> separately. >>> >>> As a lot of others, ship the complete app with parts of it disabled if >>> not >>> activated by a new key. >> >> Not much use for 3rd party components, or components that are updated >> later, and leaves it open for someone to crack the protection. >> >> -- >> Dee Earley (dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk) >> i-Catcher Development Team >> >> iCode Systems > > The crack protection is secondary when sold to "safe" users. Besides there > is no un-crack-able app. > > /Henning > Was a little fast posting. All protection ends up in a simple breq or brne exchange them for rjmp or nop. If there isn't a hardware dongle, which in turn can be mimiced in software. A french student found that with a 32 byte patch the RSA protection locked itself up, not even asking for a username or key. ;) /Henning /Henning
From: Dee Earley on 12 Feb 2010 08:54 On 12/02/2010 13:02, Henning wrote: > "Dee Earley"<dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk> skrev i meddelandet > news:evSR5K%23qKHA.4284(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> On 12/02/2010 12:49, Henning wrote: >>> "Webbiz"<nospam(a)noway.com> skrev i meddelandet >>> news:6jq9n5131mbqvq03htf378bqdrlca13b7g(a)4ax.com... >>>> Suppose you have a VB6 application that is already completed, but you >>>> want to now add new functionality by way of ADD ONS that are purchased >>>> separately. >>> >>> As a lot of others, ship the complete app with parts of it disabled if >>> not >>> activated by a new key. >> >> Not much use for 3rd party components, or components that are updated >> later, and leaves it open for someone to crack the protection. > > The crack protection is secondary when sold to "safe" users. Besides there > is no un-crack-able app. Exaclty, which backs up my statement that it shouldn't be included and protected by a key. If it's not on the PC to start with, there is no chance of cracking it :) There is also no such thing as a "safe" user sadly. -- Dee Earley (dee.earley(a)icode.co.uk) i-Catcher Development Team iCode Systems
From: Larry Serflaten on 12 Feb 2010 09:44
"Webbiz" <nospam(a)noway.com> wrote > Suppose you have a VB6 application that is already completed, but you > want to now add new functionality by way of ADD ONS that are purchased > separately. > ... When purchased and properly installed, it shows up under the ADDON > menu that the user can now select and it will do its thing. > Suggestions, pointers, etc. would be appreciated. Its rather interesting that you've completed the app, yet gave it an ADDON menu item, without fully defining how that menu item will be used.... As some have already stated, something like that should be included in the initial design. Are you saying you can alter the source code to 'retrofit' the new capability? Or are you only able to work with an application that has already been shipped? The other aspect that needs further detailing is your idea of what a 'module' is. If you have (for example) a music player and you now want it to play video, then that's a major UI change, isn't it? Take a look at VB's own Add-In manager, and the types of things it adds in. Is that about what your after? LFS |