License File Options
Machine/computer activation options
The License File contains licensing data fields allowing you to control the execution flow, application status (trial, activated, expired) and other licensing options. This file is stored locally on the customers machine and it can be updated when the customer successfully completes an online activation.
One activation for all users on a machine (installer changes required) - Due to the Windows UAC, choosing this option requires you to set the permissions on the license file and aliases, which can be done automatically during installation. Protected applications need to be called with the /OPENLF command line parameter while running with elevated privileges to change the permissions of the License File and aliases to give all standard users on that machine full read/write access. This only needs to be done once per machine and we recommend making the call from your installer since elevated/administrator privileges are usually already required for installers. Calling "myApplication.exe /OPENLF" (using the name of your exe) will silently set the permissions without opening any dialogs or launching into your application. Alternatively, you can simply right-click your applications and choose "Run as administrator" which also sets the needed permissions.
Each user on a machine needs to activate separately - This option stores the license files in the current user's registry, so no additional permissions are necessary.
Aliases
ACSL will automatically maintain hidden copies of the License File (aliases) to make it difficult for the user to reset chosen licensing options of your application (trial, expiration, etc.). Select number of aliases to keep in the Registry and in the file system.
Number of registry aliases: (default: 5)
Number of filesystem aliases: (default: 1)
Create new license locations....button
Important: Clicking the Creating new license file locations button or changing between the Machine/computer activation options will result in any previously activated users to reactivate this updated version with the new license file locations.
You would use this setting for a major new release of your application where you want to require all users to purchase and activate with a new license and you would also want to use a new Product ID.
If you want to deploy a minor release that existing users should not have to activate again, then you would not change the license locations and would simply protect the updated build of your application with the same .acsp project. When a customer installs the update, it will still refer to their existing and activated license file. If they don't have an activated license file, it will prompt them to activate.