DJ2006
22nd December 2006 00:56 UTC

Detecting Change of State of Next Button to Trigger Getting Serial Number and User
I have a custom dialog with two text boxes that now comes up at the start of an installation. Is there a way to detect a change of state of the "NEXT" button at the bottom of the page to get the text in the two text boxes? I presume I'll have to loop and look for the "NEXT" button change of state, then use the functions at:

http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Docs/Ins...ns/Readme.html

But, I'm not sure how. The software installation routine already seems to be detecting the "NEXT" button being pushed as it responds regardless of whether there is a serial number and user name. Can anyone advise me with regard to how to procede to use the "NEXT" button to trigger getting data from text boxes?

On another topic. Do I need to replace "AppMainExe.exe" in the HM NIS Edit output with the actual name of my software? It shows up, among other places, in the registry "DirKey" creation code.

Thank you.

Red Wine
22nd December 2006 01:49 UTC

See the example code on this topic http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=261922
See how the function CustomPageLeave acts.
Also the included testnotify.nsi

DJ2006
22nd December 2006 06:50 UTC

Actually, it's 1:30 AM, and I managed to overcome my fear of having to learn assembly language again long enough to to go to the documentation. What worked was a simple string compare to the entry on top of the stack to see if it was equal to "success". I also set up the fields with limits in terms of the number of characters to insure that the right number are entered. Thanks. I was hoping to head off any effort to respond to this one, since I got the problem solved on my own.

Next I have to figure out how to handle my copy protection. I want something simple, as I'm not sure I've got the technical expertise to automate distribution on a server. I may be generating copy protection codes by hand (argggg) and sending them via e-mail. I'm tempted to try some mathematical key generator routine, but it seems as though NSIS isn't geared toward permitting math to be done using its variables.

I have an immediate need to figure out how to get NSIS to make a registry entry of the serial number, so I can then call it up and check it via a Visual Basic user app.(assuming I go with a mathemically based key generator). The software would then install, but wouldn't start if the serial number entered didn't conform to the the proper algorithm. I might use a user ID as well, and may key the algorithm off of it, which would mean I'd want the registry to contain both. Any suggestions on how to make these registry entries (and provide for deinstallation of these registry entries)?

Thank you.

DJ2006
24th December 2006 16:46 UTC

Repeated Notifications of Replies but Nothing Shows Up
I have continued to receive notifications of responses to this thread, but nothing new appears when I click on the link to the new response that is e-mailed to me. Is this commonplace here?

Thank you.

kichik
24th December 2006 16:54 UTC

It's spam. Spammers love your thread for some weird reason ;) It's being taken care of.

Red Wine
25th December 2006 15:22 UTC

Now that you probably had enough time to study the test on the other thread, I think it's time for one more test, regarding to the subject of the current thread :-)
It is an enhanced version of the previous test, that adds capabilities to accept a valid serial number, only if it verified from a list of serial numbers combined with the installer.

Download the test here:

DJ2006
25th December 2006 15:42 UTC

Thank you. It's the best gift I've received today!

I was considering using a mathematical "key", instead of a serial number list, given that I don't have the web site skills to develop something very complicated, and was thinking that manually mailing a serial number from a Visual Basic serial number generator would do it. I suppose I could embed the serial number instead of merely the "key" algorithm in the installer. I don't know. I wanted basic copy protection that would make anyone giving the software away traceable as a means of discouraging copying. Without a two way internet communication path for serial number verification following an initial installation, as a means of preventing subsequent installations, I don't know if embedding serial numbers would accomplish much more than embedding the "key", although if these scripts, once compiled, are easily "broken", putting the key in the installation routine could cause it to become public knowledge. I don't know how much of a risk there is that the installation program will be "broken". Some pros at another site have suggested that I simply include no copy protection, because I don't have the internet tools for assured copy protection. They asserted that the time spent on copy protection for a project that is not likely to sell many copies is not proportional to the rewards. (My thinking is that no copy protection at all insures that I won't sell many copies...particularly given that I do NOT have a second product linked to this one that I'm trying to sell with this one as the "loss leader" and basis for "advertising" by not seeking to inherently inhibit illegal acts by using more than merely the influence of copyright laws.)

Happy Holidays and thank you once again!

Red Wine
25th December 2006 16:26 UTC

You're welcome! Enjoy it and happy study.
Allow me to add some comment.
It's not easy for everyone to break the installer. This action requires specific skills, though, if someone decides to do it, they won't do it to steal passwords, they'll do it to steal the contains. The installer it self, does not extract the passwords at any stage of the installation. They are kept within the script, thus more difficult to grab them.
Exempt the fact that the online verification/activation method is more secure, so far I haven't see a method that provides top security. In fact, what I know is that the very same day when a top factory's product is released, certain cracks released as well. There are thousands of sites all over where it's almost impossible not to find a 'back door' method for a product, either if it's of 10$ cost, or top product that costs more than 1000$.

DJ2006
25th December 2006 21:46 UTC

Understood
Thank you, and understood.