Trials

In LicenseSpot, any kind of license restriction is done using limits. Limits are configured in the LicenseSpot app and at the license template level. You can have limits for trial, time, activation, network, etc.

If you’re setting up a trial for you app, you should have a license template that has the trial limit configured. For limiting the trial based on time, then add the time limit to that same template.

There are two types of trials:

• Unverified trials
• Verified trials

With unverified trials the users can start using your app immediately without having to check first with the LicenseSpot servers while with verified trials the user has to activate the serial number with the LicenseSpot verifying the application.

In both cases, LicenseSpot provides tamper protection so the user cannot change the trial dates and you can also extend the dates on both.

Unverified trials

With unverified trials, all of the trial validation occurs on the client side and the LicenseSpot activation servers are never contacted. In LicenseSpot, unverified trials are configured using the Time limit with the from first use option and the Trial limit.

The benefits of unverified trials is that the customer can start using your application right away after downloading it. It doesn’t even need Internet access.

The downside of unverified trials is that the user can reset it by simply finding and deleting some local files.

How to configure an unverified trial

To do this, you’ll need to create a license template that has a Time limit configured:

• Go to the license templates option in the top menu.
• Add a new license template and enter a name for it. You can call it “Unverified trial”
• Click on the number in the limit column to add limits.
• Add a new limit and select Time limit.
• In the options, select From First Use and enter how much time you want this license to be valid. For example, for a 30 day trial, enter 30 and select days in the options.
• Save your changes
• Click again on the limit column and now add the Trial limit.
• Now create a new license using the New License option on the menu and create a new license using the template.
• Go to List Licenses and download the newly created license. You will add it to your project and ship it with your product in the same directory where the executable is. IPManager will automatically pick it up.

Validate()

Use the Validate() method in IPManager to validate the license is valid. Internally, IPManager will keep track of the time remaining and will automatically fail after the time has passed.

Trial extensions with unverified trials

To actually extend the trial for an unverified trial you’ll just need to create a new license in LicenseSpot with the unverified template and extend the number days on the new license. For example, if the original license is 30 days, this newly created license can be 60 days.

Because this whole process is offline, you’ll need to download the newly created license and somehow deliver it to the end user like for example using email. The end user will then copy this license in the same directory as the previous one and replace it. The app will automatically continue working.

Verified trial

With verified trials the customer activates the trial license with the LicenseSpot server.

The benefits to verified trials: are that the customer can’t reset the trial.

The downside to verified trials is that every potential customer must get a serial number to actually activate the trial.

This is how you configure a verified trial in LicenseSpot:

1. First create a License Template. You can call it Verified Trial. If you ran the initial setup wizard you don’t need to follow this and simply just create a New License using the Trial template.
2. On the newly created template, click on the number in the Limits column to add new limits and click Add new limit
3. On the limit types, select Trial.
4. Click again on the limits columns and now add a Time limit. Select the Specific date option and enter the amount of days the trial will be valid. For example, you can enter 30 days.
5. Save your changes and proceed to create a New License using the template you just created.

IsGenuineEx()

Use the IsGenuineEx() method in IPManager to validate that trial is valid. It’ll also validate every 90 days by default the license against the LicenseSpot server.

TrialRemainingDays()

The TrialRemainingDays() will indicate how many days are left in the trial.

IsTrial

The IsTrial property will indicate if the product or license is a trial.

Example of a verified trial

Below is a simple example showing how to implement verified trials in your app.

C#

ExtendedLicense license = ExtendedLicenseManager.GetLicense(typeof(Form1), this,"PUBLIC_KEY"); //paste your public key from Key Pairsif (!license.IsEmpty) { if (license.IsTrial) { bool stillInTrial = license.Validate(); if (!stillInTrial) { //The trial expired } else { //The trial is still valid } }}else { //There's no license in this installation}

VB.NET

Dim license as ExtendedLicenselicense = ExtendedLicenseManager.GetLicense(Me.GetType(), Me, "your public key")If (Not license.IsEmpty) Then If (license.IsTrial) Then Dim stillInTrial As Boolean = license.Validate() If (Not stillInTrial) Then 'The trial expired Else 'The trial is still valid End If End IfElse 'There's no license in this installationEnd If