How to protect custom Library from unauthorised use

[ACLady]

Hello, eveyone! I'd much appreciate your help and opinions on the subject.

I am currently creating a custom library of GDL objects for the company I work at. How can we make sure that the library is not copied (stolen) by third parties?

The main purpose is to optimize the workflow of the design team. What I want to prtect it from is someone copying the Lib and using it outside the company. Should the IT team lock the folder with a password (e.g. the AC licensing number)? Or is there a better option to protect it?

What is a practise that you know will work in this case?

[SenecaDesignLLC · Accepted solution]

You can password protect the objects and make it so that only there allowed serial numbers can use the objects. You can set some date time outs as well. This is all with in each object.  Otherwise you will likely need to write an add on that handles licenses and who can use it outside of the office 

[Barry Kelly · Accepted solution]

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@SenecaDesignLLC wrote:

You can password protect the objects 

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Just don't forget the password or make sure you keep a copy of the object that is not password protected.

There is no way to bypass or reset the password if you forget it.

And a password will not stop others from using the object.

the only way to do that is to tie the use to an actual license number - the script of each object or a macro (or maybe an add-on) needs to check that an autorised license number is being used.

Barry.

[Piotr Dobrowolski]

There are couple of requests that can get the AC license key or the GSID (since 26 last release....and will work fully in 27.3 AFAIK), You can lock the UI/2D/3D, but unfortunately not the parameters, since only the oldest req command (works with the license with hardware keys, sw keys get different lic no on reload) works in parameters script and is able to lock parameters.

[ACLady]

Thank you! I will try the password though I also read that it protects the script, not the use of the object. As for the add on, the IT team will do that.

[ACLady]

Thank you! I will definately try the option with a license within each object. Although an add-on sounds like the proper solution, which is a task for the IT department.

[ACLady]

Thank you! That's what I've read on forums on the subject. Hopefully, since we want to protect the whole Lib the ITs will find a solution. (Add on)

[Lingwisyer]

Could you not have each object request info from a "licence" object? So the licence object will contain a set date and user / key info which it can compare, then return an active or expired validation back to the requesting object? Pretty sure that is what @Ben Cohen is doing. This makes your library self contained without the need for any extra add-ons and makes it relatively easy to update.

Ling.