Distributable License Files

SoftwareShield System Feature Guide > SoftwareShield Files > Distributed License Files

## Distributed License Files

A Distributed License is the file that you must deploy with your application. It is also referred to in this documentation as the "Main License File".

Distributed License Files are (one of the files that are) created by the SoftwareShield License Manager when you compile your License Project File.

The name of the Distributed License File is generally the same as its License Project File (except with a different extension). The extension is specified by you and so can essentially be anything you wish. We tend to use the .ini extension, but you may use any extension.

Distributed License Files are compressed and encrypted and do not contain the password used to encrypt it or other unnecessary (or insecure) information. Once compiled, never try to modify a distributed License manually, always recompile it from the License Project File.

Distributed Licenses should be (if possible) deployed to your host applications executable directory. If this is not possible or convenient, you can deploy the file to virtually any directory, See the documentation for the StartUp function for more details about relative and absolute paths to your Main License File.

### More Information

For help on actually compiling your License Project and creating Distributed License Files, see Compile Distributable License in the SoftwareShield License Manager Reference.