AXS Files

SoftwareShield System Feature Guide > SoftwareShield Files > AXS Files

## AXS Files (Application eXternal Storage)

AXS Files are special read-only data storage files optionally used by IronWrapped programs. AXS files have the file extension ".AXS".

When you choose to embed a binary file (like a DLL) or a data file (like a map for a game), you have the choice of embedding it inside the host program (such as "myprog.exe") or in an AXS file. If you choose to embed the file inside an AXS file, the file is physically separated from the host and will be visible to users browsing the directory. It is however fully encrypted and compressed as usual.

The advantage of using an AXS file is that access to common binaries and data can be centralized from the single file - thus reducing footprint. Thus if you have three IronWrapped programs, and each one calls a DLL (for example, "module1.dll"), you could place the DLL in the AXS file, and only deploy a single copy of it. Each of the three programs access the DLL in the regular way (such as LoadLibrary) and the IronWrap system virtualizes this access to ensure it is accessed normally. If you instead chose to embed module1.dll inside each of the three programs you would essentially have three copies of module1.dll (one inside each host).

Note that as with all embedded files (binary of data) the actual file is read-only. Even when the data is stored inside an AXS file, your program will not be able to successfully write to the virtualized file.

### More Information

For more information on using AXS files for your embedded binaries, see: Embed Binary File

For more information on using AXS files for your embedded data files, see: Embed Data File