Using the SoftwareShield COM Activator

SoftwareShield COM-Activator™ Component > Using the SoftwareShield COM-Activator™

## Using the SoftwareShield COM-Activator™

Before reading this section, you should understand the basics of how to Link To The COM Activator In Your Application.

Only use the COM Activator if you wish build your own user interface for generating Activation Codes.

You do this by linking to the COM server dll (SSCGen.dll) and calling functions on its exposed interface. Keep in mind that generating Activation Codes can more easily be accomplished using the Manual-Activator or the Web-Activator. The COM-Activator however is the best way to programmatically generate Activation Codes.

Never distribute the COM Activator to clients as part of your software. It is strictly for your own internal use as another way to generate Activation Codes.

You can generate Activation Codes with the COM-Activator component easily using the interface provided. You can also use the component to validate and decode Authorization Request Codes for a specific license.

You generate Activation Codes based on either Authorization Request Codes that a client sends you (with the possibility of overriding that request) or build up an Activation Code "from scratch" by passing FingerPrint data in with the function call.

To facilitate these two methods of generating Activation Codes, there are two basic "families" of generation functions exposed by the SSCodeGenerator. The ones that respond to an Authorization Request Code (like GenActCodeNumParam()) or the ones that take FingerPrint data directly (these calls are equivalent except they end in "FP", like GenActCodeNumParamFP()).

To generate your own Activation Codes by using your own interface you must:

1. Link to the SSCGen.dll COM server and create an instance of the SSCodeGenerator component.

2. Simply call the functions as needed.

During your programs execution after the license initialization, you will need to interact with the license through the ClientProtector. The ClientProtector provides an rich interface giving you numerous functions to operate on the license, from inputting an Activation Code to control some feature of your license, to deactivating it in order to facilitate machine locked license "moves".

Note: The COM Activator only comes with the Enterprise, Internet and Server Editions of the SoftwareShield DRM Kit.