Quick Start Guide to Code Protection

This Quick Start Guide for new users will get you up and running with the Software Potential code protection solution in 5 easy steps.

• Step 1: Setup Your Development Environment
• Step 2: Configure Code Protector
• Step 3: Select Methods to be protected
• Step 4: Enable Code Protection in your project
• Step 5: Build Your Application

Step 1: Setup Your Development Environment

Setting up your Development Environment is straight forward; however it is best done by a software developer.

1. Create your Permutation

To get started, you need to generate a unique permutation for your product. A permutation file contains a unique one-way transformation which, when loaded into the Code Protector, transforms the CIL of your assembly so that the protected assembly cannot be reversed engineered.

1. Logon to the portal https://srv.softwarepotential.com.
2. Select Accounts → Manage Permutations → Create Permutation.
3. Enter a name for your permutation and click OK.
4. Eventually (click refresh) the status field will change from Creation Pending to Done.

2. Download Code Protector and Permutation

Before they can be installed on your development/build machine, the permutation and the code protector tool need to be saved locally to your machine, where they are easy to find later.

1. Select Develop → Manage Permutations and select your permutation by clicking on the record in the table.
2. Download the Code Protector .msi file and Permutation file using the links in the respective Downloads column and save them locally.

3. Install Code Protector and Permutation

Locate Code Protector on your development machine and double click the .msi to install. Once installed:

1. Launch Code Protector.
2. Select Permutations tab and the click the Install Permutation button.
3. Locate the previously saved Permutation file and click OK.

Now that your Development Environment is set up the next step is to configure Code Protector to protect your application.

Step 2: Configure Code Protector

To enable automation of the code protection step within your build environment, you first need to store the Code Protector settings in a SLMCfg configuration file that will be used by Code Protector when protecting your code.

1. Launch Code Protector and login using your Software Potential account credentials.
   
   
2. Select Project tab and in the right hand Settings panel set the following values:
   • Permutation: previously installed permutation.
   • Target SLP Runtime Variant: Set this to the Standard variant.
   
   
   
3. Select Add Modules to add one or more application assemblies to be protected. The selected assemblies will appear in the tree view.
   
   
4. Select File → Save As and save the Code Protector configuration as <ProjectName>.SLMCfg file alongside your project file in your project directory
   (where ProjectName is the name of the project containing code to be protected and/or licensed).

Step 3. Select Methods to be protected

You need to select the methods in your assemblies to be protected. In your application source code, mark each method to be protected  with the protection attribute [Protect].

Step 4. Configure Protection in Build Process

1. Enable Code Protetction

In Visual Studio open your project’s Properties, select Build and add the conditional compilation (i.e., #define) symbol SLPS_PROTECT for the active build configuration. When this is set, the assemblies created by the build process will be both protected automatically using the settings in the SLMCfg file created earlier.

2. Reference Permutation Runtime Files

Add references to the Permutation Runtime Files by editing your Visual Studio project (csproj/vbproj) file to add the following entries.

<PropertyGroup>
 <SlpsRuntimeVariant>Standard</SlpsRuntimeVariant>
 <SlpsRuntimePermutationId>{Permutation ID}</SlpsRuntimePermutationId>
</PropertyGroup>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildProgramFiles32)\InishTech SLP Code Protector\Slps.Runtime.References.targets" />

where {Permutation ID} is the filename of the permutation installed in Code Protector earlier.

Your project is now set up to trigger code protection automatically during the build process using the settings in the SLMCfg file.

Step 5: Build the application

Now build your application as usual. On successful protection the assemblies in the relevant project output directory (e.g. bin/Release, bin/Debug as appropriate) are now protected.

Your application assemblies are now protected and, once packaged, your application is ready for distribution to your customers.