Re: PROBLEM WITH V5R3 -- Can anybody suggest a way to . . .

[Simon Coulter <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 08/05/2004, at 3:45 AM, James H H Lampert wrote:

> We have a small program we upload ahead of the product in our web-based
> installation utility, that retrieves that information (so a 
> trial-period
> authorization code can be automatically generated and installed) and 
> puts
> it into an escape message (using CPF9898), which was the only way I 
> could
> find at the time for a program to return its output through an FTP
> connection.

I seem to recall you saying only the other day that you found the 
Licensed Program Product APIs too complex and your installation is 
effectively a simple restore operation. If you had used the LPP APIs 
then you could assign a grace period that would allow a trial period 
with no further involvement. Certainly easier than stuffing about with 
side-effects of FTP and will continue to work across OS upgrades.

Why do you need a trial key? Just build in a grace period that stops 
the product working without a valid key after a specific number of 
days. Of course you need to make the grace period persistent so a 
simple delete and restore does not re-enable the grace period but again 
the LPP APIs handle that situation too.

Using the LPP APIs also causes your product to appear in software 
inventories such as DSPSFWRSC, WRKLICINF, GO LICPGM, and the OpsNav 
versions of the same. They also give you the ability to build proper 
PTFs and use the LODPTF/APYPTF/RMVPTF process.

Regards,
Simon Coulter.
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