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I recently posted this thread: http://www.codeproject.com/Messages/3498627/How-to-hide-Data-Directory-in-VB-2-0.aspx[^]
something in the reply quite caught my attention: If Ms Word is not running on a database then what would be the best practice for software developers aiming for the sky?
I could easily be classified as a 'master of databases'; I intentionally learnt this over the last 10 years, assuming all along that best software must run on best databases. Is there something i need to learn on how best software are made. this has triggered my thoughts on some two features that did not impress me on vs 2005: that 1) you can't hide/lock access 2003 from users when distributed, and 2) when i use sql 2005, users have to install sql server/express, and the database will be in the server, so sa can easily browse it!!
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cyberexel wrote: I intentionally learnt this over the last 10 years, assuming all along that best software must run on best databases.
Wrong. The best software doesn't mean it's using the best database. Not all software uses a database engine.
cyberexel wrote: 1) you can't hide/lock access 2003 from users when distributed
That's Access' fault, not Visual Studio's. The Jet database engine (what Access uses) was not designed to be the top-of-the-line, be all-end all, database engine. It's a simple desktop database geared toward small data requirements.
cyberexel wrote: 2) when i use sql 2005, users have to install sql server/express, and the database will be in the server, so sa can easily browse it!!
Yes, the "sa" account is the "God Rights" account of the SQL Server. It has access to everything, and for a reason.
If your every day users have the password to the "sa" account, that's your fault, not theirs. If you're using the "sa" account from your application in the connection string, that's also your fault. It's your job as the developer to understand the security model of SQL Server and setup users and permissions as appropriate to give those users just the access they need to manipulte the data in the database according to the business rules and nothing more.
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cyberexel wrote: sa can easily browse it
Not if it doesn't exist or no one knows the password.
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Thanks a lot, Dave.
I have now been actively programming in vb2005 about 3 years now, never really intended to distribute an application until now. (most of my previous applications were done in Access).
1. I am really curious to know how else i will manage my software data if not in a database. Could you please point me to something? I know a little bit of xml but i am not sure what would be a good industry standard. If you dont mind, let me indulge you a little: in my country piracy is the killer for artists and software developers. I want to be able to deliver software that are not easily pirated, and i think getting the database is a very good start for an intending pirate.
2. You mentioned that if they 'dont know the password' an sql database might be safe. my current situation is a client already with sql 2005 installed and they manage sql databases there. how else will they not be able to open mine if it stays in their server? or how do it hide it and still get my connection string right? I dont mind a reading reference...
most appreciated.
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(I'm not Dave.)
If it's their database, they can do anything they like with it whether you like it or not.
Your best bet may be to use XML or something and encrypt the file.
Personally, I wouldn't be concerned.
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cyberexel wrote: I am really curious to know how else i will manage my software data if not in a database.
Modern Word-files are usually a zip-file that contains XML and images. Other files might be simple binary dumps of what's in memory (representing code or data).
cyberexel wrote: in my country piracy is the killer for artists and software developers.
..and after the industry wasted millions on stopping it, they still failed.
Most of these companies assumed that a pirated copy is one less sale, which is completely different from reality; if one pirates it, he'll distribute it further to people who wouldn't have bought it in the first place. You're not losing money, but gaining market-share. That's how Windows became a standard in this industry.
There's always the option to have a "free and limited" version and a professional version. If the free version is good enough for the people who wouldn't spend money, then you're still having the same problems (people using your software without you earning from it) - but this time with a positive sound to it 
I are Troll 
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cyberexel wrote: 1. I am really curious to know how else i will manage my software data if not in a database.
How about writing your data to files?? The format is up to you and your applications requirements.
cyberexel wrote: i think getting the database is a very good start for an intending pirate.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Using a database engine is in no way copy-protection. A database is just a place to store and process data, usually sharing it among instances of one or more applications. Thats it. There is no copy-protection afforded by using a database.
cyberexel wrote: 2. You mentioned that if they 'dont know the password' an sql database might be safe
The DATA may be safe, not the application.
cyberexel wrote: how else will they not be able to open mine if it stays in their server?
You cannot prevent this at all. The SA account, or equivilent, has "God Rights" to everything on that SQL Server.
cyberexel wrote: how do it hide it
You don't.
Look, if copy protection is your big fear, you're wasting your time. The entire software industry has blown billions of dollars on this over the years and still can't prevent unauthorized copying. You have no hope of achieving what they have failed to do.
There are libraries and services out there that will slow down someone cracking your app, but it's inevitable. The only thing you're going to stop is the "casual" home user, who doesn't know anything about computers, from copying your app. But, these libraries and services all cost YOU money to use. Is it really worth it?
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Most software that uses a database holds data that is generated by and/or belongs to the person/company using the software. So hiding their data from them is somewhat silly.
If you are that worried about visibility of the database during deployment, then deploy an empty database and put code in your setup routines to generate the tables and data that you need.
Of course I hope you realize that anything you write in .Net can be decompiled using Reflector.
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Hi All,
Im developing a app that joins a computer to a domain, but having trouble implementing it using vb.net, any one assist or had the same issue.
Much would be appericatied.
Regards
Dave
Below is the code i have so far to join a computer to a domain :S
Dim args(4) As String
'Dim args2(2) As String
Dim retVal As Long
Dim comp As System.Management.ManagementObject
Dim comps As System.Management.ManagementObjectCollection
Dim clsComps As New System.Management.ManagementClass("Win32_ComputerSystem")
comps = clsComps.GetInstances()
For Each comp In comps
'This is used to unjoin the domain
''args2(0) = "Password"
''args2(1) = "User with privs"
''args2(2) = "0"
''comp.InvokeMethod("UnjoinDomainOrWorkgroup", args2)
'this is used to join the domain
args(0) = txtdomain.text 'Took out our FQDN for this posting
args(1) = "txtpassword.text 'I took the password info out for this posting
args(2) = txtadminaccount 'I changed the admin account info for this posting
args(3) = "ou=Workstations"
args(4) = 1
For x = 0 To 4
'read back each value for debugging
MsgBox(CStr(args(x)))
Next
retVal = comp.InvokeMethod("JoinDomainOrWorkgroup", args)
Next
Return retVal
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SIFNOk wrote: trouble
You have not posted anything about this 'trouble'.
Are you getting any errors?
My signature "sucks" today
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'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("accountexpires")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("admincount")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("adspath")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("altrecipient")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("authorigbl")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("badpasswordtime")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("badpwdcount")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("c")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("city")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("cn")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("co")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("codepage")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("company")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("countrycode")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("deleteditemflags")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("deliverandredirect")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("department")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("description")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("directreports")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("displayname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("displaynameprintable")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("distinguishedname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("dscorepropagationdata")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("email")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("extensionattribute10")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("facsimiletelephonenumber")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("firstname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("garbagecollperiod")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("givenname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("home")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("homedirectory")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("homedrive")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("homemdb")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("homemta")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("homephone")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("info")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("initials")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("instancetype")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("l")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("lastlogoff")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("lastlogon")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("lastlogontimestamp")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("lastname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("legacyexchangedn")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("lockouttime")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("logoncount")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("logonhours")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("mail")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("mailnickname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("managedobjects")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("manager")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("mdbusedefaults")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("memberof")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("mobile")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchalobjectversion")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchhomeservername")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchmailboxguid")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchmailboxsecuritydescriptor")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchpoliciesincluded")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msexchuseraccountcontrol")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msmqdigests")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msmqsigncertificates")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("msnpallowdialin")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("name")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("objectcategory")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("objectclass")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("objectguid")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("objectsid")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("office")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("ou")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("pager")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("physicaldeliveryofficename")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("pobox")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("postalcode")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("primarygroupid")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("profilepath")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("proxyaddresses")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("publicdelegates")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("publicdelegatesbl")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("pwdlastset")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("replicatedobjectversion")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("replicationsignature")
.PropertiesToLoad.Add("samaccountname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("samaccounttype")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("scriptpath")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("serviceprincipalname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("showinaddressbook")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("sidhistory")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("sn")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("st")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("street")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("streetaddress")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("telephonenumber")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("textencodedoraddress")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("title")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("useraccountcontrol")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("userparameters")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("userprincipalname")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("usnchanged")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("usncreated")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("whenchanged")
'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("whencreated")
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'.PropertiesToLoad.Add("Voted to remove message")
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Sorry - but no one knows what your question is all about.
My signature "sucks" today
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Your problem is you forgot to comment out sams account name.
"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx
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Some body know how to build a binary tree for mlm company in asp.net
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Does "mlm" mean Multi-Level Marketing? What is it about the company that you are trying to represent? Doesn't that require more than 2 branches at each level to be a profitable scam?
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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The same way I'd write a Binary tree for any other type of ASP.NET application; only the data would change.
"WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx
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Normal Tree Controls are vertical But you can build it Using COMPOSITE Control and Define your Legs / Levels at design time on your page.
Below is a Code Snippet to make you some idea about it.
<br />
namespace MLMTreeCntrol<br />
{<br />
<br />
<br />
public class templatedTree : System.Web.UI.WebControls.CompositeControl, INamingContainer<br />
{<br />
private ITemplate messageTemplate = null;<br />
private ITemplate TreeNode = null;<br />
private int _MaxLevel = 1;<br />
private int _Branch = 2;<br />
<br />
public int StartLevel<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return (int)ViewState["_StartLevel"];<br />
}<br />
set<br />
{<br />
ViewState["_StartLevel"] = value;<br />
<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
public int MaxLevel<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return _MaxLevel;<br />
}<br />
set<br />
{<br />
_MaxLevel = value;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
public int Branch<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return _Branch;<br />
}<br />
set<br />
{<br />
_Branch = value;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
[TemplateContainer(typeof(MessageContainer))]<br />
[PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)]<br />
public ITemplate MessageTemplate<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return messageTemplate;<br />
}<br />
set<br />
{<br />
messageTemplate = value;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
<br />
[TemplateContainer(typeof(MessageContainer))]<br />
[PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)]<br />
public ITemplate Node<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return TreeNode;<br />
}<br />
set<br />
{<br />
TreeNode = value;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
public delegate void NodeHandler(object sender, CommandEventArgs e, MessageContainer s);<br />
public event NodeHandler ItemCommandA;<br />
<br />
protected override bool OnBubbleEvent(object sender, EventArgs e)<br />
{<br />
ItemCommandA(this, (CommandEventArgs)e, ((Control)sender).NamingContainer as MessageContainer);<br />
CommandEventArgs C = (CommandEventArgs)e;<br />
return true;<br />
}<br />
<br />
<br />
protected override void CreateChildControls()<br />
{<br />
if (ViewState["_StartLevel"] == null)<br />
{<br />
ViewState["_StartLevel"] = 1;<br />
}<br />
this.Controls.Clear();<br />
if (messageTemplate != null)<br />
{<br />
makeTree((int)ViewState["_StartLevel"], this, 1);<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
public override void DataBind()<br />
{<br />
CreateChildControls();<br />
<br />
this.ChildControlsCreated = true;<br />
<br />
base.DataBind();
}<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
private void makeTree(int i, Control ctrl, int level)<br />
{<br />
if (level <= MaxLevel)<br />
{<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<table border=1><tr><td colspan=" + _Branch + " align=center>"));<br />
MessageContainer container = new MessageContainer(i, "r");<br />
messageTemplate.InstantiateIn(container);<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(container);<br />
<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</td></tr><tr>"));<br />
<br />
for (int j = 1; j <= _Branch; j++)<br />
{<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("<td align=center>" + i));<br />
makeTree(i + j, ctrl, level + 1);<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</td>"));<br />
}<br />
<br />
<br />
ctrl.Controls.Add(new LiteralControl("</tr></table>"));<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
<br />
public class MessageContainer: Control, INamingContainer<br />
{<br />
private int m_index;<br />
private Object node;<br />
<br />
private String m_message;<br />
internal MessageContainer(int index, Object Cnode)<br />
{<br />
m_index = index;<br />
node = Cnode;<br />
<br />
}<br />
public int Index<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return m_index;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
public Object NodeVal<br />
{<br />
get<br />
{<br />
return node;<br />
}<br />
}<br />
}<br />
}<br />
}<br />
<br />
hope this helps
cheers
Believes in betterment not the Best
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We have a 3.5 application and are planning on supporting 4.0 in the near future and were wondering if we should just tell our support to only install the 4.0 framework now. The question really is, will a 3.5 application work, with no changes with only the 4.0 framework installed?
Randar Puust
Software Architect, Jonas Software
MCSD.Net, MCSE
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Yes, definitely.
Dotnet Framework 4.0 provides backward compatibility.
HTH
Jinal Desai - LIVE
Experience is mother of sage....
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really? that is not how I understand it. Unfortunately I can't test it easily right now.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Jinal Desai - LIVE wrote: Dotnet Framework 4.0 provides backward compatibility.
In that case it should include 3.5, either within itself or by auto install.
It's time for a new signature.
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Just change the target framework in your application (3.5 Framework one) and test it once. If everything goes fine then you can go ahead with only 4.0 on the computer.
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If you are creating an installer with the .NET Framework specifications/requirements, it will compel the user to install the version you have specified even if the user has a newer version.
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