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Advanced Activation Options

The Advanced Activation workspace is for developers who need specialized control over their software’s security handshake. This is where you configure the cryptographic engines that power your activation keys and define how your application behaves when no valid license is present. For an in-depth look at the security architecture, see the Security Feature guide.

VBA Padlock Studio Advanced Activation Options and behavioral settings

🎭 Runtime Orchestration

Section titled “🎭 Runtime Orchestration”

Control the gravity of your security enforcement. Choose between a mandatory gatekeeper or a silent background monitor:

  • Enforcement Toggles: Use Always prompt for activation to ensure the licensing dialog is the first thing a user sees.
  • Silent Execution: Ideal for background services or advanced developers who want to build their own activation UI via the API. When checked, the DLL executes silently, and the developer is responsible for checking the license status via code.
  • Expiration Blacklisting: A critical safety feature that ensures code execution is immediately terminated the moment a license expires, preventing the one-day-late bypass.

🔐 Cryptographic Foundations

Section titled “🔐 Cryptographic Foundations”

VBA Padlock Studio leverages industry-standard algorithms to ensure your licenses cannot be forged or tampered with.

Master Key

A secret random value that is the “DNA” of your project’s licensing. The Master Key is required for both Short and Long key formats — it is the foundation of all license generation. Keep it safe and never change it after release.

Ed25519 ECC Keys

Modern Elliptic Curve Cryptography used additionally for Long (ECC) keys. Generate a unique key pair to digitally sign your licenses with strong cryptographic security. Only required if you use the Long key format.

🛒 Conversion & Sales

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Drive revenue by making it easy for trial users to upgrade to a full license:

  • Purchase URL: Define the global destination for your “Buy Now” links. When a user clicks the purchase button in a trial nag screen, they are redirected to this URL (e.g., your Stripe or PayPal checkout page).

🔄 The Security Workflow

Section titled “🔄 The Security Workflow”
  1. Initialize: Click Generate ECC Keys to establish your cryptographic identity.
  2. Secure: Confirm your Master Key is generated and valid.
  3. Behavior: Select your enforcement strategy (Standard, Silent, or Permissive).
  4. Connect: Provide your Purchase URL to bridge the gap between trial and sale.

See Also

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