Network Apps

[Jim Seekamp]

I need to count the instances of my app running on the server if my app is running the program off the server.
Is there any way of doing that, since enumwindows only seems to enumerate the apps on the current machine?

Best Regards

Jim



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Jim Seekamp

[Charles K. Kincaid]

You need some type of license server. This can be a data file.
Each copy gets its MAC address and then opens the file. One MAC addrress per record.
The program reads the file looking for a match. If found, stop looking. This copy is registered.
Else add your record to the end of the file.

Your program could limit the number of records in the file. No more than 25 records lets say.

Even if they delete the security file, it won't matter. The same 25 addresses will just re-register.

If you want the count of copies running at the same time, that is harder.

You'd have to write a server program that the copies would log into.
After so many connections, refuse more.


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ATB

Charles Kincaid

[Jim Seekamp]

Yes, that is the approach I am currently using, but I'm wondering if there is a more orthodox way of doing it through Windows.

Best Regards

Jim


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Jim Seekamp

[Scott Turchin]

Why not use mutex's?
IE create a mutex, if it fails increment one:

Local hMutex As Long
Local lLoop  As long
For lLoop = 1 to 25
   lpClassName = "PROGRAM" & Str$(lLoop) 'PROGRAM1, PROGRAM2
   hMutex = CreateMutex(ByVal %Null, 0, lpclassName)
   If GetLastError <> %ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS Then Exit Loop Else CloseHandle hMutex
Next
'Don't forget to close at end of program:
CloseHandle hMutex

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Scott

[This message has been edited by Scott Turchin (edited April 29, 2001).]

[Scott Turchin]

Er, Do you mean from a client machine you wish to check?

You would have to make it a service, call it from another workstation as a service, or use some sort of SNMP type thing, or use that Mutex method with a license type app running as a server to send the info back to you?


Interesting...

Scott

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Scott

[Peter Redei]

'I am using this very simple code
'testing and allowing access:
IF AllowAccess(limit, %False) THEN 
	'user can 
else
	'user can not
end if
'release when the user exists
AllowAccess 0, %True

'this is the only code 
FUNCTION AllowAccess(lNumUsers AS LONG, bRelease AS INTEGER) AS INTEGER

    FUNCTION = %True
    ON ERROR RESUME NEXT
    IF bRelease THEN
        UNLOCK #lLockHandle, lLockPos
        CLOSE lLockHandle
        EXIT FUNCTION
    END IF
    DIM aFile$, lLen AS LONG, l AS LONG, a$

    lLockHandle = FREEFILE
    'give value to aFile$ on the network before going farther
    aFile$ = 
    OPEN aFile$ FOR BINARY SHARED AS lLockHandle
    lLen = LOF(lLockHandle)
    a$ = " "
    FOR l = 1 TO lLen
        ERR = 0
        GET #lLockHandle, l, a$
        IF ERR = 0 THEN
           LOCK #lLockHandle, l
           IF ERR = 0 THEN
               lLockPos = l
               EXIT FUNCTION
           END IF
       END IF
    NEXT
    DO
       ERR = 0
       lLen = lLen + 1
       IF lLen > lNumUsers THEN
             CLOSE #lLockHandle
             FUNCTION = %False
             EXIT FUNCTION
       END IF
       PUT #lLockHandle, lLen, a$
       IF ERR = 0 THEN
           LOCK #lLockHandle, lLen
           IF ERR = 0 THEN
              lLockPos = l
              EXIT FUNCTION
           END IF
       END IF
    LOOP
END FUNCTION

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