The following is a list of frequently asked questions. Please consult this list before contacting support as you may very well find the answer you are looking for here
How do I get started with InstallKey?
Begin by downloading InstallKey from here. This is the full product with documentation and working samples.
Where can I learn more about how to use InstallKey?
Begin by downloading the InstallKey Developer Guide from here. This document provides information about the architecture, installation, usage and customization of InstallKey.
Can I install the InstallKey web site and WCF Validation Service with a third party hosting provider?
Yes, InstallKey can be hosted with most any hosting provider that supports ASP.Net, WCF and SQL Server. InstallKey is written in 100% ASP.Net and C# managed code and requires only common IIS web site settings. If you are comforable with deploying ASP.Net web applciations and SQL server databases with your favorite hosting provider, you should have no trouble.
Does InstallKey work with Microsoft Azure?
Yes, InstallKey can be hosted with most any hosting provider that supports ASP.Net, WCF and SQL Server, including Microsoft Azure.
How do I apply my license key to remove the demo limitation when I host InstallKey with a third party hosting provider?
You can apply your installation key using the Validation web page that is now part of the InstallKey web applciation. As long as your hosting provider will allow the ASP.Net web applciation to make WMI queries, the validation will work.
If WMI queries are blocked by your hosting provider, you will need to purchase the source code edition of InstallKey. Rebuilding the InstallKey source code will remove the demo limitation. See the InstallKey Developer Guide for more information.
I followed the documentation to install InstallKey. However, the first time I attempt to open the web applciation home page in a browser, the browser is blank, and the it appears that the page is continuously loading.
You probably have the wrong Application Pool or the wrong version of the .Net framework assigned to the web application and/or the BusinessService web application. To correct this, open IIS Manager, view the properties for the InstallKey virtual folders and select an Application pool that is running the correct version fo the .Net Framework. See the QuickStartGuide and the Developer Guide for more information and other possible solutions.
I don't want my customers to be able to read the contents of the surety file.
Set the ClientSideValidator.EncryptLocalSurety property to true. The entire contents of the surety file will be encrypted the next time that the surety file is persisted.
Does the surety have to be stored as file in the current working folder?
No. The you can change the filename and the location where it is stored. In fact, the surety does not even have to be stored as a file. It can be stored anyplace that you can persist a string. See the chapter in the Developer Guide documentation called 'Storing the Local Surety'
Can I generate a key automatically or programatically?
Yes you can generate keys programatically. InstallKey provides an API which you can call from your applciations.
Do I have to use the InstallKey Admin website to create and manage my keys?
No, you do not have to use the provided Admin website to manage your keys. InstallKey provides an API which can be used to programatically manage your keys and keysets. Utilizing this API, you can create your own applciation to manage your keys.
How do I get started with FatModel?
Begin by downloading FatModel from here. This is the full product with documentation and working samples.
Where can I learn more about how to use FatModel?
Begin by downloading the FatModel Developer Guide from here. This document provides information about best practices, architecture, installation and usage of FatModel.
Is the FatModel Download the full product? What is the Demo limitation? How does it impact me?
There is no impact if you are downloading FatModel for demo and evaluations. The Fat Model assemblies that you download from www.lomacons.com are the complete and full product, and can be used for an unlimited time. The only limitation is that the applciations that use an unlicensed download will only run when the webserver is "lcoalhost".
Most developers will evaluate and build the FatModel samples locally using the Visual Studio integrated web server running on localhost, and will not have any problems evaluating FatModel.
What are the license requirements for FatModel?
The spirit and intention for the license for FatModel is to allow any single developer or organization to use and develop web applciations for internal use or web applciation products for sale and distribution.
Therfore, the spirit of the license allows - if you are deploying and hosting a web application that you built for your own use (the web applciation itself is not for sale) then you are allowed to use FatModel on up to 4 (standard edition) or 25 (source code edition) domain names.
And, the spirit of the license allows - if you are building a web applciation for sale, and are only selling the compiled assemblies to your customers, then you are allowed to remove the domain use restriction from the source code, rebuild and obfuscate the code to include it with your distribution.
In all cases, you are not allowed to resell or re-distribute the FatModel source code.
For the complete license details, please see the included license text in the Developer Guide.
Do I need a license for each developer desktop?
No. Most developers will build, debug and test their code running locally using the built in Visual Studio web server on localhost. So, as long as the hostname is localhost, all developers will be able to use the unlicenced assembly for developemnt and local testing.
Are upgrades really free?
Yes - upgrades are free. Minor point version upgrades are always free. For example, upgrading from version 5.1 to 5.7 is considered to be a minor version upgarde.
Major version upgrades are free for 90 days after the release of the first major upgrade. For example, upgrading from version 4.2 to version 5.x is considered a major version upgrade. Starting 90 days after the release of the each new major version (the ".0" version), there is a charge for the upgrade.