Protect a VB6 app with QLM

[You can watch a video version of this guide here]

Following is a step by step procedure to protect a VB6 application. Note that the steps below assume you have a QLM License Server already setup.

1. Launch QLM

2. Create a product from the “Define Product” tab or use the Demo 1.0 product if you are evaluating QLM. 

3. Go to the "Protect your application tab":

• Page 1: Select the product to protect and the License Server
• Page 2: Select "VB6, VBA, ..."
• Page 3: Leave the default settings or customize the look & feel if needed. By default, QLM will bind the license to the Computer Name. You can select the binding of your choice by setting the QlmLicenseBinding property located in the section "6. Qlm License Properties".
• Page 4: Select the folder where your VB6 application is located and click Save
• Page 5: Click Finish

4. Copy the following files to the folder where your VB6 application is located:

• C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\Redistrib\.net 4.0\QlmlicenseLib.dll
• C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\Redistrib\.net 4.0\QlmLicenseLib.tlb
• C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\Redistrib\.net 4.0\QlmCLRHost_x64.dll
• C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\Redistrib\.net 4.0\QlmCLRHost_x86.dll
• C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\Redistrib\.net 4.0\QlmLicenseWizard.exe

5. Open your VB6 application and add the following references:

• c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\mscorlib.tlb
• c:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\mscoree.tlb
• QlmLicenseLib.tlb

6. In your VB6 app's delcare the following global variables

        ' Global variables

        Dim lv As LicenseValidator
        Dim homeDir As String
        Dim settingsFile As String

7. In your VB6 app's Form_Load events add the following code:

     Private Sub Form_Open()

    QlmCheckLicense   

End Sub

8. In your VBA code, add the code below:

Function QlmCheckLicense()

    Dim trialCount As Integer
    Dim bValidKey As Boolean
    Dim needsActivation As Boolean
    Dim errorMsg As String

    homeDir = App.Path

    settingsFile = homeDir & "\Demo 1.0.lw.xml"

    Set lv = New LicenseValidator
    lv.InitializeLicense (homeDir, settingsFile)

    If lv.ValidateLicenseAtStartup(Environ("computername"), needsActivation, errorMsg) = False Then

        If LaunchWizard = 4 Then
            Unload Me
        End If

        If lv.ValidateLicenseAtStartup(Environ("computername"), needsActivation, errorMsg) = False Then
            Unload Me
        End If
    End If

End Function

Private Function LaunchWizard() As Integer

    Dim args As String

    args = args & " /settings " & """" & settingsFile & """"
    args = args & " /computerID " & lv.fOSMachineName

    Dim exitCode As Long

    Dim wizardExe As String
    wizardExe = homeDir & "\QlmLicenseWizard.exe"
    If Dir(wizardExe) = "" Then
        wizardExe = "C:\Program Files\Soraco\QuickLicenseMgr\QlmLicenseWizard.exe"
    End If
   

    exitCode = lv.LicenseObject.LaunchProcess(wizardExe, args, True, True)
    LaunchWizard = exitCode


End Function

9. Add the LicenseValidator.cls class (created in step 3 above) to your project as follows:

• Right mouse click your project in VB6
• Click Add and select "Class Module"
• In the New tab, select "Class Module" and click Open
• Copy the contents of the LicenseValidator.cls to the clipboard and paste it into the new class
• Set the name of the class to "LicenseValidator"

This completes the integration. The next time you open your VB6 app, the Form_Open event should get triggered and perform the license validation.

To generate a license key for testing purposes:

• Go to the Manage Keys tab.
• Click "Create Activation Key"
• Select the Product (Demo 1.0 for trials) and click Ok.
• Copy and Paste the generated Activation Key in the License Wizard the steps in the wizard.