Adobe AIR system-wide storage

Question

I'm working on an AIR app that will have a free basic version and a more advanced paid version that's unlocked with a license key. Ideally once a license key is entered I'd like it to unlock the application for all users of the computer.

However, I haven't been able to find a suitable system-wide location for storing the license key file. All of the preconfigured locations in the File class (e.g. File.applicationStorageDirectory) are either user-specific or read-only.

Is there a standard system-wide location in AIR where I can store things like this? If not the file system, maybe shared objects, or SQLite, or the encrypted local store? Failing that, are there standard locations on each system (Windows, Mac, Linux) that I could hardcode that are guaranteed to be writable by all users? The last option is made more difficult by the lack of access to any environment variables.

If all else fails I guess I could just require the application to be unlocked per-user, but that doesn't sound like a recipe for happy customers ("What do you mean I have to buy it twice for my wife to use it? We only have one computer!").

(Okay, yes, it it's per-user I'll probably let one key unlock the app 3 or 4 times to be nice about it, but it's still less convenient for the user to activate multiple times).

Chunky Chunk Chunky Chunk · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-30T07:26:39

you can choose your own location using literal paths that could be system wide and writable, for example:

//windows:
new File("C:\whatever ...");

//mac:
new File("/System/whatever ...");

the available directories in flash.fileSystem.File (IE: File.desktopDirectory) are conveniences for developers since these directories are common to use and different on each system, but you are not limited to using them.

you will, however, have to know of and hardcode these directories into your code, which could be dangerous since these directories may not exist on the users computer or they may need administrative privileges to write to these directories, etc.

i suggest that you simply store the key in the File.applicationStorageDirectory for each install of your application, but perhaps include a user-limit written license with each purchased key.

with licensing keys these days your goal can only be to keep honest customers honest, not thwart the efforts of hackers. this is especially true with ActionScript 3.0 / AIR, since the code is going to be exposed (unless you are using an obfuscater like SecureSWF)

there's also the Adobe InMarket if you want to simplify the process of selling your application.

out of curiosity, what are you working on, if you don't mind elaborating.

Adobe AIR system-wide storage

1 Answers