Plugin protection

You can sell a finished plugin without handing over its source code. The author packs their .jar into a protected .bin file: the body is encrypted, class names are obfuscated, and decryption happens only in the app's memory — the plugin never lands on disk in readable form.

On top of that the author can turn on activation codes: one code — one sale. The buyer enters the code once, the code is bound to their computer, and a file passed on to someone else won't open for them. The author keeps control after the sale: code statistics, revoking a code, resetting a binding.

• For the author — you sell the result, not the source; a copy can't be resold; after the sale you can revoke a code or rebind it to a new PC.
• For the buyer — the plugin installs like any other, one activation, runs on your PC; updates and support come from the author.

For buyers

What you get from the author

• a .bin file — the protected plugin;
• an activation code like PLG-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX — if the author turned on access control. A plugin that is "just encrypted" has no code.

Opening the plugin

The Script tab has a single button for opening plugins (plugin icon, "Open plugin (.jar / .bin)" dialog). It opens both regular .jar files and protected .bin files — the app tells them apart on its own, there is no separate button for protected ones.

• 1. Click the open-plugin button and pick the .bin.
• 2. If the plugin needs a code, an Activation code window appears with the hint PLG-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. Enter the code and click Activate (or press Enter in the field).
• 3. Paste the code exactly as the author sent it — with dashes, spaces or without: the format is normalized for you.

Binding to your computer

On first activation the code is bound to this PC. From then on the plugin opens on the same computer without asking again. The same file and the same code won't work on another PC — if you've switched computers, contact the author: they'll reset the binding and the code can be activated again.

What you need to run it

• the app with an active license — signed in as usual;
• an internet connection at the moment you open the plugin.

The decryption key is issued by the server, and the private key never leaves the server. That's why a protected plugin won't open offline or without a license — it's part of the protection, not an arbitrary restriction.

Possible errors

The source stays with the author

The plugin works for you, but you don't get its source code: the decrypted plugin lives only in the app's memory, is never written to disk in readable form, and the names inside it are obfuscated.

For authors

Everything an author needs is on the Script tab, two buttons:

• Plugin author (key icon) — the author dashboard;
• Protect plugin (shield icon) — packs a .jar into a .bin.

Author account

A separate account with email and password. It isn't tied to the game license: it's your permanent "author identity" that owns your plugins and codes.

• Sign up — right in the dashboard window. A verification email follows, and the app shows "Verification email sent — open the link, then sign in.": confirm your email via the link, then sign in.
• Sign in — email and password, the Sign in button.
• Forgot your password — the Forgot? button: a reset code arrives by email, then you enter your email, the code and a new password and click Reset.
• Passwords are 8 to 128 characters long.

The sign-in is kept in the app's memory only: after a restart you need to sign in to the dashboard again. That's by design. Within one run a sign-in lasts up to 30 days.

Packing a plugin

• 1. Click the shield button and pick your .jar.
• 2. In the Protect plugin window, set a name and turn on the options you need (see the table below).
• 3. Click Pack… and choose where to save the .bin.

If access control is on but you aren't signed in, the window tells you: "Access control needs an author sign-in — open the key button first" — sign in with the key button first.

Which mode to pick

Codes and sales

The dashboard has a My plugins list. Each plugin shows a unused · used · revoked counter: how many codes are free, activated and revoked. The Codes button opens code management for that plugin:

• Generate N — issue 1 to 100 codes at a time. New codes appear as a block with a Copy all button to copy them in one go.
• Below is the list of all the plugin's codes. Each has its own status, color-coded: unused — free, used — activated, revoked — revoked.

The model is simple: 1 code = 1 sale. Issue codes, give one to each buyer, keep an eye on the statistics and manage bindings when needed.

Why it holds up

• The plugin body is encrypted with AES-256, and its key is protected with RSA. The private key is kept on the server only and never reaches the buyer's computer.
• Decryption happens only in the app's memory — the source code isn't saved to disk at any step.
• Obfuscation renames the internals so that even a memory snapshot doesn't yield readable code.
• PC binding, revoking and resetting — the author keeps control over copies after the sale.

FAQ

Buyer questions

• Can I open the plugin without internet? — No: the key comes from the server, so you need a connection and an active license.
• I moved the plugin to another computer and it won't open. — The code is bound to the first PC. Contact the author, they'll reset the binding.
• I lost my code. — Codes are kept by the author, ask them.
• I entered the code, but it asks again on the same PC. — Check your connection and license. If the error keeps coming back, contact the author.

Author questions

• Do I have to sign in to the dashboard every time? — Yes, after every app restart: the sign-in is kept in memory only.
• What's the difference between Reset and Revoke? — Reset removes the PC binding, and the code works again. Revoke cancels the code for good.
• My plugin didn't show up in My plugins. — Only plugins packed with Access control are listed there. "Just encrypted" ones don't appear.
• How many codes can I issue? — Up to 100 per generation, and you can generate as many times as you like.
• A buyer switched PCs — how do I help? — Find their code in the list and click Reset.

Glossary