Certificate Settings

Every certificate in HTML Executable offers a range of customizable properties. To configure, select the desired certificate from the Certificate Manager and double-click it or use the 'Configure' button.

✔️ Unique Certificate ID: Every certificate (excluding the Default) should have a unique Certificate ID. This can be any ID of your choice or you can have HTML Executable generate one by clicking 'New Key'.

⚠️ Warning: Altering the unique signature will render any older keys, which you've previously created and distributed, void.

✔️ Restricted Access: Access to your publication can be denied until the user is registered. To enable this, activate "Do not allow access to the publication without prior registration". This option is available only for the Default certificate, and it always displays a nag screen called the "Unlock screen" at startup.

Expiration Features

✔️ Certificate Expiration: You can set an expiration on certificates, defining the number of days or allowed runs for the evaluation period.

ØFor the default certificate (for trial purposes), the evaluation period starts with the first run of the publication by the end user.

ØFor other certificates, the evaluation period begins when the end user enters a key.

You can choose between a time-based trial period (X-day) or a usage-based one (X-use). Choose the appropriate expiration mode: "days" or "runs".

⚠️ Warning: Altering the expiration mode may require resetting trial information on your system.

✔️ After Expiration: Post expiration, users must enter a key to switch from the default certificate to another. For non-default certificates, enabling the "Revert to the default certificate if expired" option lets it revert to the default post-expiration. If not enabled, users won't be able to access the publication.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid using expiration features for a portable publication. They store settings on the USB disk, allowing users to reset their trial period by deleting the settings files.

Nag Screen or Unlock Screen at Startup

✔️ Nag Screen: The nag screen prompts your end users to activate the ebook or publication. It can be enabled or disabled with the "Show the nag screen at startup" option. You can opt for 'Never', 'Only if certificate expired', or 'Always'.

For online orders, provide a URL to your online order page. The "Purchase Online" button in the nag screen will direct users to this URL.

✔️ Unlock Menu: If you opt not to display the nag screen at startup, you can still include a menu command in your ebook that can invoke it using the "Unlock the program" menu command option.

💡 Note: The nag screen can be customized with the Dialog Boxes feature.

⚠️ Warning: If customizing the HTML code of the nag screen, ensure you do not remove the code that defines existing fields. To hide a field in the nag screen, add a `display:none` style option to the INPUT tag.