topic Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users? in Inventor Programming Forum

Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:14:54 GMT

I recently created some iLogic based components. I wonder how difficult it is to protect the iLogic code, similar as VBA code which can be password protected.

The reason being:

1. Of course, to hide & protect the creator's modeling logic;

2. To avoid the relation between parameters being messed up by the end user unintensionally.

I did have the opportunity to raise the question during the Portathon event and the answer was that the protection not directly available, though the workaround could be mixing with some Inventor API coding in .NET.

However, this might defeat one of the benefits of iLogic, simple and ease to use, gentlr learning curve, especially for users with VBA experience. .NET might not be so easy for a lot of engineers from mechanical or other disciplines.

Below are some of my ideas for discussion:

1 Disable the "Edit" button for iLogic components, including rules, forms, etc.;

2. Put all code that are to be protected in an external file, and then make that file unreadable (password protected, or other protection) to un-intended user, however, readable to those who have proper access privelege.

It seems to me that it might be easier to implement by Autodesk Inventor team.

Re: Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:05:56 GMT

There's no way to do it with the way Inventor and iLogic work at the moment. Your best bet is to use external rules, these can be stored at text files, you could try placing them on a network drive and marking them as read only, this should protect you from a casual user accidentally editing the code. It wont protect you from someone being able to see your code.

It would be great if you could complile iLogic and hide the code

Re: Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

rjay75 — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 20:37:41 GMT

There's no way to make the code runnable but not visible. But if the user can't access the file Inventor won't be able to either.

However if you want to just avoid have them inadvertantly modifying any rules then use external rules and make them readonly. This is typically the route I use. On users machines all rules are readonly.

Re: Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 21:39:14 GMT

Thanks for both oomclintmidas and rjay75 for your confirmation and suggestion on the external readonly code file. I hope Inventor can go a bit further in the future.

Re: Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:15:00 GMT

@rjay75 wrote:

On users machines all rules are readonly.

What do you mean by that? On every computer I have to Add External Rule in the same way I did on a first computer. On each computeri have external disk Z:\ every computer has right to read and write.

Is there some basic rule for adding external rule that I don't know?

Re: Possibility to hide iLogic code from end users?

rjay75 — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 13:02:46 GMT

If the rules are centrally stored on a network drive mark the files to readonly and keep a seperate copy elsewhere that you edit and modify. Then copy these to the shared network location for deployment.

But, yes, rules will have to be added to each computer manually. Once added if they are updated in on the network drive they don't have to re added to the machines.