Help with variable

[JuanFelipe]

Hello friends, I have a simple question, can I have a variable that is not reset, even if my program is closed?
That is, I want to make a program that can only be opened once, have a variable $ ini = 0, when it is opened for the first and only time it becomes $ ini = 1, so that it can not use the program a second time, as if it was a test software.
I do not want the variable to depend on a reading of an external file that is easily manipulated. Thank you.

[JLogan3o13]

Variables, by their nature, live while your program is alive. You cannot expect the computer to remember the variable setting between runs of your program unless you are writing it somewhere outside of memory (it is called volatile for a reason). That would be an INI file, a Registry entry, a DLL even, but somewhere on the physical drive.

If you do not want to use a file, go with a registry entry written on first run and then checked on subsequent runs.

[FranckGr]

Why not FileDelete(@ScriptFullPath) at the end of your script ...

[JuanFelipe]

Thanks

 

[mikell]

22 hours ago, FranckGr said:

Why not FileDelete(@ScriptFullPath) at the end of your script ...

Just keep a copy of the program and then you can run it twice - and so on 

[IAMK]

https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/libfunctions/_Singleton.htm

Seems you already got answered, but I'll put this here if you want it.

Edited August 18, 2018 by IAMK

[mikell]

11 hours ago, IAMK said:

https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/libfunctions/_Singleton.htm

No. This forbids 2 instances of the same program to run together, nothing more

BTW the only secure (?) and non-local way I can think of would be a file (encrypted ?) to check on a ftp

[Gianni]

supposing you are using a compiled script, here a simple 'experiment' to have a program runnable only once.
In few words, after the first run, I just append a byte at the end of the exe setted to "1" so at the next run we found the "1" as the last byte and we exit.
just a funny experiment, no claim of bullet-proofness...

If Not @Compiled Then Exit MsgBox(0, "Info", "script not compiled error.")
Local $sThis = @ScriptFullPath

Local $hHndl = FileOpen($sThis, 16) ; open the exe in byte mode
FileSetPos($hHndl, -1, 2) ; $FILE_END (2) -1 = last byte of the file
$LastByte = FileRead($hHndl, 1) ; get last byte

If $LastByte = "1" Or $LastByte = 0x31 Then
    MsgBox(0, "Debug " & $LastByte, "I'm sorry, this program has expired", 5)
    Exit
EndIf

; your one time run program here below
; ------------------------------------
MsgBox(0, "Debug " & $LastByte, "This is a 'one time only' run program" & @CRLF & "next time this program will not run")
;
;
; on exit add a byte to the exe to flag "no more run"
; ------------------------------------
; ping is just to wait 2 seconds so to give time to the main exe to terminate
; You can't write a byte to the exe if is running
Local $sCommand = 'ping localhost -n 2 > nul & echo | set /p dummy="1" >> ' & $sThis
; the command is run 'detached' from the main exe
Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & $sCommand) ; , @SW_HIDE)

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Chimp
removed the show_flag from the run command

[mikell]

Chimp, this doesn't work for me...
Isn't the last on-exit command a part of the still running exe ?

[Gianni]

hi @mikell

the last run command delegates the dos environment to execute the 2 concatenated commands in a detached way from the main script. The ping command is there as a sort of delay of about 2 seconds to give time to the main exe to terminate so that it is not locked when the second command will append the last byte to the exe.
However a weird fact happens.... if the show_flag parameter of the run command is set @sw_hide or @sw_minimize then the write of the byte fails.  I've seen that just removing the show_flag  parameter from the run command allows it to work.
...maybe the echo fails if command prompt is hidden...??
suggestions and alternatives to write a byte from dos environment to a file are welcome

Edited August 20, 2018 by Chimp

[jchd]

Another way but NTFS-only. Kid sister will bypass this but most users won't.

#include <Date.au3>

If Not @Compiled Then Exit MsgBox(0, "Info", "Script must be compiled to run (once only).")

Local $sFname = @ScriptFullPath & ":Dead Beef"

If FileExists($sFname) Then
    MsgBox(0, "Run status", "Sorry this program has expired. It already ran on " & FileRead($sFname), 5)
    Exit
Else
    _Main()
EndIf

Func _Main()
    MsgBox(0, "Welcome", "This is a 'one time only' runable program" & @CRLF & "Next time this program will not run.")

    ; program core here

    FileWrite($sFname, _NowCalc())
EndFunc

 

[Simpel]

As a colon is not allowed in windows inside a file name, what is happening there?

[BrewManNH]

Alternate File Stream data.

[jchd]

2 hours ago, Simpel said:

As a colon is not allowed in windows inside a file name, what is happening there?

My example demonstrates a colon there is perfectly valid syntax.
The magic is named as @BrewManNH said an ADS (Alternate Data Stream).

[BrewManNH]

8 minutes ago, jchd said:

ADS (Alternate Data Stream)

No idea why I keep reversing those.

[jchd]

idea The is same the.

[JuanFelipe]

Thank you very much to all for your answers, I tell them how I did it, in the end I created a .log file, with information encrypted inside, where I give guidelines to the program of how many times it can be executed and also the limit of queries that can be made , I read them all and I'm going to try the things they told me to see how it goes. Thanks brothers.