Usage count

This way, an end user does not have to initally enter a product key.

My recommendation is to avoid using a trial key at all. Just set the default trial length to however long you want the trial to last. Then, if the prospective customer runs out of time then send them a trial extension.

I don't see a usage count being an option in the license feature page.

The trial usage count is only for trial extensions. Product keys, on the other hand, have an activation count.

Does this help?

We may be talking about the same thing. You call it an activation count. I am trying to understand if that does help me.

Again, I would like to allow an installation with an fixed/embedded product key for any and all machines. Once that key expires on a given machine, the user must provide a paid for product key. Is this scenario supported?Thx

One more thing... sort of related... here is a possible scenario: an anonymous user downloads a trial installation along with a single use trial product key. After the product key expires, the user uninstalls and obtains a fresh product key and reinstalls. Is there anything built into the licensing framework to prevent this?

Again, I would like to allow an installation with an fixed/embedded product key for any and all machines. Once that key expires on a given machine, the user must provide a paid for product key. Is this scenario supported?

Yes, but you don't need to embed a product key (or a trial extension). TurboActivate already handles trials out of the box. That is, even if the user uninstalls and reinstalls your app the same amount of trial days will be used. So you don't need to bother the user with trial extensions or trial product keys. Just use the trial functionality built into TurboActivate for prospective users.

If a user wants to try your app for more days (for any number of reasons) then you can give the user a trial extension.

Does this make sense?

After the product key expires, the user uninstalls and obtains a fresh product key and reinstalls. Is there anything built into the licensing framework to prevent this?

If you use the trial functionality built into TurboActivate then the user can't restart the trial just by uninstalling and reinstalling your app. You can always send the user a trial extension if they legitimately need more trial days. But even then they can't use the same trial extension over and over again.

Thanks. So the install/uninsall scenerio does make perfect sense.

Back to the embedded key topic. The reason that I am thinking an embedded is to allow the user quickly activate the trial without having to mess with entering a key. Then once we have them hooked on our product, then they can enter a paid for key.

Back to the embedded key topic. The reason that I am thinking an embedded is to allow the user quickly activate the trial without having to mess with entering a key. Then once we have them hooked on our product, then they can enter a paid for key.

This really isn't necessary. You can do it, but there's nothing to be gained by doing it. Embedding a key in your app adds complexity with no benefit to you or your customers.

Just use the regular trial functionality. Then, when the user is ready to buy either use the TurboActivate wizard or make your own interface for entering the product key.

Sorry to be slow on this topic. The reason (I think) I would like to embed a trial key is to make the installation process very very easy. The user would just click on setup.exe, answer a couple of config questions, then boom, its installed.Once the user sees who good the product is, then they would gladly enter the real product key.

All this is possible if you use the default trial behavior. No need to embed keys in your app (trust me).