Appendix D: How to create encrypted templates

In addition to encrypting text using WebDNAÕs [encrypt] context, you can encrypt entire WebDNA templates so they can be distributed and used without having the raw WebDNA in the templates visible. This is very useful for developers wishing to sell WebDNA-based solutions.

Sometimes you will want to give someone else a WebDNA template without letting them see your "source code" in the file. For example, if you create a WebDNA solution that is for sale, you may not want others to be able to read the templates and make modifications or see your proprietary algorithms.

Encrypting Templates

To create an encrypted template, you must first design and debug the template as you normally would. Then use the [Encrypt] context with a seed of your choosing to create the encrypted version of the original template. Note that you shouldnÕt make your seed value public in any way. After the templates have been encrypted, a special tag must be added to the top of the file so it can be recognized as an encrypted file and then your seed value must be encrypted using WebDNAÕs default encryption.

Use the following WebDNA to encrypt your file and add the special tag to the beginning of the file. Note that you may put any text, copyright information for example, before the header tag. The encrypted WebDNA must start on the line after the header tag. For example, in order to use WebDNA to automatically convert your template (file.tpl) to an encrypted template (newfile.tpl) you would execute the following: 

[writefile file=newfile.tpl&secure=F]Copyright © 2009 WebDNA Software Corporation
http://www.webdna.us/
<!--HAS_WEBDNA_TAGS[!][/!]_ENCRYPTED_2-->
[encrypt]seed=XXXXXXX&product=WCAT[/encrypt]
[encrypt seed=XXXXXXX][include file=file.tpl&raw=T][/encrypt][/writefile]

After using the above template, your hard disk will contain a file called "newfile.tpl" which you can give to other users, confident that they cannot read or modify it. Using the template is easy -- it works just like any other template.

Note: [!][/!] is a special trick to fool WebDNA into thinking this page is not an encrypted page, and should be treated like a normal template. The [!][/!] is essentially removed during processing, which causes the resulting template to contain the now-correct tag that indicates it is encrypted.

The following header tag is valid for recognizing encrypted files:

HAS_WEBDNA_TAGS_ENCRYPTED_2

In addition to encrypting your seed value, you can specify which product this template works with. Use “WCAT” for WebDNA, “TYPH” for Typhoon, or “WDNA” for any WebDNA product.

Link to an encrypted page and WebDNA automatically decrypts and processes the page. In order to prevent someone from displaying or accessing the decrypted templates, the following precautions have been made: