We use a similar process to what the other respondent does. We have a standard CD, and then store licensing information in a metafile that is empty when shipped. New customers get a key disk that they must insert the first time they run the program which reads the information and puts it in the metafiles. To protect it, we blank the disk when its read, and store a checksum that compares to the serial number of the diskette to prevent copying (when you copy a diskette each copy gets it's own serial number) so that the disk can only be used once. Lots of variations on this theme can be done to make it so that your CD's are a standard distribution, which just a diskette to ship on new orders (or new versions that require relicensing).

>Hi All:
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>Currently, when there is an order for my application, each clients key ifnormation is hardcoded and compiled for that specific client. IOW, eachnew order requires cutting a new CD for each client. The hardcoding of key information was so that only those associated with some of the key information can use the software.
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>Concern: This makes distributing updates a nightmare, since a new update with all the key information has to be cut and the .exe complied each time for each client.
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>Are there any alternatives to my approach to make both the initial distribution and future updates the same for all clients. e.g. post a single update file that any client could use.
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>Thank you for your suggestions.