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How to encrypt a BGL file.

arno

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No, that is not possible. That would also prevent FS itself from understanding the file.
 
=Hollywood=

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Even if it can be seen in TMF viewer no one would be able to feasibly generate other data from it, as although the display is in WGS84 it appears skewed and it'd be way easier for someone to generate their own dataset than try and make something out of what's seen in TMF viewer. If that's what you're worried about.
 
fsfox

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Are you sure? You mean there is no way to protect our file from being seen by other people?
Click to expand...

mohsenfff, I think Arno is 100K% sure, everyone would be happy to encrypt their own data and protect the work we are doing.. More or less...
 
scruffyduck

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I am also 100% sure. We could certainly encrypt a bgl file so that a decompiler could not read it. But then FS would not be able to read it either. So before using it in FS the user would have to decrypt it. So once it was in FS it would be readable by anyone with the right tools.

There are some possible tricks that can be used to 'fingerprint' a Bgl file so that someone else could not claim it as theirs but even that is not very secure.
 
arno

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And the photo scenery bgl files are quite secure. You can't get the original data out from them.
 
scruffyduck

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We also cannot get the data out of terrain (cvx) files for FSX.
 
rhumbaflappy

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A few years ago I did look at the vector files ("CVX"). I didn't pursue making a decompiler as it is relatively easy to make new vector scenery thanks to the ability to exclude the vectors right down to the mesh.

But I think a decompiler could be made for the vectors, and perhaps for the raster scenery as well ( created by resample ).

But for what purpose? It's fairly easy to make new scenery.

Encrypting to prevent piracy would be very difficult. It might be possible to have an installer translate the encrypted files to a temporary folder, and that temp folder used during the flight session. I don't know if such a folder can be password protected to avoid copying files during the session...

It would be a difficult undertaking. And if it were practical, I think ORBX or someone else would have done it already.

Using ORBX as an example, if your scenery is good enough, there will be enough honest buyers to make your scenery profitable.

Dick
 
scruffyduck

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I agree Dick. There are all sorts of fixes and fudges that could be applied but in the end the Bgl files have to be decrypted into FS and at that point anyone can read what is in them if they have access to a current decompiler.

I suppose those of us who made decompilers are to blame for the problem. However without them it would be very much harder for folks to take stock airports and modify them. So it is a balance. The genie has been out of the box for a long time on decompilers (certainly a long time before I got involved).
 
=Hollywood=

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The only reason I see for needing a CVX decompiler is to decompile airport boundaries in order to generate vector file flattens that can be used with higher resolution elevation data. Something I've actually needed for a long time and sure would have helped Justin at FSG as well.
 
MyPC8MyBrain

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scruffyduck said:
We could certainly encrypt a bgl file so that a decompiler could not read it. But then FS would not be able to read it either.
Click to expand...
you would restrict users from accessing protected data via strict ACL allowing specific applications/process read only access,
MS are doing it for their fs2020 platform which locks all files via restricted user permission combined with password protected ssl cert as cipher ,
 
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