code hiding/obfuscation.

inio · Feb 8, 2002

I've written a class that displays a icon in the HUD for a few seconds when my map(s) load, and would like to embed it in them. However, I realized that it would be absolutely trivial to rip this off, and I would rather people have to write it themselves.

Is the source and name stripper that is used on CSHP and UTPure a publicly available program, or do I have to write my own?

I found a document that claims to be the package format spec, and it doesn't look that hard to accomplish this, but I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if it isn't necesary.

[edit] Thought I'd add this: There are several other custom classes in the map that I do not plan to protect in this way. I'm all for knowledge sharing - I just would like to keep this one class to myself.[/edit]

RegularX · Feb 8, 2002

why keep this one class a secret?

It is possible, a little research seems to make it sound somewhat trivial, but I havent actually tried it yet (I'd actually encourage people to download and look through my code ... not as an example - but to help me clean it up

) It doesnt look like writing a seperate program is necessary (although this info is a bit old, so maybe they have new methods now).

Email me for the info?

rgx

Papapishu · Feb 8, 2002

Why hide such an easy thing.
I don't think anyone would like to steal it, and if they wanted, it would only be unjuste to hide it.
Unreal is an open source community, so if you have nothing important to hide (like CSHP for instance), there's no reason at all for hiding the code.
Another exeption would be if it's a very large package, to save size, since the embeded source code takes up som space too...
But big packages often contain fun stuff, that should be shared to other coders...

How do you think 99% of all coders in this forum ever learned something?

Papapishu · Feb 8, 2002

btw, isn't that deepershade's kitten on you avatar?

inio · Feb 8, 2002

Originally posted by papapishu
btw, isn't that deepershade's kitten on you avatar?

I got it from someone's cat picture page that had around 30 pictures - it was the funniest of them. I can't find the url right now, but if I track it down before this thread expires I'll post it here.

Postal · Feb 8, 2002

I dont mine people studing code, but I am mad as hell about people stealing code.

Reciently someone has stolen some of my code and furious as hell, so from now on, all my code releases will have their code hidden.

aspie · Feb 8, 2002

That's a shame.

Do you know who it was? We could round up a posse and go get'em.

Eater1 · Feb 8, 2002

Look, don't get mad if someone steals your code. In the end, it doesn't matter. Everyone here has "stolen" Unreal/UT code when they coded their first mods. I'm sure that someone who needed to steal your code has less skill than you and won't be able to make a better mod anyway. As papishu said, Unreal is an open source community. Sure, there will be some bastards that will rip off your code, but who really cares? All it means is that they admire your work... As long as they're not making money off of it, they're not hurting you in any way (well, unless you have a very fragile ego).

Eater.

Postal · Feb 9, 2002

Well I do have a relitivly fragile ego.

anyways what realy bothers me is the other guy claiming it as his own. If he gave me credit, I would not mind.

TaoPaiPai · Feb 9, 2002

Maybe he didn't steal your code.
2 people can have similar ideas.

RegularX · Feb 9, 2002

I've had it happen too. Not in UScript, but on another project - and it *does* suck. And the stupid thing is they a) didn't even implement it right and b) I had already emailed these people once about potential collaboration ... never got a response back. Until I checked back a couple months later to find out they had added some new "features".

To me, coding is like writing ( in many ways ). Always be prepared to give a source, credit even paraphrasing, and acquire the proper permissions.

But I'm kinda against anyone hiding their code. It's a personal opinion and everyone has a right to do so if they desire. I don't want to see anyone's hard work plagiarized, but I'd rather have the information out there for people to have.

rgx

butto · Feb 9, 2002

I don't have a problem with people looking at my source so long as they give me credit and don't rip it as is. Stealing source teaches nothing about coding and is insulting to the person who spent the time to figure it out when the person stealing did not. Looking at source just to see how somebody went about doing something, particularly when stumped, can help to create better code faster, thus helping the community.

Postal · Feb 9, 2002

Code was about 98 percent or more the same, in the exact same format, exact same function names, and so forth, and the guy was complaining about the bugs that I knew about in my code.

Shambler[sixpack] · Feb 9, 2002

Hey,
I'm also looking for a program to hide my code, I'm not worried about anyone stealing my code it's that I don't want anyone to be able to work around it...what I'm doing is making a bit of script for unreal1 that checks what console a players using & stops them from using consoles that aren't the default ones (so that they can't cheat)...
Here's my email Shambler@oldunreal.com

~[Sixpack]-Shambler-

inio · Feb 11, 2002

Ok, I got my name & code stripper working acceptably. The question now is, should I release this? Think I'll post a poll...

Search

Search

code hiding/obfuscation.

inio

many fauceted scarlet emerald

RegularX

Master of Dagoth Lies

Papapishu

我是康

Papapishu

我是康

inio

many fauceted scarlet emerald

Postal

I apear to have lost my pin.

aspie

It's all good baby.

Eater1

Coder

Postal

I apear to have lost my pin.

TaoPaiPai

Commisaire Van Loc

RegularX

Master of Dagoth Lies

butto

Red Orchestra Coder

Postal

I apear to have lost my pin.

Shambler[sixpack]

New Member

inio

many fauceted scarlet emerald