Hi,

 

I intend to begin developing custom WordPress and Magento themes that I will both offer for free and for sale.

 

Now, I have seen on other themes (specifically for WordPress) that there is a way to insert some PHP code that, say for example when the copyright information in the footer is removed, will break the theme or allow you to display a message saying that the theme is invalid while at the same time not being obvious or encrypted within the themes files.

 

Does anyone have any idea what this code might be or where I can find out information regarding implementing something like this.

 

Thanks in advance guys, really appreciate your input.

Hi Gareth

 

Generally these are pointless as they can be reverse engineered so easily. They are just eval code that has some kind of very weak encryption ( base64 encode generally)

I would actually advise that you not bother with this, since anyone can just copy say the footer code from the output once the theme is installed and is viewed on a page, and replace all of your encrypted code with that footer, edit out whatever they don't want and it works just fine. You will also find that people will unencrypt them too for nothing on most forums for people (which I don't agree with since it's the authors right to keep their link in a theme) since with a bit of php know how you can totally reverse the code

 

Jay

^^ I agree.

 

Any code you give to somebody they can edit it as they wish so it's just prone to being reverse engineered as Jay said.

 

If you did do it though and you had a code block that executed when the copyright is removed instead of watermarking why don't you just redirect them to your site?

Well yea, a redirect would be better.

 

Maybe some sort of tracking code would be more useful, so I know when it's been installed

You could create a "phone home" type bit of code, but again, it can be manipulated and reversed. I think it's a little overkill tbh to have all this. If you truly want to protect your scripts you will need some kind of encryption like ioncube, but that will cost you, and the buyer will need the extension installed on their hosting in order for it to work

Basically, I'm really just looking for a way to protect my templates/themes once they have initially been purchased and downloaded, so at the very least I know when one has been used.

Some will be free (those will be the ones I'd like to have some sort of protection on, even if it only stops PHP amateurs, at least it's something) and some will be for sale' It would be good to have something in both types that when the code runs it transmits the domain it's installed on via some form.

That's a good idea. How could I go about implementing this? Cheers.

Sorry to jump on your thread Gareth but may I ask a question? I have a Wordpress theme that has one of those watermarks, how do I add some further info on the footer and remove some of the extra text? I have added a number of apps etc so want the footer to say "provided by me using x theme", rather than the current "Company, designed by: x, postgresql hosting is proudly powered by WordPress"?

 

Will I be violating copyright doing this?

 

It is an edited version of this theme http://www.themza.com/wordpress/beauty-spa-theme.html btw.

 

Thanks