I have a need to deploy a mappoint map in a vb .net application but i dont want anyone to have access to the map outside of the mappoint control on the form.

The application will be deployed on a cd to various people so I have to distribute the map with the app.

How can I prevent people having access to the map outside of my application, I thought about putting the map in VB .net app as an 'embeded resource' but once I have done this I cant seem to open the map again as the mappoint control looks for a file name.

Any ideas would be really appriciated

Depending on how much stuff is on your map you could generate the map in your code (add the pushpins and or shapes etc....)

This isn't really an option theres about 10000 pins and shapes

Back to the 'embeded resource' idea. Can you create a file from the 'embeded resource' at run time? (Like in the windows/temp directory)You code can delete the file when your app is closed.

And if a temporary directory is okay (or a ramdisk?)...

You could ship the map on the CD in an encrypted or obfuscated form.
Your application would then decrypt or un-ofuscate it, and copy the 'clean' version into the temporary directory.

Obfuscation could be really simple - eg. XOR each byte with a known number, or add a value.
Encryption would probably be a bit slower but it would be more secure.


Richard

This is something I have been thinking about, creating the file with a random file name and no extension hidden in windows temp folder.

I think this is the way i'm going to have to go as I just cant think of any other solution.