The Authorization Definitions that are contained inside the Run-Time Composite are collectively called a "payload". Individually, each one is called a "leaf" Authorization Definition. You can view the composite as a "tree" with only one level of branches, but an arbitrary number of them. Each branch, points to an individual leaf Authorization Definition. None of the leaf Authorization Definitions in the payload may use a parameter value (or it will be zero in the case of a General Use Authorization Definition).

You define the entire payload of a Run-Time Composite Authorization Definition at "run-time" (when you are generating the Activation Code). Although you can decide when you generate the Activation Code (run-time) what to include in the payload, there are limits to which codes can be included:

1. Payload leaves must be assigned an Authorization ID less than 16 (0-15 inclusive).

2. Payload leaves must not be any of the following types:

   • Change Expire Date (hard date)

   • Add Allowable Executions

   • Change Expire Period Duration

   • Run-Time Composite

The Manual-Activator will enforce the above rules.

If you must generate an Activation Code for a Run-Time Composite using the Web-Activator, the parameter value passed in the URL string (after the *P* delimiter) is a 16-bit numeric bit-field in decimal. You must construct it such that the least significant bit corresponds to Authorization ID #0, the next bit to Authorization ID #1 etc. - up to 15. EG: 47 (equal to 101111 in binary) corresponds to including in the payload Authorizations corresponding to IDs # 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5. Warning: Indicating a value to the Web-Activator which includes a bit that corresponds to an Authorization Definition that does not exist in the license or is a prohibited type (see above) will produce undefined results.

In the case of a General Use Authorization Definition which is included in the payload, if it uses a parameter, the activated parameter value will be automatically set to zero (0).

When activated, each of the leaf definitions is immediately and individually activated (in Auth ID order).

More Information

For help on actually defining run-time payloads, see Creating Run-Time Composite Parameters in the SoftwareShield Manual-Activator Reference.