Excel Software (www.excelsoftware.com) has given us version 3.0 of DocProtect, a nifty tool that lets you ensure that documents are only viewable on licensed computers. The new version can apply a computer unique password to generate a Protected Document with a few button clicks.

The vendor can provide each customer computer with a unique password on first launch. DocProtect is LicenseCard enabled for drag and drop activation.

With DocProtect 3.0, a Flash file gets converted to a protected application. DocProtect adds authoring enhancements to save and organize records and more control over the viewer window. A protected Excel spreadsheet is opened with macros enabled so an author can protect and control the runtime environment.

With basic computer skills, anyone can use DocProtect on HTML projects, image collections, video and audio files, PDFs and SWF files.The software works independently or together with the QuickLicense protection and licensing system.  DocProtect 3 includes all of the runtime enhancements in QuickLicense like the ability to extend a time-limited license with an Expiration Code, a custom pre-activation message, plus Trial, Product, Try/Buy, Subscription and Floating license types.

A Protected Document can link to the online Safe Activation server to enable the vendor to sell serial numbers that allow a specified number of computer activations. Safe Activation automates license activation, release, restore, suspend, reset, subscriptions and automates the sales process with built-in and external online shopping carts, integrated payment processors and serial number delivery during the purchase process.

A PDF document can be protected with copy, export or save feature restriction.  Almost any document type can be saved or printed as a PDF file — including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint — then secured with DocProtect. With a Group license, when one protected application in the group is activated, all are activated for that computer. A Group license can be applied to any documents including an HTML project.

An HTML project with hundreds of files, images, javascript and folders can be compiled into a standard Mac or Windows application with a custom icon. Over a dozen popular video and audio file formats can be protected, including .mov, .avi, .mp4 and .f4v flash video. And image files of virtually any format can be collected, named, described and individually password protected.  

DocProtect 3 costs US $495 for a single user license on either Mac OS X or Windows (XP, Vista, 7 or 8) or $795 for both platforms. It includes royalty-free runtime distribution rights for unlimited documents or licenses.