Make addons package more secure

Currently AFAIK, if you have an addon that bundled as zip package either created from main program or pack it manually you can install it very easy, if the zip file contain some file to state that zip is compatible with openbve addons package structure.

But that easy and convenient method of that file format can lead to some "curious" user to open that package using tools like 7zip and messing around that addons instead of just installing and play it.

So i propose a simple method to prevent that action.

Allow non .zip file to installed.

     This is just simple checking, if the structure is valid openbve package but the file format is not .zip let say is custom name like myroute.obvepkg, just add some pop up says "this package not using standard format but its a valid addons, do you want to continue ?" To let the user decide.

     From addons creator point of view this method is simple just rename the file extension and you good to go.

     For casual user or Kids this can prevent them from opening the package manually messing around with it.


This method better because its not messing around with encryption stuff to add security to that package and i think is easier to implemented.

You can actually already do that I think.
Just rename it to something like test.obpkg and OpenBVE will still happily accept it.

However changing the extension does not change the fact that it's still an archive. Sure you can't double click it, but you can still use 7z in a right click menu and do the same thing.

Although I am not necessarily supportive of intentionally making it more unintutive/harder for users to do whatever they want to, I think an idea is to register a file extension like .obpkg on Windows that will work just by double clicking it. (Easier said than done though)

Well i haven't try it but i will try testing it with demo route.

That the idea, the package still an archive but with different extension name. As you said the downside is because its still an archive it can be opened with 7zip, but if the user dont know how to open it that good right ?.

This one i think more complicated because you need to tell windows to make that file type should be open for openbve.

Mr.Lees is more supportive for making everything open-source, so I suppose he won't be willing to make such changes.

Though, if you want a full-on package encryption tool, I've once made one (https://www.zbx1425.cn/nautilus/assetbundleloader.html). Though, as it functions by dynamically injecting into OpenBVE's codebase to alter its loading progress and redirecting file system accesses, future updates of OpenBVE might make it incompatible (if the places that it injects into are changed).

Is that program can encrypt trains separately ?
In your web the example using both route and trains, but if i want to only encrypt the route or train can it ?