Table of Contents
DSSignFile
DSSignFile is util to sign the addon with your private signature-key. You also need the util called DSCreateKey.exe to create your signature key's.
You can find this util in the BinPBO package.
Overview
Why to use signature files?
Well in single player they are completely useless, there is no need for them so if you never ever play multiplayer (MP) you can just delete all the keys that come with addons completely. However if you play multiplayer, then this is where they keys come at play.
When you log into a MP server which has signatures enabled, all the addons are checked for the key file, if you dont have the key file you most likely cant play in the server and if you have wrong/modified key file you are kicked off the server immediately by the server itself (not admins).
Keys in MP prevent cheating, thats their purpose.
Usage
First you need to create your keys, which is done by dscreatekey util. It takes one parameter which is your signature tag, in our example we use tag name “MYTAG”. When you create your own signature, use your own tag (naturally which nobody else in community is using).
Basically you just run:
DSCreateKey.exe MYTAG
Which creates you two files, these are MYTAG.bikey and MYTAG.biprivatekey files.
The first key is MYTAG.bikey which you should put in your homepage for download, or to add it with the addon you are releasing. The server admins around the community need to put this key into their servers in the Keys/ directory to activate signature checking for your addon.
Second is the MYTAG.biprivatekey which you absolutely must keep secure in your own computer, DO NOT GIVE PRIVATEKEY OUT TO ANYONE. If your privatekey is leaked, you need to create another one and let community know that there is leaked key out, so do not let it leak.
When you are ready to sign your addons, you use the dssignfile util.
Use the private key to sign the files:
DSSignFile.exe MYTAG.biprivatekey ADDON.pbo
That util then creates file called ADDON.pbo.MYTAG.bisign which you will include in your release along with the addon.pbo file.
