The Alpha Five V9 Platinum
Runtime and Run Engine Explained

If you are building windows desktop applications that you need to deploy on multiple machines within an organization, or distribute to multiple customer sites, then you will need to distribute either an Alpha Five Runtime or Alpha Five Run Engine with your application. (See below for an explanation of the difference between the Runtime and Run Engine).

The Alpha Five Run Engine and Runtime are inexpensive ways for you to distribute your Alpha Five applications to other users, without requiring these users to purchase a full copy of Alpha Five V9 Platinum Edition.

Note: You (the developer) will need a full copy of Alpha Five in order to create the applications that you wish to distribute with the Alpha Five Run Engine or Runtime.

A key benefit of the Run Engine and the Runtime is that it allows developers to protect their intellectual property by preventing users from seeing the source code to scripts and functions. Alpha Five also gives an extra level of protection by allowing developers to compile scripts and functions. For more information on compiling scripts and functions, open the Alpha Five help file and search on "Compiling Scripts and Functions."

You can design your application so that the fact that the application is written in Alpha Five is largely hidden from your customers or users. For example you can:
  • Specify your own splash screen image to display when the Run Engine loads.
  • Turn off the splash screen completely when the Run Engine or Runtime loads.
  • Specify your own icon to display on the Run Engine or Runtime Title bar, and on the Task bar.
  • Specify your own title for the Title bar and Task bar, rather than the standard "Alpha Five" title.
  • Customize all menus and toolbars.


Runtime or Run Engine... What will I need?
The key difference between the Alpha Five Runtime and Run Engine is that the Run Engine supports "active-link" tables, while the Runtime does not.

"Active-link" tables allow you to build Forms, Browses, Reports, Labels and Letters against SQL databases, and to work with SQL tables as if they were native Alpha Five tables. A Form or Browse that is built using an Active-Link table can do insert, delete, and update operations against a SQL database.

The redistribution licenses for the Runtime and Run Engine are also different. (See below for details.)

In summary:
  • If your application uses just native Alpha Five tables (i.e. .dbf files), and Passive-Link tables, then you will need to purchase a Runtime license.
  • If your application uses Active-Link tables (either exclusively, or in addition to native Alpha Five tables), then you will need to purchase Run Engine licenses.


Runtime Features
Build multi-user applications against native Alpha Five (.dbf) tables. (Maximum number of concurrent users of your application is determined by the user-count of the Runtime license your purchase). Yes
Use Passive-Link tables Yes
Use AlphaDAO in Xbasic scripts to work with SQL databases Yes
Allow customers to create and edit Reports, Labels and Letters Yes
Can be installed on an unlimited number of machines within an organization. Yes (see "Runtime Redistribute" below for more details)
License types available 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and unlimited concurrent users
Use Active-Link tables No
Ability to increase user counts. (I.e. You can add a 3-User Runtime and a 5-User Runtime together to give you 8 concurrent users). This feature was not previously available. Yes


When you purchase the Alpha Five Runtime, you are issued with a "user count unlock code." The sole purpose of this code is to "unlock" the user count on the Runtime to the concurrent number of users you licensed when you purchased your Runtime license. The "user count unlock code" provides you with new flexibility, because it gives you the ability to add runtimes together to increase your concurrent user count. The "user count unlock code" is in turn provided by you to all your customers. You have complete control over the appearance of the dialog that prompts the user for the "user count unlock code." This dialog box is only displayed once - the first time the user runs your application.

Runtime Redistribution
The Alpha Five Runtime may be redistributed for the purpose of running "custom" or "packaged" (off-the-shelf) applications that have been developed in Alpha Five, subject to the restrictions described below:

Packaged Applications
     Definition: A "packaged" (i.e. off-the-shelf) application is an application that is sold either entirely, or largely "as is" to multiple customers.

The Runtime program may be freely distributed with a "packaged" application.

Example: A developer creates a product called "ABC Dry Cleaner Manager" aimed at dry cleaners. The developer wishes to sell this application "as is", or largely "as is" to multiple dry cleaners.

The developer purchases a Runtime license and now has the right to distribute his application along with the Alpha Five Runtime to an unlimited number of dry cleaners. Each customer (i.e. dry cleaning establishment) can install the Alpha Five Runtime on an unlimited number of machines within their organization. The number of users within each dry cleaning establishment who can concurrently use the application is limited by the type of Runtime license that the developer purchased. For example, if the developer purchased a 3-user Runtime license, then a maximum of 3 users within any organization can use the application at once.

Note: The developer might have his own license scheme that limits the number of users to less than this maximum.

Later, this developer creates a new "packaged" product called "XYZ Auto Repair Shop Manager" that is aimed at Auto Repair Shops. The developer can use his existing Runtime license to distribute the Alpha Runtime along with his "packaged" application to an unlimited number of Auto Repair Shops.

The key point in this example is that each organization into which the developer sells his "packaged" application is not required to purchase their own Runtime license. There is no limit on the number of "packaged" applications that the Developer can create using his Runtime license.


Custom Applications
    Definition: A "custom" application is an application that is developed to meet the specific (custom) needs of a particular organization.

Each organization that deploys "custom" applications that are developed in Alpha Five must purchase a Runtime license. The Runtime program may be freely distributed within that organization. There is no limit on the number of users with the organization to whom the Runtime program can be distributed. There is, however, a limit on the number of concurrent users of any application. This limit is determined by the type of Runtime license that the organization purchases. For example, a 20-user Runtime license would allow 20 users within the organization to use any application concurrently.

Example: XYZ Corporation requires a custom "Customer Tracking System". A consultant to XYZ Corporation, or an employee of XYZ Corporation uses Alpha Five to develop a "custom" application. XYZ Corporation can purchase a Runtime license, and distribute the "Customer Tracking System" to all users with XYZ Corporation. If XYZ Corporation later requires a custom "Inventory Tracking System", they can use their existing Runtime license to deploy this application.

Example 2: ABC Corporation requires a custom "Asset Allocation System". It hires a developer who has previously purchased a Runtime license himself, or on behalf of a different customer. To deploy the Runtime program to all users within the organization, ABC Corporation must purchase their own Runtime license. The developer may NOT use his previously purchased Runtime license to deploy the Runtime program within ABC Corporation.

The key points in these examples are that each organization must purchase its own Runtime license. A developer cannot use a Runtime license purchased on his own behalf to distribute the Runtime program within any organization for the purpose of running "custom" applications.

The people or organizations to whom a Runtime program is redistributed ("Transferees") may not, in turn, distribute ANY copies of the Runtime program.



Run Engine Features
Use Active-Link tables Yes
Build multi-user applications against native Alpha Five (.dbf) tables. Yes
Use Passive-Link tables Yes
Use AlphaDAO in Xbasic scripts to work with SQL databases Yes
Allow customers to create and edit Reports, Labels and Letters Yes
Licenses are sold in "packs". Pack sizes: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 seats
Organization/Enterprise wide, Site, and Packaged Applications licenses available? Yes (see below)


Run Engine Redistribution
Each copy of the Alpha Five Run Engine that you distribute requires a Run Engine license. The Run Engine is licensed on a "per seat" basis. This means that each machine on which a Run Engine is installed will require a license.

Run Engine licenses can be purchased in packs to get quantity discounts. Run Engine packs are available in the following sizes: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 seats.

You can purchase your Run Engine licenses in any combination of pack sizes. If you are a developer who is installing an application at multiple client sites, purchasing multiple copies of individual licenses will give you more flexibility because you can split your licenses up and distribute them to your clients more easily.

Organizations that needs to install the Run Engine on more machines than the number of expected users of an application should contact the Alpha Software Sales department for a Site License.

Run Engine Site Licenses
A Run Engine site license allows you to purchase a certain number of Run Engine licenses, but to install the Run Engine program on more machines than the number of licenses purchased.

The following example describes a scenario under which a Run Engine Site License is appropriate:

A hospital has developed a custom application that uses Active-Link tables. The application is used by 50 nurses. The hospital has 100 work stations and each nurse might use the application from any one of the works stations. The hospital needs to install the Run Engine on all 100 work stations, but there will be a maximum of 50 nurses who can use the application.

Please contact sales@alphasoftware.com for additional info and pricing based on your specific needs.


Run Engine OEM Licenses
The Run Engine OEM License is appropriate if you have developed a "packaged" (off-the-shelf) application that requires Active-Link tables.

Please contact sales@alphasoftware.com for additional info and pricing based on your specific needs.