Getting Started
Dotfuscator Community provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for configuring Dotfuscator. The interface can then be used to build the config.
Dotfuscator Community is included with Microsoft Visual Studio. For instructions on installing Dotfuscator Community, see the Installation page.
Starting Dotfuscator Community
To begin using the Dotfuscator Community user interface, follow these steps:
Launch Microsoft Visual Studio.
In the Quick Launch (Ctrl+Q) search bar, type
dotfuscator
.In the Quick Launch results shown, under the Menus heading, select Tools → PreEmptive Protection - Dotfuscator Community.
- If you instead see, under the Install heading, PreEmptive Protection - Dotfuscator (Individual Component), then Dotfuscator Community is not installed. Select that option to install Dotfuscator Community.
You can also access Dotfuscator Community by opening the Visual Studio Tools menu and selecting PreEmptive Protection - Dotfuscator Community.
User Interface Overview
When Dotfuscator Community opens, the Start screen displays:
The user interface consists of three panels: the navigation tree (left), work area (right), and Build Output (bottom).
From the Start screen, you may perform several actions. If Dynamic Content is enabled, then you can view the release notes about the latest version of Dotfuscator Community and see the latest news releases from PreEmptive Solutions. The Start screen also provides the option to register Dotfuscator Community.
You can begin setting up a new Dotfuscator config by navigating to the Inputs screen. You can open an existing config by opening the File menu and selecting Open....
Working with Dotfuscator Configs
Dotfuscator Community's user interface configures builds using an XML file called a Dotfuscator config. The config defines the assemblies that will be read by Dotfuscator, how those assemblies will be modified, and where the modified assemblies will be written out.
The interface operates on one config at a time; use the toolbar icons or the File menu to create a new config (Ctrl+N), open an existing config (Ctrl+O), or save the current config (Ctrl+S).
You can view an opened config's XML file by opening the View menu and selecting Config File.
Registering Dotfuscator Community
Register your copy of Dotfuscator to receive updates and enhancements, including the ability to build Dotfuscator configs from the command line.
You can begin the registration process via the Register now link on the Start screen, or by opening Dotfuscator Community's Help menu and selecting Register Product.... Either method displays this registration dialog:
Once your registration request is received and processed, you will receive a confirmation email from PreEmptive Solutions containing your registration verification code.
If you checked Send me Dotfuscator Professional so I can try its advanced features, you will also receive information on how to obtain an evaluation copy of Dotfuscator Professional.
You can also use your e-mail to create an account for the Members section of preemptive.com, where you can manage evaluations and download analytics APIs.
Getting the Latest Version of Dotfuscator Community
In addition to the versions of Dotfuscator Community shipped with releases of Visual Studio, PreEmptive Solutions also periodically provides updated versions on its website. The Start screen displays a link to the most recent changelog after the Latest version heading.
To get the latest version of Dotfuscator, click here to go to the Dotfuscator Downloads page.
Setting User Preferences
Various application settings can be changed by opening the Tools menu and selecting User Preferences...
If necessary, enter the configuration details of your network's proxy server requirements in the Network settings section of the User Preferences dialog. Proxy information is not required if you do not have a proxy server or if those settings are controlled via Internet Explorer.
If you wish to use an XML viewer for viewing Dotfuscator XML files that is not your system's default viewer, you may click Browse... in the XML viewer application section and locate the application you wish to use.
In the News and updates section, you may opt to allow Dotfuscator to periodically check for updates. Also, this section is where you can enable Dynamic Content to be displayed in the Start screen.