(v13) internaldict file and device operators

This page applies to Harlequin v13.1r0 and later; both Harlequin Core and Harlequin MultiRIP.

The _hqxrun operator

filename _hqxrun -

This operator, a RIP extension, has the same effect as run, except that the file to be run is expected to be encrypted according to GGS’s proprietary encryption scheme, which ties the file to a particular security device (dongle) or OEM. The operator decrypts the file as it is running it.

filename is a string which identifies the file to be decrypted and executed. The string must include the path of the file. Note that you cannot reference a file using currentfile.

The code in the encrypted file must take into account that _hqxrun adds systemdict onto the dictionary stack when it starts, which is read only. Otherwise, some operations requiring write-access may fail when the file is executed. For example, you could add end at the beginning of the file and systemdict begin at the end to restore the situation.

_hqxrun should also be run in a stopped context and you should perform appropriate error handling. For example, you could detect if the dongle number is incorrect or if the file is a properly encrypted file.

See (v13) Encryption using filters for more details.