Extend your trial period for Balsamiq Wireframes on Windows and macOS Forever!

README.md

Overview

This script will prolong your trial time for Balsamiq Wireframes on both Windows and macOS. You may also manually apply the hack by following the steps in Manual Editing.

Prerequisites

• python3

⚠️ Warning: Close all balsamiq wireframes instances before proceeding, otherwise the operation won't succeed.

Run the script

⚠️ Works only on Windows, for MacOS check the Manual Editing section.

1. Download and install python3
2. Download the script and extract it
3. Open the terminal and navigate to the script location
4. Close Balsamiq
5. Run python BalsamiqForever.py or python3 BalsamiqForever.py

Manual Editing

If running the script didn't do it or you just want to get your hands dirty, here is how to apply the hack manualy by editing configuration files on the application folder.

Windows

1. Open this file in your text editor %APPDATA%\Balsamiq\Balsamiq Wireframes\LocalSettings.json.
2. Edit DefaultSelectionColorRGBA property and increase it's value.

For example, if you're using this configuration "DefaultSelectionColorRGBA": 1916130510, your trial will expire in September 20, 2030 🤯, for custom expiration date use this website.

3. Save changes.

MacOS

Adding support for macOS wouldn't be possible without the help of @pep108 and @megatunger.

1. Open this file in your text editor /Applications/Balsamiq Wireframes.app/Contents/Resources/editor-macos.js.
2. Search for this function function getLicenseValidFromLicenseData(data).
3. Replce function body by return true.

//result
function getLicenseValidFromLicenseData(data) {
      return true
}

4. Save.

BalsamiqForever.py

import json
import os
import time
import webbrowser
import sys
import re


def handleWindows(extra_seconds):
    print("OS : Windows")
    local_settings = r"{}\Balsamiq\Balsamiq Wireframes\LocalSettings.json".format(os.getenv('APPDATA'))
    print("Reading from {}".format(local_settings))
    with open(local_settings) as reader:
        json_data = json.load(reader)
    json_data['DefaultSelectionColorRGBA'] = int(time.time()) + extra_seconds
    print("Writing to {}".format(local_settings))
    with open(local_settings, 'w') as outfile:
        json.dump(json_data, outfile)


def handleMacos(trial_days_left=30, debug_mode=False):
    print("OS : macOS")
    print("Debug Mode: " + str(debug_mode))

    def dump_debug(start_func, end_func, content_func, new_func):
        print("function start line: {}".format(start_func))
        print("function end line: {}".format(end_func))
        print("function content:")
        print(content_func)
        print("new function content:")
        print(new_func)

    editor_macos = "/Applications/Balsamiq Wireframes.app/Contents/Resources/editor-macos.js"
    editor_macos_test = r"C:\Users\housi\Desktop\Balsamiq\editor-macos-test.js"
    if debug_mode:
        editor_macos = editor_macos_test
    print(editor_macos)
    if not os.path.exists(editor_macos):
        print("editor-macos.js NOT FOUND!")
        exit(0)
    get_trial_days_left_pattern = re.compile(r"\s*function\s+getTrialDaysLeftFromNativeData\(\w+\)\s*{")
    func_start_line = -1
    func_end_line = -1
    found_a_match = False
    function_content = ""
    with open(editor_macos, encoding="utf8") as reader:
        line_number = 0
        # it starts at 1 because w have already matched one '{'
        curly_braces_balance = 1
        for line in reader.readlines():
            line_number += 1
            if not found_a_match:
                match = get_trial_days_left_pattern.match(line)
                if match is not None:
                    found_a_match = True
                    func_start_line = line_number
                    # TODO what if the start line is also the end line, One-Liner function

            else:
                curly_braces_balance += line.count("{")
                curly_braces_balance -= line.count("}")
                if curly_braces_balance == 0:
                    function_content = function_content + line
                    func_end_line = line_number
                    break
            if func_start_line != -1:
                function_content = function_content + line

    body = "return {};".format(trial_days_left)
    new_function_signature = "\nfunction getTrialDaysLeftFromNativeData(nativeData) {\n\t" + body + "\n}\n\n"

    if debug_mode:
        dump_debug(func_start_line, func_end_line, function_content, new_function_signature)

    with open(editor_macos, encoding="utf8") as reader:
        lines = reader.readlines()

    # The first -1 to make it base 0 and the second one refers to the previous index
    index = (func_start_line - 1) - 1
    leading_count = 0
    # Removing leading blank lines before the function definition
    while not lines[index].strip():
        lines.pop(index)
        index -= 1
        leading_count += 1

    # The start and end indexes will change after removing the leading blank lines
    func_start_line -= leading_count
    func_end_line -= leading_count

    # Removing trailing blank lines after the function end
    index = func_end_line
    while not lines[index].strip():
        lines.pop(index)

    # Removing the old function
    for i in range(func_end_line - func_start_line + 1):
        lines.pop(func_start_line - 1)

    # Replacing it with the new function
    lines.insert(func_start_line - 1, new_function_signature)

    # Writing changes back to file
    with open(editor_macos, "w", encoding="utf8") as f:
        lines = "".join(lines)
        f.write(lines)


print("IMPORTANT! please make sure to close Balsamiq before proceeding or the script won't have any effect")
years = int(input("How many years of trial do you want :) "))

if sys.platform.startswith("win"):
    handleWindows(years * 365 * 24 * 60 * 60)
elif sys.platform.startswith("darwin"):
    handleMacos(years * 365)
else:
    print("Sorry, operating system not supported")
    exit(0)

print("****************************************************************")
print("* Congratulations! You gained {} days of trial".format(years * 365))
print("* Please don't forget to leave a star ✭")
print("****************************************************************")
print("https://gist.github.com/HoussemNasri/c09e55e0e5f451aa10f8621a6680ba28")
webbrowser.open("https://gist.github.com/HoussemNasri/c09e55e0e5f451aa10f8621a6680ba28")
input("Press ENTER to exit")

Thank you @HoussemNasri but if i modify Editor-macos.js and then save try to open balsamiq it's says to me the software is broken. Any help? thank you

Hmmm, there is a chance that manual editing doesn't work anymore on recent versions of Blasamiq, I don't have a Mac to confirm. This comment appears to have found an alternative solution.

Thank you!

Hi, I have figured out how to increase trial time manually on MacOS after none of these steps worked for me. (Tested on version 4.7.4)

Here's how I got it to work:

1. Open this file in your text editor /Applications/Balsamiq Wireframes.app/Contents/Resources/editor-macos.js.

2. Search for this function function getLicenseValidFromLicenseData(data).

3. Replace function body by return true.

4. Under that function, look for function called function getTrialDaysLeftFromNativeData(nativeData).

5. Go to the statement let trialDaysLeft = Math.ceil(msecUntilExpiry / (1000 * 3600 * 24)); // to secs-hours-days.

6. Replace 1000 with 10.

7. Save File.

8. Restart Balsamiq.

@ahmadtc

This doesn't work for me, Even if this is showing big number of days, but when you check it via "About Balsm...." you can see still exact correct day. Check what showing to me

Hi, I have figured out how to increase trial time manually on MacOS after none of these steps worked for me. (Tested on version 4.7.4)

Here's how I got it to work:

1. Open this file in your text editor /Applications/Balsamiq Wireframes.app/Contents/Resources/editor-macos.js.
2. Search for this function function getLicenseValidFromLicenseData(data).
3. Replace function body by return true.
4. Under that function, look for function called function getTrialDaysLeftFromNativeData(nativeData).
5. Go to the statement let trialDaysLeft = Math.ceil(msecUntilExpiry / (1000 * 3600 * 24)); // to secs-hours-days.
6. Replace 1000 with 10.
7. Save File.
8. Restart Balsamiq.

Thanks a lot! This worked for me :)

gracias papu!

Thank you! I manually updated the JSON file on Windows, using a new value returned by epochconverter.com.

Hi, I have figured out how to increase trial time manually on MacOS after none of these steps worked for me. (Tested on version 4.7.4)

Here's how I got it to work:

1. Open this file in your text editor /Applications/Balsamiq Wireframes.app/Contents/Resources/editor-macos.js.
2. Search for this function function getLicenseValidFromLicenseData(data).
3. Replace function body by return true.
4. Under that function, look for function called function getTrialDaysLeftFromNativeData(nativeData).
5. Go to the statement let trialDaysLeft = Math.ceil(msecUntilExpiry / (1000 * 3600 * 24)); // to secs-hours-days.
6. Replace 1000 with 10.
7. Save File.
8. Restart Balsamiq.

Hi, can this trick applied if I uninstall Wireframe and re-install the app again ?

ty....

windows manual mode

install > open > close
go to %appdata% > balsamiq > Balsamiq Wireframes
open LocalSettings.json with an text editor
and change the numbers that i changed to "XXX":
{"DefaultSelectionColorRGBA":XXXXXXXXXXXX.52853,

use this site to a custom date "https://www.epochconverter.com/"

i set to year 9999 and here is this line:
{"DefaultSelectionColorRGBA":253402300799.52853,

Thank you bro.You are very nice!