Creo 4.0 Floating License keeps dropping out

[dscho009]

I downloaded the Academic Creo 4.0 Educational Edition.  It seems like my floating license is dropping out or timing out like every minute if I don't perform an action.

If I step away from my computer and come back, it will let me pan/zoom in and out in the 3d model space, but as soon as I do a command..it says I lost my license and retry, then it regains instantly.

I do a lot of online gaming so I would know if my internet was going in-and-out.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

what computer is a license server for your Creo installation ?

[dscho009]

Just a good ol fashion Windows 7 desktop, the same computer that I am using the Creo Parametric on.

I am not trying to do anything fancy, I just installed the Creo Parametric 4.0 on my home computer and loaded the application after using the student edition license.

I just literally worked for about 6 hours straight and regained my license about every 2 minutes.

It seems to happen on actions.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

some notes ...

1.]

Student license is locked license, it cannot float. Look into its license file - you will not find SERVER and DAMEMON lines.

2.]

It looks like you use Commercial and Student license on the same computer. Maybe psf file used to launch Student license contains info related to Commercial license ... and this fact is the root of your problem.

3.]

Maybe your network card is disconnecting/connecting every 2 minutes...

[dscho009]

So how would I go about fixing scenario 2?  Or even verifying if this is really the case?

Option 3 is not likely,  I do a lot of gaming online and would have noticed this.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

scenario 2 check ...

• go to Parametric\bin sub-directory in you Creo installation
• locate parametric.psf file
• open the file in Notepad and check its contents
• look at lines containing keyword PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE and CREOPMA_FEATURE_NAME

[dscho009]

Here is the lines copied and pasted from that file:

ENV=PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE-=C:\ProgramData\PTC\Licensing\BE410708EDSTUDENTEDK12_license.dat

ENV=CREOPMA_FEATURE_NAME=CREOPMA_SchoolSTD4 ()

Here is the whole file copied and pasted

// PTC - PSF file: parametric
//
PRODUCT=Creo Parametric
DESC=Creo Parametric (default)
SHIPCODE=M030
CREO_COMMON_FILES=Common Files
//
ENV=MECH_LP=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\mech
ENV=MECH_HOME=%MECH_LP%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%
ENV=PRO_MECH_COMMAND="%CREOAPP_DIRECTORY%\bin\parametric.exe" "%CREOAPP_DIRECTORY%\bin\parametric.psf"
ENV=RPC_TIMEOUT=31536000
ENV=MEDI_HOME=%MECH_HOME%
ENV=PATH+=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\deflib
ENV=PATH-=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\lib
ENV=PATH-=%INTRALINK_DIR%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\illib
ENV=PATH+=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\libs\dfor\lib
ENV=PATH+=%CREOAPP_DIRECTORY%\bin
ENV=NMSD_TIMEOUT=300
ENV=PRO_COMM_MSG_EXE=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\pro_comm_msg.exe
ENV=PROE_START=%CREOAPP_DIRECTORY%\bin\parametric.exe
ENV=CDRS_DATA=%PRO_DIRECTORY%
ENV=PRO_IMAGE_CONVERTER=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\convert_image.exe
ENV=PROGUIDE_DIRECTORY=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\uifdoc
ENV=SPG_DIRECTORY=%PRO_DIRECTORY%
ENV=PRO_USRMAIN=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\usrprog\umain\usrmain.c
ENV=PROTABLE_DIRECTORY=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\protable
ENV=MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\MOZILLA
ENV=PROTAB=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\protab.exe
ENV=ZIP_EXEC=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\zip.exe
ENV=CLHOME=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\text\pcldata
ENV=PVIEW_PROEPVIEW_HOME=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\apps\prodview
ENV=CV_ENV_HOME=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\CV140
ENV=DEBUG_HLP_DLL_PATH=%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\lib\dbghelp.dll
ENV=PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE-=C:\ProgramData\PTC\Licensing\BE410708EDSTUDENTEDK12_license.dat
ENV=CREO_APP=PMA
ENV=CREOPMA_FEATURE_NAME=CREOPMA_SchoolSTD4 ()
RUN="%MECH_LP%\install\nt\pro_mech_env.bat"
RUN="%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\nms\nmsd.exe" -noservice -timeout %NMSD_TIMEOUT% &
RUN="%PRO_DIRECTORY%\%PRO_MACHINE_TYPE%\obj\xtop.exe"
ENV=DBG_NCPOST_PATH=%CREOAPP_DIRECTORY%\bin
ENV=PRO_ALLOW_EARLY_RETURN=TRUE
// USER - PSF
// Add User specific environment or run applications below here

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

two following lines are correct.

ENV=PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE-=C:\ProgramData\PTC\Licensing\BE410708EDSTUDENTEDK12_license.dat

ENV=CREOPMA_FEATURE_NAME=CREOPMA_SchoolSTD4 ()

If you open BE410708EDSTUDENTEDK12_license.dat file you will be able to locate block of lines beginning with ... INCREMENT CREOPMA_SchoolSTD4

Inside the block you will find HOSTID=PTC_HOSTID=MAC_address

MAC_address belongs to your network card. It looks like the problem can be related to this network card.

[alouw]

If you are using  a floating license, it might be a server setting.

We actually drop licenses every few minutes on purpose.

If we don't do that some users will never let go of licenses.

It becomes a real problem when you have various types of licenses.

I'd also definitely check if your network card doesn't go in to sleep mode after a few minutes. Creo doesn't connect to your server all the time like a lot of games and websites does, as you've noticed, it only pings the server once you activate a command.