Re: Licensing

ptc-5126183 · ‎Jul 25, 2013

Having just installed Arbortext Aerospace and Defence 4.4 on a Windows 7 32bit machine, the Arbortext application asks for a license server.

Is there an environment variable that we may set (via GPO in AD) to direct the workstations to the flexlm server?

JeffStevenson · ‎Jul 25, 2013

Hi Jim,

I'm not as familiar with Aerospace, but the other Arbortext applications use a Windows environment variable called PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE to find the location of the license server (for floating licenses) or the license file (for locked licenses).

It sounds like you use Flex server so the value would be something like "7788@<server-name>" with <server-name> being the name of the computer hosting Flex.

-Jeff

ptc-5126183 · ‎Jul 25, 2013

Cheers Jeff. Tried that but it made no difference. The apps says "Cannot connect to server: Code -15" which I suspect is a firewall issue. I'm trying to install it on to a box on the actual site where its going to be used, rather than across the WAN. Fingers crossed.

JeffStevenson · ‎Jul 25, 2013

Yes, that would cause difficulties depending on your network setup. Are you able to ping the Flex machine by name? IP address? You could also put an IP address in the PTC_D variable (ex. 7788@192.168.1.101).

LAN or WAN doesn't matter to Flex as long as you have a means of accessing the Flex machine via name or IP. If all else fails, you can also install Flex server locally and point PTC_D to 7788@localhost. However, I would not recommend for deskop machines that are routinely shutdown and fall asleep.

ptc-5126183 · ‎Jul 25, 2013

I'm a tad confused 😕

PTC licensing sent me a file named .lic which contains several lines (thus)

(I've stripped the nitty gritty out so I can post it here)

SERVER this_host 000A000A000A

VENDOR vndidlbs

#a counted license

FEATURE AcquirEDcs vndidlbs 1.0 permanent 3

FEATURE AcquirEDts vndidlbs 1.0 permanent 5

FEATURE AspectCS vndidlbs 1.0 permanent 6

FEATURE Eagle0060 vndidlbs 1.0 permanent 11

When I point the client at this file, it doesnt seem to think that the features are available.

Q) Is this file supposed to be loaded on to a flexlm server, and the client pointed at the server, as it looks like a floating license file to me?

I did have a dabble with running lmgrd and using this file, but it said that it wasnt able to find vndidlbs.exe

pnagai · ‎Jul 29, 2013

Hi Jim,

Flex is much tougher than the old licensing scheme/technology.

If the license is floating, you will have to install/configure the Flex license manager. You may have to open firewalls (literal/physical as well as OS firewalls) for both the server and the client on 7788 and 7789. You will have to place the license file on the license server after modifying it with your installation information. You will have to properly set PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE for the client.

In our case, the edited license file lines look like:

SERVER myservername PTC_HOSTID=myserversmacaddress 7788 DAEMON ptc_d "c:\mypath\ptc_d.exe"

"c:\mypath\myoptionsfile" 7789

7788 and 7789 may require firewall ports opened. I can't remember if both need both directions (inbound, outbound) and/or whether both are required on client and server. (Mine are both inbound/outbound but it is entirely possible I lost interest in the MINIMUM requirements once it started working.)

ptc_d.exe and lmgrd.exe must be added to at least the server-side OS firewall rules.

I think just the ports must be opened on any physical/literal firewalls.

Our PTC_D_LICENSE_FILE environment variable contains:

7788@myservername

Actually, it contains this:

c:\mylocalfilepath\mylocallicensefile;7788@myservername

Since I have a mixed environment in some cases.

Oh, and PTC Licensing support on this is TERRIBLE. They do not have "scripts" for Arbortext products with respect to Flex (or didn't when I was bleeding on this). They sent me stuff for Mathcad which I had to wade through and "translate" for Arbortext. Meh.

You should join the Adepters mailing list where lots and lots of Arbortext users, admins, and developers hang out 24/7/365. Information on joining that list (as well as pointers to lots of other Arbortext resources) can be found here:

http://blog.single-sourcing.com/top-arbortext-resources