Industrial Design System FAQ

Licenses

  1. How can I get the system ID for the license ?
  2. How can I install the license keys ?
  3. What program versions work with the same license key ?
  4. Why is two different license systems used with the IDS ?
  5. After installing the license the program still starts as DEMO version. Why ?

1. Question: How can I get the system ID for the license ?
Answer:
The system ID for the license can be shown with the "Version info"-command inside the IDS programs. So first start the IDS program with command DA and then select the "Version info"-command in the "SYSTEM"-menu of the program. The system ID is shown in the window that appears.

On Unix platforms it is also possible to get the system ID number before installing the IDS programs, using Unix shell commands. The needed commands for the platforms supported by the IDS 4.5 are the following:
  sgi Irix 5: sysinfo -s
  sgi Irix 6: sysinfo -s
  IBM AIX 4: uname -i
  Sun Solaris 7: hostid

2. Question: How can I install the license keys ?
Answer:
The DeskArtes IDS license is installed by storing the key codes into an ASCII text file in the "System"-directory under the IDS installation directory. The name of the file must be "dalic.sysid", where the sysid is the system ID number of the machine. For example if the system ID of the machine is 123456789, the correct name for the license file is "dalic.123456789".

On the Windows platforms you can use for example the Notepad editor to install the license. First start the Notepad and copy the licenses key codes there, using the Windows copy/paste commands. Then use the Notepad command "File->Save As" to save the file with the correct name. On Windows the license file can also have the ".txt" suffix. The full name would then be "dalic.123456789.txt"

On the Unix platforms you can use any of the available ASCII editors (vi, emacs, jot etc.) to install the license. First open your favourite editor and copy the license codes there using the X Window System clipboard functions. Then save the contents to a file with the corect name in the "System"-directory.

3. Question: What program versions work with the same license key ?
Answer:
The so called internal license key has been changed in the following versions of DeskArtes IDS:
  • 4.0
  • 4.1
  • 4.2
  • 4.2.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.4
  • 4.5
When the internal license key is changed the new version of the program doesn't run anymore with the same license key with the previous versions, but they need separate license keys.
This means that for example the versions 4.2 and 4.2.1 work with the same license, but the versions 4.2.1 and 4.2.3 do not.

4. Question: Why is two different license systems used with the IDS ?
Answer:
There are two different license systems used with the DeskArtes IDS: the Dalic and the FLEXLm.

For most of the IDS installations only the DeskArtes own license system Dalic is needed. It is a node locked license system where the license is tied to the system ID number of the machine where the program is run.

The FLEXlm license system is needed to provide the so called floating license system, which the Dalic system cannot support. In the floating license system the programs are not tied to certain machines, but only the number of concurrently running programs is controlled. Additional information about the FLEXlm and floating licenses is found in a separate FLEXlm section of this FAQ.

5. Question: After installing the license the program still starts as DEMO version. Why ?
Answer:
If you have installed a license, but the program still starts up as Demo version, you can find more information about the reason to the problem in the startup window of program. The license check error message is shown in the startup window before the version information texts.

On Windows platforms the startup window only exists during the program session and disappears when the program is exited. While the program is running, the startup window is hidden behind the main graphics window. You can see it by minimizing the main graphics window from the minimize-button at the upper right corner of the window frame.

On Unix the startup window is the one where you type the program startup command. The startup window is hidden behind the main graphics window of the program, while the program is running, but you can see it by minimizing the main graphics window from the minimize-button at the upper right corner of the window frame.

The typical reasons to the license problems are:
  • The installed license is meant for another version of the program.
  • There is a typing error in the stored license codes. (The codes are hex numbers so only the numbers 0-9 and characters A-F are possible.)
  • The license file has a wrong name. (The name must be "dalic.sysid", where the sysid is the system ID number of the machine.)
  • The license file is stored in a wrong directory. (It must be in the "System"- directory under the IDS installation directory.)
  • The system time of the machine is not set correctly. (The license is already expired, when it is installed.)


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