Commercial plugins for OpendTect are often protected by FlexLM licenses. The FlexLM system is based on text files with coded keys. Basically, before a certain action is done the plugin will request permission from the FlexLM system. FlexLM in turn consults the license file, and will contact a license manager daemon on a server if necessary.
The FlexLM licensing system allows a variety of licensing options. The most important license types are:
FEATURE dTect lm_dgb 3.200 permanent uncounted 023E2CE466C7 \
HOSTID="00146c37f273 00167600d558"
Floating licenses are managed by a license server. When the plugin needs a license, FlexLM will contact this server machine. You have a floating license if the first actual line of the license file contains 'SERVER', like:
SERVER Geophyser 00146c37ec2aA more extensive introduction can be found in the 'FlexLM licenses explained' page.
For a licensing scheme to work, there must be a unique identifier for the server or (in case of a node-locked license) the working computer. In most cases, this identification will be tied to the address of your network card. How to obtain this 'FlexLM Host ID' is dependent on the operating system. The different ways to obtain it are described in the host ID section of the 'FlexLM licenses explained' page.
Note that the FlexLM host ID is never the IP address of the computer.
On UNIX variants (Linux, Mac and Solaris) you can install the license file with a script 'install.xxx.license', where xxx would be your plugin vendor's name. For example: 'install.dgb.license'. These scripts are located in the root of your installation directory. Such a script will ask you where the license file you obtained is located. It will then install this file in your OpendTect installation.
For floating licenses (i.e. license files containing a 'SERVER' line), you will have to start the license manager daemon on the server. For this, there are the 'start.xxx.lmgrd' scripts. You can run this script after installation of the license file. All output from the license manager daemon will be sent to the log file, which is by default 'license.xxx.log'.
If for some reason the license fails to be granted, you should examine:
On Windows, installation of the license file and startup of the license manager daemon (as a Windows service) is quite a bit more difficult than on UNIX variant. We therefore recommend, if you have the chance, to use a UNIX server for licensing.
The installation starts by putting the license file in a good, stable, safe position on your system. Typically, this is not in the installation directory (which is typically \Program Files\OpendTect). A directory like \Licenses and a filename showing the plugin vendor name seems to be a good choice. You may want to avoid spaces in directory or file name. If you get a new license file, you simply replace the old one with the new one under the same name.
On first usage of a plugin, You will see a popup of a window asking for the license file. If this method succeeds, everything should be OK. In many cases, however, you have to set up the license explicitly. For this, you need to use the 'License Manager Tools' program, which can be started from the Windows start menu for OpendTect.
The first thing you need to be sure of, is that FlexLM is looking at the right file for the right license feature. For this, go to the Utilities tab and check by using the 'List all vendor paths' button whether there is a path to your license file - for the vendor in question. For example, for dGB, the vendor name is 'lm_dgb', for ArkCls, it's 'arkclsld'. You can find your vendor's name in the license file.
If you have a node-locked or demo license, you should now be able to use the plugins. For licenses requiring a server, you must also make sure the FlexLM vendor service is running on the server machine. On the server machine, start the License Manager Tools program. In the top tab select 'Configuration using services'. Go to the 'Config services' tab. Now enter a name for the service, for example 'opendtect_lic' in the 'Service name' field. The location of the lmgrd.exe file may differ per vendor, for dGB it is in the bin\win\lm.dgb directory of the OpendTect installation directory. The debug log file is traditionally given the license file's name with extension '.log'. Press 'Save service' and go to the Start/Stop/Reread tab. After starting the server, the licenses are ready to use.
If for some reason the license fails to be granted, you should examine:
If you are using the Windows firewall, the following may be necessary (reported by Curtis A. Link from MontanaTech). In the Windows Firewall interface (Control Panel), under the Exceptions tab, use Add Program and Browse to point to lmgrd.exe and click Open. Next do the same thing for the vendor daemon lm_dgb.exe. Finally, a reboot (this was key).
SERVER my_server HOSTIDThat the ending date has not expired, the version is correct, and that I have the licenses I should. my_server might be a hostname, a fully qualified hostname, or an IP address.
-------- Status -------- Flexible License Manager status on Fri 6/20/2008 11:42 [Detecting lmgrd processes...] License server status: 27000@SERVER2 License file(s) on SERVER2: C:\Program Files\OpendTect\license.dat: SERVER2: license server UP (MASTER) v9.2 Vendor daemon status (on SERVER2): lm_dgb: UP v9.2 Feature usage info: Users of dTect: (Total of 4 licenses issued; Total of 0 licenses in use)
-------- Diagnostics -------- FLEXlm diagnostics on Fri 6/20/2008 11:45 ----------------------------------------------------- License file: C:\Program Files\OpendTect\license.dat ----------------------------------------------------- "dGB_GDI" v3.200, vendor: lm_dgb License server: SERVER2 floating license expires: 1-aug-2008 Requests from the same DISPLAY do not consume a new license This license can be checked out
SERVER my_server HOSTID port_numberYou will have to restart each server or even the computer. Also, if you forced an unusual port, you will have to put the changed license file on the client computers too, so the client knows where to connect.