Replace lic file while licenses borrowed?

[mmanning]

Just want to make sure - I can replace the .lic file with a new one for newer versions of AutoCAD while licenses are borrowed, yes? Same server, just new .lic file with 2012 added.

Following this procedure, force stop NLM, point to new lic file, start NLM, Bob's your uncle. If yes, should I rename the new .lic file with the same name as the one currently in use?

Thanks!

[Darin.Green · Accepted solution]

That would violate the license agreement because you'll be using more licenses then you actually have. I recommend having the user release his license, then swap out the old license with the new one, then having the user login to the network via VPN (if off-site) to obtain a new license.

[mmanning]

So, replacing the .lic file doesn't supercede license already borrowed? I ask because we recenlty had an issue where licenses that I knew had been returned were appearing in the status report on the server as being checked out. From that I surmised that something else on the server must dictate whether and who has a license borrowed and not the .lic file.

[Darin.Green]

Manning,

No, it doesn't suppersede because that machine is not on the network and the borrowed license doesn't need to communicate with the server. However, when the user return to the office, there may be issues when attempting to release the license.

When the new license is in place, there wouldn't be a record of this when running a status inquiry because it was borrowed from the old license.

I've seen this behavoir in the past, before they introduced the Package line within the license file.

[mmanning]

Shoot! I have a couple consultants out of country right now and can't get their license back for a couple weeks. Everybody else is here so I'll just have them return for now and check back out when I am done.

Should I have everybody get out of AutoCAD while I do this, or does it matter?

[Darin.Green]

No one needs to close AutoCAD who's currently working off a network license. When you run a Status Enquiry, you will see message related to LICENSE UNSUPPORTED... Once these users close AutoCAD and reopen the application, those messages will go away.

Let me know how everything go...

[mmanning]

Well, that went pretty smoothly for the most part.

I did have one little scare though. As soon as I copied over the new .lic file I went back to my desk and opened AutoCAD 2012. Then I borrowed a license to make sure that work, and it did. Well, when I closed and reopened the program, the nag popped up telling me I had a license check out through the 19th and when I clicked Close, AutoCAD flashed open and then closed. I had to reboot for AutoCAD to actually open fully. Not sure what that was all about.