Autodesk Inventor FlexNet Prompting Users for License

[Anonymous]

So I was getting an error when creating a drawing/file when using Inventor Professional 2018 and decided to uninstall and reinstall Inventor. When doing so it fixed the error message that I kept on getting when trying to create a new drawing. 

Inventor is installed through a local administrator account and activated/pointed to our license manager, but my issue erupts when I log in as a domain user and launching inventor and then being presented with the "FlexNet License Finder" where the user has to follow the prompt and put in the license server. 

Is there anyway that I can have inventor point to the server without having to standard user having to do so each time they log in? I know AutoCAD has a ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable that can be used. Is that the same for inventor? 

Any help will be appreciated. 

Thank you. 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

To me it sounds like the Windows user configuration is preventing Inventor to ping the license server every so often and thus its unable to confirm it the license manager is still active.   I don't believe putting in the license manager variable is going to resolve the issue for the end user.   Can you get a copy of the debug log file as specified in the config service tab of your license manager and share here?  Although it contains users and computer names there's nothing in there that would impact your security if you do share it.  Also indicated the user who's having this issue.

[Anonymous]

Hey Mark, 

Thank you for responding back to my post. I am still fairly new to Audesk in general so how would you be able to grab the log files that you are asking for? 

Thank you kindly. 

Pao

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

You need direct access to the machine or server hosting the Autodesk license manager.  Meaning you have to log onto that machine, launch LMTOOLS and go to the config service tab to see where the debug log file is stored.  Also if the debug log file location is blank you need one and the location must have everyone stated in the folder security with full read/write access

[natasha.l]

Hello @Anonymous, 

Please review the following to verify that you have the proper set up: 

A license file first needs to be generated or requested here: 

1. Generate a Network License File in your Autodesk Account or Requesting a Network License File

Note: In the case where you have combined the license with an existing license file (make sure to check for copy/paste errors)

*If you need help Finding Your Host Name and Physical Address

Then, the NLM needs to be installed and setup:

2. Make sure you meet the NLM requirements to Install & Configure it 

3. Then, on each Client computer at launch, specify a License Server "2080@ServerName"

Note: Contact Support for Network Licensing help with your setup

If you have done all of the above, Start/Stop the NLM Service

• Locate Lmtools  in C:\Autodesk \Network License Manager (folder)
• Check the NLM system requirements
• Make sure the current version of Lmtools 11.13.1.2 is installed
• Verify License File, MAC address & HostID with Lmtools System Settings Tab
• Config Service Tab > Make sure files are pathed correctly (lmgrd.exe, Lic. File.lic, Debug.log) > Save Service button
• Start/Stop/Reread Tab > Select FlexNet Service (should only be 1 Autodesk service) > Check Box Force Server Shutdown > Select Stop Server Button > Uncheck Box Force Server Shutdown > Start Server > Server Start Successful. (should appear below)
• Verify users are pulling licenses

**If you continue to have an issue please locate the Config Services Tab > View Log Button

Please attach the results.

Review: 

Common FlexNet error codes

Troubleshooting FLEXnet Licensing Errors

Let us know if you have any more questions or concerns.  

Please “Accept As Solution” if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

Hey Mark, 

So I got the config file here. Is there anything that I need to be aware of before I post? I do see my server name on there, but that shouldn't matter will it? 

Thank you. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Natasha. The server has been setup for quiet sometime now and have been running with no issues. It was just recently that I started experiencing this issue.

I just took over for the T&AS technician who just retired a few months ago and didn't leave me much to go off with so I am patching things up for now until I can start implementing my own standard installation/image. 

Thank you. 

Pao 

[natasha.l]

Hello @Anonymous, 

I understand but you should still check the setup, its best to check the basics with the information provided then move on. 

Have you verified that the client computers can ping the server? Or that licenses are being pulled within LMtools? 

You want to look for any errors on the Config Services log, do you see any - XX. Check the Common FlexNet error codes. 

Please "Accept As Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

Hey @natasha.l

Yes I can ping the server.

After reinstalling Inventor it will ask for server. Once the server is put into Inventor it activates. This is all done under a LOCAL Administrators account.  

The Flex License just appears when you log under a domain user (say a student) and its their first time launching Inventor under their profile. This is when they get asked to put in the license server. I will see if I can post a video.

Thank you. 

Pao

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

Your postings are confusing..

You said this in the beginning "So I was getting an error when creating a drawing/file when using Inventor Professional 2018 and now you are stating this "The Flex License just appears when you log under a domain user (say a student) and its their first time launching Inventor under their profile."

Which way is it?

I was replying based on that you already had a license for Inventor, was using Inventor and then the message appear which indicates it lost connection to the license server.

Your latest means the user has never gotten a license.   Which tells me the user doesn't have the proper read/write permissions and the system variable may help.

[natasha.l]

Hello @Anonymous, 

What permissions do you have set for your domain users? They will need minimum user access to the locations mentioned here, "Needed rights for Autodesk-users in a domain network". 

Please “Accept As Solution” if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

@Mark.Lancaster Sorry Mark,  let me make this a little bit more clearer. 

The issue that I am having is that after re-installing Inventor onto a client machine and activating it by putting in our license server name under a local administrator account I get prompted with a flex license dialog the next time I log under a domain user account. 

In other words by activating it under the local administrators account it is not passing it down to the domain users that are logging in the first time and launching Inventor. Instead the users are being prompted for a license/license server. 

Let me know if that clears it up a bit? 

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Please refer to the image to see what is coming up under the domain user when launching Inventor. 

[Anonymous]

This occurs for each domain user that logs onto the machine and launches Inventor. 

Its almost like a hit or miss where when installing it under a local administrator account some of them passes through where other users wont have to activate Inventor, but some still do have to activate Inventor. 

[Mark.Lancaster · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous

Add the system variable as indicate here: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-specify-license-servers-using-the-ADSKFLEX-LICENSE-FILE-environment-variable-s.html or @servername;@servername IP address..

Also for the future when attaching images to your posting please adhere to this guideline:  https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/embedding-an-image/td-p/7695110

[Anonymous]

@Mark.Lancaster So the variable has been added but still no go. It still prompting users for the license. While I was under Environment variable I did come across ADSK_CLM_WPAD_PROXY_CHECK to being set as FALSE. Is that suppose to be set to FALSE? 

 

Thank you. 

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

That variable should be under system and not user..  In addition I've never used the proxy varaible or seen it in use.. 

Anyhow check this location (while logged in as the user) in the registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\FLEXlm License Manager.. Is there ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE setting in there?  What does it indicated?

[Anonymous]

@Mark.Lancaster Sorry. It has been a long day, especially with our spring break coming up. Good catch, that solved the issue that I was having!! Thank you.  In other news though the only file I see under the registry is the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE. 

Again I don't know how things were created or setup before I took over but this was the image they were using. I am just patching things up until the summer, when I can actually rebuild the servers and images that we have going around. 

Thanks again for the help Mark.