Managing the adskflex.opt Options File

[TravisNave]

Issue:  You want to configure different licensing options for different user groups and networked licensed products using your Autodesk Network License Manager.

Solution: There is a way to manually configure the Autodesk Network License Manager to use different configurations for each license type, user, group, etc.  You need to create an Options file as instructed in the License Administration Guide.  Your options file should be created in a plain text editor like Notepad and must be named adskflex.opt.  Please ensure that file extensions are enabled so that you do not have a hidden .txt file extension appended to your filename.  Furthermore, the adskflex.opt options file must be saved in the same location as your Autodesk .lic license file.  To activate the options file, you need to reread the license from the Start/Stop/Reread tab of LMTOOLS.  You can then use your debug.log file to verify that the options are working properly.

Additional information about the adskflex.opt Options File can be found here:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=7459915&linkID=9240617

Creating and Implementing the adskflex.opt Options File

1.  To create an options file, simply open a plain text editor like Notepad and type the options that you wish to implement.

2.  Make sure you then save the file as adskflex.opt and in the same location as your Autodesk *.lic file.  You will want to pull down the save type box to all files so that it will not save with a .txt extension.  Make sure file extensions are enabled to determine if a .txt has been appended. If so, simply rename the file as appropriate. 

3.  Open LMTOOLS and go to the Start/Stop/Reread tab and choose ReRead License File.  This will enable the options file that you just saved. 

4.  You can verify that the options file is active by viewing the debug.log file.  You can do this from the Config Services tab in LMTOOLS by clicking View Log... or by opening the debug.log file in Notepad from the path specified on the Config Services tab.  You should see log entries for each successful option that you created.  Entries should look similar to the following:

16:52:45 (adskflex) Using options file: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\License\adskflex.opt"
16:52:45 (adskflex) ALL FEATURES: INACTIVITY TIMEOUT set to 900 seconds
16:52:45 (adskflex) Max borrow interval for feature, 64300ACD_F , set to 48 hours
16:52:45 (adskflex) RESERVING 1 64300ACD_F  license for USER_GROUP Admins
16:52:45 (adskflex) MAX 1 USER_GROUP Users for 64300ACD_F
16:52:45 (adskflex) INCLUDE USER_GROUP Admins 64300ACD_F
16:52:45 (adskflex) Report log started (+C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\report.rl).

You can use the adskflex.opt options file to split licenses into different groups, reserve licenses for power users, or limit the amount and time licenses can be borrowed.  For details on each available option, please see the License Administration Guide in the documentation of your Autodesk Network License Manager or from the Autodesk KB link provided above. 

Feature codes for each of your licensed products can be found within the PACKAGE and INCREMENT lines of the .lic license file provided by Autodesk.  A list of Autodesk 2012 feature codes can be found here:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=17288427&linkID=9243099

For your convenience I am attaching a ready-made adskflex.opt options file that includes all of the available compatible options for the Autodesk Network License Manager along with commented descriptions and examples. You can use this file as a starting point to create your own customizations.  Please unzip the file and edit with Notepad. 

Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Is there a way of trying to trigger the save function on a specific client without affecting the rest of the users so i'm able to prove that autodesk products privde the save before quit option when no license is avaliable?

[TravisNave]

It's automatic. The app will inform you that there are no licenses
available and then allow you to save before it exits.

[Anonymous]

Hi.

Opravili smo vse, kar je v skladu z navodili v vaš link in imamo še vedno težave z dovoljenji za dodeljevanje. Lahko obstaja problem, ko ima enako uporabnika v različnih skupinah? Hvala.

S spoštovanjem,

andrej

[Anonymous]

Hi Travis,

I am trying to add an Option file to control the usage but the file is not getting recognized by the FlexLM I checked the debug log and it is showing the below status.

13:44:39 (adskflex) (@adskflex-SLOG@) Options file used: None

The file is in the same folder where we have license file. Can you please advice that how can I resolve this issue.

Many Thanks,

Akshay Manke

[Anonymous]

Hi Akshay

Here's taken from Flexera's documentation, with some additions of my own:

1. Use the appropriate options listed in Options File Syntax to create the options file for a vendor daemon using
any text editor.  (I suggest starting with an empty file with # comment line)

2. Locate the options file anywhere; however, it is recommended that the options file be placed in the same
directory as the license file . (you already did that)

3. Add the path to the options file in the license file as the fourth field on the VENDOR line for the application’s
vendor daemon.  (did you do that ?)

For example:
VENDOR sampled /etc/sampled \
[OPTIONS=]/sample_app/sampled/licenses/sampled.opt
enables the sampled vendor daemon to look at the specified options file.
If the path is omitted, the vendor daemon automatically looks for a file according to the following criteria:
• The name of the file is vendor.opt, where vendor is the vendor daemon name.
• The directory that contains the license file used by the license server manager.

4. You now need to apply a 'reread' command for the license manager to recognize the OPT file. Run this command as a an administrator from a CMD prompt:

"<full path>\lmutil.exe" lmreread -c  <port number>@<server name>  

5. I know of cases that reread took no effect. In this case - you may want to restart the license server altogether (last option   (-:  )

Good luck

Ori Kaplan

OpenLM - streching your licenses to their limit.

[DRW_CAD]

Hi Travis, I'm having problems with my Options file and reserving. My log file indicates that it is reading and reserving the licenses but other users are able to use them.

Here is what I have. I'm trying to reserve two AEC collections for a group called "AEC" with two users in it. I don't know if the license info is sensative so I replaced some 4 digit values in the middle with xxxx. But the original was copy/pasted directly from the lic file. 

and the log file appears to be reserving them:

12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86830ACD_2018_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86604ACD_2017_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86445ACD_2016_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86295ACD_2015_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86063ACD_2014_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86856ARCHDESK_2018_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86480ARCHDESK_2017_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86480ARCHDESK_2016_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86288ARCHDESK_2015_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86137ARCHDESK_2014_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86893CIV3D_2018_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC
12:24:06 (adskflex) RESERVING 2 86718CIV3D_2017_0F/1823 3940 9C2E 2814 licenses for USER_GROUP AEC

This is my options file:

GROUPCASEINSENSITIVE ON

GROUP AEC CHERNDON DMARUSKIN

RESERVE 2 86815AECCOL_T_F:SIGN="1823 3940 \
9C2E 2814 xxxx 8716 4FCC xxxx 024D xxxx 6E2E xxxx 7AEA D40D \
0D5A xxxx 10FA D18C xxxx 9B55 xxxx F83C 3C5E 5C7F 3C05 88ED \
29B9 9F12 3B47 FEBB" GROUP AEC

[Mark.Lancaster]

@DRW_CAD

If you want someone attention please use the @TravisNave statement..  Travis may no longer be monitoring this but mostly likely he is (since he wrote it )

Option looks ok but there's nothing showing us where the other users are taking it.  Can you provide your entire debug log file.  Although it contains names there's nothing in there that will impact your infrastructure security.

[DRW_CAD]

Thanks Mark. 

Do you mean like this: Hi Nate @TravisNave anywhere in the post? 

I've attached the log file. 

In looking at the log, it looks like a lot of clients are trying to access it and there are infrastructure design suites still available on other servers. 

I have a total of 8 LMs and there are no users in the office that my AEC are on. I've specified that server last in the environment variable specifically so that it would be the last licenses used since most of my licenses are Infrastructure design suites and most of my users are Civil 3D. I figured making AEC last would make them the last licenses to get taken so that anyone using vehicle tracking, ReCAP Pro, Infraworks 360 would stand a better chance of getting a license but I've noticed just the opposite, they seem to get taken first. 

This is my Options contents without the edits:

GROUPCASEINSENSITIVE ON

GROUP AEC CHERNDON DMARUSKIN

RESERVE 2 86815AECCOL_T_F:SIGN="1823 3940 \
9C2E 2814 19C0 8716 4FCC B3E6 024D EF21 6E2E 59AF 7AEA D40D \
0D5A 1DA5 10FA D18C 9289 9B55 E2CF F83C 3C5E 5C7F 3C05 88ED \
29B9 9F12 3B47 FEBB" GROUP AEC

[Mark.Lancaster]

@DRW_CAD

A couple of things..

8 LMs?  You have 8 license managers running?

Term license will also get pulled over perpetual license.

How many collection license do you have?

I count 4 of them being pulled from your log and then the denies happen.

[GTVic]

Shouldn't there be a ... DENIED: ... CHERNDON ... in the log to prove that the license is not being reserved?

Going by the count of licenses used or unused could be misleading depending on whether a reserved license is counted as used even if it is not technically in use.

[DRW_CAD]

Sorry, 7 LMs. Distributed model & have ~70 Infrastructure & Building Design Suite, and yes, 4 total AEC & adding 6 more soon but right now, all four are on that server & they are the only term, all others are perpetual so that explains why they are going first. Anyway to change that? 

[DRW_CAD]

Hey Max! He acctually has one because I left that LM down a bit longer to purge the inital users & when I restarted it, I had him get on because he needed an Architecture license. So no, it shouldn't show him as denied & he just happened to get on before any others did, i.e. I don't think it was because it was reserved for him. The other user, DMARUSKIN, is using a IDS license right now. 

What makes me think it's not working is that there are three other users getting a license besides CHERNDON and one of those should be reserved for DMARUSKIN

[Mark.Lancaster]

@DRW_CAD

Yeah the log is showing another person taking the 4th Collection license after one of the reserved users took the 3 of the 4 license.

12:24:28 (adskflex) OUT: "86815AECCOL_T_F" gbonilla@GBONILLA  
12:24:28 (adskflex) OUT: "86604ACD_2017_0F" gbonilla@GBONILLA  
12:24:58 (adskflex) OUT: "86815AECCOL_T_F" bsiner@bsiner  
12:24:58 (adskflex) OUT: "86718CIV3D_2017_0F" bsiner@bsiner  
12:25:15 (adskflex) OUT: "86815AECCOL_T_F" cherndon@CHERNDON  
12:25:15 (adskflex) OUT: "86480ARCHDESK_2017_0F" cherndon@CHERNDON  
12:35:25 (adskflex) OUT: "86815AECCOL_T_F" adibona@adibona  
12:35:25 (adskflex) OUT: "86718CIV3D_2017_0F" adibona@adibona 

Gbonilla took Collection for AutoCAD 2017

Bsiner took Collection for Civil3D 2017

Cherndon took Collection for Autocad Arch 2017

Adibona tool Collection for Civil3d 2017

Meaning Adibona should've been denied..

[DRW_CAD]

Yes, but aren't I reserving two of the AEC Collections for the group called "AEC"? Shouldn't adibona be denied because he's not part of the AEC group?

[Mark.Lancaster]

@DRW_CAD

Yeah that's what I saying..  That 4th user should've been denied..

@TravisNave are you out there?

@Darin.Green (Paging)...

I will tag the heavy hitters..

Either I'm missing something or blind..  I don't see anything that stands out in why the 2 reserves are not working.  Which makes me wonder if the reserve is actually happening.

@DRW_CAD

The log is showing everybody is trying to get a collection license..  I don't see where they are getting any other type when you reach the max qty of license for your collection.

[DRW_CAD]

10-4, I miss read that. ok... I'm not crazy. 

[TravisNave]

I'm here Mark.  Still recovering from the Great American Eclipse. 

All you are doing is a RESERVE then all it will do is reserve 2 licenses for those users.  But it won't prevent other users from potentially using them if licenses are still available.  

You'll have to provide a step by step scenario of exactly what you are doing.  It's possibly that you will need to use another option besides just RESERVE to get what you are wanting.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@TravisNave

Excuses excuses excuses..  Were you party too hard? 

But...

So I'm confused about what you're saying in regards to reserving.

[DRW_CAD]

Yea, I'm kind of confused as well, if other users can pull a license that is reserved for someone other than them, what does reserve do? 

[DRW_CAD]

Step by step:

I set up an options file to reserve an AEC license for a user who needed Architecture and Civil 3D users were grabbing the AECs when there was still Infrastructure Design Suites available. 

I could see from the log that it wasn't reading the Options file so I googled, found this thread and used syntax from here and another thread to get an options file that appears to be working. Log file attached above.

I then stopped the service for 15 minutes or so. Restarted so there were 0 users on it and told CHERNDON to try his Architecture. It worked but there was nobody using those licenses at the time.

But I reserved him as part of a group with two people in it and so I expected it to only allow two more users and hold back one of the two that were reserved for the group.