Query the Network License Manager from client

[TravisNave]

Problem:  Users regularly ask IT and CAD Managers for status enquiry of the Autodesk Network License Manager (NLM) to check who has licenses checked out or borrowed, and/or how many licenses are available in the pool.  Therefore, IT often asks the question, "Can the end-user query the license manager themselves to see the current status of license availability?" 

Solution:  Yes.  There are a couple of good methods for the end user to access the license manager and query the license status.  Please review the different methods below and choose the one that works best for you.

Method #1 Using LMTOOLS 

Description:  You can install the LMTOOLS.EXE program onto a client machine and the user can configure it to query the server directly. 

Step 1.  Install or copy LMTOOLS.EXE onto the client machine and launch it.

Step 2.  On the Service/License File tab, choose the radio button labeled Configuration using License File.

Step 3. In the box, type 27000@servername where servername is the hostname of your server hosting the NLM.

Step 4:  Then on the Server Status tab, click the Perform Status Enquiry button to get the current status.

Method #2 Using LMUTIL.EXE LMSTAT

Description:  Using a command-line interface, use the LMUTIL.EXE file to query the license manager from the client.  This can also be simplified in a batch file.

Step 1:  Copy the LMUTIL.EXE to the client.

Step 2:  Open a Command Prompt by going to Start > Run and typing CMD, or by launching the Command Prompt icon. 

Step 3:  At the command prompt, traverse to the folder location where you copied the LMUTIL.EXE file and then type the following command and hit Enter:

lmutil lmstat -a -c 27000@servername > status.txt

Note:  The 27000@servername needs to be replaced with the port number (default is 27000) and server hostname where the NLM is installed.  The inclusion of > status.txt is where the information will be piped into a text file named status.txt (or any filename you decide.)  The reason for this is that the status may scroll further than the command prompt window can show you.  You can open this file in Notepad or any other supported text editor.

If you get an access denied error running this command, then you need to run the CMD as Administrator.

Step 4:  Open your status.txt file in Notepad or any other compatible editor and read the status.  If you do not pipe the above command into a text file, then it will simply display on the screen instead of creating a file. 

Conclusion:  Either of the above steps will allow your individual users to query the license manager without having to involve IT or the CAD Manager.  For more information about getting the license status from the Autodesk Network License Manager, please see the following KB article:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/network-license-administration/managing-network-lice...

Good Luck!

[TravisNave · Accepted solution]

As a means of making Method #2 Using LMUTIL LMSTAT a more automated process, I have written a batch file that calls the appropriate command, pipes it to a status file, then opens it in Notepad.  This file may help your users check the status more easily. 

Note:  If the user gets an access denied, they will need to right-click the file and Run as Administrator. 

The .zip file attached includes the status.cmd batch file as well as a copy of lmutil.exe.  It assumes that both of these files will be run from the same location.  You are welcomed to modify the batch file as you see fit.  It is slightly different than the example above but is explained within the comments of the file.  It does require the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE system environment variable to be set, since that is where it gets the license information from automatically.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

[Darin.Green]

Method #3 Expand on the use of ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE Variable

With the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable configured on the client machines, all you have to do is install LMTOOLS

If the variable doesn't exists, create it: [Otherwise skip to step 2]

Step 1:

1. Navigate to Start > type "sysdm.cpl" then hit enter.
2. Select the Advanced tab
3. Click "Environment Variables..."
4. Under the System Variables section click New
5. Create the variable
   1. Name: ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE
   2. Value: @SERVERNAME

NOTE: The machine is forcing all Autodesk products to the server specified in the Value field for licensing.

Step 2:

Once the variable is there, all you'll need to do is install LMTOOLS and use the Perform Status Enquiry button from the Server Status tab

[TravisNave]

Very true, Darin.  In the script that I provide in my 2nd post, I am actually using the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE variable to do the same thing for the LMUTIL.EXE file to find the server.  The inclusion of the system environment variable makes both methods much easier!

[10521471]

@TravisNave

Just wondering. Is it possible for the batch file to only give or grab certain information only instead of giving the whole query on the notepad?

Thank you.

Best regards,

Peter See

[Darin.Green]

No, You would need to parse the information after the full dump of the query. That said, once the dump file is created, you can extract any information you want. That would require some scripting/coding on your part, but definitely possible.

To get you moving in the right direction, your code will need to do the following:

• Search file line by line
• if the line contains %keyword%
• write line to a new file (or split the string by spaces to narrow down your selection)

Something like that...:)

[JTBWorld]

Here's a link to my freeware JTB FlexReport LT that makes use of lmutil.exe but with a nice UI and HTML report showing the usage.

[10521471]

This is a great application. Simple and nice to use.

Just wondering if there is any way to use batch file to start the program and then create the "Show html report"? I am able to use a simple batch file to start the application but I would like the batch file to directly show the results rather than have users click the " show html report".

Alternatively, I would like to know what are the argument or switches for the program.

Thanks and appreciate the application.

Best regards,

Peter See

[10521471]

Sorry. Please ignore my question below. I managed to figure it out already. Thank you once again for the software. 🙂