Microsoft KB Archive/157333

= Microsoft Knowledge Base =

How To Install FLEXlm on Windows NT Version 3.51
Last reviewed: November 27, 1996

Article ID: Q157333

The information in this article applies to:


 * Softimage 3D for Windows NT, version 3.51

Getting Started Checklist
This document lists common error messages, possible causes, and procedures to ensure quick solutions to your installation problems.

Read the following check list to avoid encountering problems during and after installing FLEXlm.


 * Have you received a valid license from the Softimage 3D Licensing department? For license requests, send an e-mail to license@softimage.com or call licensing at 1.800.387.2559, or for international requests, call 514.845.2199.
 * Is the blue-green FLEXlm dongle attached to your computer? (For a FLEXlm server only.)
 * Is the environment variable 744@"hostname" set? (For a FLEXlm client only.)
 * Is TCP/IP installed?
 * Do you have a network card installed? If you do not have a network card, install RAS (Remote Access Services). RAS is located on the Microsoft NT for Windows version 3.51 CD (call Microsoft Product Support Services for more details).
 * Is there a valid user account created under :\USERS (see below)?

Sample License File
The following is an example of a typical license:

SERVER SENTINEL KEY= 744

DAEMON Softimage C:\Flexlm\LMSoft.EXE

PACKAGE 3D_EXTREME_PKG Softimage 3.500 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx COMPONENTS="SI_TOOLS 3D 3D_RENDER 3d_ADVANCED RAY_REBELS 3D_LIVE 3D_SHARED MENTAL_RAY:1.900 PARTICLE:1.500"

INCREMENT 3D_EXTREME_PKG Softimage 3.500 <# of licenses> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ck=xxx

Be aware of the following when you enter your license:


 * Unwarranted spaces are considered typographical errors.
 * Make sure the backslashes at the end of the PACKAGE and INCREMENT lines are followed by a hard return and not a space.
 * Check that each line following PACKAGE and INCREMENT begins with one space.
 * Do not use tabs.

When you enter the license by hand and after you have corrected typographical errors, you must save the file as "txt" and not as "unicode" or "all file types".

How To Create a Softimage 3D User Account on Windows NT
To properly execute Softimage 3D v3.51 for Windows NT, you must log on as a valid Windows NT user and not as an Administrator. To log on as a user, follow these steps:

 Log on as Administrator. From the Administrative Tools group, start User Manager. On the User menu, choose New User.  Enter information to create a new user. Sample New User dialog box: Username:  (any name you prefer) Full Name: (optional) Description: User Password:  (optional)

The New User dialog box allows you to set the user environment profile for your system. From here, you configure the location of the user's  home directory. Softimage 3D needs to save the DatabaseDir.rsrc file in  the user's home directory. 

How To Set the User Environment Profile

 * 1) Click Profile. The User Profile dialog box appears.
 * 2) In the Local Path box, type c:\users\%username%. Where C: is the partition where your Windows NT workstation is installed.
 * 3) Click OK to accept and close the dialog box.
 * 4) Click OK to close the New User dialog box.

A directory is created under C:\USERS that contains the same name as the user's logon account.

Softimage 3D 3.51 Error Messages
If Softimage 3D seems to be hanging, use Alt+Tab to access the license manager and verify the error message.

Error Message
'Invalid Working Directory' CAUSE

You are running as administrator. SOLUTION

You must have at least one valid user account other than "administrator" from where you are running Softimage 3D. (This is because the  environment variables in the SETENV.BAT look for %USERNAME% and errors   will occur if no user exists.* * (See the procedure for Creating a   Softimage 3D User Account.)

Error Message
'No server line in license file' CAUSE

You installed as a FLEXlm Client instead of a Server. SOLUTION

You must remove your software and references to the FLEXlm server in the services file and reinstall as a SERVER (contact Customers Support). CAUSE

Your License.dat file has been saved in UNICODE format. SOLUTION

See the UNICODE error message on page 5.

Error Message
'Cannot connect to license server; WinSock error code' CAUSE

Your computer name, the name in the license file, and the name in your Network>TCP/IP>DNS entry are not the same, or the case in one of the entries is wrong. SOLUTION

In Control Panel > Network, verify that the Computer Name is the same as  the DNS Host Name which is located in the Network Settings dialog box. Double-click the TCP/IP protocol from the Installed Network Software list, then click DNS from the Configuration dialog box. In the DNS Configuration dialog box that appears, compare the Host Name with the Computer Name, and with the Server Name shown in your license file. CAUSE

You don't have TCP/IP installed. SOLUTION

Install TCP/IP from the Windows NT 3.51 software disk. If you need assistance,

call Microsoft Product Support Services. CAUSE

The dongle isn't attached. SOLUTION

Plug the dongle into the printer port. CAUSE

Your FLEXlm license server is not started in Control Panel>Services. SOLUTION

From Control Panel>Services start your FLEXlm license server.

If you rebooted your computer, the license server may look started, but you still get the above error message. However, if you stop the license server and then try to restart it, you will not be successful until other problems are resolved (contact Customer Support).

Error Message
'Cannot find SERVER hostname in network database; WinSock error code' CAUSE

The hostname in your license file is wrong. SOLUTION

Verify that the hostname in the License.dat file matches the computer name (case is important).

Error Message
'Invalid License Key (inconsistent license key); WinSock error code' CAUSE

The dongle number in the license file is wrong. SOLUTION

Verify that the number in the License.dat file matches the 8-digit hex-number on the dongle, for example, B2851nnn. CAUSE

The license has an error in it (for example, a line has an unwarranted  return in the middle of it). SOLUTION

Verify the License.dat file. From Main>Control Panel>Services, stop and then restart the flexlm license server. CAUSE

The computer name contains illegal characters (for example, underscores,  dashes, spaces, periods). SOLUTION

Rename the computer by eliminating the illegal characters, and changing the TCP/IP>DNS entry and the License.dat entry. From the Control Panel>Services, stop and then restart the flexlm license server.

Error Message
'Feature has expired' CAUSE

The date and time on your computer is incorrect. SOLUTION

Verify the time and date on your computer. It cannot be set to a date before the license start-date (issue date). Use Main>Accessories>Time to  verify time and date. CAUSE

Files have a future date. SOLUTION

Check for files on the system that have a date in the future (contact  Customer Support).

Error Message
'Flexlm has exited unexpectedly' CAUSE

The server name in the License.dat file is wrong. SOLUTION

Verify that the server name in the License.dat file is correct and then go to Main>Control Panel>Services. Stop and then restart the flexlm license server. CAUSE

The dongle is not attached to the parallel port. SOLUTION

Attach the dongle to the printer port. CAUSE

The port is not being read. SOLUTION

Reboot your computer and go into the BIOS (using the DEL key). Enter Peripherals>Ports and set the ports option to NORMAL. Save and reboot.

Error Message
'Soft.exe entry point not found. Stop the procedure entry point...Describe Layer Plane could not be located in Dynamic Library. OpenGl32.dll'

SOLUTION

Contact Customer Support

Error Message
'Cannot read UNICODE' CAUSE

You did not save your License.dat file as plain text in NOTEPAD, and your font information at the top of the license file is unreadable. SOLUTION

Open a new notepad, and then copy and paste the relevant license information into it. Save the file as plain TXT.

Error Message
'Soft3D: no such feature exists' CAUSE

The License.dat was saved as "unicode" or "all file types". SOLUTION

Open the License.dat file, copy the license text and paste it into a new file. Save it as plain text in NOTEPAD.

Error Message
'Dr Watson error: "the application generated an application error the error occurred on 10/01/96 as 16:9:45.870 the exception generated was c0000037@address77f80430'

CAUSE

You do not have the correct driver version for your graphics card. SOLUTION

Contact Customer Support.

MORE INFORMATION
You can also query the Softimage 3D Knowledge Base for error message articles. They contain possible causes for the error message, and procedures that ensure a quick solution.