Obtaining and Configuring Licenses
This chapter explains how to obtain or update licenses. It also provides instructions to install PTC License Server, a third-party license management software for Creo View. You must install PTC License Server Manager before installing Creo View, except in the following cases:
• You have purchased uncounted node-locked licenses. Refer to your sales documents for your license type.
• You are a user of Creo View Lite or Creo View Express
The license server need not be installed on the same machine as Creo View.
PTC uses FlexNet Publisher from Flexera Software, Inc. as its license server. See License Management Software for an overview and benefits of the license management software. The FlexNet Publisher License Administration Guide may be helpful as you install PTC License Server.
Every time you install or update Creo View, make sure you have the latest FlexNet software released by PTC.
Using the License Server Manager
The license server manager handles the initial contact with your PTC software that uses FlexNet licensing. It passes the connection to the appropriate vendor daemon. A license server manager serves the following purposes:
• Starts and maintains vendor daemons for serving license rights from different software.
• Transfers specific software requests to the correct vendor daemon.
There are two versions of the license server manager for license administration:
• lmadmin—Uses a graphical user interface (GUI)
• lmgrd—Uses a command-line interface
PTC currently ships with its products a license server manager based on lmadmin for the Windows platform and lmgrd for all other platforms. If you are using an existing license server with ptc_d vendor daemon of version 11.13.x.x or earlier, you will need to upgrade to the latest version.
Verifying System Requirements
Installation requirements for the license server manager software, follow:
• On all Microsoft Windows platforms, you must have administrative privileges to install the PTC License Server.
• You must have TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) installed and configured correctly on your Windows system before installing the software.
Before You Proceed
Gather all the necessary information that follows about the installation of the license server manager:
• Check the FlexNet License Hardware Notes – PTC License Server for license server installation requirements and to determine from where to download the license server software for your server machine.
• Make note of your product code that arrives via e-mail. If you have received a license file via e-mail, store it at a secure location on your disk.
• If you have already installed PTC License Server based on lmgrd and choose to migrate to lmadmin, complete these steps before the migration:
1. Shut down any lmgrd service or processes running on the system.
2. Save the license.dat file from your existing license server installation to a secure location.
3. Uninstall the previous installation completely.
See “Migrating from lmgrd to lmadmin” in the FlexNet Publisher License Administration Guide for more information.
Obtaining a License
You must generate or update existing licenses to use the latest software for Creo View. Licenses determine the edition and optional modules that you are authorized to run on your computer. You can get a license for Creo View MCAD or Creo View ECAD in two ways:
• New customers—Use the PIM installer (PTC Install Manager). See the next section.
• Existing customers—Use existing tools (required). Skip to the section Existing Customer Licensing.
Creo View uses a PTC License Server powered by FLEXnet Publisher 11.10.x or later from Flexera Software Inc. If you are already running that license server for another Creo application, you need only update your license file to support the latest version of Creo View. If you are a new user, or if your license server is outdated, you must install the PTC License Server when using floating licenses.
New Customer Licensing
The PTC Install Manager streamlines the license installation process for new customers. Use the link on the Shipping Confirmation Letter. You need your Sales Order Number (SON) and an upgraded PTC account associated with the customer number. To begin, update your account with a user name and password at the following link:
If you do not have a PTC Support account, you can open one here:
Perform the following steps to obtain the license using the PIM installer, which also has on-screen instructions:
1. Start the PIM installer from the link on the Shipping Confirmation Letter.
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You must run the installer on the machine to be licensed. This is true for both a floating license for a license server or a node-locked license for a single client machine.
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2. Type your user account name (usually your e-mail address), and then type your SON (Sales Order Number). Your license file is downloaded. For floating licenses, PTC License Server is also installed.
3. Click Next. The License Agreement appears.
4. Accept the agreement and click Next. A message appears.
5. Verify the network card for your license file configuration, and then click Next. This step determines automatically the Host ID of the license. A message appears.
6. Supply your license file. The installer downloads the licenses and installs the License Server if applicable.
Node-locked licenses are saved locally in a path noted on the screen. A copy of the license type will be e-mailed to the address on file for the account used in step 2.
Existing Customer Licensing
Existing customers should continue to use the existing licensing tools. Visit the Customer Support Guide page, click Licensing, and then follow the instructions to manage your licenses.
Installing the PTC License Server
After you have received an e-mail from PTC with the product codes for your software order, install the Standalone PTC License Server. Follow the installation instructions in the Installing and Configuring the Standalone License Server guide.
Borrowing and Returning Licenses
To work independently of a server, for instance from your laptop at home or at a customer site, you must borrow a temporary license. License borrowing is available only on Windows. After 14 days this license expires, but it is good practice to borrow it only as long as needed so it is available for other users.
Borrow and return licenses using an executable file that comes with the software. Run it using arguments to borrow licenses for the versions and options you need. Instructions follow.
1. Open a command prompt on a computer with a server connection.
2. To read a short help message, type <Creo View installation location>\bin\pvlicense_borrow.exe
3. Add arguments to the command line as follows:
◦ To borrow a license, type -borrow and then the features and options to borrow, and the license end date. See Example: Selecting Licenses to Borrow.
◦ To return a license, type -return and then the features or options to return.
◦ To view a list of currently borrowed licenses and their expiry dates, type —list.
4. Press ENTER.
5. To verify that your borrowed license works, disconnect your computer from the network and run Creo View.
The general structure of the command-line syntax for borrowing a license consists of the following elements: pvlicense_borrow [-server LicenseServerInfo] dd-mmm-yyyy[:hh:mm] LicenseFeature [+LicenseOptions].
A typical license borrowing request looks like this: D:\Users\myname>"C:\Program Files\PTC\Creo <release_number>\View\bin\pvlicense_borrow.exe" -borrow 31-dec-2012 pvmcadpro +largeaddress +interference +animation +designcheck.
Example: Selecting Licenses to Borrow
Features available for a Creo View license follow:
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License Feature
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Description
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pvmcadpro
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Creo View MCAD
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pvecadpro
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Creo View ECAD
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pvstandard
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ProductView Standard
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pvbatchprint
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Batch printing utility—Prints multiple files with a server-controlled batch job.
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pvbatchinterference
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Batch interference detection utility—Performs multiple interference detection queries with a server-controlled batch job.
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If you purchased Creo View MCAD, these options are available:
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Creo View MCAD Options
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Description
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+largeaddress
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Massive assembly—Opens very large assemblies. For more information, see Massive Assembly Requirements in the Overview chapter.
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+interference
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Interference detection—Analyzes structures for interferences
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+animation
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Animation—Creates animations
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+designcheck
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Design check—Provides tags for collaboration and review
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