Looking at the license status

The license server has a web interface in which it presents the license status. To determine how many of your licenses have been loaded into the server and how many licenses have been checked out by users you can visit the web interface using a web browser.

Reaching the web interface

Using the address field in your browser navigate to the address of your license server. Per default the web interface will be hosted at port 5054 and the address should be constructed as the following.

http://   hostname   :5054

Where hostname is replaced with the name of the machine hosting your license server.

If you are unable to reach the web interface
First make sure you use an address field in the browser and not a search field. If the problem persists, contact your system administrator or IT helpdesk. Possible reasons include the interface is set up using a custom port, license server not running, firewall blocking you from accessing the interface and so on. The reasons mentioned have in common it is best investigated by someone with access to the host.

Navigating the web interface

The license server administration web interface has a menu on the left.

In the menu, click on Status.

On the Status page additional information such as the file names of found/loaded license files is shown.

For reaching the license status of your Master concept licenses locate the idesglobal-row and the Server Status-column and click on the button in the cell where they cross.

As you click on the button the isv server status of idesglobal will be loaded.

How to read the license status table

The vendor license server status overview is presented as a table. Similar licenses are gathered and handled as a pool. Further reading on how rlm performs pooling of licenses can be read in the manual. Often the result is one pool per product. That is the case we are going to focus on in this context.

How to determine if there are licenses available in the license pool or are they all in use?

Find the row which corresponds to the product you want to check status for. On that row locate the columns named count and inuse. The values of those columns are the cap of that pool and the current usage of that pool.

Out of a count 15 allowed simultaneously, 0 licenses are currently in use.

For licenses to be available for a new user to check out the amount in the inuse-column must be lower than the amount in count-column.

For referense and further reading: 
https://www.reprisesoftware.com/RLM_License_Administration.pdf

Sort multiple columns

Have you ever been sorting columns over and over in reverse order to in the end get the grid sorted by multiple columns? Occasionally one has a sorting and want to freeze the current sorting and apply a second subsorting. 

Hold down Shift and click on the additional columns you want to sort, and they will be sorted in order from most significant, second, third and so on. 

Objects ordered by Byggnadsplacering, Processfunktion

Ctrl + Shift + K 

This command can be used in grids and will perform the following actions. All fields/columns without any data are hidden. The width of shown fields is set to best fit, adjusted according to the widest data. 

Example scenario: Empty cells marked with pink. Unless we were inspecting of those specific fields were empty or not the view give us little information. Are all fields to the right empty? Are all rows below empty? 

Notice the size of the scroll bar. It is representative of how much data is shown out of the data loaded to the grid. When using the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+K the grid focuses on the non-empty cells. 

Managing Service Interruptions

This article outlines procedures for intentionally restricting user access during system downtime such as an upgrade.
Please note that the instructions provided are relevant specifically when using network licenses.

Initiating a Service Interruption 

To lock users out during a service interruption, follow these steps:

Open any web browser.

In the address bar, type the name of the machine where the license server is running, followed by port number 5054.

The web interface for the Reprise License Server Administration will appear.

Click on “Shutdown.”

On the displayed page, you have the option to shut down ISV processes, which manage the licenses themselves.

If RLM is used for multiple licenses, select “vendor license idesglobal” from the ISV list.

Next, click “SHUT DOWN SERVER” to deactivate the server. This action affects the ISV. For your information: RLM remains operational, and you can use the same web interface to restart license management later.

Ending the Service Interruption 

When you’re ready to end the service interruption and allow users back in, perform the following steps:

Open any web browser.

In the address bar, type the name of the machine where the license server is running, followed by port number 5054.

The web interface for the Reprise License Server Administration will appear.

Click on “Reread/Restart Servers.”

On the “Reread/Restart Servers” page, you can also choose “idesglobal” from the dropdown list.

Then click “REREAD/RESTART” to read the license file and start the ISV server. For your information: The same button is used to load the new license file during license extension.

Fill upp

Hold Ctrl to access Fill up 

By holding Ctrl as modifier when opening the right click menu Fill down is replaced by Fill up. 

Could come in handy when filling large amounts of ordered data and want to use a fill series without having to scroll to the top between each filling.  

Invalid Class String

Introduction

When the process is being run with administrative privileges the user is unable to get Elmaster Design started properly.

Symptoms

Error messages at start of Design that says Failed to load Master Concept dlls and invalid class string.

Cause

To make it possible/easier to switch between parallel installed versions resources are registered during the initialization of the application. The registration is done for the user who is logged in.

If the application is run by another account – even if that account has high privileges – the part of the registry being used is not the same as where the references to the resources have been set up.

It is a limitation that the acad.exe process about to load Elmaster Design must be run by the logged in user.

Confirmation

To confirm if processes you initiate are being run by your logged on username one can often determine by opening a command prompt and looking at its title bar if it says administrator or not.

Another way to determine if you have this problem is by looking at the acad.exe process via Task Manager. Go to the information pane and select the columns to show via the context menu on the column headers. Choose to show elevated privileges. If your acad.exe process is running with elevated privileges that means it is being run as the administrator account.

Solution

If you are using the context menu on the icon and Run as Administrator – don’t.

Instead run in normal mode by clicking on the icon in start menu och double click on the desktop icon to start Elmaster Design.

Usually, this problem occurs when the user temporarily gains elevated privileges to install new software. Via policy or similar management, the processes initiated by the user are impersonated and run by the administrator account for the duration of the installation period. If that is the case, let whoever gave you the elevated privileges know when you are done. When impersonation ceases, the problem ceases.

Preventive measures

Avoid running the acad.exe processes as administrator. Run it as your logged on user.

If users are temporarily given local administrative privileges for installing software, it is advisable to plan ahead and schedule the installation at a time when the user is not supposed to be productive using Elmaster Design.

Also available in format for download and attachment: Invalid Class String.docx

Problem vid lånad Autocad-licens

Problembeskrivning

Hanteringen kring påminnelse om lånad licens har förändrats och ställer till bekymmer vid initieringen.

Förutsättningar (samtliga behöver vara uppfyllda)

  • Autocad 2020 eller nyare.
  • Autocad är konfigurerad med licensieringsmodell nätverkslicens.
  • Användaren har låntat en licens från licenspoolen.
  • Ritning öppnas från MasterExplorer.

Lösning

Ingen lösning tillgänglig. Ärende har upprättats till Autodesk.

Kringgå problemet

  • I nyare versioner pushar Autodesk för att man ska gå över till namngivna single-licenser via accounts.autodesk.com och används den licensmodellen undviks problemet.
  • Äldre versioner av Autocad 2018, 2019 fungerar problemfritt med lånad licens.
  • Vid användning av MasterExplorer är användaren vanligen uppkopplad direkt eller via vpn i företagets nätverk. Troligen behövs inte lån av licens för Autocad. Med kommandot RETURNLICENSE kan man återlämna en lånad nätverkslicens innan förfallodatum för lånet.

Bricscad

Följande beskrivning utgår från elMaster Design / Master Concept 20.0 tillsammans med BricsCAD v21.

Äldre mallar och symboler

Äldre mallar och symboler kan innehålla skräpdata som hanteras i Autocad men som ger problem när BricsCAD används. För att undvika att det ställer till problem finns det uppdaterade versioner av mallar och symboler att ladda ner.
Vid nyinstallation med installation av filserver kan dessa användas utan uppdatering.

Om det finns befintliga egna mallar och symboler som ska användas tillsammans med Bricscad öppna dessa dwg/dwt:er i Autocad och kör kommandot:
AUDIT
Spara sedan mallen/symbolen så ska eventuella felaktigheter rättas till och det ska gå att använda tillsammans med BricCAD. Är det många mallar och symboler finns en färdig lisp som går att använda i Designs batchfunktion.

För nedladdningslänkar se längre ner.

elMaster Design tillsammans med BricsCAD

Genom att editera genvägen för elMaster Design går det att styra vilken cadmjukvara som ska starta, BricsCAD eller Autocad.

Som standard kommer Autocad alltid startas även om BricsCAD är installerad, är enbart BricsCAD installerad kommer den att startas direkt.

Är både Autocad och bricsCAD installerade går det bra att kopiera startikonen och skapa en för BricsCAD. Högerklicka på startikonen för elMaster Design och välj Egenskaper.

I rutan för Mål, lägg till en växel. /bricscad för att starta BricsCAD.

Master Concept tillsammans med BricsCAD

För att kunna öppna dwg-filer med BricsCAD från Master Explorer krävs det att det finns en dokumentstart som har BricsCAD som Applikation och Extern applikation. För Design-filer ska BricsCAD anges som Extern applikation och som Applikation ska resp Designstart anges. Se bild för exempel.

Nedladdningar

20.0, Important changes

  • Role Modules – Read only removed
    We have reworked and removed the use of “Read Only” modules. The read only modules replaced by “Read Access” modules and Edit.
  • Rework in the Data tab for objects
    Article and Individual have moved out to own tabs, and some other smaller fixes to clear up the data for objects
  • Software Requirements changes client
    • Microsoft.Net Framework version 4.8
    • Oracle Client, Oracle Database 19c Client
  • Software Requirements changes server
    • Oracle version 18c XE
    • Oracle version 19c

Version 20.0 Released

Key features

  • Eco-Design, the environment aspect of a plant
  • Analyze an electrical point for better overview
  • BricsCAD support
  • Digital Risk Assessments, Disconnecting & Connection and Work Permit