Installing and Licensing Actix Solutions

Getting Started
Installing and Licensing

Actix Solutions
December 2004
Getting Started: Installing and Licensing Actix Solutions

December 2004 Edition
Copyright Actix Limited 1996-2004.
All rights reserved. All trademarks are hereby acknowledged.
Actix and the Actix logo are the trademarks of Actix Limited. Similar restrictions
to use of our company and product names may apply elsewhere.
SentinelLM is a trademark of SafeNet, Inc.
Licenturion is a registered trademark of Licenturion GmbH. See
www.licenturion.com for details of Licenturion Product Activation.
MapInfo and MapInfo MapX are registered trademarks of MapInfo Corporation.
Actix also uses open-source components from MIT Software. See The MIT
License.txt for details.
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation
(http://www.apache.org/).
Microsoft, Excel and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Contents
1 ACTIX SOLUTIONS .................................................... 4
Who should read this guide .................................................................. 4
Learning about your Actix Solution ....................................................... 4
Using web resources ............................................................................ 4
Customer Support................................................................................. 5
Product registration .............................................................................................................5
Contacting Technical Support .............................................................................................5
Support policy......................................................................................................................6
2 ACTIX SOFTWARE LICENSING ...................................... 7

3 STANDALONE INSTALLATIONS ..................................... 9
Install a single Actix Solution ................................................................ 9
Start your Actix Solution...................................................................... 11
Troubleshooting standalone installations ............................................ 12
Check that the license is working correctly........................................................................12
About Box..........................................................................................................................13
4 ACTIVATED INSTALLATIONS ...................................... 14

Install an Actix Solution....................................................................... 14
Activate an Actix Solution ................................................................... 15
Manual activation ................................................................................ 17
Re-activation....................................................................................... 19
Troubleshooting the activation process............................................... 19
Connecting via a Proxy Server..........................................................................................19
Communications problem..................................................................................................21
Activation denied ...............................................................................................................21
About Box..........................................................................................................................22
5 GENERAL TROUBLESHOOTING ................................... 23
Terminal Server Sessions .................................................................................................23

No Lservrc found ...............................................................................................................23
Clock tamper detection......................................................................................................24
Diagnostic reporting ..........................................................................................................24
Applying license fixes provided by Actix Support ..............................................................25
Installing and Licensing Actix Solutions
Contents 3
Actix Solutions
Who should read this guide

This Actix guide has been written for individual users and system
administrators tasked with installing Actix Solutions in a variety of
environments, from a standalone installation on a single PC to a large,
centrally administered network covering many workstations.
Learning about your Actix Solution

The following documentation is provided with each Actix Solution:
Release Notes (on the Actix CD)

Online help (in the \Actix\Analyzer\Bin\Help folder)
Attribute help (attrib.chm in the \Help folder)
These should help you to get started with using your Solution, and
answer any initial questions you may have.
Actix training courses for your Solution are also available, and provide an
excellent source of hands-on experience, each course led by one of our
highly experienced engineers.
Using web resources

The Actix website, www.actix.com, provides the following types of
downloadable resources for your Solution:
4 Actix Solutions
Reports (pre-designed forms that highlight particular conditions

present in the loaded data)
Stateforms (customisable forms providing many data-monitoring
displays, synchronised to the same data selected in standard Actix
maps, charts, tables, and so on)
Sample Queries and Custom Attributes (customisable methods for
extracting information in the loaded data)
The latest help files and additional documentation
Actix Solutions Installing and Licensing
Customer Support
Actix is committed to providing the world-class professional support its
customers would expect from a market-leading company. Our engineers,
based in England, USA and Singapore, are contactable by email or by
telephone, enabling Actix to provide worldwide support for its
customers, regardless of location.
Product registration
You can register your Actix product by using our on-line form:
http://www.actix.com/support/register/register.htm
Contacting Technical Support

Our Technical Support website offers resources, troubleshooting
information and online software upgrades to provide a single reference
point for our customers. Some areas of our support website are
password-protectedplease register your product to receive your
username and password.
To contact Technical Support by telephone:
Asia Pacific Direct:
UK Direct:
US Direct:
+65 633 22 351

+44 208 735 6303
+1 703 740 2244
+1 877 72 ACTIX (US toll-free)
Each region can be contacted between 09:00 and 17:00 local time.
Outside of hours: please leave your contact details and a brief description
of the nature of the call.
To contact Technical Support by email:
Email support@actix.com, including a description of the problem, any
screenshots of error messages, and any small sample files that have a
problem, so we can investigate the reported problems faster.
Actix Solutions 5
Support policy
Actix is committed to respond within the times defined below and will
use reasonable endeavors to achieve this. Please note that these times are
calculated from when they are registered, in terms of Actix local business
hours (9.00am to 5.00pm).
Critical problem
Software is completely unusable: 4-hour

response.
Major problem
Software is usable but functionality is

seriously affected: 8-hour response.
Minor problem
Software is usable with minor problems in

functionality: 16-hour response
New feature request
No problem with the software: n/a
6 Actix Solutions
Actix software licensing

All Actix solutions are licensed 'per-machine'. This means that every
machine that runs an Actix solution has its own license (not normally
transferable between machines). See your licensing agreement for further
details.
Actix solutions are supplied using these forms of license enforcement1.
Standalone, through a plug-in dongle (hardware key) and license

file
Activated, through a connection with an Activation server hosted
by Actix either with, or without, a plug-in dongle
Check with your administrator to determine which licensing method you

will be using.
Instructions on how to perform each of these installations are provided
here. Check that you follow the appropriate installation type when you
install your Actix solution.
Standalone license enforcement uses a combination of these two
elements:
A 'dongle' (small hardware device that plugs into a computer).

There are two types of dongle, one that plugs into a parallel port
and one that plugs into a USB socket.
A license file ('lservrc') that is shipped separately from the
software.
Note Do not edit lservrcif you corrupt this file, you will need to approach Actix for a
replacement.
Customers who purchased software with previous licensing systems should consult the installation guide
provided with the original software.
Actix software licensing 7
Activated license enforcement uses a combination of these two elements:
A Product ID, used to activate the software.

A file ('Activation.xml'), provided as part of the activation process.
This file contains the activation and licensing information.
You may also require a third, check with your administrator:
A 'dongle' (small hardware device that plugs into a computer).
There are two types of dongle, one that plugs into a parallel port
and one that plugs into a USB socket.
Note Do not edit Activation.xml if you corrupt this file, you will need to re-activate
your computer using your unique Machine ID or approach Actix for a
replacement.
Note Using the activation process for the software locks the license file to the unique
combination of hardware in a particular PC. Activation requires the user to make

a one-off connection with the Actix Activation Server.
8 Actix software licensing
Standalone installations
Here are the components of a standalone installation:
lservrc file
Desktop PC
Parallel or USB dongle
Install Solution from the Actix CD
Install a single Actix Solution

Note You must also install Microsoft Excel 97 or later to be able to use your
solution's workbook/spreadsheet functionality.
Note You must also install Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later to be able to use
your solution's advanced map functionality. This can be installed during the Actix
installation and may require the computer to be restarted.
Insert the Actix CD in the CD drive of the computer.
Check that the PC to be used meets the current minimum

specification and has sufficient free disk space available on the
destination drive (refer to the release notes on the Actix CD for
this information).
Select the Install option to start the installation program, and

carry out the on-screen instructions.
If the installation screen does not start after a few seconds, start
Windows Explorer and look in the root directory of the CD for the
file setup.exe. Double-click on setup.exe to begin the
installation.
Standalone installations 9
Plug the dongle into the appropriate parallel port or USB port on
the back of the computer.
Note USB support is only available for Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 2000 or
Windows XP.
Now you need to obtain the information from which Actix can
program your license key file, lservrc.
5
From the Start, Programs, Actix menu, select Management, then

AtxDiagnostics to open the Actix Diagnostics window.
Click Generate Report.
To send the information to Actix, click Copy to clipboard and

paste it into an email to Actix, along with any relevant
information (for example, that this is a request for a license key
file!).
Note Ensure that you do not have more than one file called 'lservrc' on your PC. To
keep an old file, give it a fake extension (for example, 'lservrc.old'), which will
deactivate it.
When you receive the appropriate email from Actix, copy the
lservrc file from the Actix email or floppy disk into:
C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\Bin
10 Standalone installations
Start your Actix Solution

From the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Actix, Analyzer.
If a valid license file is present in the correct location the software will
start immediately.
If no license file is found, the following dialog appears:
If this is a standalone installation, ensure that the second option is

selected and click Next. The dialog below will be displayed.
Click Done.
Now ensure that the license file (lservrc) is present in:
C:\Program Files\Actix\Analyzer\Bin
If you have any problems, proceed to the next section, Troubleshooting

standalone installations.
Troubleshooting standalone installations

Check that the license is working correctly
1
Check that an Actix dongle is securely plugged into the

appropriate parallel or USB port.
From the Actix menu, select Management, then AtxDiagnostics

to open the Actix Diagnostics window.
Click Generate Report.
Contact Actix support and send the report to assist the support
engineer in diagnosing the problem.
12 Standalone installations
About Box
From within your Actix solution's Help menu, select About Actix
Solutions to show this window:
If you need to contact Actix support, make a note of the build number at
the top right.
Check that the licensed solution code is correct and note the adjacent
information.
Activated installations
The components involved in an activated installation are shown in the
diagram below. For a user to be able to operate an activated installation,
the PC on which the Actix software was installed must be connected to
the Actix Activation Server2
Product ID
Desktop PC
Internet
Actix Activation Server
Install Solution from the Actix CD
Install an Actix Solution

Note You must also install Microsoft Excel 97 or later to be able to use your
solution's workbook/spreadsheet functionality.
Note You must also install Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later to be able to use
your solution's advanced map functionality. This can be installed during the Actix
installation and may require the computer to be restarted.
Insert the Actix CD in the CD drive of the computer.
Check that the PC to be used meets the current minimum

specification and has sufficient free disk space available on the
destination drive (refer to the release notes on the Actix CD for
this information).
Select the Install option to start the installation program, and

carry out the on-screen instructions. If the installation screen does
not start after a few seconds, start Windows Explorer and look in
If a direct internet connection to the Activation Server is unavailable, the software can still be activated by
manually exchanging emails with Actix Support.
14 Activated installations
the root directory of the CD for the file setup.exe. Double-click

on setup.exe to begin the installation.
Activate an Actix Solution

Note For instructions on manually activating the software, proceed to the next section,
Manual activation.
Obtain the Product ID from your administrator (which will have

been emailed by Actix).
Note Actix will only supply Product IDs to known contacts within a customers
organisation. Please contact your companys representative to obtain a Product

ID as Actix Support will not give out Product IDs to end-users.
If you require a dongle ensure it is plugged in.
From the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Actix, Analyzer

(or the solution name if different).
Activated installations 15
Ensure the top option is selected and click Next.
Enter the Product ID supplied by your administrator.
The Product ID can be pasted into the four boxes by

copying the complete text and using the Paste button.
6
The user reference field is automatically filled in. This can be used
to assist Actix Support in restoring your activation should the
details be lost. You may accept the default or change it to
something memorable. It is highly recommended that the default
user reference is retained.
Once you have entered the Product ID, click Next.

If the automatic activation fails, in order to manually activate the
product, first select the checkbox, then click Next.
When activation is successful, the dialog below will be displayed.
Make a note of the Machine ID, which is a unique reference for

each computer. The Machine ID can be used to restore your
activation should it become deleted or corrupted.
Note Your Machine ID should be written down, or stored somewhere other than the
computer hard disk, together with the user reference. If something happens to
the computer this information will enable the license to be restored.
Manual activation
1
Obtain the Product ID from your administrator (which will have

been emailed by Actix).
If you require a dongle ensure it is plugged in.
From the Windows Start menu, select Programs, Actix, Analyzer

(or the solution name if different).
Ensure the top option is selected, and click Next.
Enter the Product ID supplied by your administrator.
The Product ID can be pasted into the four boxes by
copying the complete text and using the Paste button.

6
The user reference field is automatically filled in. This can be used
to assist Actix Support in restoring your activation should the
details be lost. You may accept the default or change it to
something memorable. It is highly recommended that the default
user reference is retained.
Once the Product ID has been entered, check the Manual

activation box and click Next.
Make a note of the email address given in this dialog.

Copy the activation details using the Copy button and
paste them into the body of an email (or into a text file and
attach it to the email). Send the email to the previously noted
address or to your Actix support contact.
Click the Exit button to close the wizard.
10 Actix support will provide a file called 'Activation.xml', which

should be saved to:
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Actix\Analyzer\
Note %ALLUSERSPROFILE% is a special windows variable that stores the location of

an area that all users can access. The exact location depends on the version of
Windows for example in a standard Windows XP installation it refers to
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.
11 Make a note of your Machine ID (which is displayed in the About

Actix Solutions box). This is a unique reference for each computer.
Note Your Machine ID should be written down, or stored somewhere other than the
computer hard disk, together with the user reference. If the activation.xml file
becomes corrupted, the Machine ID information will help re-activate your

computer (see below).
Re-activation
It is possible that your software will become de-activated and require reactivation. This can happen if:
The name of the computer changes
The hardware configuration is significantly changed
The 'Activation.xml' file is deleted or corrupted
Re-activation is the same process as activation except that your Machine

ID is already registered by the Actix activation server.
To re-activate, start the Activation Wizard from the Start Menu. If the
Activation.xml file is present, the correct details will be automatically
entered in the wizard. Simply follow the steps to re-activate without
changing any of the details. If you require a dongle, this must be plugged
in to re-activate.
If the Activation.xml file has been lost, enter your Machine ID, rather than
the original Product ID. If the Machine ID has been lost, you will need to
contact Actix support in order to restore your license. Your user reference
will assist Actix Support in restoring your license.
Note Do not attempt to reactivate using the original Product ID as this could result in
an additional license being issued to your computer.
Troubleshooting the activation process

Connecting via a Proxy Server
After entering the Product ID,
an additional dialog may be
displayed. This happens if a
proxy server with authentication
is being used on the network.
Enter the username/password
to initiate a connection to the
Server.
Note If a proxy server is used on your network, this dialog will also appear when you
connect to the Internet using Internet Explorer (or another web browser). Enter
the same username/password that you use to access the Internet.
Communications problem
If the activation process fails due to a problem connecting to the
Activation server, the dialog below will be displayed.
If the same error continues to occur, and the connection to the Internet
appears to be working correctly (for example the website www.actix.com
can be seen using an Internet browser) try activating manually.
Activation denied
If the activation process fails and the dialog below is displayed, all the
purchased licenses are in use. Contact your administrator to request the
purchase of an additional Actix product license.
About Box
From within your Actix solution's Help menu, select About Actix
Solutions to show this window:
If you need to contact Actix support, make a note of the build number at
the top right, the softkey number and the Machine ID number.
Check that the licensed solution code is correct and note the adjacent
information.
General Troubleshooting
Terminal Server Sessions

Actix Solutions will not run inside a remote Terminal Server session even
with a valid standalone or activated license. The software will run if the
user logs in directly at the terminal.
No Lservrc found
If your computer displays the dialog below a valid license was not found.
For dongle-based licenses, this could be because:
the license is temporary and has expired
the dongle has not been detected
the license file is not in the Analyzer\Bin directory
If the dongle is properly attached, the unexpired license is in the proper

place, and the problem persists, contact Actix Support for assistance.
For an activated license this could be because:
the license is temporary and has expired
the computer hardware has been modified since the computer

was activated
the Activation.xml file is not in the proper place3
Reactivating using the Machine ID should solve the problem. If the

problem persists contact Actix Support for assistance.
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Actix\Analyzer\
General Troubleshooting 23
Clock tamper detection

Actix Solutions are protected against clock reversals. If the clock is
reversed, an error message will be displayed.
To correct a computer with a clock reversal problem, contact Actix

Support, attaching the diagnostics report. Actix will provide instructions
to clear the clock reversal using the diagnostic utility.
Diagnostic reporting
To assist Actix support in resolving licensing problems, a diagnostic
utility is supplied as part of the software installation. Please supply a
copy of the diagnostic report with any requests for licensing support.
To start the diagnostic utility, go to Start, Programs, Actix, Management,
AtxDiagnostics. On running the program, a blank window is displayed
with the Report tab selected:
24 General Troubleshooting
Clicking on Generate Report produces the licensing report, and clicking

on Send Report to: lets you send the report directly to Actix Support.
A different address can be typed into the address box, to send to a
specific contact, and the contents of the report can be copied to the
clipboard for use with a different email client.
Applying license fixes provided by Actix Support

The Repair tab can be used when Actix Support has provided a 'time
tamper fix' file to correct a clock reversal problem. Browse for the
appropriate file and click Apply Fix. Full details of the process will be
supplied by Actix Support.
General Troubleshooting 25

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