General
The Structural Engineering Library Version 6.0 must be installed on the specific computer where it will be used. This differs from the installation of prior versions where the software could be installed on a server and remote computers could launch it just using a simple link.
Activation of the software requires an Internet connection to get an unlock code. Most users will have an Internet connection on their computer and simply press the "Activate" button......activation takes seconds. If your computer does not have an Internet connection you can easily get an unlock code using a web browser and entering just two numeric codes and then entering the resulting code into your software.
This new "design" is required because the software uses many components that must be registered with the operating system on the specific computer that will be used.
Single User License
When the software is installed on a specific computer and the activation of the software happens on that computer we use the term "Single User License". You will install the software, paste in your "Product Control Code" and then request an Internet Activation. You can have the software installed on multiple machines and easily deactivate on one and activate on another. If you do not have a network and would like the multiple licenses we can set you up so your "License Code" allows multiple currently activated licenses.
Please contact ENERCALC for the installation program links.
Multi-User Network Licenses
Multi-User Network Installations require that the software be installed on each computer where it will be operated. So see the above section but ignore any mention of Product Control Codes, License Codes and Internet Activation. You will simply be installing the software onto the computer.
For a Network Installation of this product to operate the computer MUST be connected to a local TCP/IP network so they can access the ENERCALC Network License Manager. In such a network each computer is identified by four three-digit "IP" addresses like this: 222-333-444-555. In a local network the first three groups of numbers are the same, I.E. 192.168.1.??? and each group can be a number from 1 to 255.
The network license manager uses the fourth group as the "subnet" to communicate within. A common term is "subnet scanning" or "subnet broadcasting". This is very common and is very fast. SafeNet uses this method with their software license managers (Risa Technologies uses their products).
In the future we hope to allow non-local IP networks to be connected and allow a single ENERCALC Network License Manager (in fact the current version does have working code for this but it has not been proven 100% operational).
For network installations you will install one extra piece of software, the "ENERCALC Network License Manager" as seen in the screen capture above from the installation program.
The ENERCALC Network License Manager can reside on any computer connected to your local network. It does not need to be on your server.....although it MUST be running whenever you want to run the Structural Engineering Library.
File Installation Details
It is intended that the program files for the software that will be read only will be stored in the program file location. Other data files will be stored in common locations where they can be accessed and read/written by the program and each of it's users.
| • | Program Files: The installation program (by default) installs the program portion of the software in Drive:\Program Files\ENERCALC_6 |
| • | Database Files: The installation program will place the steel, wood, seismic, and other databases into Drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ENERCALC Common Data Files\. These files need to be accessible to all computer users (not just the "current" user) |
| • | User created data files : The installation program will create a folder under your own personal folder in Drive:\Documents and Settings\ names "My Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\". So as an example for a user named John Doe the Enercalc user data file location for that user is : Drive:\Documents and Settings\John Doe\My Documents\ENERCALC Data Files\ |
| • | Registry Key : The installation program creates a registry entry "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ENERCALC\V6" where all of the transient information for that particular user is kept, including last opened files, title block settings, last used database information, scanner settings, support settings, etc. There will be one of these registry entries created dynamically for each user. |
| • | Registry Key : The Installation program creates, and the Structural Engineering Library program maintains, and registry entry "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ENERCALC\V6\LICENSE" where your Product Control Code is stored. This item is read when the program is started and needs to be accessible to all users. |
Uninstallation
We provide an "Uninstall" program so that you can easily remove the software if needed. This will remove all files BUT will not remove the registry entries. It also cannot remove the license protection information written to the hard disk.....but that is completely benign and has absolutely no effect if left in place.
Caution: The uninstallation process will also remove the file names "examples.ec6" because it was previously installed. If you are using this file to keep your work (absolutely not advised) it will be removed during the uninstall process.