Launching Vectorworks on a Client Machine

When you launch the Vectorworks program, it communicates with the Vectorworks Site Protection Server software. You need to have a network connection to the server machine, and the server machine must be running the server software.

Once you have borrowed a software license, you don't need a network connection (when borrowing is permitted).

Launching the Vectorworks Program

1. Launch the Vectorworks program.

The Login Settings dialog box opens. The server connection options may have been set by your system administrator; these should not be changed.

►    Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Connection
Automatically find servers	Connects to the Vectorworks Site Protection Server automatically; the server machine port number field is not available. If there is a problem with automatic server detection (which may occur in VPN or segmented networks), deselect this option and manually enter the server information in Primary server.
Servers	Opens the Servers dialog box, for managing servers available for site protection (see Site Protection Servers)
Primary server	If Automatically find servers is not selected, enter the server’s IP address and the port number. Set the port number to the same number as the RLM server's port number. The default setting is 5053.
Modules	Select the module (Vectorworks product) that you need and that you are permitted to use
Third party	Opens the Third party modules dialog box, to select any modules that come from a third party, that exist on the server’s license file, and that you are permitted to use
Borrow	When permitted, allows the license for the selected module to be borrowed for the specified number of days, without requiring connection to the server during that time. The maximum borrowing time is 30 days.
Return	A borrowed license can be returned early. Click Return to connect to the server and return the borrowed license. The borrowing time expires automatically; you only need to click Return if you are returning borrowed software early. When borrowing expires, the client license is automatically released and you can no longer launch the software.
Borrowed license expires after: __ days	Enter the number of days to borrow the software license, up to 30 days. At midnight on the last day of the borrowing time period, the license is be automatically released, and you can no longer launch the software.
Info	When software licenses have been borrowed, displays the modules and their remaining borrowing time (number of days)
Don't show at startup	Logs directly in with the current settings, bypassing the Login Settings dialog box for future launches. The display can be re-enabled from the Session tab of the Vectorworks preferences.

2. From the Modules list, select the module you want to launch.

Depending on the license, certain modules may not be available. Multiple modules cannot be selected. Third-party options may be regionally available.

Once you have selected a module and logged in, you cannot change to a different module until you shut down the Vectorworks program and log in again.

The workspaces available when Vectorworks is running depend on the selected module.

3. Click Login. When the Vectorworks application successfully connects to the server machine, and the Vectorworks Site Protection Server approves it, the Vectorworks program launches.

If the license cannot be obtained, an alert opens, showing the name of the module(s).

When the Vectorworks application is running, click Login Settings from the Session tab of the Vectorworks Preferences dialog box to access the Login Settings dialog box; click Connection to view the currently connected server IP address and port number. If the Don't show at startup option was set and you want to change it, you can re-enable the display at startup.

Site Protection Servers

The Servers dialog box lists the servers that can be connected. Server connections are normally established by a system administrator.

Available servers and port numbers are listed in connection order. If the primary server is down, or doesn’t permit a module to be checked out, the next server in the list is accessed.

To manage the site protection servers:

1. From the Login Settings dialog box, click Servers.

The Servers dialog box opens.

►    Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Server IP address and port number	Specify the server’s IP address and port number. Use Latin characters for the input. Use periods as the delimiter for the IP address.
Server list	Lists available servers, in priority order
Add	Adds the currently entered server information to the list of available servers
Remove	Deletes the currently selected server from the list of servers; the primary server cannot be removed
Move Up/ Move Down	Changes the priority list order by moving the selected server up or down in the list

2. Click OK to return to the Login Settings dialog box.

The amount of time spent checking for servers on the network can be edited in the LoginDialog.xml file in the <AutoFindMaxTime> parameter. The default is 1 second.

Connection Errors

The Vectorworks program periodically communicates with the Vectorworks Site Protection Server (unless a license is borrowed). The connection is verified at a fixed interval of ten seconds.

If the connection to the server is lost due to a temporary network problem, an alert opens. Click Retry, and try to reconnect. If the connection is successful, you can continue working. If the connection is still unsuccessful, click Save and Quit. All unsaved work files are saved, and the Vectorworks program closes.

Determine the cause of unexpected connection issues or contact your system administrator for help in restarting the server connection. The administrator can verify the operating status of the Vectorworks Site Protection Server.

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Borrowing and Returning a Vectorworks License

Error Messages

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