Answers Database

M1.4: How to auto-start a floating license on the PC?


Record #2416

Product Family:  Software

Product Line:  Merged Core

Problem Title:
M1.4:  How to auto-start a floating license on the PC?


Problem Description:
Keywords: M1, license.dat, floating, autostart, XILINXD, LMGRD, LMUTIL, lmdown

Urgency: Standard

The M1 software licensing scheme uses a LICENSE.DAT file which contains a list
of features that the user has access to.  This license file can either be
"node-locked" or "floating"; for a description of the differences, see
(Xilinx Solution 2001).

The floating license must be started by the administrator of the license
server machine, but no autostart feature is built into the license manager
software.  This solution describes a method for easily starting and stopping
the XILINXD license daemon on a PC license server machine running Windows 95
or Windows NT.


Solution 1:

Create an icon that will auto-start the Xilinx license manager by following
these steps.  These instructions apply to both Windows 95 and Windows NT.

  1. Right-click on the Windows background and select New->Shortcut.

  2. In the Command Line field, enter:

     <path_to_Xilinx>\bin\nt\lmgrd.exe -app -c <path_to_license.dat_file>

For example, with the default settings, this would look like:

     C:\XILINX\BIN\NT\LMGRD.EXE -app -c C:\FLEXLM\LICENSE.DAT

     then click on Next.

  3. Give this icon a name, like "Xilinx M1 License Auto-start", then click
     on Finish.

  4. Next, right click on the new icon and select Properties.  Under the
     Shortcut tab, change the value in the Run field to be "Minimized" (use
     the pulldown menu on the right of this field).

     You can also change the icon under this tab by clicking on "Change Icon".
     Click on OK to complete your changes.


This autostart feature can be run when Windows is started by placing this icon
in the StartUp program group.  Follow these steps to do so:

  1. Right-click on the Windows 95/NT Taskbar and select Properties.

  2. Under the "Start Menu Programs" tab, select Advanced.

  3. On the right hand side of the Explorer window that has opened, double-
     click on Programs, then StartUp.

  4. Drag and drop the new Auto-start icon from the Desktop to this StartUp
     folder while holding down the CTRL key.  The CTRL key will cause this
     function to be a "copy" rather than a "move".  Close the Explorer and
     click on OK in the Taskbar Properties box.

Whenever Windows is started the Xilinx license manager will also be started.




Solution 2:

You should also create an icon that will shut down the License Server before
quitting Windows.

  1. Right-click on the Windows background and select New->Shortcut.

  2. In the Command Line field, enter:

     <path_to_Xilinx>\bin\nt\lmutil.exe lmdown -c <path_to_license.dat_file>

For example, with the default settings, this would look like:

     C:\XILINX\BIN\NT\LMUTIL.EXE lmdown -c C:\FLEXLM\LICENSE.DAT

     then click on Next.

  3. Give this icon a name, like "Shut Down Xilinx M1 License", then click
     on Finish.

  4. Next, right click on the new icon and select Properties.  Under the
     Shortcut tab, change the value in the Run field to be "Minimized" (use
     the pulldown menu on the right of this field).

     You can also change the icon under this tab by clicking on "Change Icon".
     Click on OK to complete your changes.

Simply double-click on this icon to shut down the XILINXD process.



End of Record #2416