Answers Database

Aldec Active-VHDL: Key inactivates Foundation install (puts into evaluation mode)


Record #3923

Product Family:  Software

Product Line:  Aldec

Problem Title:
Aldec Active-VHDL:  Key inactivates Foundation install (puts into
evaluation mode)



Problem Description:
Keywords:  dongle, key, license, feature, Foundation,
	   Active-CAD, Aldec, Active-HDL, evaluation, eval

Urgency:  Standard

General Description:

If a Foundation customer receives a dongle from Aldec for their
Active-VHDL project, it may inactivate the user's Foundation
environment.  The Foundation tools will appear to function
initially, but the user will have lost access to certain
applications and functions which should be available with
Foundation.  The Foundation tools will be put into an
evaluation mode.

This problem occurs because the hardware key which Aldec
supplied the customer authorizes Active-VHDL only.  When the
Foundation Project Manager is started, it senses the key,
sees that it is not authorized for many of the Foundation
features, and thus puts Foundation into an evaluation mode.
Foundation itself does not require the key, but if it does see
a key, it will read it and obey the features on the key.

There are 2 possible solutions to this problem.


Solution 1:

Contact Aldec, and they will supply you with a new keycode
which will reprogram the key to authorize the Foundation
features as well as the Active-VHDL features.  Aldec may be
reached at:

phone:	702-456-1222
email:	support@aldec.com

Aldec will need the number of the key, which may be found on
the hardware key itself.



Solution 2:

By simply removing the hardware key from the parallel port of
the PC, Foundation will again work as normal.  However, you
will not be able to use Active-VHDL until you return the key
to the port.



End of Record #3923