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This section describes how to troubleshoot issues with licensing.

Troubleshooting Linux issues

Before going any further, the license manager requires root permissions in order to run some commands.

The license manager must be run as root.

Troubleshooting Activation Keys Issues

Cannot connect to Activation Server

To generate a license file using an activation key, you must be able to connect to the RLM activation server via the internet. 

The activation server URL is http://hostedactivation.com/cmlabs.

Verify the Connection to the Activation Server

To Verify the Connection to the Activation Server on Windows

The connection status to the activation server is available via the Vortex License Manager.

Launch the Vortex License Manager.

The status of the activation server is displayed with icons on the status bar.

A warning will be shown should there be an issue.

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Verify the Connection to the Activation Server on Linux

Execute the following command:

The status appears on the screen.

Fixing Connection to the Activation Server Issues

If you have no connection to the activation server, check your Internet connection.

• If the machine cannot access the Internet, see Generating Node-Locked License Files for Another Computer to generate license files from another machine.

• If the machine has limited access to the Internet, it needs to be able to reach the activation server at http://hostedactivation.com/cmlabs .

• If your connection is good, the problem is likely an issue with the activation server. Try again later.

The license file was deleted from the computer

If for some reason a license file was deleted on a given PC, it can be regenerated using the same activation key on the same machine even if the key was already activated. 

Reusing an activation key is only allowed on the same machine originally used for license file generation.

Troubleshooting Reported Licensing Errors

Vortex Studio applications are giving you licensing errors. The first step is to inspect the available licenses.

Inspecting existing licenses

Launch the Vortex Studio License Manager application to see any existing Vortex Studio licenses that are currently available appear.

For more details, see Inspecting Existing Licenses

The window also shows any detected license errors. See below.

Verifying the Connection to a License Server

When you connect to a license server, a special server.lic license file is generated in the license folder. The license file indicates the computer that hosts the license manager. If the host is valid but a license server is not running, Vortex Studio can encounter performance issues (license checks gets very slow as each time the connection times out).

The Vortex License Manager application can detect that the host is valid while the license server is not running, and alert you.

If you are not connected to the license server, please see Connecting to a License Server.

Detecting Server Connection Errors

Vortex Studio-based applications (i.e., Vortex Studio Editor, Vortex Studio Player, Vortex Studio Director and Simapp) all report server connection errors. In Windows, when an application detects a server connection error, it prompts you to start the Vortex License Manager application.

To diagnose a server connection error, use the Vortex License Manager.

To Diagnose a Server Connection Error (Windows)

1. Launch the Vortex License Manager. If the application detects a server connection error, an error message appears.

2. Make sure the server is running at the specified location.

3. If the hostname:port is invalid, delete the file.

To Diagnose a Server Connection Error (Linux)

1. Launch the Vortex License Manager with the following parameters:

   ./VortexLicenseManager --list

2. The command lists all license files and their available product. If the application detects a server connection error, the following message appears:

   License server at address <your machine>:<port e.g. 5053> is not running. Please start the server or delete the <file name> license file to remove the reference to this server.

3. Make sure the server is running at the given location.

4. If the hostname:port is invalid, delete the file.

Fixing Server Connection Errors

When there is a server connection error, the application prompts you to do the following:

• Check that the license server is running on the machine with the hostname specified in the error message.

  • The server should be started on that machine.

  • If the server is running, check if the machine is reachable from the client machine.

• Delete the file that refers to the license server.

• When running a license server behind a firewall, please make sure your firewall settings are properly configured to allow communication with the license server.

  • Check firewall settings, the license server needs 2 ports

    • 5053

    • the default RLM server port, which by default change every time it restarts.

  • For more information about this, please refer to the License Servers section.