Downgrade Intouch Project Version

Hi all, Ive just spent 2 days doing mods to an intouch version 8 project, stupidly, without thinking i upgraded it to version 9 because thats whats installed on my laptop. now i have a version 9 project with a version 8 licence on the customers pc. My question to you, is it possible to downgrade this project to version 8, perhaps by editing a file in the project directory? Dont wory about any compatability issues, im sure there wont be any problems in that department

Problem solved. theres a file in the project directory called "vers_res.inf" which i assume is "version_resolution.inf" i copied the vers_res.inf file from a backup i made which was version 8 into the new version 9 project, open intouch and its now picked up as version 8!

That's good to know! I've also editted the license file using wordpad and changed all the references in the license text from 8.X to 9.x and it worked!

juice76 said:

That's good to know!

Click to expand...

I wouldn't be announcing that, as it is illegal to do. You are simply pirating software if you do that juice.

I might not agree with WonderWare's licencing policies, but I'm not going to steal their software either.

Post reported.

I've never stolen software either. We already owned the license. We maintain our comp support agreement. I was in a situation where I didn't have the license file immediately available and did this to get the plant back running.

This is my last post on this site. I've tried to help people and offer input so they could make their own decisions. But this site is more about ego than about helping people, and I'm tired of people like you trying to refute every suggestion that someone offers.

Adios!!

No, but POSTING a method to violate a license is NOT a good thing to do.

Sorry if you take offense, but that inappropriate is inappropriate. WonderWare charges for upgrades, they don't give them away for free.

I'm at a loss to understand how there is any cheating going on here, but maybe I'm missing something.

It has been a few years since I did any work with WonderWare, but I seem to remember that you can buy either a runtime-only license or a full development license.

If you edit a file to spoof the version of a run-time application, what happens.

Case 1: You change a v 9.x application to look like a v 8.x, so that it can run under a v 8.x runtime license. If the application was edited with v 9.x development and the edit used any of the v 9.x features, then it will probably crash when you try to run it under a v 8.x license.

Case 2: You change a v 8.x application to look like a v 9.x so you can run it under a v 9.x runtime license. What would be the point of that? Presumably a v 9.x runtime license can run v 8.x applications. If not, then shame on Wonderware. Even if it can't, what have you stolen from WonderWare? Presumably you bought the upgrade from v 8.x to v 9.x.

Case 3: You change a v 9.x application to look like a v 8.x, so that it can be edited with a v 8.x development license. If the application was created with v 9.x development and used any of the v 9.x features, then it will probably crash when you try to open it under a v 8.x development license. There's no way you're going to get v 9.x features with a v 8.x development license.

Case 4: You change a v 8.x application to look like a v 9.x so you can edit it with a v 9.x runtime license. Once again, what's the point? Presumably a v 9.x runtime license can import v 8.x applications.

Steve,

Simply put, Editing a license file, in order to 'upgrade it', without purchasing the upgrade, is against the terms of the licensing agreement.

There is no need with WonderWare to ever 'Downgrade' a license file. WindowMaker Version 7 will run just fine with a Vers. 9 license file.

Changing the VERSION of an application to a lower one, cannot be done through WindowMaker, and requires manually editing the actual version info for the application.

Case 1: Can be done only by editing the version information in the application, externally to WindowMaker.
Case 2: Correct, although WindowViewer will need to pass the application through WindowMaker the first time to 'Upgrade it', thus requiring the Vers 9 development license.
Case 3: Correct again, but then it won't run under the version 9 Runtime, unless there was also a version 9 development key to upgrade as in case 2.
Case 4: true again, except that you need the vers 9 development license to edit it, in which case, you manually revert it to version 8 as in case 1.

The point I take issue with, is exploiting WonderWare's software licensing method in order to cheat a development and or runtime up to a newer version.

Especially, as (and I've used WonderWare for years), if you are in need of a license file, a call to them will get you emailed a temporary, 45 day file, so you can accomplish what is needed in the field if you crashed your laptop, or simply forgot to bring the proper license file.

Taking advantages of later versions, without following a proper upgrade path (and unfortunately, fee) is however, piracy.

rdrast..while i do not condone piracy i cannot see what the problem is here..I cannot see how wonderware would be losing money here?..perhaps i am missing something..I do know that AB logix 5000 files have been edited this way to avoid "upgrading" a processor if your software is above the rev of the controller...However by doing this you are limited to only use the functions that are available in the lesser version.. I would assume the same goes for the other way..create a project in an earlier version and upload to a newer version..Again..how is anyone losing money?..The guy on site just got stuck with an out of date software but newer hardware..

Again perhaps i am just being naive and only see the good things..

D

/sigh.
Editing an APPLICATION version is fine, if it works.
Monkeying with a LICENSE FILE is not.
Ever.
The quote from the poster in question involved editing the LICENSE FILE in order to surpass the LICENSE agreement.
Although people may not always agree, software is almost never owned, it is only licensed.
I write software myself, and do one of two things with it. Publish under the GNU agreement (free, just credit me), or license it. Anything I license, can be used (legally) only by the purchaser of the license, and only on the number of computers stated in the license. Modifying the licensed software, or cheating it is a violation of the license agreement.
In the US, that is a very VERY serious offense.
I've known of two companies that have had the FBI march in, and confiscate every single computer on the site, because of a confirmed license violation.
It sucks, but a bootlegged copy of Office on someone's PC can result in just that. All they need to do is call Microsoft for some help, recite the invalid serial number, and boom.

Not pretty, especially in a commercial establishment, where removal of the computers, even for a single day, means "Out of Business".

And, if you want to run that risk, and take that chance, by all means, go for it. But post it here? On a public, professional, website? One that doesn't condone any posting of software 'cracks' ? no... I do not, and never will condone that.

Gee, haven't been back here for a while. Some things never change.


Ethical considerations aside, I think Steve has the gist of it. Trying to run a different version app just by monkeying with the license or the revision file is v.dodgy. I haven't had time to regularly peruse this forum for a long time because I am nearing the end of an oddesey involving changing a plant control system from IPC/NT4/ITv7.1 to PC/XPPro/IT9.5. We stopped at v9.0 along the way but the view was terrible, the food bad and the company ill-mannered - so we moved on to a nicer place. We upgraded 7.1 to 8.0 as a diagnostic tool at one point and at no point did we consider mixing versions of apps and licenses. The whole thing is too buggy, even at 9.5.

See i was missing something..what i was talking about was the application file rather than the licence..i see where you are coming from

@Steve
PS. re. cases 2 and 4, i mean't to add that yes, any higher v. will be able to import a lower version app. it is the first thing it does, either in runtime or development. the fun starts when you then realise that not all features are "forward" compatible and after the auto convert your work is just begginning.LOL

There are many things that are sailing close to the wind - unlocking blocks and backing up licenses are amongst them - I don't believe that Juice intended to imply piracy or cheating , certainly no more than anyone posting the URL's to the .ru websites where much more is available for the dedicated cheat .

Am I missing something here? I've never done this so maybe I don't understand how these licensing files work. The way I read it the original poster said he modified the file that tells the application what version it was created in, not the license file that lets the application software run a different version than you have a license for. If he did not have the license for the version that he changed the application for then it would not run when he tried to start it. I see what he did as very slick and good way to get out of a bind and don't see where he came anywhere close to breaking a license agreement. I agree that monkeying with licenses is unethical, but changing versions of an application is not a big deal.