FT View SE Editing Without License

Mark Cole

Member
Join Date
Nov 2014
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Posts
11
In FT View SE 5.10 you can edit your application on the PC running without a Studio design license. A client license will allow edits. Is this still true in FT View SE 8.0?
 
Wait, what ? Are you sure about that ?

Are you suggesting that specific features of FactoryTalk View Studio can be activated by a FactoryTalk View Client license ?

I'm ready to be wrong, but I've never heard of that.
 
I'm almost positive that I have done what Mark is asking. I think you get away with it because of the 7 day grace period and again from memory I have made edits years after the original install without an activation for studio.
 
Grace Period would be one thing, but activating "edits" with a Client license is something else.

I've used Grace Period, and I've used Toolkits, and I've used FTView SE Studio licenses. It never occurred to me to try to use a Client license.

It's an interesting question and I'll be watching to see if an authoritative answer comes up !
 
Wait, what ? Are you sure about that ?

Are you suggesting that specific features of FactoryTalk View Studio can be activated by a FactoryTalk View Client license ?

I'm ready to be wrong, but I've never heard of that.

100% sure just did it this morning. But on V5.10 not sure if it works in V8.0.

I don't think it's 7 days grace period though or if that's it thwen it works strange because we have been makiong edits to this appliction on the pc several times a year for 2+ years and we don't currently have a studio license at this site.
 
I have a site dump of FTV SE 5.1...which when I try opening gives an error saying that "HMI Server Services Fail to Load ...could not open project with more than 5 displays..."
(above words might not be exact)

Any solution to this ??
Is it a FTV issue or license issue ??
 
Mark: Wow ! Thanks for the confirmation and details. I don't know if that's an intentional or un-intentional feature.


Meghnesh: Please start a new thread for your different topic.

Even though it appears related to this one, Mark is making an assertion about Version 5.10 and asking a specific question about Version 8, rather than troubleshooting a problem with version 5.10.
 
Authoratative Answer

FactoryTalk View SE Station or Client licenses DO NOT activate FactoryTalk View Studio.

Mark Cole said:
In FT View SE 5.10 you can edit your application on the PC running without a Studio design license. A client license will allow edits. Is this still true in FT View SE 8.0?

Mark,

It may appear to you that the above is the case, but I'll wager you that it is not the case.

Mark Cole said:
100% sure just did it this morning. But on V5.10 not sure if it works in V8.0.

I don't think it's 7 days grace period though or if that's it thwen it works strange because we have been makiong edits to this appliction on the pc several times a year for 2+ years and we don't currently have a studio license at this site.

Your "100% sure" that it "works" in the way that you think it "works", but then you "don't think it's 7 days grace period" and that "it works strange" if it is. You sound like you're not so sure how it works, so you've assumed it works in the manner you've described, because you think you don't have a View Studio license.

Did you, or one of your current colleagues, set this distributed system up originally?
How sure are you that you don't have a View Studio license?
Are you being told, or have you checked?
If so, where have you checked?

With respect to you and your colleagues, Mark, I don't think ye fully understand how your system is set up and works, especially for activations? You have to remember that SE is a distributed architecture at its core, and not just at the Server/Client level. What you cannot see before you does not mean it is not present elsewhere.

What's what...

Activation Key: A unique activation key is provided with each product that is purchased.

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Server - comes with the activation key RSVSESRV.XXX (.XXX = Display Count).

FactoryTalk View SE Client - comes with the activation key RSVSECLI.RW for a normal Read/Write Client, and the key RSVSECLI.RO for a Read-Only Client.

FactoryTalk View Studio for Site Edition - comes with the activation key RSV.STUDIO.

Activation keys need to be individually activated with a licence file and a hardware Host ID. They can each have a unique Host ID, or have the same Host ID, but the license files must be unique to each of these activation keys.

Activation Types:

Local Node-Locked - This activation is locked to a stand-alone computer and allows unlimited use of the software on that computer.

Mobile - This activation is locked to a hardware dongle and allows unlimited use of the software on any computer where the dongle is present.

Shared Concurrent - This type of activation is locked to a networked FactoryTalk Activation Server, again, usually the SE Server computer. It can then be shared with other computers on the network.

Note: FactoryTalk View Studio uses a concurrent activation.

Licensing installation options...

Dedicated Licence: Install the activation key local to the computer where the product will be run.

RSVSESRV.XXX - Install the activation key for each SE Server that will be run on the computer. (A single computer may have more than one SE Server). SE Server activations must only be used as Dedicated Licenses.

RSVSECLI.RW / RSVSECLI.RO - Install this activation key on each computer that requires a dedicated SE Display Client. This key is shareable, which means that if you have more than one SE Display Client running on the same computer, each instance will share the same key.

RSV.STUDIO - Install the activation on each computer that will run FactoryTalk View Studio. This activation is shareable, which means that each FactoryTalk View Studio session that is opened on the same computer, will share that activation.

Note: You usually see FactoryTalk View Studio installed as a dedicated license for a single user on a single computer using the Local FactoryTalk Directory.

Floating License: Install all activation keys on the computer running the FactoryTalk Directory. This is usually, but not necessarily, the SE Server computer.

RSVSESRV.XXX - Do not use an SE Server license as a floating key. Servers must be Dedicated only.

RSVSECLI.RW / RSVSECLI.RO - On the FactoryTalk Directory computer, install one activation key for each computer that will be running the SE Display Client at the same time.

RSV.STUDIO - On the FactoryTalk Directory computer, install one activation key for each computer that will be running FactoryTalk View Studio at the same time. If only one RSV.Studio key is installed, then only one View Studio session can be run at any one time on a networked Client.

Floating licenses can be checked out, or borrowed from the Activation Server. Only products that use concurrent activations, such as View Studio, can be checked out or borrowed.

Once an Activation Server has been set up, and floating concurrent licenses installed for sharing, you then set up Clients to look to the Activation Server by using the Network FactoryTalk Directory on the Client computers.

How Borrowing Activations Works:

A user on the network can borrow an activation, or even a pool of activations, from the Server, and then disconnect from the network. The borrowed activation has a "borrow term", which is an expiry date after which the product will fail to activate for that user. The user does not need to go back on the network, or return the expired activation. It simply becomes available again on the Server after the expiry date.

How Floating Activations Work:

When a computer connects to the network and runs a software product, such as FactoryTalk View Studio, it automatically "checks out" an activation from the Activation Server and the product activates. The Server may only have one activation for that product, or a pool of activations. When the product shuts down, the activation automatically "checks in" again to the Server, freeing it up for another user. This checking out and checking in, of the activation from the Server, happens automatically without a user knowing or having to intervene.

It's my hunch that you have a Concurrent license for FactoryTalk View Studio installed as a Floating license, on a FactoryTalk Activation Server, on the SE Server, or indeed another computer that was chosen to host activations. When you open View Studio, it is retrieving this license from the remote Activation Server, via the FactoryTalk Network Directory and returning it once closed.

Your copy of FactoryTalk Activation Manager, on your programming computer, will not normally show up the activation for View Studio because it resides elsewhere. You may be seeing a local activation for your Client license in FTAM, if the Client license was installed using the Dedicated licensing option. So it would appear as though that is the only likely license that could be allowing you to open an activated session of View Studio.

You could uninstall FactoryTalk View SE Client from this computer and I'll bet you FactoryTalk View Studio will mysteriously continue to work. Less drastic, you could temp remove the Client license file from the local Activations folder and see does View Studio still run. Even less drastic again, you could simply open Tools>Diagnostics Viewer... in View Studio and see if you find anything interesting to report back?

Now, if I do turn out to be wrong, which of course only happens on rare occasions :p, and you can activate FactoryTalk View Studio by only having a Client licence, I'll eat my View Studio Activation Certificate! đź““

Best regards,
George
 
I have been doing the same with a v6.1 project for a few years that I thought was possibly a (fortunate for me) glitch on one particular site. Interesting to hear that others experience the same thing though.

I did setup the project originally and can 100% vouch that there is no view studio licence on the network.
How it does work though, I cannot say.
Cheers,
Daniel
 
FactoryTalk View SE Station or Client licenses DO NOT activate FactoryTalk View Studio.



Mark,

It may appear to you that the above is the case, but I'll wager you that it is not the case.



Your "100% sure" that it "works" in the way that you think it "works", but then you "don't think it's 7 days grace period" and that "it works strange" if it is. You sound like you're not so sure how it works, so you've assumed it works in the manner you've described, because you think you don't have a View Studio license.

Did you, or one of your current colleagues, set this distributed system up originally?
How sure are you that you don't have a View Studio license?
Are you being told, or have you checked?
If so, where have you checked?

With respect to you and your colleagues, Mark, I don't think ye fully understand how your system is set up and works, especially for activations? You have to remember that SE is a distributed architecture at its core, and not just at the Server/Client level. What you cannot see before you does not mean it is not present elsewhere.

What's what...

Activation Key: A unique activation key is provided with each product that is purchased.

FactoryTalk View Site Edition Server - comes with the activation key RSVSESRV.XXX (.XXX = Display Count).

FactoryTalk View SE Client - comes with the activation key RSVSECLI.RW for a normal Read/Write Client, and the key RSVSECLI.RO for a Read-Only Client.

FactoryTalk View Studio for Site Edition - comes with the activation key RSV.STUDIO.

Activation keys need to be individually activated with a licence file and a hardware Host ID. They can each have a unique Host ID, or have the same Host ID, but the license files must be unique to each of these activation keys.

Activation Types:

Local Node-Locked - This activation is locked to a stand-alone computer and allows unlimited use of the software on that computer.

Mobile - This activation is locked to a hardware dongle and allows unlimited use of the software on any computer where the dongle is present.

Shared Concurrent - This type of activation is locked to a networked FactoryTalk Activation Server, again, usually the SE Server computer. It can then be shared with other computers on the network.

Note: FactoryTalk View Studio uses a concurrent activation.

Licensing installation options...

Dedicated Licence: Install the activation key local to the computer where the product will be run.

RSVSESRV.XXX - Install the activation key for each SE Server that will be run on the computer. (A single computer may have more than one SE Server). SE Server activations must only be used as Dedicated Licenses.

RSVSECLI.RW / RSVSECLI.RO - Install this activation key on each computer that requires a dedicated SE Display Client. This key is shareable, which means that if you have more than one SE Display Client running on the same computer, each instance will share the same key.

RSV.STUDIO - Install the activation on each computer that will run FactoryTalk View Studio. This activation is shareable, which means that each FactoryTalk View Studio session that is opened on the same computer, will share that activation.

Note: You usually see FactoryTalk View Studio installed as a dedicated license for a single user on a single computer using the Local FactoryTalk Directory.

Floating License: Install all activation keys on the computer running the FactoryTalk Directory. This is usually, but not necessarily, the SE Server computer.

RSVSESRV.XXX - Do not use an SE Server license as a floating key. Servers must be Dedicated only.

RSVSECLI.RW / RSVSECLI.RO - On the FactoryTalk Directory computer, install one activation key for each computer that will be running the SE Display Client at the same time.

RSV.STUDIO - On the FactoryTalk Directory computer, install one activation key for each computer that will be running FactoryTalk View Studio at the same time. If only one RSV.Studio key is installed, then only one View Studio session can be run at any one time on a networked Client.

Floating licenses can be checked out, or borrowed from the Activation Server. Only products that use concurrent activations, such as View Studio, can be checked out or borrowed.

Once an Activation Server has been set up, and floating concurrent licenses installed for sharing, you then set up Clients to look to the Activation Server by using the Network FactoryTalk Directory on the Client computers.

How Borrowing Activations Works:

A user on the network can borrow an activation, or even a pool of activations, from the Server, and then disconnect from the network. The borrowed activation has a "borrow term", which is an expiry date after which the product will fail to activate for that user. The user does not need to go back on the network, or return the expired activation. It simply becomes available again on the Server after the expiry date.

How Floating Activations Work:

When a computer connects to the network and runs a software product, such as FactoryTalk View Studio, it automatically "checks out" an activation from the Activation Server and the product activates. The Server may only have one activation for that product, or a pool of activations. When the product shuts down, the activation automatically "checks in" again to the Server, freeing it up for another user. This checking out and checking in, of the activation from the Server, happens automatically without a user knowing or having to intervene.

It's my hunch that you have a Concurrent license for FactoryTalk View Studio installed as a Floating license, on a FactoryTalk Activation Server, on the SE Server, or indeed another computer that was chosen to host activations. When you open View Studio, it is retrieving this license from the remote Activation Server, via the FactoryTalk Network Directory and returning it once closed.

Your copy of FactoryTalk Activation Manager, on your programming computer, will not normally show up the activation for View Studio because it resides elsewhere. You may be seeing a local activation for your Client license in FTAM, if the Client license was installed using the Dedicated licensing option. So it would appear as though that is the only likely license that could be allowing you to open an activated session of View Studio.

You could uninstall FactoryTalk View SE Client from this computer and I'll bet you FactoryTalk View Studio will mysteriously continue to work. Less drastic, you could temp remove the Client license file from the local Activations folder and see does View Studio still run. Even less drastic again, you could simply open Tools>Diagnostics Viewer... in View Studio and see if you find anything interesting to report back?

Now, if I do turn out to be wrong, which of course only happens on rare occasions :p, and you can activate FactoryTalk View Studio by only having a Client licence, I'll eat my View Studio Activation Certificate! đź““

Best regards,
George

I have setup a couple dozen implementations of FT View ME / Se Station and SE Distributed so I have a good handle on how it works. Considering That I built the PC's that these run on from parts and do all software installs I can assure you there are no studio licenses in place. As I said we dont even have any studio licenses.

I doubt it's from 7 day grace period because I have been doing this on setups (that I setup) for 2+ years.
 

Similar Topics

Hi, its been awhile, hope y'all are well. I do not have RSView Studio or whatever the HMI specific programs are for working with .mer files I have...
Replies
2
Views
265
Hello all, I am having trouble when I try to open my .mer from the PV. It keeps telling me "Uncofigured shortcut detected". The problem is, when I...
Replies
2
Views
1,408
Hi, I've been loving the new view designer. I am trying to figure out how to modify a shape made with the pen tool. Much like in Factorytalk...
Replies
0
Views
1,043
I was handed a FT View file to make a few simple edits on a screen. The file has a login/security screen that comes up at power-up. I have a spare...
Replies
0
Views
2,057
Morning All, Has anyone else experienced this where when drawing lines between blocks or deleting lines and pasting blocks the view randomly...
Replies
1
Views
2,559
Back
Top Bottom