the_msp said:
...I was 1/2 hour on the phone with RA tech support and he told me every time I want to go from laptop to desktop I need to re-host... which surely defeats the purpose of the dongle...
Were ye specifically discussing the USB Dongle Host ID option and they said you'd need to Rehost the Activation everytime you move the USB Dongle from one machine to the other?
Please, say it ain't so?
The answer to your opening question is, of course, yes. But, what you did not mention requiring, or perhaps do not realise, is this - you can use both copies of the software simultaneously.
Each time you plug in the USB Dongle, and sucessfully Activate the software, you will have a 7 day grace period without the USB Dongle before the software will stop working, requiring Activation again. Plugging in the USB Dongle once more will reset the grace period and you will have another 7 days grace without the USB Dongle.
In other words, after Activating the software on both machines, you can leave the USB Dongle in one machine, or neither, and continue to use the software on both machines. Another option is to Activate the software, remove the USB Dongle, and leave the software open and the machine running. This keeps the Activation current, without grace period prompts, for 4 hours, after which FactoryTalk Activation Manager will again check that the hardware Host ID is still present i.e. USB Dongle. If not, it will then start prompting that the software is now running under the grace period.
I just read this latest post while composing this, so I'll comment on it now...
Racer5039 said:
The MSP, There are 2 different Dongles. The old one you would need to move the LIc. from one to the other.
The newer, 9509-USB-dong2, you do not. Just plug it in a give it a couple sec. for the computer to find the needed files.
Hi Racer5039,
Just a couple of minor, but important corrections here, if you don't mind?...
First, for the older 9509-USB-DONG - you do not need to "move" the licence files, from one machine to another, each time you move the USB Dongle between machines. At initial Activation setup, you simply copy the licence file(s), to the necessary Activations folder on each machine, and then no more needs be done with the licence file(s). You then just move the USB Dongle to each machine, where a copy of the same licence file(s) already reside, and the software product(s) should be Activated.
Secondly, for the 9509-USB-DONG2 with storage - you must manually, and explicitly, create a folder named "Activations" on the root of the USB storage and then place a copy of the licence file(s) in this folder. Only then will FactoryTalk Activation Manager (v3.50 or higher) automatically detect the licence file(s), once the USB Dongle has been plugged in to the machine.
You might be fully aware of that second part, but your statement suggests, to me, that it somehow happens automatically.
Now I see Timbert has also semi corrected you. Keen eyes indeed.
Regards,
George