Table of Contents
Activating FotoStation with a License Server
Learn how to activate FotoStation using a license server rather than through online software activation.
31. March 2025
Table of Contents
Activation with a license server
In certain environments where software activation over the Internet is not possible, Fotoware may deliver a license file that is hosted on a license server. FotoStation connects to this license server when starting up to check out an available license from this server.
This document does not deal with the actual setup of the license server. Instead, it focuses on configuring your client machine to connect to the license server and check out a license.
If you need help setting up the license server, see Setting up a Fotoware license server.
Step-by-step procedure (Windows)
- Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
- Switch to the Advanced tab and select Environment Variables.
- Under the System Variables section (bottom), select New.
- Enter the following values:
Variable name: LM_LICENSE_FILE
Variable value: @servername
Note: If the server is configured to use another port, use this form: 2000@servername - Select OK three times to close all dialogs.
- Start the application, which will now be licensed for this computer.
The attached license file replaces any already issued product key.
Note: A working connection to the license server is required for subsequent program startups. If the license server cannot be reached, the activation wizard will be started and a product key must be filled in before the program will start.
Tip: When using Group Policy to deploy FotoStation in an enterprise you can configure this setting directly in the MSI file before deployment. Thus, there will be no need to manually configure the setting on every FotoStation client in the network.
Step-by-step procedure (Mac OS Mountain Lion and newer)
On Mac, you must create a plain text file inside your user folder that the activation tools will use to locate the license server.
If you have already started a trial mode of FotoStation on your Mac, the file will already be in your user folder.
The file, called .flexlmrc, is stored in the user's home folder and is hidden. However, you can find it in the folder using the ls -al command to list the folder contents in the Terminal.
The file can be edited with any plain text editor such as vi, pico, or TextEdit.
Tip: If you're using TextEdit to open the file, you may have to press Command-Shift-period in the Open dialog box to display hidden files.
The file typically contains one line per vendor using the FlexNet activation tools.
Look for this line:
FOTOWARE_LICENSE_FILE=
Typically, the value following the equal sign will point to a local folder.
You can change it to the location where the license file is stored or to the license server address.
Examples: With a license file, the line may read: FOTOWARE_LICENSE_FILE=/license.lic. This would indicate that the license file, called license.lic, is stored on the root of the system volume.
With a license server specified, the line could, for instance, read:
FOTOWARE_LICENSE_FILE=@licserver
This would indicate that the license server software runs on the server called licserver and that the service communicates on the default port.
Defining an alternative port number
If your license server is configured to use an alternative port number, you can specify this in the connection string as such:
FOTOWARE_LICENSE_FILE=2000@licserver
This will try to locate a license by accessing licserver on port 2000.
Save the changes to the .flexlm file and start FotoStation to test that it runs.
Note: If a trial of FotoStation has been initialized, the trial will keep on running until it times out (30 days), at which point a regular license will be checked out from the license server. Because the license file/server connection is stored per user, you will need to copy the .flexlmrc file to the home folders of all the users of the Mac that need access to FotoStation.