Using the License Server

In order to avoid having to activate a callas software product, you can use a reference to a running License Server in the call to that product. The License Server needs to be activated, it needs to be running and it needs to have valid cartridges installed.

The "licenseserver" option points the callas software product to the License Server so it can get permission to run your call.

./pdfToolbox --licenseserver=<ip or hostname of licenseserver> <other command-line parameters>
Click to copy

The parameter specifies the IP address of the License Server you want to use. Please note that all callas products also support DNS names for the --licenseserver option. Optionally, this can be followed with a colon and a port number. If you use the default License Server port (1400), the port doesn't have to be specified.

Support for 'configuration file' with defined IPs

There is a way to change all usages of our configurators if new or extra IPs are to be defined. It is possible using a 'global' configuration file.

This can be done by storing a "LicenserServer.txt" that contains IPs (and ports) at the same place where a "License.txt" would usually be searched. The system path for different Operating Systems are mentioned here.

Please note:

The formatting of this "LicenserServer.txt" should be a single LicenseServer per line, like:

10.0.0.15:<valid port if required>
10.0.1.2
internalLS.callas.local
Click to copy

Important to note:

  • If a LicenseServer.txt exists, a --licenseserver command is not necessary. If --licenseserver is defined nonetheless, these IPs will be tried first
  • Needless to say that in order to initialise and use the LicenseServer, at least one --licenseserver option OR LicenseServer.txt is needed

Using the License Server with Desktop products

Once the License Server is activated and running with a valid cartridge for pdfToolbox/pdfaPilot Desktop installed, you can run your Desktop and Server products without activating a hardware bound license to it. Simply go to callas pdfToolbox > About callas pdfToolbox

Alternatively, you can also go to callas pdfToolbox > Help > About callas pdfToolbox.

Once a new window pops up, you can click on the checkbox 'Use License Server'.

Then click on the 'License Server settings' edit button in order to define your IP to use License Server via the desktop product.

License server details in 'LicenseServer.json'

A "licenseserver.json" can alternatively be placed manually in User-Preferences OR AllUser-Preferences OR Program-folder, which defines if a license server is available over UDP or IP (in case of the latter, over which IPs it is available). The format of 'LicenseServer.json' is as follows:

{
    "use": true,
    "udp": false,
    "fixed": true,
    "url": ["10.0.0.25", "xx.x.x.xx", ...]
}
Click to copy

While looking for pdfToolbox, it checks for License.txt but if a LicenseServer.json exists, the keys are searched there while overwriting  the original application settings.

Using the License Server with pdfToolbox/pdfaPilot Server/CLI

  • Start the server via the CLI with: pdftoolbox --server --licenseserver='URL'
/Applications/callas pdfToolbox Server 13/cli/pdfToolbox --server --licenseserver="127.0.0.1:1444"
Click to copy

This would open the status window:

  • With "Connect with remote server" or "Start a server" the jobs should be visible and can be started.