Industrial

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions and Application Notes

We have documented the answers to the most frequently asked questions to enable you to find answers easily and quickly directly.

Licensing

Transfer runtime licenses (License Manager V4)

The runtime license enables the full functionality of a product on one computer. You cannot use the same license a second time.

If you like to transfer the runtime license from one PC to the other, then please send us your license key (format: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX) or a copy of your license sheet per e-mail to: support.automation[at]softing[dot]com

The license key can be found on the delivery CD case or a separate license sheet.

The state of license will be reset by Softing.

Please delete the license file (.lic) for the product on your old PC. To do this, navigate to the license directory in the License Manager V4:Configuration -> Settings -> License path… -> Open License DirectoryDelete here the old license file.

After that you can activate your license once again on another computer.

Note:
The hardlock driver blocks the access to the dongle when using Terminal Server or connecting through Remote Desktop! In these cases please use a software license key.

You can download the current Aladdin Hardlock driver from the website here:
https://sentinelcustomer.gemalto.com/sentineldownloads/


See application note: The License Manager fails to detect the hardware dongle (Aladdin Hardlock Key) license. Applications covered by the hardware key license indicate a demo version on startup of the computer.

This FAQ is only relevant if you are using an old blue USB dongle.

Dongle license is working for some time (>90 Minutes, usually some days / weeks). Then, suddenly the message “Software is running in Demo Mode” shows up.

Cause: energy-management of Windows shuts down USB-Ports to save energy.

Solution:
Control panel -> Device manager -> Universal Serial Bus controllers -> USB-Root-Hub(s).
In the tab “Power Management” switch off „Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
Do that with all USB-Hubs.

Furthermore please update to the latest Easy Connect version and/or S7/S5 OPC Server version if any used.

Data Integration

This only happens if you try to assign station parameters (such as name, IP address) to a new or undeleted echochange.
In all probability, you have attempted to assign these parameters via the second network adapter TP2. A correct assignment of the station parameters is technically only possible via the first network adapter TP1.

Use the registry script from the attached ZIP file to unregister the "start DDE server as service" function. After rebooting, you can restart the DDE server's user interface.

With respect to the problem of the server not working as a service, please contact our support team.

The reason is probably that the "Windows Terminal Server" is (also) running on the server operating system.

How to solve the problem:

The INAT software can only be installed by selecting

"Start - Settings - Control Panel - Software - Add New Programs".

When you use Windows Server 2003, it may happen that after the language selection, the installation of an INAT software application is aborted either without an error message or with a Logger error message.
In all probability, the following registry entry is empty in this Windows Server 2003 version:
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\MicrosoftWindows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Fonts"
Entering the correct value (C:\Windows\Fonts) is not successful. 

How to solve the problem: 
Install the INAT software by selecting
- Start 
- Control Panel 
- Software 
- Add New Programs

General Topics

I downloaded a help file from the Internet. However, it does not show any content on the right pane. Just a Table of Contents on the left pane.

This problem is caused by the Windows 7 security treatment. It blocks the help files (. Chm)  that are downloaded from the Internet.

Please save the help file on your PC.

To get around this problem, there are two possibilities: 

  • uncheck the Checkbox "Always ask before opening
    this file" in the Security Warning dialog or
  • open the properties of the .chm file via context menu
    and press the button "Allow".

The setups of the Softing products are implemented using the Windows Installer InstallShield 2013. All InstallShield capabilities are also available with the Softing setups. Therefore a hidden installation is principally possible.
To run a silent installation, open the command line with admin rights and type

setup.exe /S /V"/qn"

To prevent setup.exe from displaying a progress bar, use the /s command-line parameter. To have setup run silently with no dialogs, pass the Windows Installer /qn command-line parameter through setup.exe using the /v parameter.
For more information on supported command-line parameters, refer to the Microsoft documentation.

The setups of the Softing products are implemented using the Windows Installer (InstallShield 2013).
To create the setup log file, open the command line with admin rights and perform the setup with the following parameters:

setup.exe /v"/L*v log.txt"

where setup.exe is the name of the setup file.

The log file (log.txt) will be created in the directory where the setup was called. You can also specify a different directory for e.g.:

setup.exe /v"/L*v\"%temp%\log.txt\"

For more information on supported command-line parameters and specific usage examples, refer to the Microsoft Web site http://www.msdn.microsoft.com.

A recently installed program tried to install an unsigned driver. The driver is unavailable and the program that uses this driver might not work correctly!

Your Microsoft Windows version requires that new drivers have a valid digital signature with SHA256 certificate. Softing has changed the driver signature mechanism supporting the new SHA256 certificates. 

To treat the signatures correctly on Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 PCs, a Windows update for SHA256 certificate support is needed.

Please uninstall the recently installed program and then install the Windows 7 Hotfix KB 3033929 on your Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 PC.

https://technet.microsoft.com/de-de/library/security/3033929

You will then be able to perform the desired Softing installation successfully.

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Softing Industrial Support

PSIRT – Product Security Incident Response Team
psirt[at]softing[dot]com

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