In this article you'll learn
- what the benefits of online activation are,
- which are the ideal prerequisites for the online activation,
- how to integrate a WCLID file to the Workflow and
- how to finalize the Activation of the license.
1. Introduction
With version 1.16.0, the licensing of a Workflow has been changed to Online Activation by default. This will provide many advantages for the administrator of the Workflow. The advantages are:
- No hashing of the license necessary - the hashing (or binding to the used workstation) of the license is carried out automatically in the background.
- No manual import of a license after an update - after installing an update the corresponding product version of the license is automatically imported into the Workflow.
- License information - creating the possibility to inspect which packages have been licensed for the Workflow.
- Adding functions - creating the possibility to add functions for a certain period of time without having to import a license at the start and at the end of the period.
- Providing important information - providing information about Hotfixes and updates (only within your maintenance contract period). An automatic update will never be installed by PrePress Digital. The installation of the update is the sole responsibility of the Workflow administrator.
- License Transfer - creating the possibility to transfer the license to a new hardware at any time. You can find more detailed information about this in the article Transfer the license.
2. Prerequirements
In order to import and activate a license, a few prerequisites must be met.
- The Installation of the Workflow must be carried out on appropriate hardware. Find out how to do this in the Installation chapter.
- The workstation has Internet or the URL must be https://ua.wfc.durst-group.com be accessible from the workstation at least for activation.
- You have a WCLID file which you will receive by purchasing a license.
Information about the WCLID file
For each license there is one WCLID file. This file is not the actual license, it is just the key to your license and thus entitles you to automatically organize the license on every workstation.
In the WCLID file no personal data is stored. Only the following information is visible:
- Hardware ID
- Maintenance Contract ID
- Private key
- URL to the authorization server
Important: Back up the WCLID file to secure access. If the file should be obtained by people who aren't competent to deal with it, the only attempt to transfer a license can be made with this file. However, a license transfer must be authorized by a person at PPD.
3. Upload WCLID file and activate License
After you have installed the Workflow and have checked the Internet access for the URL of the authorization Server, you have to carry out the following steps.
Step 1: Open Login site
- On the workstation, open the Chrome Browse and enter the appropriate address http://127.0.0.1:8081/pms/ppd-pms/index.html#!/login.
- The login page of the Workflow is called up. However, since the Workflow does not yet have a license, the following dialog will be displayed to you.
Figure 1: Message when opening the Login dialog for the first time
- Confirm the dialog by clicking OK [1].
- The login dialog with the hint that no URL for the approval server in the data base is established is shown. Furthermore, a request to upload the WCLID file is shown.
Figure 2: Login dialog with the request to upload a WCLID file
- Click on License Info [2]. The License Overview dialog is shown.
- As the Workflow can't establish a connection to the permission server yet the status of the UA server [3] is shown with a red dot and an appropriate Error Message [5].
- Carry out the next step.
Figure 3: The new License Overview dialog before uploading the WCLID file
Step 2: Install WCLID file
- Click the Upload WCLID File button [4] and upload your WCLID file.
- Confirm the upload of the corresponding file. Check the information again and confirm by clicking OK [6].
Figure 4: The Upload WCLID File dialog
- The upload of the WCLID file is carried out.
- The successful installation of the WCLID File is shown in the dialog [7].
Figure 5: The License Overview dialog after the WCLID File has been uploaded
- After installing the license, the License Overview the corresponding dialog is shown as below. The following information is immediately available:
- Package [8] - Display of the licensed basic package
- Workstation ID [9] - serves to uniquely identify the Workstation. If you are asked to submit the Workstation ID, you can click on the icon [14] and copy the long entry to the clipboard.
- Workstation Status [10] - after the first upload of the WCLID file, the license will be updated to the Installing status. The Workflow is then fully operational for 30 days depending on the licensed packages. Activation can, but does not have to, take place immediately!
- UA Servers [11] the status of the authorization server should be set to green Online switch.
- Expiry Date [12] and Maintenance Expiry Date [13] - This information is not available as long as the activation has not taken place yet.
- If you want to start with the setup of the Workflow, press the Back to Login button [16] and to log in, enter the User Admin and this Password Admin. Within the next 30 days, the Workflow can be used without restriction. Proceed to the next step of your activation at the best possible time.
Figure 6: Der License Overview-Dialog nach dem Update der Lizenz
30 days trial version
Please note that a 30-day trial version is available only once per WCLID file. Importing the WCLID file to another workstation is seen as a transfer of the license. You can read more about this in the Transfer License article.
Step 3: Activate the License
- As a licensee, you are allowed to determine when the activation of the license should take place. Please note that it is no longer possible to log into the workflow 30 days after the initial import of the WCLID file! Then, at the latest, you have to initiate an activation. To activate the Workflow, press the Activate License button [16].
- In the Activate License Activation dialog, you have to confirm the dialog to start the activation. Press OK [17] to agree to the activation.
Figure 7: The Activate License dialog
- After confirming the dialog, the successful activation [21] of the license is displayed and the Status of the Workstation [18] is set to Active.
- Check whether the Expiry Date [19] or the Maintenance Expiry Date [20] matches your order. This allows that errors are detected and fixed in good time.
Figure 8: The License Overview dialog after activating the License
- Click on the Back to Login button [22] to continue working with the Workflow.
Activation in "System Status"
The activation of the license can also be carried out in the License tab of the "System Status"
Article update: Workflow Version 1.16.0 – 08/2023