License management

Chapter 4 Managing PowerDesigner Licenses

License management

This section explains how licenses are managed within PowerDesigner.

PowerDesigner contains a set of models used for designing different types of information. You cannot buy models individually, you must buy a package that is a set of PowerDesigner models.

If you are using a served license When you start PowerDesigner the selected package authorization is requested from the license server. In case of failure PowerDesigner does not start.

If you are using a standalone served license PowerDesigner verifies license on the server. If your workstation cannot connect to the license server, you will be able to use your license for 30 days and then it will be disabled. You need to reconnect to the server to be able to use your license again.

If you are using a local license There is no selected package and PowerDesigner is looking for all licensed packages in the local license file. If a model is not authorized, it will not be available in PowerDesigner.

Grace period

A grace is a 15-day period that allows you to use PowerDesigner without a license. Grace periods are not granted to floating license users.

You obtain a grace period in the following situations:

When you do not have a license for a model you choose to install (this model is flagged "Trial" in the installation component list), you can test this model for 15 days after the installation date.
When you have a license but you failed to obtain a license from the server (standalone served license) or to read the license file (standalone local license), you automatically obtain a grace period for using the product for 15 days after the last time you successfully took the license.

Check during execution of floating license

Floating license status is verified regularly in order to check that you are not using an expired license. If your license server is no longer responding for example, a modal dialog box appears to warn you that you have 24 hours to fix the problem. When you click OK, a modeless dialog box appears 24 hours later to prompt you to save your work, and a final confirmation dialog box appears before the application shuts down.

Trial expiration

When the trial version you have been evaluating expires you can purchase a license from Sybase to use PowerDesigner. Once you have the license, you must use the License Management Wizard to define the license configuration you want to use.

You can also obtain a trial extension from Sybase if you want to further evaluate PowerDesigner.

Troubleshooting

If PowerDesigner repeatedly fails to obtain authorization from the license file you can try to proceed as follows:

Move any file with the .lic extension from the PowerDesigner installation folder to a safe place.
Make a backup copy of the file sysam.properties, and open it in a text editor. Remove the lines starting by "Pd.LicenseMode" and "Pd.Package" at the end of the file.

This turns your current installation into a trial version.

If you are still in the 15-day grace period You can use PowerDesigner normally.

If the grace period has expired You are prompted to use the License Management Wizard to modify the type of license you are using. This should let you re-enter a valid license key.