Microsoft Knowledge Base

• Softimage 3D for Windows NT, version 3.51

SUMMARY

Getting Started Checklist

This document lists common error messages, possible causes, and procedures to ensure quick solutions to your installation problems.

Read the following check list to avoid encountering problems during and after installing FLEXlm.

• Have you received a valid license from the Softimage 3D Licensing department? For license requests, send an e-mail to license@softimage.com or call licensing at 1.800.387.2559, or for international requests, call 514.845.2199.
• Is the blue-green FLEXlm dongle attached to your computer? (For a FLEXlm server only.)
• Is the environment variable 744@"hostname" set? (For a FLEXlm client only.)
• Is TCP/IP installed?
• Do you have a network card installed? If you do not have a network card, install RAS (Remote Access Services). RAS is located on the Microsoft NT for Windows version 3.51 CD (call Microsoft Product Support Services for more details).
• Is there a valid user account created under <drive letter>:\USERS (see below)?

Sample License File

The following is an example of a typical license:

SERVER <computer name> SENTINEL KEY=<FLEXID # of dongle> 744

DAEMON Softimage C:\Flexlm\LMSoft.EXE

PACKAGE 3D_EXTREME_PKG Softimage 3.500 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx COMPONENTS="SI_TOOLS 3D 3D_RENDER 3d_ADVANCED RAY_REBELS 3D_LIVE 3D_SHARED MENTAL_RAY:1.900 PARTICLE:1.500"

INCREMENT 3D_EXTREME_PKG Softimage 3.500 <expiry date> <# of licenses> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ck=xxx

Be aware of the following when you enter your license:

• Unwarranted spaces are considered typographical errors.
• Make sure the backslashes at the end of the PACKAGE and INCREMENT lines are followed by a hard return and not a space.
• Check that each line following PACKAGE and INCREMENT begins with one space.
• Do not use tabs.

How To Create a Softimage 3D User Account on Windows NT

To properly execute Softimage 3D v3.51 for Windows NT, you must log on as a valid Windows NT user and not as an Administrator. To log on as a user, follow these steps:

1. Log on as Administrator.

2. From the Administrative Tools group, start User Manager.

3. On the User menu, choose New User.

4. Enter information to create a new user. Sample New User dialog box:

      Username:   (any name you prefer)
      Full Name:  (optional)
      Description: User
      Password:   (optional)
   
      The New User dialog box allows you to set the user environment profile
      for your system. From here, you configure the location of the user's
      home directory. Softimage 3D needs to save the DatabaseDir.rsrc file in
      the user's home directory.
   
   

How To Set the User Environment Profile

1. Click Profile. The User Profile dialog box appears.

2. In the Local Path box, type c:\users\%username%. Where C: is the partition where your Windows NT workstation is installed.

3. Click OK to accept and close the dialog box.

4. Click OK to close the New User dialog box.

Softimage 3D 3.51 Error Messages

If Softimage 3D seems to be hanging, use Alt+Tab to access the license manager and verify the error message.

Error Message

'Invalid Working Directory'

   You are running as administrator.

   You must have at least one valid user account other than "administrator"
   from where you are running Softimage 3D. (This is because the
   environment variables in the SETENV.BAT look for %USERNAME% and errors
   will occur if no user exists.* * (See the procedure for Creating a
   Softimage 3D User Account.)

Error Message

'No server line in license file'

   You installed as a FLEXlm Client instead of a Server.

   You must remove your software and references to the FLEXlm server in the
   services file and reinstall as a SERVER (contact Customers Support).

   Your License.dat file has been saved in UNICODE format.

   See the UNICODE error message on page 5.

Error Message

'Cannot connect to license server; WinSock error code'

   Your computer name, the name in the license file, and the name in your
   Network>TCP/IP>DNS entry are not the same, or the case in one of the
   entries is wrong.

   In Control Panel > Network, verify that the Computer Name is the same as
   the DNS Host Name which is located in the Network Settings dialog box.
   Double-click the TCP/IP protocol from the Installed Network Software
   list, then click DNS from the Configuration dialog box. In the DNS
   Configuration dialog box that appears, compare the Host Name with the
   Computer Name, and with the Server Name shown in your license file.

   You don't have TCP/IP installed.

   Install TCP/IP from the Windows NT 3.51 software disk. If you need

   call Microsoft Product Support Services.

   The dongle isn't attached.

   Plug the dongle into the printer port.

   Your FLEXlm license server is not started in Control Panel>Services.

   From Control Panel>Services start your FLEXlm license server.

   If you rebooted your computer, the license server may look started, but
   you still get the above error message. However, if you stop the license
   server and then try to restart it, you will not be successful until
   other problems are resolved (contact Customer Support).

Error Message

'Cannot find SERVER hostname in network database; WinSock error code'

   The hostname in your license file is wrong.

   Verify that the hostname in the License.dat file matches the computer
   name (case is important).

Error Message

'Invalid License Key (inconsistent license key); WinSock error code'

   The dongle number in the license file is wrong.

   Verify that the number in the License.dat file matches the 8-digit
   hex-number on the dongle, for example, B2851nnn.

   The license has an error in it (for example, a line has an unwarranted
   return in the middle of it).

   Verify the License.dat file. From Main>Control Panel>Services, stop
   and then restart the flexlm license server.

   The computer name contains illegal characters (for example, underscores,
   dashes, spaces, periods).

   Rename the computer by eliminating the illegal characters, and changing
   the TCP/IP>DNS entry and the License.dat entry. From the Control
   Panel>Services, stop and then restart the flexlm license server.

Error Message

'Feature has expired'

   The date and time on your computer is incorrect.

   Verify the time and date on your computer. It cannot be set to a date
   before the license start-date (issue date). Use Main>Accessories>Time to
   verify time and date.

   Files have a future date.

   Check for files on the system that have a date in the future (contact
   Customer Support).

Error Message

'Flexlm has exited unexpectedly'

   The server name in the License.dat file is wrong.

   Verify that the server name in the License.dat file is correct and then
   go to Main>Control Panel>Services. Stop and then restart the flexlm
   license server.

   The dongle is not attached to the parallel port.

   Attach the dongle to the printer port.

   The port is not being read.

   Reboot your computer and go into the BIOS (using the DEL key). Enter
   Peripherals>Ports and set the ports option to NORMAL. Save and reboot.

Error Message

'Soft.exe entry point not found. Stop the procedure entry point...Describe

SOLUTION

   Contact Customer Support

Error Message

'Cannot read UNICODE'

   You did not save your License.dat file as plain text in NOTEPAD, and
   your font information at the top of the license file is unreadable.

   Open a new notepad, and then copy and paste the relevant license
   information into it. Save the file as plain TXT.

Error Message

'Soft3D: no such feature exists'

   The License.dat was saved as "unicode" or "all file types".

   Open the License.dat file, copy the license text and paste it into a new
   file. Save it as plain text in NOTEPAD.

Error Message

'Dr Watson error: <this is a sample:>"the application generated an

CAUSE

   You do not have the correct driver version for your graphics card.

   Contact Customer Support.

MORE INFORMATION

You can also query the Softimage 3D Knowledge Base for error message articles. They contain possible causes for the error message, and procedures that ensure a quick solution.

REFERENCES

FLEXlm End User Manual.

If you have any questions about the information in this article, contact support@softimage.com by e-mail.