Maxwell Render | Official public forum

Hi,
on a windows install of Maxwell, there is an environment variable MAXWELL3_LICENSE_SERVER that points to c:\Program Files\Next Limit\rlm
On our machines, this folder does not exist.

What is this variable for?

Cheers, Florian

That folder will exist if you choose this computer to also be where the RLM license server is installed. Which only needs to be one computer in your network. The files will not be installed if this computer will get it's license from a different computer (where the RLM server is running). So I guess you can delete this variable on this computer, but I think it doesn't hurt to leave it there either.

Thanks for the info.
Is there any way to tell Maxwell where to find the license file if it is not in the default directory? This would make it much easier to install and maintain it on several computers.

Cheers, Florian

I'm not sure how that would make it easier. Have a look at the video tutorials about licensing which you can find in the official documentation under the installation chapters. All you need to do to have Maxwell licensed on as many computers as you like, is to simply copy one text file to each of those computers, that's it. The videos explain this.

Mihai wrote:I'm not sure how that would make it easier. Have a look at the video tutorials about licensing which you can find in the official documentation under the installation chapters. All you need to do to have Maxwell licensed on as many computers as you like, is to simply copy one text file to each of those computers, that's it. The videos explain this.

I find it much easier to set one environment variable which points to a license file than to copy that file to all machines. If anything in the license file needs a change (new IP for of the license server, different port), I just need to update this one file and not one file on every computer.

Cheers, Florian

Setting up a RLM server for the floating maxwell license is definitely the easiest way to organize and control your licenses if you got multiple of them.

Its similar to what you are talking about. Instead of setting an environment to the license file you set one for the License server.
All changes is made then on that one computer. Also the installation wizard of maxwell render will ask you in the end of the installation if you want to activate/register maxwell render, then you just tell it to look at your license server and it will set it all up for you.
It also remembers the settings. So if you install a new version of maxwell on the computers it will still know where to look for the license.

After setting up the RLM we haven't had a single issue regarding Maxwell licenses.

http://support.nextlimit.com/display/mx ... nse+Server

Can be a bit confusing if you never worked with it before. But so worth it when you get in to it.



Cheers
-Mats

stir wrote:Setting up a RLM server for the floating maxwell license is definitely the easiest way to organize and control your licenses if you got multiple of them.

Hi Mats,
that is not really what I was looking for. I have a license server running for Maxwell and I am looking for an easyer way to tell each client which license server to use. Right now you could either:
- configure each client by hand
- copy the maxwell_license.lic (which points to the license server) to each client. It is in the ProgramData\Next Limit\Maxwell\License folder

A better way would be:
- a command line switch for the installer that passes along the correct license server
- an environment variable that points to the license server file

This way a unattended install would be easier and changing the license server would also be as easy as just editing on text file.

It would be even better if Maxwell would offer a documented way of installing Maxwell on a shared drive. That would make everything much easier. Especially switching between different Maxwell versions without reinstalling.

Cheers, Florian

- an environment variable that points to the license server file

You can use RLM's environment variable.

RLM_LICENSE port@ipadress

Atleast thats how we are setup.
Each client have the RLM environment variable. And it points to the license server.
is that what you looking for?

Cheers
-Mats

stir wrote: You can use RLM's environment variable.

RLM_LICENSE port@ipadress

Atleast thats how we are setup.
Each client have the RLM environment variable. And it points to the license server.
is that what you looking for?

That sound good. But how do set this up for multiple RLM license servers (Next Limit, Autodesk, The Foundry, Speedtree, the list goes on)? We have each license server on a individual machine.

You put them all in to one RLM or multiple thats up to you.

On our License server we have 2 RLM services running.

RLM 1 Runs on port 40## and contains licenses for

-Nextlimit
-The foundry
-Peregrinel
ect
ect
ect

RLM 2 Runs on port 50## and contains Licenses for

-Autodesk

We go so much back and forth with rental licenses and so on and so on so we found it cleaner to keep that on its own.
But we could tottaly keep em in the same folder and only run 1 RLM server.

That way we can also use the RLM Webinterface and get full controll on how many licenses we have of each software, how many is inn use. Take back licenses as needed.
Thats the fun part. Beeing admin, and just...... i need the workstation license for maxwell now... SNAP!! its mine now! haha

Then you just use the same environment variable, and you can add multiple ports

RLM_LICENSE 40##@10.0.#.##;50##@10.0.#.##;
Or
In our case Autodesk has it's own variable if you want to use that.


Cheers
-Mats

Sounds interesting. I'll have a look after my vacation. Even though I am sure that I will keep all license servers separate. For license reports, you can also use http://phplicensewatch.sourceforge.net

stir wrote: You can use RLM's environment variable.

RLM_LICENSE port@ipadress

Just wondering, but what if you need to change the ipadress or port of the license server, as Florian mentioned. Wouldn't you then have to go around to each machine and change their environment variable? So then what's the gain in simplicity compared to a file in the Programdata folder?

It is easyer to change a environment variable via group policy.