Use in an offline environment

Introduction

If you use Next Design in an environment where you cannot connect to the Internet for security reasons, you will not be able to register a normal license and will not be able to use Next Design.

This article introduces how to register a license in an offline environment.

Usage flow

Use the offline activation tool [Offline License Activator] to carry out the process in the following steps.

Process No.	Contents to be performed	Environment to be performed
1	Preparation (Installation of Offline License Activator)	PC that can connect to external network
2	Create a request file	PC with Next Design installed
3	Execute authentication process	PC that can connect to external network
4	Distribute the file output in 3 to the PC to be authenticated	-
5	Execute license registration process	PC with Next Design installed

The overall image is as follows. (The numbers in the figure correspond to [Process No.])

License processes that can be performed

The license processes to be performed in an offline environment are as follows.

No	Process	Use case	Necessary files	Process No. to be performed
1	Register license	When using Next Design	Activation request file	2~5
2	Deactivate license	When ending use of Next Design	Deactivation request file	2,3
3	Update license	When renewing Next Design contract	Activation request file Deactivation request file	(*1)

*1 After deactivating the license with procedure No.2, register the license with procedure No.1.

About license renewal after offline authentication

If you wish to continue using the service, please carry out the license renewal process (No.3) within the validity period.

Preparations

• Installing Offline License Activator
  Offline License Activator is automatically installed in the Next Design installation folder when Next Design is installed.

info

If the Offline License Activator icon is not displayed, or you are unable to perform the operations described below, or if there are any other abnormalities, please run the Next Design installer.

Creating a request file

Create the following files on the PC where Next Design is installed.

• When authenticating: Activation request file
• When deactivating: Deactivation request file

After creating the files, Perform authentication process on the PC where Offline License Activator is installed.

Activation request file

1. Enter the following in the [License registration] dialog and select [Register offline].

• [Product Key]: Product key
• [Email Address]: User's email address

2. Click [Create Activation Request File] in the [Offline License Registration] dialog, and
   Generate the [Activation Request File] in any location.
   

Deactivation Request File

1. Select [Help] > [License Management].
2. In the [License Management] dialog, select [Deactivate License].
   
3. In the [Deactivate License] dialog, select [Deactivate Offline].
   

4. Click [Create deactivation request file] in the [Offline license deactivation] dialog and generate the [Deactivation request file] in any location.
   

Execute the authentication process

Store the files created in advance in [Create request file] in one folder.

License registration and deletion cannot be performed together.

Store the [Activation request file] and [Deactivation request file] in different folders and execute them twice.

When you start the Offline License Activator, the following screen will be displayed.

1. Click the tab that corresponds to the operation you want to perform (license registration/license cancellation).
2. Specify the path of the file previously stored in the file storage destination (①).
3. Click [Execute].

When updating the license

First perform [license cancellation], then [license registration].

Result after running the tool

The following folders are created in the folder specified in step 2 above.

• Input: Stores the input files previously stored. Distributed as follows:
• Success: Successful files
• Fail: Failed files
• Output: Stores the files generated by the tool
• In the case of license registration, the [Activation registration file] is stored.
  (File name: Reg_[Activation request file name])
  
• Distribute this to the PC that output the corresponding activation request file.
  

If the authentication operation fails

The log of the failed operation will be displayed on the screen as shown below.

Check the contents of the error and take action.

You can select the error part and copy it to text.

If you cannot resolve the error, please contact the Next Design support desk (ndsupport@denso-create.jp) with the following information.

• The request file you created
• Contents of the error message (please paste it into text and send it)

Notes on sending files

• The registered user should collect and carry out this process.
• It may take some time to provide you with information.

Executing the license registration process

Perform the following operations on the PC where Next Design is installed.

1. Specify the [Activation registration file] in the [Offline license registration] dialog.
2. Click [Register].

This operation is not necessary when canceling the license.