NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1

Using Plaxis on a network

Share the software

2.1 Server Installation
2.2 Workstation Installation

Share the Hardlock key

3.1 Hardlock Server installation
3.2 Hardlock Workstation installation
3.3 Using TCP/IP
3.4 Monitoring Network Hardlock usage
3.5 Network hardlock manual installation

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1 USING PLAXIS ON A NETWORK

The Plaxis program can use the advantages of a network in two different manners:

Share the software: install the software on a server and share it over the
network instead of installing every computer seperately.
Share the hardlock: install a multiple-license network hardlock key on a
server instead of using multiple local hardlock keys.

It should be noted that these options can be used independently of each other; e.g.
install the software on every computer instead of on a server but still use a shared
network hardlock key.
Both options mentioned above are described in the next chapters.

NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

2 SHARE THE SOFTWARE

In order to share the Plaxis software over a network two installation steps have to be
performed:

Server installation
Workstation installation

Note that the workstation installation is needed on every computer where Plaxis is
to be used.
2.1 Server Installation

Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM.

Select Server Installation as Setup Type
As Destination Location, select or create a folder on the file server.

This installation will install the following components:

Program files
Examples
Help files
English manuals
The installation doesnt make any changes to the system in terms of registering
components or changing the system registry. Therefore a Server Installation can be
performed directly on the server as well as from any workstation in the network.
Also, after a server installation it is not possible to run Plaxis directly on the server.
2.2 Workstation Installation

Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM.

Select Workstation Installation as Setup Type
As Destination Location, select or create a folder on the workstation
After installing indicate where the executables can be found on the server.

PLAXIS

This installation will install the following components:

Database support for material sets database

Hardlock driver
Default user preferences in the registry.
Shortcuts in the program folder

NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

3 SHARE THE HARDLOCK KEY

This procedure is only necessary when using the Plaxis network hardlock key
(green/purple key).
In contradiction to previous versions of Plaxis a network hardlock key can only be
used on a server running Windows using the TCP/IP protocol. DOS, OS/2 and Novell
Netware are no longer supported.
Furthermore there is at the moment no possibility to use the network hardlock key
on a Linux server.
3.1 Hardlock Server installation

Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM.

Select Network Hardlock Installation as Setup Type
Insert the registration diskette when asked for.

3.2 Hardlock Workstation installation

The same hardlock driver that is used for accessing a local hardlock is also used for
accessing a network hardlock. Therefore no additional hardlock installation is
needed on workstations.
However, in some cases it is practical to explicitly specify a search sequence using
environment variables to avoid conflicts when the system automatically searches
LPT port addresses.
Furthermore, specifying the TCP/IP address where the hardlock can be found will
decrease the search time.
The syntax of the environment variables reads as follows:
HL_SEARCH=[Port],...,[Protocol],...

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[Port] comprises the I/O address in hexadecimal form and a port ID:
Port ID:

Explanation:

p = parallel

Normal parallel port

e = ECP

Parallel port in ECP mode

n = NEC (Japan)

Japanese NEC models have a different port

assignment. This parameter activates a special
handling so that a separate NEC API is not required.

c = Compaq Contura
Docking Base

The multiplexer of the docking base (used for

switching between the parallel port and Ethernet
adapter) is switched to the parallel port for querying
a Hardlock.

i = IBM PS/2

The IBM PS/2 ID eliminates errors when

reprogramming the port of certain video drivers
under Windows. (The system cannot find Hardlock
once Windows is started). Previously, this was done
internally by the Hardlock API. This function can
now only be activated by using the environment
variable.

[Protocol] defines the protocol used for accessing an HL-Server. Only one protocol
is supported:
Protocol:

Explanation:

IP

HL-Server searched for via TCP/IP

Example:
SET HL_SEARCH=378p
The system only searches for the Hardlock at the local parallel port with the address
0x378.
SET HL_SEARCH=378e,2f8s

NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

The system searches for the Hardlock at the local parallel port with the address
0x378. The port is switched from ECP mode to normal mode while the Hardlock
is being accessed. If the system cannot find the Hardlock, it then searches for it at
the serial port with the address 0x2f8.
SET HL_SEARCH=IP,278p
The system first searches for a Hardlock supplied by the HL-Server using TCP/IP. If
it is not able to log into the HL-Server, it then searches for the Hardlock at the local
parallel port with address 0x278.

3.3 Using TCP/IP

When the network hardlock is to be approached with the TCP/IP protocol it is
possible to specify the address where hardlock can be found. The search sequence
for the IP protocol will then be :
1.
2.
3.

Environment variable HLS_IPADDR (see below)

If no environment variable has been defined, the search takes place via DNS
or HOSTS for the station HLSERVER.
If no address has been found, the search takes place via broadcast
(255.255.255.255) in the local segment.

To transfer IP packets, Winsock calls over a corresponding (16 or 32 bit)

WINSOCK.DLL. Please note that during installation many Internet clients install their
own WINSOCK.DLL (CompuServe, AOL, T-online). In this case, accessing IP calls the
Internet provider if the HL-Server was not found.
In order to improve the search via the TCP/IP protocol, the environment variable
HLS_IPADDR has been introduced. With it one or more IP addresses or names can be
defined. However, by entering several addresses at the same time - in contrast to
HL_SEARCH - you cannot predict which of the defined Hardlock Servers will
ultimately be used.
Example:
SET HLS_IPADDR=192.9.209.17,hardlock.server

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HLS IPADDR can also be used to define broadcast addresses:

SET HLS_IPADDR=192.9.209.255,192.9.201.255
Since IP networks generally have considerably greater differences in propagation
time than other networks (e.g. WAN routes), timeouts and retries for the clients must
be kept within bounds. The default values are set so that the HL-Server can be
found with an existing 64kbit connection.
SET HLS_WAIT=
sets the delay between retries in milliseconds
default
min
max

TCP/IP: 1000,
200
30000

SET HLS_RETRIES=
sets the number of retries until message DONGLE_NOT_FOUND is returned:
default
min
max

5
2
30

3.4 Monitoring Network Hardlock usage

In addition to the network hardlock drivers a tool can be installed to monitor and
change network hardlocks.
The tool is called AKS monitor but it is not installed automatically. The selfextracting installation version (AKSMON32.EXE) can be found in the HARDLOCK
directory on the Plaxis Installation CD.
Please note that this tool is not part of the Plaxis program but provided by the
Hardlock manufacturer.

NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

3.5 Network hardlock manual installation

A Hardlock server installation has three steps:
1. Copying the License File to the proper directory
2. Installing the local hardlock driver on the computer being used as hardlock
server
3. Installing the HLServer driver on that same computer
Both steps should be performed automatically by the Plaxis Network hardlock
installation but occasionally this procedure fails and the network hardlock has to be
installed manually.
Installation procedure:
1. The License File is a file with an 8-digit hexadecimal number as file name
and .ALF as extension. This file is located on the Plaxis Network license
disk.
This file must be copied in the system directory of the server; this
system directory has different names depending on the operating system
used. Assuming that Windows has been installed on drive C: this system
directory usually is
c:\winnt\system32 for Windows NT and Windows 2000
c:\windows\system32 for Windows XP
c:\windows\system for Windows 98
2. On the computer that will be used as hardlock server the local hardlock
driver installation program HLDRV32.EXE must be run. This
installation program can be found on the Plaxis CD in the directory
hardlock.
3. On the computer that will be used as hardlock server the network hardlock
driver installation program HLSW32.EXE must be run. This installation
program can be found on the Plaxis CD in the directory hardlock\server.

Checking the installation with Aladdin Monitor:

The Aladdin Monitor can be started from any computer. After starting the Aladdin
Monitor it shows a screen as given below. At the left hand side there is a tree
showing all computers in the network where the network hardlock driver
(HLServer) has been installed. The local computer, that is the computer from which

PLAXIS

the Aladdin Monitor has been started, is indicated by the word (local) behind its
name.
Every computer with HLServer installed can have one or more hardlocks attached.
A Hardlock is automatically added to the tree when the Plaxis program is accessing
the hardlock for the first time. Alternatively it can be added manually by selecting
the proper computer from the tree, entering the module address and pressing the
Add button.
There are 2 possible module addresses:
1. 25462 for Plaxis 2D products (Plaxis V8, PlaxFlow)
2. 25458 for Plaxis 3D products (Plaxis 3D Tunnel)

Furthermore it is possible that hardlocks with module address 25459 are available in
the network; these are hardlocks of Plaxis 7.x

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NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

When a hardlock is selected from the tree the program must show 2 lists on the right
as shown in the next figure. The top list shows the license information of the
hardlock. The first column shows slots; every slot is a different Plaxis product
and when a slot is selected the bottom list shows how many users are logged in to
that specific license (the login table).
If HLServer cannot find the License File (ALF file) then the license information list
is not available. In this case the Aladdin Monitor only shows the login table for slot
0. However, the login table will be empty since Plaxis does not start if the license
information cannot be retrieved (the No Hardlock found error message appears).

In order to make sure the License File can be found the path where it is located can
be specified.
To do so the environment variable HL_LICENSEDIR must be added to the
server. Its value is the path where the License File is located without the name of
the file itself; for instance C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32.
After adding the environment variable it usually works directly but in some cases it
may be needed to reset the server.

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