CAD Forum

In case anyone missed it, since it only posted in the SWYMP
https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... UfZJw5ywCw

Dear SOLIDWORKS Online Licensing User,

SOLIDWORKS Online Licensing was introduced with SOLIDWORKS 2018 SP2.0 as an alternative to machine-based activation licenses.

However, the vast majority of our clients continue to use machine activation. Given the low adoption of online licensing, it is not feasible to maintain the complex infrastructure needed to support it. Consequently, we have decided to discontinue SOLIDWORKS Online Licensing.

The target phase-out date is February 12th, 2022.

I am not really familiar with the Online Licensing... does it mean user who do not have a network license now have to "DEACTIVATE" and "ACTIVATE" when they switch machine? (eg: change pc when WFH, etc)

Are we going back in time?
Seem like nowadays DS like to close/discontinue a working feature/function/platform without providing an acceptable alternative

No! I really can't believe that.

I was recommended the online licence because deactivating and activating it constantly led to the licence being blocked.

That can't be true!

Industry 4.0? more like back to the stone age.
We'll probably soon be sitting in front of the office chiseling away at a stone slab.

You know the mottos - If it ain't broke, brake it. If it's broke, don't fix it.

Zhen-Wei Tee wrote: ↑Sun Jul 25, 2021 1:30 am In case anyone missed it, since it only posted in the SWYMP
https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... UfZJw5ywCw



I am not really familiar with the Online Licensing... does it mean user who do not have a network license now have to "DEACTIVATE" and "ACTIVATE" when they switch machine? (eg: change pc when WFH, etc)

Are we going back in time?
Seem like nowadays DS like to close/discontinue a working feature/function/platform without providing an acceptable alternative

It's a perspective thing...acceptable to us or acceptable to DS?

So this is how they chose to push customers to 3DFlunkworks. Interesting. I saw the gambit coming but not that move!

LOL Online license works great, after they fixed it. Now they want to remove it.

However, the vast majority of our clients continue to use machine activation.

So they should remove Solidworks. Since lots of user still use old version.

This suks, I will tell my VAR how I feel about this.

Online licensing is one of the few good things that SW had going for it.

Online licensing allowed a user to be able to work from their main system and then take a laptop or a second computer home & work on that computer. It would automatically log the other computer off so you could continue to work on the home/laptop computer. It was similar to a network license but was hosted by Solidworks. Was buggy at first but once the bugs were worked out was a good way to work remote. They did this and took away the original 2nd home license that they allowed but figured that people were using it on 2 computers at the same time at work. Then they also raised the price of the network license if you wanted to switch from a standalone to network since the online was so buggy at first. Now those that work both at their primary office & home office are going to have to remember to deactivate every time they leave so they can reactivate when they get to the other place. This is going to be a real pain for those that have no way to either remote into their other machine or access a network license via a VPN. I'm guessing they're expecting those that want this to have to go to their "cloud" experience software which ain't gonna happen here.

Zhen-Wei Tee wrote: ↑Sun Jul 25, 2021 1:30 am I am not really familiar with the Online Licensing... does it mean user who do not have a network license now have to "DEACTIVATE" and "ACTIVATE" when they switch machine? (eg: change pc when WFH, etc)

Ok.... so i manage to get some unofficial "updates" on this (well... it is from a linkedin comment from DS employee...)

Our team is putting together a blog on this soon. One option is moving to named-user licensing (3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS) to keep this functionality

DS and the 3DEXPERIENCE URGH

FMAAID wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:00 am This suks, I will tell my VAR how I feel about this.

That's likely to be just a waste of your time. Unless there is a total meltdown in the community nothing is done, and without the Solidworks forum now running that meltdown getting traction is unlikely.

I told my VAR, but since I'm not on subscription the only leverage I had was to tell them they are now not even being considered when I pay for CAD again.

RichGergely wrote: ↑Thu Jul 29, 2021 3:22 pm That's likely to be just a waste of your time. Unless there is a total meltdown in the community nothing is done, and without the Solidworks forum now running that meltdown getting traction is unlikely.

I got a call back from my VAR the same day, They told me they would do what ever they can to make it easy to transfer licenses after February.
And also mentioned they saw my posts

Well looks like the guy who started this thread on the platform is going to email me how to be able to set up the equivalent to "Online" licensing using the platform tools. I'll post whatever solution here too...Because it'll eventually get buried over there and you'll always be able to find it here.
I've also asked if there's a guide or resource detailing the options available and how to set it up.

I ran into this a while back... Had to get a new PC for SW & Cadstar for work. Small company, I am the only person that knows how to use SW. I was using the 2nd license thing to once in a while work at home, and home hobby projects. They took that away, and I would have to do that unlicense / relicense thing every time I needed to do something at home. What a PITA.

I'm going to have to find a different stand alone program to use, since when I retire, I won't have access to SW. I'd rather not loose access to my models, etc... Or be held hostage to some online cloud based never ending fee package. Also, can't afford to build a new current version computer every handful of years. Hell, SW from around 2010 did everything I need to do, and still would, if it would run without a license.

mattpeneguy wrote: ↑Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:26 pm Well looks like the guy who started this thread on the platform is going to email me how to be able to set up the equivalent to "Online" licensing using the platform tools. I'll post whatever solution here too...Because it'll eventually get buried over there and you'll always be able to find it here.
I've also asked if there's a guide or resource detailing the options available and how to set it up.

Do you have any updates to report?

SPerman wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 8:29 am Do you have any updates to report?

Nope. Nothing from my VAR or DS/SW. Been kind of busy and haven't had a chance to even work with SW at work for the last couple of weeks.

SPerman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:06 pm I told my VAR, but since I'm not on subscription the only leverage I had was to tell them they are now not even being considered when I pay for CAD again.

I've emailed my VAR which is Trimech out of Virginia three times & have heard absolutely nothing in response to what they're going to try to do and we still pay maintenance. But after this club up along side of the head move that's about to stop as well. If they can't give us a satisfactory solution at the same price that we had why have maintenance any more. Seems like the newer the version the slower the software any more.

Our best current plan is to use a remote desktop (probably anydesk) to be able to log in remotely and release. It will take a few years to hit the 999 limit.

We looked at the SW license server, but there are only two of us, and I am guessing they will discontinue the SWLS next in their misguided efforts to somehow make 3Dsweatsperience some how a valid option.
For us, it will never be, some of our clients have crazy strict security protocols, working in the cloud is an instant red card.

Interestingly our VAR brought the HUL removal up recently during a support call, which was nice of them, but they were trying use it to sell license servers.

If anyone has a better plan (Solid Edge is being discussed) for getting around this with a minimum of struggle, please do share.

When I try and open solidworks it says I have to switch to machine licensing. Of course, I can't get to the admin portal for some reason. Thanks solidworks.

I started up SWX this morning and saw this:
I was told it would be an automatic process to move to machine-based licensing. Never underestimate Solidworks!
And I have to get IT involved to modify installations (a sore subject). What a wonderful way to start the day.

Yes. At least 1 week earlier than any date I've seen for cutting off online licensing. No email, no notice of any kind. I hate this company.

Yep, same here. If you have admin you can make a reg file to replant the SN. It still required activation but works fine now. Put this in notepad, replace my xxx with your SN, save as .reg then double click.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks\Licenses\Serial Numbers]
"SolidWorks"="xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx"

More confusion from DSS.

When I went to change my login, I get this message:
Notice the date of March 31? That's even further out than the original target date of 2/12.

When I click the "View Details" link it brings up the announcement from July. Except they set a firm date, but apparently didn't tell anyone (inlcuding my VAR, who still thought the date was the 12th. .)

SPerman wrote: ↑Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:13 pm More confusion from DSS.

When I went to change my login, I get this message:

image.png

Notice the date of March 31? That's even further out than the original target date of 2/12.

When I click the "View Details" link it brings up the announcement from July. Except they set a firm date, but apparently didn't tell anyone (inlcuding my VAR, who still thought the date was the 12th. .)

image.png

They are probably using similar AI Technology to what Windows OS uses to indicate time remaining in the file move/copy action.

Check out this post.

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... WUUDXI0Gfg

looks like the post was removed

Shame they did this. After the initial bugs, I was really happy with Online Licensing and proud of Solidworks for finally doing something right to make amends for the tragedy of the eliminated HUL. Only to have them turn around and remove it and make insulting excuses about why they did so. So obvious their intention on pushing everyone to their new offerings that were paid for with our subscription money.

Had a friend reach out about advice on purchasing a seat recently and for the first time in my life, I said "hard pass". Can't bring myself to recommend it anymore.

So something weird:

Deactivated at the office before leaving, get home, try to reactivate and get:


"Activation transaction failed: Activation count exceeded. Deactivate a license from another computer and retry..."

Went back to the office, it worked fine, made sure I really did deactivate, and now back at home still getting the same message.
Anyone have any suggestions? I can call the VAR in the morning, but

This feels like one of those, delete a certain file, dance in a circle, and pee on the electric fence and it will suddenly work moments.

I think you have hit the 999 deactivations limit (yes, there is a limit for that!).

So after a bit of back and forth with my VAR it turns out that when you uninstall, it doesn't clear the SN from the registry.

And I would have been having this problem sooner, but it turns out no one was using my old license from my former job.
Quick rename on the SW registry entry and I was able to get back on.

Also, installed Anydesk and am now slowly destroying the environment by leaving 2 PC's on 24/7.
Be sure to tell your Grandkids it was DA's fault the ice caps melted.

tsmith wrote: ↑Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:33 am
Quick rename on the SW registry entry and I was able to get back on.

Hi TSMITH I think I found the registry. But I am not 100% sure. Could you help me reset the counter? I just need the name/location of the registry and the value. Your help would be appreciated immensely. We are a small 3 people company and can't work at the moment since the counter reached 999...

timcky wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 3:52 am Hi TSMITH I think I found the registry. But I am not 100% sure. Could you help me reset the counter? I just need the name/location of the registry and the value. Your help would be appreciated immensely. We are a small 3 people company and can't work at the moment since the counter reached 999...

For that I think you have to consult your VAR.

What I found was that even if you uninstall SW, it doesn't remove the registry entry for your license (or in my case for former employers license, whoops!) if you are using a legit SN it shouldn't be an issue.

tsmith wrote: ↑Mon Aug 29, 2022 7:24 pm For that I think you have to consult your VAR.

What I found was that even if you uninstall SW, it doesn't remove the registry entry for your license (or in my case for former employers license, whoops!) if you are using a legit SN it shouldn't be an issue.

We did have an official VAR vor 4 years. But we canceled the support subscription in 2019, since we never used/needed it. It cost about 1.500€ a year. Which is a lot for a small company like ours. We contacted them last week and they told us they won't do the registry "trick", but rather want us to buy a new license and a network license on top (to switch between computers). Which would be about 14.000€ (before discounts). And we would be back having to subscribe to the yearly support.
If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. If there isn't a "work around" for this, I might consider switching to another software alltogether.

Best, Tim

timcky wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 2:13 am We did have an official VAR vor 4 years. But we canceled the support subscription in 2019, since we never used/needed it. It cost about 1.500€ a year. Which is a lot for a small company like ours. We contacted them last week and they told us they won't do the registry "trick", but rather want us to buy a new license and a network license on top (to switch between computers). Which would be about 14.000€ (before discounts). And we would be back having to subscribe to the yearly support.
If anyone can help, I would appreciate it. If there isn't a "work around" for this, I might consider switching to another software alltogether.

Best, Tim

Here's an article by Javelin Tech about resetting registries. Hopefully it will help you:
https://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2019/ ... -registry/

I don't think you can reset the 999 count in registry.

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 8:24 am I don't think you can reset the 999 count in registry.

Pretty sure you can't because the reset needs to occur on both ends most likely but figured I'd link it since someone mentionned a registry reset fixed his problem. After re-reading though, I realized his problem wasn't the same as @timcky .

Maybe someone on the 3DX Platform could assist with this, but prayers will be required