Licensing GeoExpress

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Licensing GeoExpress

The first time that you run GeoExpress, you must enter a serial number (if you did not enter one during installation) and a license code, or connect to a license server. Otherwise, GeoExpress will run in Trial mode, which expires after 30 days.

License codes are specific to your machine. You can request a permanent license code from LizardTech Customer Support. If you activate a temporary license code, you can switch to a permanent license code by editing the GeoExpress license options.

Alternatively, if you connect to a license server, you use a floating license that can be shared by multiple computers.

Requesting a License

Log on to the machine where you installed GeoExpress with administrative privileges, then open a command prompt or terminal.
Run the echoid tool to get the locking code for your machine, and save the code to a text file. The locking code is a machine-specific code used to generate a license unique to your machine.
- On Windows, if you installed GeoExpress to the default location, run the following commands:
```
cd C:\Program Files\LizardTech\GeoExpress9.5\Tools\Admin
```
```
echoid.exe > locking_code.txt
```
- On Linux, if you installed GeoExpress to the default location, run the following commands:
```
cd /usr/local/LizardTech/GeoExpress9.5/tools
```
```
./echoid > locking_code.txt
```
Open a web browser and enter the following URL:

https://www.lizardtech.com/support/product-activation/
Fill out the form and enter your locking code.
Click Submit. LizardTech Customer Support will respond within one business day.

NOTE: If you use GeoExpress with a license server, you do not need to get your machine's locking code or ECM ID.

Entering a Serial Number

Log on to the machine where you installed GeoExpress with administrative privileges, then open a command prompt or terminal.
Navigate to the GeoExpress bin directory.
- On Windows, the bin directory is in the following location by default:
```
C:\Program Files\LizardTech\GeoExpress9.5\bin
```
- On Linux, the bin directory is in the following location by default:
```
/usr/local/LizardTech/GeoExpress9.5/bin
```
Open the lic_pref license file in a text editor.
Edit the serial number line of the file to include your serial number. For example, you might enter the following:
```
SerialNumber=YOUR-SN-GOES-HERE
```
Optionally, to use a NITF license, change the NITF line of the file to the following:
```
preferNITF=1
```
Save the file.

NOTE: If you want to use GeoExpress as a trial for 30 days, you do not need to enter a serial number. If you use GeoExpress with a license server, you must still enter a serial number.

Entering a License

Log on to the machine where you installed GeoExpress with administrative privileges, then open a command prompt or terminal.
Navigate to the GeoExpress bin directory.
- On Windows, the bin directory is in the following location by default:
```
C:\Program Files\LizardTech\GeoExpress9.5\bin
```
- On Linux, the bin directory is in the following location by default:
```
/usr/local/LizardTech/GeoExpress9.5/bin
```
Open the lservrc license file in a text editor.
Enter the license code in the first line of the file. You can enter a temporary license code here until you receive a permanent license code from LizardTech Support.
Save the file.

Connecting to a License Server

You can connect to a license server instead of entering a license code.

Append the -useserver switch to GeoExpress commands to connect to the license server. For example, you might enter the following command:

mrsidgeoencoder -i in.tif -o out.sid -useserver <licenseserver>

If the license server includes GeoExpress Standard licenses, you must also connect to an Express Cartridge Manager (ECM) Server to use a data cartridge. Append the -netecm switch to GeoExpress commands to connect to the ECM Server. For example, you might enter the following command:

mrsidgeoencoder -i in.tif -o out.sid -useserver <licenseserver>
 -netecm <ecm_server>:<port_number>

By default, the port number is 9002.

For more information on installing and configuring a license server and ECM Server, see Floating Licenses.