Frequently Asked Questions

Following are answers to some frequently asked questions. Click any link below to jump to that question. If the information you need is not among the answers here, see for a brief outline of where to find particular information in this documentation, or use the Search or Index function.

Questions about Data Cartridges

What are data cartridges?

How does a data cartridge work?

What raster operations get charged against the cartridge?

What LiDAR operations get charged against the cartridge?

Can I share my data cartridge with other users in my organization?

Questions about Floating Licenses

How do I specify a License Server?

Which license takes precedence when there are more than one available?

Questions about Data Cartridges

For more information see Data Cartridges and Licensing GeoExpress.

Q: What are data cartridges?

Data cartridges are small, binary encrypted files that enable you to encode images with GeoExpress. Cartridges are a software-based replacement for the traditional physical dongle or hardware lock. They are generated by LizardTech, based upon your system ID, and then emailed to you as an attached file.

Q: How does a data cartridge work?

Data cartridges are installed through the GeoExpress user interface. The user interface displays the amount of data in the installed cartridge and the amount of ‘encoding’ capacity remaining on the cartridge. The data cartridge is decremented based on the amount of input data calculated by multiplying the number of pixels to be encoded times the pixel depth.

Q: What raster operations get charged against the cartridge?

Only the initial creation of a MrSID or JPEG 2000 image format charges against (“decrements”) the cartridge. Working with images already in MrSID or JPEG 2000 format does not decrement the data cartridge. For instance, you can encode to a lossless MrSID or JPEG 2000 file, which decrements the cartridge, and then use that file to create visually lossless compressed MrSID or JPEG 2000 files that do not charge against the cartridge. Additionally, updating mosaics and creating mosaics of existing MrSID or JPEG 2000 files do not charge against the cartridge.

Q: What LiDAR operations get charged against the cartridge?

For LiDAR jobs, the following operations charge the data cartridge:

• Creating a MrSID image from any other file format. However, creating a MrSID image from another MrSID image does not charge the data cartridge.
• Creating a LAZ image from a LAS image or a LiDAR text file. However, creating a LAZ image from another LAZ image does not charge the data cartridge.
• Creating a LAS image from a LiDAR text file.

If you have an input MrSID image, you can decode the image to LAS or LAZ without charging the data cartridge.

Q: Can I share my data cartridge with other users in my organization?

Yes. GeoExpress has a server-based shared capacity cartridge. This is NOT a floating license (for floating license information see below) but rather a “big bucket” of capacity that can be accessed by multiple licensed users on the network.

Questions about Floating Licenses

For more information see Licensing GeoExpress and Floating Licenses.

Q: How do I specify a License Server?

License Server options are accessible on the Options menu under “Floating Licenses”.

Q: Which license takes precedence when there are more than one available?

When you run GeoExpress after the temporary license has expired, the program first looks for a valid standalone ("local") license on your computer. If there is none, it looks for a valid floating license by trying to connect to a license server on your local subnet. If it cannot find one you are prompted to either activate a permanent standalone license or specify a license server on your local subnet or a broader network.

You may also specify whether or not GeoExpress should prefer a NITF-enabled license if it has to go to the network to get a license. By default, GeoExpress gives preference to a non-NITF-enabled license. You can change this on the License Management dialog box.