Following are answers to some frequently asked questions.
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?
How do I specify a License Server?
Which license takes precedence when there are more than one available?
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.
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.
For raster jobs, only the initial creation of MrSID and JPEG 2000 images charges the cartridge. Working with images that are already in the MrSID or JPEG 2000 format does not decrement the data cartridge. For instance, you can create 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.
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.
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.
For more information see Licensing GeoExpress and Floating Licenses.
Enter the License Server IP address or machine name in the Licensing section of the License and Cartridge Management window. To access this window, choose Options > Licensing.
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 (see Setting License Server Options).