Help+Manual licenses are still perpetual – you can use them without a time limit once you have purchased them – but we have now added maintenance options for upgrades and true, server-based floating licenses that can be used in any geographical location. This topic explains the few things you need to know to get the best out of this system.

License management with proxy servers

If you are behind a proxy server Help+Manual may initially experience problems contacting our license server to register your licenses or check floating licenses in and out. If this is the case you can enter the credentials for your proxy server with Edit Proxy Settings in the View tab. This opens a separate utility program that requires administrator permissions.

Maintenance: What it is and how to renew it

The maintenance concept is simple: All updates and upgrades, both major and minor, are free provided your maintenance is still valid. You can check it with About Help+Manual in the Help tab.

Renewing your maintenance

Just click on the Extend Maintenance tool in the Help tab to purchase maintenance extension and to enter your purchased maintenance key once you receive it. If you are connected to the Internet your maintenance will then be extended right away. If you are not there is an offline option you can use. Just follow the instructions shown.

Changing licenses

If you ever need to change your license key for any reason, use the Change Serial Number tool in the Help tab.

Floating licenses: Activation and offline use

Floating server licenses can be used anywhere, not just on your local network.

Floating license manager utility for administrators

Please note that a floating license manager utility is available for administrators. This useful tool allows you to add licenses to your pool, see who is currently using a license and release licenses for use by other users. See below for full details.

How floating licenses work

Each user installs Help+Manual on their own computer and your administrator issues you with a floating license key that you enter using the normal registration process. If this doesn't start automatically just use the tool in the Help tab.

A floating license is normally only active while you are using it. It is released automatically as soon as you close the program, allowing other users to use the same key. When you are using floating licenses in this way an Internet connection is required. However, you can also "pin" your license to your computer for offline work, for example on a plane.

 

Using floating licenses normally:

1.The administrator first registers all the floating license keys on one computer. This first step is important, because it combines all your licenses in your license pool, establishing the number of available license slots. An Internet connection is required for this.

2.You then give each user a license key, which can be any key from the pool. You can give all users the same key, if you like, and this is actually a good idea.

3.Each user registers Help+Manual on their computer by entering the license key. This only needs to be done once and requires an Internet connection.

4.When a user starts Help+Manual a license slot is checked out for them and released as soon as you close the program. This makes it possible for other users to access your company's contingent of floating licenses. An Internet connection is required when using floating licenses like this.

Using floating licenses offline:

If a user needs to work offline, for example on a long flight, they must "pin" their license before you go offline. To do this start Help+Manual while you have an Internet connection and select the Pin License tool in the Help tab. The tool will then be highlighted until you unpin the license. The license will then remain active until unpinned. The administrator can release a pinned floating license with the administration tool, which is available on request, but only after eight days have elapsed since the license was pinned.

Using your computer as a build server

Many users like to use Help+Manual's command line publishing options to manage extensive lists of publishing tasks as batch operations. This can be done with any Professional or Floating license but you must activate the license for this purpose.

Command line batch activation

Before using your machine as a build server you need to activate your license for batch use with the following command line call:

<path>HELPMAN.EXE /LIC:XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Where XXXXXXXXXXXXX is your license key. The server must have an Internet connection when you do this. Upon successful activation, the digital license key for build server use is saved in the Help+Manual program directory on the headless server. You only need to do this once. After this you can run normal batch operations on the licensed computer from anywhere in your local network.

Build server operation does not use a license slot!

Note that this build server functionality provides you access in addition to your current license. If you do this with a floating license it does not occupy a floating license slot. Even if all your floating licenses are currently in use by users, you can still use your build server in addition to those users.

Floating license manager for administrators

This administration tool allows you to add floating licenses to your pool, see who is currently using your licenses and release licenses to make them available to other users under certain circumstances.

How to get the floating license manager

The download link for this utility is included in the instructions you receive when you purchase floating licenses. You can also get it from EC Software support by mailing support@ec-software.com.

Connecting the manager to your license pool

Before using the utility you must activate at least one of your floating licenses in Help+Manual, which you then use to activate the manager. After that you can add the other licenses to your pool with the manager (although you can also do this in Help+Manual).

1.Install Help+Manual on your own computer and activate at least one of your keys on that computer to create your license pool.

2.Unpack the license manager from the ZIP file. There is no installation, just double-click on it to run it.

3.Enter an activated floating license key (from Step1) at the first screen to connect it to your pool:

The license manager screen

The license manager shows you a list of all the license keys in your pool, who is currently using them and the date and time they started their current session. In the case of licenses pinned for offline use the date and time shows when the license was pinned.

Refresh

Hit this option to contact our license server and refresh the status display of all your licenses

Add a New License to Pool

This allows you to add new licenses to the pool. (This can also be done by activating the license on the same computer and copy of Help+Manual that you used to activate your first license.)

Unbook Selected license

This option allows you to release licenses that are in use, subject to the following restrictions:

•A normally used floating license can only be released by the administrator after two hours have passed since the user started Help+Manual.

•A floating license that has been pinned for offline use can only be released by the administrator after eight days have passed since the license was pinned. However, you can see who is using it so you can contact them to tell them to unpin it before that...

Set a Pin Code for Your Pool (used to revoke access to licenses)

This adds an additional PIN code that your authorized users must enter the first time they start Help+Manual after you set the PIN. You don't need this for normal operation. It is provided for when you want to revoke access to licenses for specific users. For example, you might make a license available to a temporary translator for a limited time. If you want to prevent that user from continuing to use the license after the job is finished you just enter a PIN and give the PIN code to all authorized users. All users will then be asked to enter the PIN once the next time they start the program. Once they have entered it they won't need to enter it again. Once you have entered a PIN you will also have a function for changing the PIN.

PIN codes: These can be as simple or as complex as you like. Spaces and special characters are permitted.

Make a note of the PIN you enter!

You will not be able to change or remove your PIN without the original PIN code, so please do store it in a safe place!