Steps to install

Download and install the ANLM server software

Email support@alchemysoftware.com to receive a link to download Alchemy Network License Manager 3.7 (ANLM).

ANLM 3.6 can serve Alchemy Catalyst licenses on the same domain.

Once downloaded, run alchemy_nlm_3.7.exe to install ANLM.

By default, it will install ANLM in C:\Program Files\Alchemy Software\NLM or C:\Program Files (x86)\Alchemy Software\NLM on 64bit machines.

As this machine will permanently serve the licenses to other clients, it is important that:

  1. It is a reliable machine that is normally left on. Ideally it should be a windows server machine.
  2. It must be visible across the network by all clients wishing to use an Alchemy Catalyst  license
  3. There are 2 processes that must be allowed to communicate (alchemy.exe and lmgrd.exe). If you have a firewall installed on the server, it will be necessary to unblock these executable. See next section below for details.
     

Notes:

  • The ANLM manager uses the TCP protocol for communication
  • You cannot run Alchemy Catalyst on the same machine as the ANLM software.

 

Upgrading an ANLM installation

ANLM 3.7 can upgrade installations of ANLM version 3.1 and newer.

Once downloaded, run alchemy_nlm_3.7.exe to upgrade your installation of ANLM.

Prior to starting the installation, stop the service (if applicable) and/or stop and close the Alchemy Network License Manager interface.

 

Unblock Alchemy Catalyst executables in the Firewall settings

In order for all the client machines, i.e. the Alchemy Catalyst users, to connect and receive licenses from the ANLM, it is necessary to allow the programs to communicate through the Firewall.

  1. Go to Control panel > Windows Firewall
  2. Click on "Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall"
  3. Click  the Change settings button to enable "Allow another app..." button
  4. Click the "Allow another app..." button
  5. Click the browse button and navigate to the install directory of ANLM, by default C:\Program Files\Alchemy Software\NLM
  6. Click on  ALCHEMY.exe file and press the Open button
  7. Click the "Add" button
  8. Click the  "Allow another app..." button again
  9. Click the browse button and  navigate to the install directory of ANLM, by default C:\Program Files\Alchemy Software\NLM
  10. Click on the lmgrd.exe file and press the Open button
  11. Click the "Add" button
  12. Finally press OK on the Firewall settings dialog.

Activate the ANLM Server license

Once the files have been installed, go to > All programs > Alchemy NLM 3.7 > Licensing

  1. Fill in the details: The Catalyst Edition you have purchased, your Email address and your Company name.
  2. Then Click on Create Cert. Request.
    The Certificate Request field will be populated with the computer's Installation ID details ready to send to info@alchemysoftware.com
  3. Click on Send to Email client to automatically create an email with the Certificate request
    -or-
    Copy to Clipboard the Certificate request to manually copy and paste the text into an email message

An installation ID is the hardware information that uniquely identifies your host computer. The installation ID information is used by Alchemy Software to create your unique Product Certificate. This certificate will be mailed to you electronically and is used to activate your Alchemy CATALYST license in a subsequent step.

-===-

Having received the certificate file from Alchemy Software, save it to your computer. Your desktop is the best place to save to. The file will be deleted as part of the activation of your license.

Go to > All programs >  Alchemy NLM 3.7 > Licensing.

Launch the Activation expert and Click on Activate by email > Activate Certificate file...

This creates a license file called ServerLicensesCat.lic in the ANLM public folder:

C:\Users\Public\Alchemy Software\NLM


Setting Up the ANLM Server so that Licenses can be checked out by CATALYST clients

With the license file present, it is now time to start the License Server so that these licenses are available to other machines over the network.

There are two ways with which this can be achieved.

  1. Service (recommended): Install the License Server as a service so it is automatically started anytime the machine reboots
  2. Alchemy Network License Manager program interface: Use the program's interface to start the License Server each time a user logs in to the machine

Service

1. To install the License Server as a service edit InstallServiceCat.bat found in the Alchemy NLM installation folder in a text editor.

2. Amend the ExecutablePath and LicensePath entries on line 2 and 3. The paths should reflect respectively your installation directory and your License file location.
For example on a default installation on Windows 64bit:

set ExecutablePath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Alchemy Software\NLM
set LicensePath=C:\Users\Public\Alchemy Software\NLM

3. Double click the amended batch file to install the service for Catalyst licenses. The service can later be uninstalled by running RemoveServiceCAT.bat. Again you will have to amend the ExecutablePath entry first.

On Windows Server 2008, you will need to right click the .bat file and select Run as administrator.

4. With the service installed, it should now be started.
Go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services
Select the service you have installed and Click Start

Make sure to have the Alchemy Network License Manager program closed before starting the service. If running, the service will fail to start.

The machine could also be rebooted as a means to start the service (this also verifies that any future unintentional reboots will also start the service).

NOTE: If you are getting an error 1053 when starting the service, this is because of an outdated lmgrd.exe. Request an updated file from Alchemy Software Support (support@alchemysoftware.com).

 

Alchemy Network License Manager program interface

1. You can start the Alchemy Network License Manager program from the start menu.

  • Go to  > All programs >  Alchemy NLM 3.7 > Alchemy NLM

This will start the licenses managers and you can click the Start button to make the licenses available on your network.

NOTE:  It is important to realize that using this method, a user must log in to the server before the License Server will start and allow clients to use the Alchemy Catalyst licenses.

 

Edit the Catalyst Client license file to point to the ANLM Server

Edit the Client.lic for distribution.

This file can be downloaded on our FTP at https://www.alchemysoftware.com/downloads/anlm/client.lic

The Client.lic file should now be edited so that it is ready for use on any client machine wishing to connect with the server to acquire a Catalyst license.

This file is a text based file with small changes required. The license file should say machineName as shown in the screenshot below. You need to change this 'machineName' to the actual computer name of server machine.

To find the server/PC's computer name, right click on My PC in File Explorer and go to Properties. And then go to the 'Computer Name' tab. The computer name is given on this window across from Full computer name as shown in the screenshot below.

Edit the Client.lic file using the computer name as shown in the screenshot below. Don't enter any of the domain information (example: cyrilV01.alchemysoftware.local).

This file may now be distributed to any CATALYST client machine wishing to connect to the server and use licenses from it. This client.lic file needs to be copied into the Public Folder.
For example in Alchemy Catalyst 2025:

C:\Users\Public\Alchemy Software\Catalyst 2025

 

Viewing the shared Licenses

Even if you have setup the ANLM as a service, you can see  what licenses are available at anytime by running the ANLM program from the start menu.
Here is an example of what it will look like:

Optionally Edit the Alchemy.opt file

If the license server is serving different types of licenses, (e.g. 20 Developer Pros and 40 Localizers) it may be a good idea to control which users can access the different license types. This type of control is possible by editing the Alchemy.opt file. Please see the LicenseManager.chm file in the Alchemy Catalyst  NLM folder for an explanation of how this is done.

 

Related topics

 

Products or Versions Affected

  • Alchemy Network License Manager 3.1 and greater