Construct Options File for FLEXNet Publisher

1. Create a new text file and save it as a .opt file.
2. Use any text editor to add the appropriate keywords listed in Supported Options File Keywords to fit your needs.
3. Place the options file in the same directory as the license file.

The options file can be referenced in FlexNet by the following methods:

• Allow FlexNET to find the file automatically. This method requires that the file meets the following criteria:

The name of the file is < vendor>.opt, where vendor is the vendor daemon name.
The .opt file is in the same directory as the license file used by lmgrd. 

• Add the path to the options file in the license file as the fourth field on the VENDOR line for the application’s vendor daemon.
  
  For example: 

VENDOR sampled /etc/sampled \ [options=]/sample_app/sampled/licenses/sampled.opt 
enables the sampled vendor daemon to look at the specified options file.

Options file keywords define a specific operation or object within the options file. Each line in the options file begins with one of these keywords and specifies the action the line is to perform. NI supports and has tested the following options file keywords; however, functionality is not necessarily limited to the keywords that appear in this table.

Note: Support for BORROW commands was discontinued after FLEXNet 4.0.

For keyword syntax and examples, refer to FlexNet Publisher 11.1 End User Guide (Chapter 5, page 46). For an example of an options file, download nilm.opt from the Attachments section.

When using the RESERVE, INCLUDE, and EXCLUDE keywords, you must specify the NI product you are specifying permissions for. This name can be found in your NI license file that is sent to the software administrator (or whoever is managing the FLEXlm server). This file will typically be named by the Service ID of the agreement followed by .lic. If you open this file in a text editor, you will see the naming convention for each of the licensed products next to the keyword PACKAGE.

Use the INCLUDE keyword and specify the <type> input to USER or HOST to assign licenses to a single user or host. If you have both user and host-based licenses, you can put both types of INCLUDE lines in the same options file.

#Allows user jDoe access to LabVIEW.
INCLUDE LabVIEW_PDSM_PKG USER jDoe

#Allows host ComputerA access to Measurement Studio.
INCLUDE MStudio_Pro_PKG_UB HOST ComputerA

Use the USER_GROUP or HOST_GROUP keywords to define a user or host-based group. Host groups can be defined by the computer name or an IP address range.

USER_GROUP MyUserGroup jDoe jSmith

HOST_GROUP MyHostGroup ComputerA ComputerB ComputerC

HOST_GROUP MyHostGroup2 10.0.*.*

Use the INCLUDE keyword and specify the <type> input to USER_GROUP or HOST_GROUP to assign licenses to group of users or hosts.

INCLUDE DIAdem_PRO_PKG_MC USER_GROUP MyUserGroup

INCLUDE MStudio_Pro_PKG_UB HOST_GROUP MyHostGroup

INCLUDE SoftwareSolutions_SS_PKG HOST_GROUP MyHostGroup2 

The debug log file is enabled by default. To disable the debug log file, use the NOLOG keyword.

#disables logging of license checkins. 
NOLOG IN

#disables logging of license checkouts.
NOLOG OUT

#disables logging when user does not have access to a license.
NOLOG DENIED

The INCLUDE keyword allows access to a license, while the RESERVE keyword guarantees access. For instance, say you have 25 concurrent LabVIEW licenses and 40 users that you want to have access to these licenses. You could use the USER_GROUP keyword to create a group that contains these 40 users. Then, you could use the INCLUDE keyword to grant them access to these LabVIEW licenses. Then these users would be able to check-out these licenses on a first-come first-serve basis.

However, say you have five key developers who you want to have guaranteed access to these licenses. You could use the RESERVE keyword to guarantee these five users access. The other 35 users not given reserved privileges would then share access to the remaining 20 licenses on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you have purchased a non-concurrent license for a product, you can only grant access to as many users or hosts as you have seats for. If you try to grant permissions for more users or hosts than there are seats, you will receive a licensing error.

• Getting Started with FlexNet Publisher Configuration
• External: Flexera Support
• External: FlexNet Publisher 11.1 End User Guide
• FlexLM Error: User/host Not on the INCLUDE List for Feature
• NI VLM, FlexNet, or FLEXlm Bebug Log Generate “USER_BASED License Error…(INCLUDE missing)”