Solved

I cannot use Ansys version Zemax OpticStudio from a Client Machine (1st time)

  • 1 August 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 148 views

Userlevel 3
Badge +1

I often get questions like the above from users who are running the Ansys version of OpticStudio for the first time.

So, I made this post for summarizing solutions for such cases.

When a user uses the Ansys version of OpticStudio as a network license, there are a server machine that hosts the license and a client machine that communicates with the server machine to use OpticStudio.

If the network configuration on these PCs or the communication between PCs is not set up correctly, an error occurs when starting OpticStudio and it cannot be used.

This Post summarizes how to deal with such cases.

Note: This information is current as of July 2023. 

icon

Best answer by Takashi Matsumoto 1 August 2023, 10:18

View original

1 reply

Userlevel 3
Badge +1

1. Ansys License Manager and license installations have not been done yet.

For license communication between the server and client machines, you need to install Ansys License Manager on the server machine separately from OpticStudio on the client machine and obtain the license file yourself.

For installation instructions, please refer to “Installing the Ansys License Manager” section of the following article.

Ansys Zemax license server installation and activation – Knowledgebase

 

2Affected by firewalls or security systems

Windows firewalls and security systems may prevent communication between computers. For setting exception instructions of windows firewall, please refer to the Configuring the license server and firewall" and " Windows Firewall exception instructions" sections of the following article.

Ansys Zemax license server installation and activation – Knowledgebase

We are not able to determine your company's unique security system. Please contact your company's IT staff. 

3Settings of Ansys License Utility are incorrect.

The first time OpticStudio is started on a client machine, the following Ansys license utility is always launched.

 

OpticStudio uses the information in this utility to find the server machine.
Please refer to the "Accessing a license on a license server" section of the following article for information on how to set up this utility.

Configuring Zemax applications to access an Ansys license – Knowledgebase

The license server machine name can be found in the "Get System Hostid Information" tab of the Ansys License Manager on the license server machine as HOSTNAME as below picture.

 

4Host Name isn’t resolved

Even if these measures are implemented, communication may not be possible.
This may be because the HostName and IP address are not connected.
In such a case, please launch a command prompt (CMD) and try the following command.

curl -v telnet:// “HOST NAME” :1055
If the HostName is not resolved, the below error occurs.

 

In such a case, you can resolve it by adding the strings to the following “hosts” file

[Windows] C:¥Windows¥System32¥drivers¥etc¥hosts
[Linux] /etc/hosts

Add string.

Server’s IP (ex:192.168.7.1 etc.) HostName

5Security system does not support random daemon ports.

The Ansys License Manager uses a random port for communication to client machines in default settings, as below picture. So, some security systems reject the communication to the client machine.

 

First, you can check to see if the use of random ports is restricted.

You can check the currently used (or about to use) port from the "License.log" file in the Zip file collected from the "Save to file" button in "Gather Diagnostic Information " tab of AnsysLicenseManager on the server machine.

If you open this file in WordPad and search for [ansyslmd using TCP-port], you will find the port number as below.

 

This number is the port number that AnsysLicenseManager is or was trying to use, so you can check to see if this port number is open

You can check this in CMD for entering below command.
 curl -v telnet:// “HOST NAME” :”prot number”

If this port is unavailable, a TimeOut error will be occurred, as below.

 

In such cases, you can edit the license file to fix the port to be used in server machine.
Place of license file is below.

Windows
C:¥Program Files¥ANSYS Inc¥Shared
 Files¥Licensing¥license_files¥ansyslmd.lic
Linux : /ansys_inc/shared_files/licensing/license_files/ansyslmd.lic

Open the license file in WordPad and enter the port to be fixed as bwllow.

 

 

Restart AnsysLicenseManager after changed setting of the license file, then open the port on the server machine.

Please contact your IT department for the port to be fixed.

Also, on the server machine side, it is necessary to release the port, but if there is a firewall other than Windows here as well, If you have a firewall other than Windows, please contact the IT department.

For setting exception instructions of windows firewall, please refer to " Windows Firewall exception instructions" sections of the following article.

Ansys Zemax license server installation and activation – Knowledgebase

Reply