License Extensions

[greg.gebert978266]

Has anyone had any problems using the license extensions if Revit drops your license in RAC 2010? Revit has dropped my license a few times and the license extensions don't work for me. It has been very frustrating because I keep losing work.

[DaveP]

I'll second that issue.

We just had a situation last week where we rebooted a server while someone was still working (at 10 PM!). No Extension. The Revit station immediately went into Demo mode and the user lost everything. I thought that's what the Extensions were for. Also, once it goes into Demo mode, there's no going back. Even after the server came back up, we couldn't get a license OR an Extension

[greg.gebert978266]

I'll second that issue.

We just had a situation last week where we rebooted a server while someone was still working (at 10 PM!). No Extension. The Revit station immediately went into Demo mode and the user lost everything. I thought that's what the Extensions were for. Also, once it goes into Demo mode, there's no going back. Even after the server came back up, we couldn't get a license OR an Extension

Atleast I am not the only one haveing issues with it.

[dan.dankert]

We have had this happen a few times where wireless has dropped for a second during training or we had a switch reboot, and only people in 2010 get stuck in Demo. No way back, hoped you saved recently!

All of our other Autodesk software including users in Revit 2009 have no problems.

Good to know others have seen this!
Dan

[greg.gebert978266]

We reported it to Autodesk, and they think it is a computer resources issue. I have a hard time believing that since I am running a quad core 64 bit with 8GB of RAM. We are trying to gather a ton of info to pass along to Autodesk. Of course it doesn't want to drop a license when i need it to!

[CRThomas]

We've been getting this consistently.

Our FlexLM settings include a TIMEOUT variable set to 1 hour - we've been running this way for years. The idea is to release the license if people are away from their machines for an extended period of time. In the past, when people return to their machines and begin working, the license is restored. The user doesn't even know it has happened. This is true for AutoCAD as well as Revit.

We reported this to Autodesk and were instructed to remove the TIMEOUT variable. Good as a workaround until Revit is fixed. BTW - AutoCAD still works with TIMEOUT set to 1 hour.

[jsadams2]

I had the same thing happen this morning. We lost our Internet connection this morning, which means we lost connection to the license server. Whenever I hit save, the extension window pops up, giving me the choice to use one of 10 extensions, or enter demo mode. When I select use extension, the window goes away, but the file is never saved. No matter how many times I do this, it always says I have 10 extensions left.

[john.negus]

That unchanging 10 extensions set me thinking.

So I just kept trying to do something - view properties (no go, click the Extension again), Zoom to Fit (Extension again), ......... a couple more (Extension), select an element, view properties - THE PROPERTIES DIALOG POPS UP !!!. I also now have my license back !!!.

This might take 5 or 6 tries and it doesn't seem to matter what you try. It just eventually does what you ask it to and you're back in business. It's a lot better than losing work or having to re-start and re-load a large project. So, don't change your timeout, just use this until Autodesk sort it out.

John

[john.negus]

There's another way.

Open a second session of Revit. In the new session, go to Help, About, Product Information. It should show that you have a permanent network license. Go back to the original session, tick the Use Extension button and you should have your license back. Close the second session and you're back in business.

John

[t1.shep]

That unchanging 10 extensions set me thinking.

So I just kept trying to do something - view properties (no go, click the Extension again), Zoom to Fit (Extension again), ......... a couple more (Extension), select an element, view properties - THE PROPERTIES DIALOG POPS UP !!!. I also now have my license back !!!.

This might take 5 or 6 tries and it doesn't seem to matter what you try. It just eventually does what you ask it to and you're back in business. It's a lot better than losing work or having to re-start and re-load a large project. So, don't change your timeout, just use this until Autodesk sort it out.

John
This just worked for me....strange...
I think the other way I've "fixed" this is to unplug my Ethernet cable from my desktop and then plug back in.

[twiceroadsfool]

Extensions havent worked for us at all either. Thankfully, it hasnt been as issue. We dont have the timeout enabled.

They only mis the connection sometimes right at startup. End users close revit and restart it, typically fine after that.

[john.negus]

I suspect that there's a problem with Revit trying to get a license after a timeout but not having a timing loop to wait for a response from the License Manager. It then becomes pot luck whether you happen to ask for one when there's a "heartbeat" or not. Hence the random response. Opening a second session forces Revit to check for a license during the initial opening of the program and this then flows back to the first session.

I've passed this theory on to Autodesk, but haven't heard back yet. In the meantime, one has to wonder why such a seemingly simple problem with serious implications for large companies has not been rectified.

John