This chapter explains the specifications, acquisition, location, and replacement of the license file.
The license for "Antenna House PDF API" is broadly divided into two types: evaluation version license and regular version license. The specifications for each are as follows.
This is a 30-day evaluation license. The installer will automatically place it in your installation folder. There are other limitations to the operation of the evaluation version, such as watermarks. For details on the limitations of the evaluation version, see "Chapter 9 Operation Specifications on Evaluation Version" in this manual.
The exact expiration date for evaluation licenses is below;
This is the license obtained when you officially purchase "Antenna House PDF API". The license file has a maintenance period. You can use product updates and maintenance versions within the maintenance period. If the version of PDF Tool API changes, you will need to replace the license file. For details, see "4-6-1 Supplement 1: Maintenance Period and Version Upgrade" in this chapter.
Note:
Updates and maintenance versions released after the maintenance expiration date are no longer available.
If you do not update after the maintenance contract period ends, you can continue to use the service as before.
If you newly purchase Antenna House PDF API, we will send you the regular license file separately from the installer. Additionally, each time your maintenance contract is renewed, we will send you a new license file.
When installed using the installer, the evaluation version license file [ptalic.dat] is placed in the following folder path by default.
License file location: {installation folder}\License
Additionally, in the case of the Windows version, the environment variable PTL80_LIC_PATH, which indicates the location of the license file, is set at the same time when the installer is executed, so if you want to use the evaluation version license, you can start using it directly from the Command-line.
Unlike the Windows version, the installer does not set environment variables on the Linux version. Instead, the installer places "run.sh" with installation destination information.
"run.sh" is a shell script that executes a Command-line application after setting environment variables with installation destination information. For details, see "10-1-2 Running on Linux versions" in this manual. If you do not use "run.sh", see "4-4-1 How to Specify the Location 1: Using Environment Variables" described later, and specify the location of the license file to the environment variable PTL80_LIC_PATH.
The license file is placed by default, but you can place it anywhere you like. There are two types of placement methods. Place it using one of the methods below.
Environment variable name: PTL80_LIC_PATH
Setting value: Folder path where the license file is placed
In the case of the Windows version, it is also possible to use the license file by placing it in the same location as Antenna House PDF API V8.0 module file [PdfTk80.dll]. At this time, the environment variable "PTL80_LIC_PATH" is not required.
When changing from evaluation use to regular use or renewing the maintenance contract, the license file must be replaced. How to replace it is shown below.
You can replace the old file by overwriting it with a new license file. (Each license file has the same name [ptalic.dat]) This is the easiest way. Alternatively, place the new license file in any location and change the folder path specified in the environment variable to the new one. You do not need to restart your computer after replacing the license file.
Note:
Replace the license file when no programs that use Antenna House PDF API are running.
Newly purchased license files and license files with extended maintenance contracts have maintenance contract period information.
If a maintenance version of Antenna House PDF API is released during the maintenance contract period, you can update to the maintenance version and use it. Additionally, if you continue to use the service without updating after the maintenance contract period ends, you can continue to use it as before. However, if you update to maintenance version released after the maintenance contract ends, the Command-line will operate as an evaluation version. Therefore, a watermark string for evaluation is inserted into each page of the output PDF.
Consider renewing your maintenance contract to regularly use the latest maintenance version.
If you want to use the major release version (*) of Antenna House PDF API, you will need to replace the license file. If the maintenance contract is still valid, you can obtain a new license file by requesting a new license file from sales@antennahouse.com. Contact us if you need a new license file for a major release upgrade. When you use the point release upgrade, it is not necessary to replace the license file if the version was released within the maintenance period.
(*) Upgrades are possible within the maintenance support service period. (However, if the price is different between versions, a difference in price may be required.) For details on major version upgrades and point release upgrades, see "Chapter 15 Upgrading" in this manual.
When installing the maintenance release version of Antenna House PDF API, the required operations differ between the Windows and Linux versions.
You can display license information on screen by running AHPDFToolCmd80 -lic on the Command-line. For details, see "13-33 -lic: Getting the License Information" in this manual.