Establish user privileges by editing the FlexNet Options file. The options file allows you, the license administrator, to control various operating parameters of FlexNet:
Allow or deny the use of features based on user, hostname, display name, group, etc.
Reserve licenses based on user, hostname, display name, group, etc.
Control the amount of information logged about license usage.
Set the Idle Timeout for participating Ansys products . For more information, see Setting Idle Timeout.
By using the options file, you can be as secure or as open with licenses as you like.
The default location of the options file, ansyslmd.opt, is in the license_files directory. If you have a three-server system, the options file must match exactly on all three servers.
If you are using an options file, you must specify the pathname to the file on the VENDOR line in the license file, unless it uses the default name, ansyslmd.opt, and resides in the same directory as the license file. On Linux systems, the VENDOR line would look like this for an options file named my.opt:
VENDOR ansyslmd options=/ansys_inc/shared_files/licensing/license_files/my.opt
On Windows systems, if the path has spaces in it, you must enclose it in quotes:
VENDOR ansyslmd options="c:\Program Files\ANSYS Inc\Shared Files\Licensing\license_files\my.opt"
For more information, see the FlexNet Publisher License Administration Guide which available through the Ansys License Management Center. For instructions on accessing this guide, see Accessing the Help Options.
The Idle Timeout option defines the time-out value before a license can be returned for an Ansys application. To participate in idle timeout, you must:
Obtain an updated license file containing the Ansys Idle Timeout license increment. To get this license, contact your Ansys sales representative.
Add the appropriate Idle Timeout settings to the ansyslmd.opt file as described below.
Currently, the following Ansys applications are using idle timeout:
Mechanical
Fluent
CFX
EnSight
Electronics Desktop
Idle timeout is set via the FLEXlm options file. You must edit the FLEXlm options file on the license server machine and restart or reread the license manager. The FLEXlm options file does not exist in a default installation. If you have not done so in the past, you may need to create FLEXlm options file before proceeding. The FLEXlm options file is a text file named ansyslmd.opt and placed in the license_files directory of your installation, for example:
Linux: /ansys_inc/shared_files/licensing/license_files/ansyslmd.opt
Windows: C:\Program Files\Ansys Inc\Shared Files\Licensing\license_files\ansyslmd.opt
After creating the FLEXlm options file, add either of the following settings to the file and then restart or reread the license manager through the Ansys License Management Center:
TIMEOUTALL seconds
Example: TIMEOUTALL 5400
TIMEOUT feature seconds
Example: TIMEOUT ansys 5400
Once this option is added, any application that participates in idle timeout will return its license after approximately 900 seconds (depending on server communication factors) plus the defined idle timeout seconds of inactivity. In the case of our example, approximately 900 + 5400 = 6300 seconds of inactivity.
Note: The minimum value for the idle timeout is 3600 seconds (1 hour).
After a client application license has timed out, others will be able to use that license. When the idle application becomes active again, it will attempt to check out the license increment immediately.