Using fedora 7, when trying to install an apprentice license on h9 i get the following error:

ERROR: Invalid machine name: localhost.localdomain

running
# sesictrl -n
The server code for “localhost.localdomain” is:
SERVER localhost.localdomain 6e490e00

do I need to change my machine name from local host…? i get a feeling this is more of a fedora issue than a houdini issue

http//www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=693&Itemid=229

synopsis add another ip like 192.168.xxx.xxx and then a name for your machine and the domain

192.168.0.2 mymachine.mydomain mydomain

Thanks for the help - I'm still having a bit of trouble…

my /etc/hosts file now looks like this:

# Do not remove the following line, or various programs
# that require network functionality will fail.
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
192.168.0.2 twLaptop1.twLaptop1 twLaptop1

and my diagnostic output looks like this:

Diagnostic Output:
==================
If you are having licensing problems, please save this information and email it
to support@sidefx.com.

License Administrator output:
=============================
Generated on: Wed Oct 3 10:54:40 2007
Local host name: twLaptop1
Local server code: 6e490e00
Local ip address: 192.168.0.2
Number of servers: 1
License server name: twLaptop1 (twLaptop1.twLaptop1)
License server server code: 6e490e00
Server ip address: 192.168.0.2
License server is running: Yes
May read licenses from server: Yes
Has SERVER license: No
License server version: 9.0.725
May modify server from this machine: Yes
Redundant server keys: 1
Name Code Redundant Connected Transmission OK
—- —- ——— ——— —————
twLaptop1 6e490e00 no - -
License Administrator version: 9.0.725
Http proxy host: (none)
Can retrieve http://license.sidefx.com/index.php: [license.sidefx.com] Yes

Installed licenses:
LicID Platform Product Ver Avail Expiry
—– ——– ——- — —– ——
bb321671 Generic Houdini-Master-NonCommercial 9.0 0/0 31-oct-2007
+.+.+.+ twLaptop1 (license known to: twLaptop1)
161c3386 Generic Render-NonCommercial 9.0 0/0 31-oct-2007
+.+.+.+ twLaptop1 (license known to: twLaptop1)

sesictrl -i output:
===================
—– SERVER twLaptop1 ——–

*** WARNING *** - No valid server lines found

Lic bb321671: 0 “Houdini-Master-NonCommercial 9.0” Generic 31-oct-2007 +.+.+.+ twLaptop1

Lic 161c3386: 0 “Render-NonCommercial 9.0” Generic 31-oct-2007 +.+.+.+ twLaptop1

Serv twLaptop1 6e490e00
redundant: no
connected: no
transmission successful: no



hserver -l output:
==================
Hostname: twLaptop1
Uptime: 0:02:01
License Server: twLaptop1
Server Version: sesinetd9.0.725
Version: Houdini9.0.725
ReadAccess: +.+.+.*
WriteAccess: +.+.+.*

384 of 882 Mb available
CPU Usage: 32% load
0 active tasks (2 slots)



licenses file:
==============
## Side Effects Software License File
#
# For license information, please contact:
# Side Effects Software Inc.
# 123 Front St. West, Suite 1401
# Toronto, Ontario, Canada
# M2J 2M2
# licensemanager@sidefx.com
# http://www.sidefx.com [sidefx.com]
#
# NOTE: This file may be modified by the licensee
#

# Key installed 17:05:46 10/01/07
SERVER twLaptop1 6e490e00 38a525e02421c78b6823c2b2e37c2c6139cafcc70d5f12

# Key installed 17:05:47 10/01/07
LICENSE Generic Houdini-Master-NonCommercial 9.0 1 31-oct-2007 +.+.+.+ \
twLaptop1 bb321671 \
xa@DghPqKxCIJf7fb@DPJ6CyWExezOZIlaJu5oo5rJwlDi1xvbkJjk3

# Key installed 17:05:49 10/01/07
LICENSE Generic Render-NonCommercial 9.0 1 31-oct-2007 +.+.+.+ twLaptop1 \
161c3386 LAhgNDKJeUDhamFaEgwNcwaUKFdmpwdrmuTHZaGuLNrWv8HnogCW6F1

# Key installed 02:13:56 10/02/07
LICENSE Generic Houdini-Master-NonCommercial 9.0 1 01-nov-2007 +.+.+.+ \
twLaptop1 7e1706f3 \
7HU6LFY1VkpBgjbBZIv0EwHutJEOZgtjrBpZUNVT5M02ujegcmXWDG3

# Key installed 02:15:11 10/02/07
LICENSE Generic Houdini-Master-NonCommercial 9.0 1 01-nov-2007 +.+.+.+ \
twLaptop1 7e1706f3 \
7HU6LFY1VkpBgjbBZIv0EwHutJEOZgtjrBpZUNVT5M02ujegcmXWDG3

i've been playing with this for a while now but I can't work it out - if anyone has any suggestions that'd be great

it looks like the licenses are issued to the host “twLaptop1” while the license manager reports the host name as “twLaptop1.twLaptop1”.

You can try setting the host name to “twLaptop1” using “hostname” command.

If not, you can obtain the new apprentice licenses for “twLaptop1.twLaptop1” by clicking “Local Server” button in the dialog that pops up if you do File>Change License Server in hkey (ie, license administrator) main menu. Then if you run Houdini, the new licenses (with correct host name) should be installed.

The reason for this error is that you hserver can use just “twLaptop1” to connect to sesinetd (which is what your settings are), but it needs the correct version (ie, the same as reported by hostname) in order to generate the correct licenses.

hmm….. interesting. according to the hostname command my host name was twLaptop 1… clicking the Local server button in the change server window sets the license server host to twlaptop1 (without the uppercase L) and accepting this comes up with the error

cannot connect to the license server on twlaptop1

when I set it to twLaptop1, it connects, and I see the two licenses in the list, but I get a red dot at he bottom telling me ‘Invalid Server Key’.

Can I reinstall the server key?

hmm, that's strange indeed.

you could try reinstalling the server key by removing (or commenting out the SERVER line in your/usr/lib/sesi/licenses file and re-obtaining the apprentice license. If the SERVER line is not in the licenses file, it will be added.

Since the diagnostic info reports “License server name: twLaptop1 (twLaptop1.twLaptop1)”, another thing to try is to obtain the licenses for twLaptop1.twLaptop1. Basically, in the File >Change License Server dialog type “twLaptop1.twLaptop1” and try obtaining the licenses (either by starting Houdini and choosing to install Apprentice license, or via File >Install Licenses in the license administrator (hkey).

thanks - that sounds promising - i'll try it when i get home, in about an hour or so…

perrrrrrfect!

runs like a dream too!

sorry - forgot to say thank you!

thank you!!!

hmm… i rebooted and then it didn't work… so emptied the /sesi/licenses file again and reinstalled and then it worked again… trying another reboot again… hopefully it will still work

You are welcome, but it looks like your problem is not completely solved. Hmm.. weired. If you have a wireless adapter then it may be related to the changing MAC address. Check out this thread:
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=9772&highlight= [sidefx.com]

ahhh i was actually thinking it might be the wireless card too!

I'll disable the wireless and reinstalll the licenses with an ethernet connection hopefully should be fine after that…

I cleared my licenses file, then deactivated my wireless card in the network configuration, then rebooted, then connected to my router via ethernet cable, then reinstalled the licenses, ran houdini - it worked, then I rebooted and i had the same ‘invalid server key’ problem… am i not disabling my wireless card correctly? should i comment out wlan0 in the modprobe.conf?

Just open up hkey and turn on stand-alone licensing. See if that works.

thanks - whereabouts is the option for standalone licensing under the hkey license administrator?

Sorry. This option is only available on Windows. You are on Linux (Fedora)

Fyi for windows users:
File > Change License Server..
In that dialog there will be a check option to use Stand Alone Licensing


If this is a Dell Laptop (or similar), I had a similar issue where if I had the ethernet unplugged and wireless enabled, the order of my network devices actually changed on boot up! That would certainly mean a different MAC address and nothing but pain.

A 10 min Google Search got me two answers: one was to edit a system config file? and the other was to simiply turn off the fast boot option in my bios config.
Now I have an extra 10 second boot up time but at least I can be assured that the MAC address won't change.

yep - dell laptop!

i'll have a quick go with fastboot turned off, if that doesn't work i'll start searching on google - thanks for all your help

the fast boot didn't work but i'll try and find out which system config file to edit… any idea where you found the info?

thanks!

what does your /etc/hosts file look like now?

I had a similar problem to yours, and I fixed it by adding another alias to the localhost line, namely:
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain monkey localhost

This lets me get a license locally whether I am on the intertubes or not.

thanks for the reply - my etc/hosts file looks like this

# Do not remove the following line, or various programs
# that require network functionality will fail.
127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
192.168.0.2 twLaptop1.twLaptop1 twLaptop1