Dongle on USB

[Colin]

I have changed computers on an operating installation of CAMSOFT but now I can't get CAMSOFT to recognise the security dongle. Because the new computer has no parallel port I have used a USB to parallel adaptor. Is there some setting in Windows XP that has to be altered ? Can CAMSOFT recognise the dongle through the USB path ?

Colin

[sap1975]

Hi Colin

Not that i know for sure but chances are that the software won't recognize a virtual parallel port.
I know that if i where to write a dongle security section for a piece of software i would go to great lengths to prevent it.
Basically they're preventing network sharing of the dongle.

Cheers.
/Stig.

[dgwatson]

This is true, you cannot use a USB to parallel adapter for use of a security key. You need to buy a parallel card. But unfortunately not all cards will work it is a mater of trial and error. For our software we look for a specific chip set which is found on the StarTech .com, part no. PCI1P_LP. it is low profile. There are others, this just happened to be stock at Digi-key. We changed the face plate to the regular size and now it works great. Good luck...

[D.L]

Those USB printer port cables need drivers installed, once that is done you can ID the COM port in 'device manager' (usb ports). But all that work and we still had greif getting a DNC link to Heidenhain CNC control.
Your motherboard will have a DB25 port inside the case, you just need a cable and enable the COM port in the BIOS.
I guarantee that method!

[Colin]

Thanks to those 3 that replied to my original question; D.L, dgwatson, sap1975, I was hoping for a definitive answer from CAMSOFT themselves. I appreciate the issues of security and CAMSOFT's right to protect against copying but what happens with the current PC's which are not provided with a parallel port ?. What does CAMSOFT supply with its current release ?

I will investigate the PC a little more but I have already asked the question of the supplier "was there a LPT" on the motherboard and got told "No". Furthermore, I had already exchanged it to get one with 3 PCI sockets, which are fully used for the cards to run the machine (2 x IO and motor card). There is no PCI for a parallel port card !

To D.L - How do I "ID" the USB port. That sounds like the easiest option to try first.

Colin

[Karl_T]

Originally Posted by Colin Thanks to those 3 that replied to my original question; D.L, dgwatson, sap1975, I was hoping for a definitive answer from CAMSOFT themselves. I appreciate the issues of security and CAMSOFT's right to protect against copying but what happens with the current PC's which are not provided with a parallel port ?. What does CAMSOFT supply with its current release ?

I've seen references to USB keys and software only keys in Camsoft's literature. Just email them tommorrow.

Karl

[Metalmog]

Had a similar issue. They will supply or exchange the old parallel version for a USB version for free, provided your maintenance contract is up to date. They don' really cost much.

in my case I was not prepared to renew the maint at half the cost of new software, cheaper just to buy right PC.

It's a huge pain, this dongle - because I often forget it, as I work on quite a few computers. Partially got around the dongle inconvenience by using remote software such as "PC Anywhere" and just leave the dongle on the machine. My machine is fully networked but you need to watch performance.

You can get a USB version of the I-Button parallel port dongle (all you need to do is move the thing that looks like a battery to the other unit), but for some reason that does not work as the software is looking in the wrong location for it. Do not get the time to figure out the redirect.

[D.L]

Sounds like metalmog could be onto the best solution. The usb com port we had was a cheap chinese item with a driver disk. On XP we got the drivers in, looked in the device manager at 'com ports' and 'usb devices', got our com port number and memory address and manually configured our dnc software.
But it was a pig! Sometimes it worked, other times no way! It just would not work properly and probably spent a day scratching our heads and trying different stuff.
'PC anywhere' could be the go, set up a LAN with a beast for cad and an older mule for cam, printers. Unless youre getting toolpaths from polygon meshes, then you'll need a beasty PC, which would bring you back to the original problem - reverse compatibility! Hope it works out.

[cncwapner]

Why not just add a PCI parallel port card to the PC. They only cost like $20 bucks.

[Colin]

No spare slot, all 3 used up with drivers.

Whoops, the computer shop has given us a parallel port that plugs into the motherboard elsewhere, but still can't mke it go!!!!

[Colin]

After several years of running, I have tried to load CAMSOFT Pro onto another computer but it keeps telling me that the hardware key cannot be found. I have tried many things to ensure that everything is fine including fitting a new PCI parallel port. Is the error message telling the truth in that it simply can't see the dongle or is there some other reason why the software will not run ? I note in CAMSOFT's literature there is a note about running a utility called UNLOCK.EXE Does this have to be run to get a code from CAMSOFT every time you migrate to a new computer ?

Colin

[HillBilly]

Have you installed the Version.ID file that matches the software and dongle. The one on the install CD probably does not.

Darek