License Keys and the Windows Registry
License keys applied to PDF-XChange products during installation are available on either a per-machine or per-user basis.
When the software starts it looks to HKLM and HKCU and uses any valid keys it finds. The location of its searches are:
•HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Tracker Software\Vault and
•HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Tracker Software\Vault
Please note the following with regard to licensing:
•Adding keys to HKLM requires elevated rights. The application installers also require elevated rights. Keys passed to the installer are always defined as "per-machine".
•Using the GUI to add licenses (even as the administrator account) will put the keys in HKCU. Keys passed to the GUI are always defined as "per-user".
•Adding keys post-installation can be done per-machine or per user.
•If you want to apply a per-machine key then use an elevated command prompt to call XCVault.exe with the /M option. Further information on XCVault command line options is available here.
•If you want to apply a per-user key then use the GUI or call XCVault.exe as the target user.
Separating keys as per-machine and per-user enables the creation of a mixed licensing environment. This enables the creation of environments where some users have access to all features of the software whilst others have access to only the free features. These setups are of particular benefit on terminal servers (RDS), where it may be necessary to limit the number of licensed users whilst making the unlicensed version of the software available to other users. If you want to create this kind of setup then install the software without a license and apply license keys for the users that you want to be using the licensed version of the software.
Per-User License Application
Keys must be applied from within a user's Windows session to apply them in a per-user context, as this ensures that the key is stored in the user's HKCU. This can be done:
By the user:
•Through the application GUI (after installation via the application preferences).
•Using XCVault.exe at the command line, or in a script that is run as the current user.
•Double-clicking the key file.
Remotely/unattended:
•As a login, runonce or other script that runs as the user.
•Via a group policy script applied to the user context.
Note that copying the registry key from an installed machine will not be sufficient without taking additional steps, as keys are encrypted with machine-specific seeds. Further information about this process is available here.
Per-Machine License Application
Keys must be placed in HKLM in order to be applied for all users. This requires administrative rights and can be performed:
•During installation - keys applied during installation are always placed in HKLM and are available to all users.
•Through an administrator's account (or unattended) using XCVault.exe at the command line, or in a script.
Note that applying the key through the GUI (for example via the application preferences or by double-clicking the XCVault file) will not put the license in HKLM. It will instead go into HKCU for the administrator's account.