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Full offline mode

Use the Pdftools software fully offline with valid license keys for at least three months or more, depending on the type of your license. Your local network can stay without an internet connection, and the license keys are validated for a set period of time.

Install the LGS​

Install the Licensing Gateway Service (LGS) to enable fully offline configuration, download and install the package on a machine in your network that is not connected to the internet.

note

Ensure you install the LGS on an offline machine in full offline mode. However, in the connected mode, you need to install the LGS on a computer that is connected to the internet.

  1. Download the LicensingGatewayService.msi package.
  2. Run the installer.

The installer copies the required binary files, sets up the port and environment variables, and creates and runs a Windows service that acts as an agent to regularly synchronize the LGS with the Pdftools Licensing Server.

Configure the LGS for offline use​

To configure the LGS:

  1. Locate the LGS configuration file appsettings.json:

    For Windows, the file is in the instalation folder, for example:

    C:\Program Files\Pdftools\Licensing Gateway Service\appsettings.json

    Example configuration file:

    {
      "LicensingServicePortNumber": 9999,
      "LogFilePath": "C:/logs/pdftls/log.txt",
      "LogRetentionDays": 7
    }

  2. Enable offline mode in LGS. Update configuration file so that IsOfflineMode property is set to true.

    Example configuration file after update:

    {
      "LicensingServicePortNumber": 9999,
      "LogFilePath": "C:/logs/pdftls/log.txt",
      "LogRetentionDays": 7,
      "IsOfflineMode": true
    }

  3. Optionally, you can configure these options:

    • Licensing Service Port number: Set the port number used by the service. The default value is 9999.
    • Log file path: Specify the desired path of the log files.
    • Log retention: Define the number of days the log files are kept.

  4. Restart the service after modifying the appsettings.json file for the changes to take effect.

caution

If the machine with the LGS becomes inaccessible, the license keys are blocked and unusable offline. Consequently, you cannot activate or deactivate the blocked license key on any other machine. Contact Pdftools support to unblock the license key. Review the Support page.

Install the Licensing Gateway Activator​

To start using the Licensing Gateway Activator (LGA), download and install the package on a machine in your network that is connected to the internet.

  1. Download the LicensingGatewayActivator.msi package.
  2. Run the installer.

The installer copies the required binary files and sets up environment variables, so that you can use LGA CLI.

Offline license configuration​

The following sections teach you how to manage your license keys offline using the LGS CLI and LGA CLI tools. Perform each step accurately to maintain the integrity of the licensing process. If you encounter any issues, please contact Pdftools support.

Prerequisites​

To use the license keys offline, fulfill the following prerequisites:

  • The Licensing Gateway Service CLI (licgwy) is installed on a machine that is not connected to the internet (offline machine).
  • The Licensing Gateway Activator CLI (licgwyactivator) is installed on the machine that is connected to the internet (online machine).

Activate license key offline​

Follow these steps to activate or extend a license key in the offline mode:

  1. On the offline machine with installed Licensing Gateway Service, run the following command to generate a license export token:

    licgwy export-activation <license key>
    • Replace <license key> with your license key.

  2. On the online machine with installed Licensing Gateway Activator, run the following command to generate a license import token:

    licgwyactivator activate <export token>
    • Replace <export token> with the token from the previous step.

  3. On the offline machine, run the following command to activate or extend the license key:

    licgwy import-activation <import token>
    • Replace <import token> with your license import token from the previous step.

The license is now activated or extended and ready for use.

note

When you activate a license key in LGS, it is linked to the machine where you activated it. If you install LGS on another machine, deactivate the license key first so you can activate it again in LGS.

Deactivate license key offline​

Follow these steps to deactivate a license key in the offline mode:

  1. On the offline machine with installed LGS, run the following command to generate a license export token and locally deactivate the license key:

    licgwy export-deactivation <license key>
    • Replace <license key> with your license key.
    • You cannot generate a new activation export token for the same license key until you complete all deactivation steps.

  2. On the online machine with installed Licensing Gateway Activator, run the following command to generate a license import token:

    licgwyactivator deactivate <export token>
    • Replace <export token> with the token from the previous step.

  3. On the offline machine, run the following command to activate or extend the license key:

    licgwy import-deactivation <import token>
    • Replace <import token> with your license import token from the previous step.

The license is now completely removed from the system. If necessary, you can generate a new activation export token for this license key.

References​

The following sections list the most important LGS and Licensing Gateway Activator commands in the fully offline configuration.

LGS CLI commands​

The LGS includes a command-line interface (CLI) utility for managing licenses associated with your Pdftools products.

To access a full list of available commands, use the licgwy help command.

CommandDescription
licgwy helpGet instructions on how to use the CLI with a full list of commands.
licgwy versionGet the LGS version number.
licgwy export-activation <license-key>Export an activation request.
licgwy import-activation <token>Import an activation response.
licgwy export-deactivation <license-key>Export a deactivation request.
licgwy import-deactivation <token>Import a deactivation response.
licgwy statusCheck the licensing service status.
licgwy listGet information about added license keys and for how long they are valid.

Licensing Gateway Activator CLI commands​

The Licensing Gateway Activator is a command-line interface that you can use to get activation or deactivation tokens for your offline license keys.

To access a full list of available commands, use the licgwy help command.

CommandDescription
licgwy helpGet instructions on how to use the CLI with a full list of commands.
licgwy versionGet the licensing gateway activator version number.
licgwy activate <token>Activate an offline token.
licgwy deactivate <token>Deactivate an offline token.