Vectorworks cannot find license server

[CRE_Admin]

Hello,

 

My apologies if this has already been posted, but I couldn't find anything related.

 

One of our users cannot find the Vectorworks license server we have running on our Local Area Network.

Even when the exact server IP & port (5053) is specified in the Vectorworks pop up.

The settings on their Macbook are exactly the same as every other user/pc we deploy. None of our other users (mix of Mac & pc) are having this issue.

 

I have already tried re-downloading Vectorworks and removed all antivirus solutions to test possible connectivity issues. As the server is running on our local network, I believe our Firewall config has nothing to do with this.

 

Side note: I have tried to ping the server & port from the Macbook and it goes through without any issues. All packets transmitted are received.

 

I have already contacted Vectorworks support, but they did not find anything out of the ordinary and told me they could not offer any more help.

 

We are still running VW 2024 edition as well as the 2024 RLM client as a license server. The user has a Macbook Pro.

Also good to know that this has worked in the past for this specific user, but has stopped working recently? The rest of our users have no impact, as I can see licenses being used right now.

 

I would accept any feedback that can point me in the right direction, as I do not have a clue what this issue could be.

 

Many thanks,

[CRE_Admin]

Replying because I managed to resolve the issue myself.

Found out VW was not allowed to access local networks through Mac settings.

 

Navigate to system settings -> Privacy & Security -> Local Networks

Make sure this is enabled for all VW instances and reboot VW.

 

I have no idea why this got disabled, as this did work in the past.

[AdminWolf]

Joining in as we have the exact same problem here. One Mac User with VWX2025 can not find our license server, despite being able to ping it and use it for VWX24. The Mac in question is an M3 Pro model. 

Every other Mac or Windows machine can find the license server. We tried installing VWX25 over MDM and with the setup files from the website, no change. Read/write permissions are set as with the other machines, as far as we can see.

[matteoluigi]

@CRE_Admin I already took a look at the system settings -> Privacy & Security -> Local Networks.

 

However for example VW 2023 didn't appear in that list.

 

Is there a limit from which version on Vectorworks gets included in the local networks settings?
(I am working on a 2019 MB Pro - macOS 15.3.0)

Is there a way, I can add an app to that list? there's no "+" button in the preferences, drag & drop from finder to local Networks-settings doesn't work either.

 

I had my VW 2023 blocked last time and it didn't get the license server. Deleting the vw program folder and reinstalling vw made the "security dialog" reappear and so VW 2023 was able to reach the license folder. (similar to the attached one)... But, is reinstalling really neccessary that way?

[matteoluigi]

I read on the internet:

Quote

Local Network Privacy is new in Sequoia. The developer would have to update the app with a "multicast entitlement" so that it can be granted access by the user. You can't do it yourself.

sounds like, there won't be a solution for VW 2023 (and maybe 2024 as well)

[CRE_Admin]

On 2/11/2025 at 3:34 PM, matteoluigi said:

I read on the internet:

sounds like, there won't be a solution for VW 2023 (and maybe 2024 as well)

 

Damn, that really sucks.

I don't really mind re-installing VW from time to time, as it only takes 30 mins and can help with some performance issues sometimes.

 

This also answers my question as to why it stopped working, the user probably denied the access and forgot about it after updating to Sequoia.

[matteoluigi]

@CRE_Admin i actually forced mac os to reopen the "allow, don't allow"-dialog by deleting the Vectorworks 2023 folder and reinstalling Vectorworks 2023...

 

All my settings of course remaind , so, no big problem. Just hoped there could be a faster way but still didn't find it ;-)

[Pat Stanford]

Screenshots from VW2025, but I believe this was available in 2023 also.

 

Vectorworks Preferenced:Session Pane

Click the Reset Saved Settings button.

Make sure the "Alway do the selected action" choices box is checked.

 

[matteoluigi]

@Pat Stanford yeah but as far as I know, that’s a setting made in MacOS, not in VectorWorks, so resetting saved settings won’t help it.

 

btw, deleting the VW folder and reinstalling VW doesn’t reset saved settings anyway, however it helped in that issue. Could be another proof, that that’s not a vectorworks issue but a problem inbetween VW and macOS.

 

however I’ll try tomorrow.

maybe you can do so as well.

if you’re right, clicking that button would cause to rechoose to allow vectorworks to „find devices on local networks“.

however I’m not convinced, that you’re right.

[Pat Stanford]

I think I was going too fast and did not read back in the thread.  Based on your post today, I saw the "allow/don't allow" and assumed you were talking about the VW "don't ask" settings.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

[matteoluigi]

@Pat Stanford no problem 🙂 there surely won’t be a fix for that issue in VW2023 anyway. So we need to handle that issue in another way.

[matteoluigi]

now one of my colleagues has a similar issue in vw 2024, still on macos sequoia... I still am looking for a way, to enable older apps to access the network in sequoia...

ChatGPT sais, that I need to reinstall the app... (Which is, what I am doing the second time, now)...

Edited March 5 by matteoluigi

[matteoluigi]

... (deleting all VW Apps) mainly deleting all vw 2024 folders and reinstalling VW 2024 helped for the first start, after closing vw and reopening the project sharing server couldn't be found again.....

[matteoluigi]

setting up a new macOS user can also be an option. Not an easy one but an effective one...

Strange thing is however, that I wasn't able to reuse the old user folder from the "old" user...