Problem with network accounts......

[anno]

We're running VW11 updated to 11.5 and have the dongle connected to the network. I am setting up a new lab of Intel Macs, installed the software as the local admin on the machine using the serial number and once installed I can run the software and it finds the dongle. No problems there.

The problem is, our students are logging into the network on these machines and if a student tries to launch the program, a message appears that says "You haven't added any serial numbers yet" and then asks me to add it in. We can't be giving out our serial number to students. I tried inputting the serial number using a test network account to see if that entry would apply to all network users logging in but that does not work.

I thought the purpose of the dongle was to allow the purchased number of copies to run hassle free. This is very frustrating. I don't want to be giving out the serial number to every kid that wants to use the program.

Is there any way around this?

[Guest]

The serial number is stored in the preference file which is stored in the user library file.

One way to approach this is to push the preference file out to all the users library folders.

Alternatively, you could ask the student to add the serial number - without the dongle, the students couldn't do anything with the serial number outside of the classroom.

[anno]

Thanks for the reply. I copied the preference file and added to the /User Template folder's Library/Preferences folder so all network users logging in will get that preference in their library; however, network users who logged in and tried to launch the program were prompted for the serial number.

I'm getting some heat for even suggesting we have the students enter the serial number despite my explanation of what was said above.

Is there some other folder that I need to deposit this preference file in to make it work?

[Matthew L Christy]

Thanks for the reply. I copied the preference file and added to the /User Template folder's Library/Preferences folder so all network users logging in will get that preference in their library; however, network users who logged in and tried to launch the program were prompted for the serial number.

I'm getting some heat for even suggesting we have the students enter the serial number despite my explanation of what was said above.

Is there some other folder that I need to deposit this preference file in to make it work?

Hi There,

I ran into the same problem. the real fix would be if the developers started storing registration info in the system prferences folder and had the program look there, as opposed to the local users preferences.

But I digress.. my solution was this :

I copied the preferences file into a hidden folder on the drive (/etc to be exact). I used a program called login window manager (www.bombich.com) to enable a login script for each user that logs into the mac.

I placed the following login script into my /etc script, called login.sh:

#--- begin login.sh ---

#!/bin/sh

#Copies the VectorWorks registration Preferences into the local folder

cp /etc/VectorWorks\ 12\ Prefs /Users/$1/Library/Preferences/

chmod a=rw /Users/$1/Library/Preferences/VectorWorks\ 12\ Prefs

#--- end login.sh ---

the first line copies the file, the second line applies permissions.

don't forget to set the script rwx for everyone

chmod 777 login.sh

Please let me know if you need further clarification

Edited August 3, 2007 by Matthew L Christy

[islandmon]

You can also use AppleScript > Automator to handle the login script.