Mattheng Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Anyone know what this means? Quote Link to comment
Vectorworks, Inc Employee Tamsin Slatter Posted October 27, 2011 Vectorworks, Inc Employee Share Posted October 27, 2011 Resource files provided with Vectorworks are now "fingerprinted" so they can only be used with a valid licence. For example, the Landmark libraries are fingerprinted so they could not be used with a Fundamentals only licence. Quote Link to comment
Kevin McAllister Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I posted this question in a thread about a week ago. My distributor posed the question to Nemetzchek and here is my understanding of what it means - - Vectorworks library files are fingerprinted and have been since Vectorworks 2010. - Vectorworks 2012 is the first version to have a warning dialog when you open a fingerprinted file. - On a Mac, the word FINGERPRINTED appears next to the file name in the title bar of the drawing window when you are working with a fingerprinted file. - Any file created from a library file (ie. open a library file and then choose save as, give it a new name and use it as the basis to create your own drawing) carries the same fingerprint. - Fingerprinting identifies which modules are needed to use the file (ie. I don't think Fundamentals can open a file that is fingerprinted for Spotlight, Architect, Designer etc.). - The fingerprint apparently does not propagate when you import a resource from a Library or other fingerprinted file (ie. importing a symbol through the Resource Browser) unlike the Educational Watermark. - You can cut and paste the elements from a fingerprinted file into a new file and save it to remove the fingerprinting. In my case I had somehow "fingerprinted" one of my working files for a project. I've never started anything from a Library file that I know of so its a bit of a mystery to me how it happened. Kevin Quote Link to comment
Benson Shaw Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Questions, but with a critical slant because I don't see the benefit: Does fingerprinting provide a benefit to license holders? Does fingerprinting make VW a better, more desirable product, likely to sell more often to new users? Is there some intellectual property that needs protection among users of differing modules? Is this a response to some kind of theft? Is there widespread "upward conversion" of license functionality through exchange of previously unrestricted files and PIOs? Does fingerprinting prevent pirating of 3rd party developers products? If a fingerprinted file cannot be opened by users of other modules, it means intercommunication is limited. The user base becomes fragmented. User practices become increasingly arcane. Is any of that a good thing? Files with fingerprinted symbols, PIOs etc might produce a blank spot, or even prevent opening in other modules. Current implementation may not be that "strict", but what is the future intent? Maybe we are headed around a full circle of product life - MiniCAD and early VW had no industry specific modules. If the current modules are overly restricted, or functionally separated from each other, they will become useless. Everyone will need Designer. Not a bad thing except the cost will go up for many users. Is fingerprinting just an income stream thang? Prodding us all into Designer? -B Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Hmmm... maybe Fingerprint is the new translation standard...similar to IFC...they could call it I Fingerprint You (IFU).LOL Quote Link to comment
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