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Here are some tips for network installation of TPC.
License Activations (seats)
TPC licenses allows a predefined number of activations using the same license code. So if you purchased a 30-seat network license, up to 30 people at a time can activate the license and run TPC.
The License is Online
The license exists online, at Traverse PC's website. TPC will use your internet connection to communicate with the Traverse PC licensing system and activate / deactivate your license. You will not be able to run TPC if it cannot find an Internet connection.
Activating a License
A network client (workstation) can run TPC only if at least one activation is available. If one is available, that client consumes that activation, incrementing the license activation count.
See Activating Your License.
Deactivating a License
When a network client stops running TPC, it can automatically deactivate the license, decrementing the license activation count. License administrators can also manually deactivate any license for any or all client , anytime.
See Deactivating a License.
License Management
Licenses are administered by the license owner using their login and password. These can be shared with IT or network administrators, allowing them to manage the license.
See Using the License Manager.
Network Deployment
As the network administrator, you decide whether to install and maintain one copy of TPC on a network server or install TPC on individual network clients. Either way, the Traverse PC licensing system manages the licenses used by each client running TPC.
Installation for All Users
You can install TPC for all users of a network client using the default (x) All Users option during installation.
•When this option is selected, TPC copies the activation info to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Traverse PC\TPC Desktop XXXX\User\
•All users of that client will then have their licenses automatically validated by the workstation
Note
Windows 11 has made running the program as an administrator a requirement for writing to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder. You may need to replicate this for your deployment.
Steps
Roll TPC out to each network client per your normal protocol.
If you are installing TPC for a multi-user computer,
•make sure the (x) All Users option is checked when installing (default = (x) All Users)
•after installing, run TPC as administrator one time in order for TPC to write the activation info to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Traverse PC\TPC Desktop XXXX\User\
Manual Activation
•validate each network client with your TPC activation key
•this can be rolled out to the network client via their registry image
•each network client will increment the license activation count when TPC runs
•in Help | License Activation..., turn on the [x] Deactivate license when TPC closes
•this decrements the license count (seat) when TPC closes on that network client
•that seat is then available to any other network client to use
TPC will use your internet connection to transmit the information to the Traverse PC licensing system and activate your license. You will not be able to run TPC if it cannot find an Internet connection or if there is an error connecting to the TPC license server except as shown in the section on Grace Licenses.
Install Command Line Parameters
TPC's <setup.exe> include command line parameters that may help you with your network installation and activation.
See Install Command Line Parameters.
Command Line Activation
Beginning with TPC 2026, you can activate TPC via the command line. If you are not able to correctly handle TPC's activation via your network deployment, this can be an activation alternative.
Example
tpc.exe /l Company=["company name"] /l Key=[activation key] /l RemoveActivationOnClose
As a rule, for networks, you will want to include the /l RemoveActivationOnClose command to that TPC deactivates the license when the user closes TPC.
See TPC Command Line Activation.
License Restrictions
The activation key runs one Edition of TPC.
If the license is a Perpetual license (the license name includes the word Perpetual), it will also run just one Version of TPC.
For example, if a perpetual license key is issued for TPC 2024, Premium Edition, it will run just that Version of that Edition and any maintenance updates provided for it. As long as you run that version and edition, the activation key will work.
Subscription licenses will run one Edition, but any Version.
Anatomy of a Network License
Traverse PC Licensing System - TPC manages network licenses via our online licensing system. If TPC client workstations are not able to contact our licensing system, they will only be able to run TPC for 30 days as described in the section on Grace Licenses.
Network Application Server – TPC can be installed on any network application / file server. Clients that are always connected to the network can create a shortcut to this installation. Keeping just this one installation current will keep TPC current on the entire network.
Client Installation – if desired, TPC can also be installed locally on any network client. When the client runs TPC, it will be running its own local copy of TPC, however, the license will still be provided by TPC’s online licensing system.
Client Settings – all users can customize TPC to look and feel the way they want. These settings are stored on the client computer, in the user’s registry settings.
Program Data – the network administrator can choose whether to store program data locally for each user or on the network. All data can easily be directed to any folder with read/write privileges. (See discussion below.)
Survey Data – the network administrator can choose whether to store survey data locally for each user or on the network. All data can easily be directed to any folder with read/write privileges. (See discussion below.)
Installing TPC on a Network Application Server
1.Choose the server you want to install TPC on and run the setup program from the download.
2.Follow the installation wizard to the Destination Folder screen.
3.Change the installation location if desired.
4.Follow the installation wizard to finish the installation.
5.Create a shortcut on each network client to the server location of the Tpc.exe file.
Network Survey Data Folder
Survey project (TRV) files can be stored locally on the user's workstation, a cloud drive or in a network location. The way that users will use TPC will determine what is best.
Survey project files can be stored on the user's workstation if they do not regularly need to share TPC trv files across the organization. If each user is the only one who will be working on their projects in TPC, and if the users only provide the end product (the deliverables) such as PDF or DWG files to others, storing survey projects on the local workstation makes sense.
If the network makes the user's cloud drives (like One Drive, Google Drive, etc.) available, these can also be used to store survey data.
A network location should be used if the users need to be able to access TPC survey project (TRV) files across the organization. This is typical in many network environments. (Note that it is critical in this case that the program data folders for all users is mapped identically on each user workstation in order to avoid corrupted drawings. See discussion below)
Network Program Data Folder
TPC's program data can be stored locally on the user's workstation, a cloud drive or in a network location. The way that users will use TPC will determine what is best.
TPC's program data includes many different files that TPC uses at various times in the process of creating the deliverables. Here is a partial list:
•Drawing Templates - these templates are typically shared across organizations in order to help make the deliverables consistent no matter which user created them.
•Custom Blocks and Line Types - some organizations desire their users to use specific blocks and line types for certain things to make the deliverables consistent.
•Point Code Files - these are used to speed up the development of the deliverables and are typically identical across the organization for consistency.
•Legal Description Style Templates - these templates are typically shared across organizations in order to meet local regulations as well as to keep the wording consistent
•Coordinate Reference System and Geoid files - for working with real world coordinates and elevations (heights).
If none of these are a concern for the organization, then using TPC's default program data folder stored locally on each user workstation is appropriate. If consistency and the sharing of data across the organization are important, a network location for TPC's program data should be used.
When setting up a shared program data location on a network server, you will need to keep some things in mind in mind:
•Traverse PC does not store everything within the TRV file. two examples of this are blocks and pictures that are used in drawings. Rather than recreating them within the TRV file, TPC references these file by path and filename. When TPC needs to display them, it reads that path and filename. If there is anything amiss in it, TPC is unable to display the object.
•Because TPC references some of these objects with a path and filename, it must be identical across all TPC user workstations. This means that if the network drive is mapped as X on one workstation, it needs to be mapped as X on all TPC workstations. A typical network path might be something like X:\TPC Program Data\
•Individual program data folders (such as blocks and templates) should not be placed inside folders with other non-program data files or folders. In other words, the program data folder should be used exclusively for TPC's program data, not for survey data files or anything else.
Related Topics
License Management
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