Understanding the license file behavior

je79ayps

I recently had to update our license file (FIN.FLF) on our Navision server. For some reason the Navision clients wasn't updated with the new granules.

In the "Microsoft Business Solutions-Navision\Client" folder on the clients I could see that the old FIN.FLF file was located. So I deleted that file and the clients afterwards retrieved the new FIN.FLF from the server.

That leads me to some questions.

1. What's the use of the FIN.FLF file being copied to the client computer?
2. Shouldn't the server's FIN.FLF file take precedence?
3. Is the FIN.FLF file only checked when starting the Navision client?

garak

1. you need a local copy of the flf only if you need to open some databases that are local copies and not connected to a server
2. yes the server license has the precedence
3. yes, when you will connect to the database or to the server then the license will be checked.

EDIT:

4. if you change the fin.flf in the Server Folder, you must restart the server service. After restarting the server takes the new license file
5. if you use sql, u must upload the new license 8over the license window in NAV)

Regards

afarr

1. What's the use of the FIN.FLF file being copied to the client computer?
A client can use any licence file that they want.

2. Shouldn't the server's FIN.FLF file take precedence?
I stand corrected - the server licence takes precedence, but I can change it later on.

3. Is the FIN.FLF file only checked when starting the Navision client?
I can change the licence even after starting the Nav client.

DenSter

When you start NAV (without actually connecting to a database), it will use whatever license called "fin.flf" that it finds in the client installation folder. When you connect to a local fdb, it will continue to use this license. When you connect to a database on a server (native or SQL Server) it will change the license to whatever license is installed for that database. You can then change the license and reconnect to any database, and it won't revert to the server license, but that way the license is only used for the active session. It can be in any folder, you browse to it.

So yes, the server license does take precedence. You don't even need to have a copy of the license in the client installation folder

je79ayps

Thank you all for your replies - really appreciate it!