Activating the license

Instructions for (pre)activating the software.

Table of Contents

1. Notes

2. Location of .license file

3. Manual activation

4. Automaattinen aktivointi (esiaktivointi)

4.1. Method 1: Activation file

4.2. Method 2: Command Line Parameter

5. Removing an activation

Activating L'Math means enabling the L'Math paid organizational version with a license key. The paid version and its features will not work without activating, and in order for the application to remain working, an active license is required.

Notes

  • Activations are per-user and the activation file is located in the user's data folder
  • An Internet connection is required for the activation, but the app will work ca. 7 days without being online
  • Older activation files are automagically converted to the new format when updating to 1.10.x
  • The activation file (.license) can not be moved to another machine, as it is digitally signed on the server, per-machine

Location of .license file

L'Math activations are per-user, and the signed activation file is located in the data folder:

  • Windows: %APPDATA%\LMath\ .license
  • macOS: 
    ~/Library/Application\ Support/LMath/ .license
  • Linux: 
    ~/.local/share/LMath/ .license

Manual activation

When L'Math is opened, it will validate the license activation and/or checks for a preactivation. If no valid license is found, the app will prompt for a license key.

The license key is formatted as AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE (five groups of five letters) and the code can be pasted into the field. An internet connection is required for the activation.

Automaattinen aktivointi (esiaktivointi)

As of 1.10.x, L'Math can be auto-activated either with an activation file, or with a command line parameter. Earlier versions can only be auto-activated with an activation file.

For PowerShell enthusiasts, an example script exists. It can be used to create the auto-activation file required in the following methods.


Method 1: Activation file

To automatically activate L'Math, the software key is placed into the following file as a JSON object, encoded in base64:

  • For one user (L'Math deletes the file after activation)
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\LMath\.auto_activation
    • macOS:  ~/Library/Application\ Support/LMath/.auto_activation
    • Linux:  ~/.local/share/LMath/.auto_activation
  • For all users (L'Math will not delete the file after activation)
    • Windows:  C:\Users\Public\.lmaths\.auto_activation
    • macOS: /Library/Application Support/lmaths/.auto_activation
    • Linux:  /etc/lmaths/.auto_activation

Creating the activation file

  1. Enclose the license key to a JSON object:

    {"key":"AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE"}

  2. Convert the string to a Base64 encoded string:

    eyJrZXkiOiJBQUFBQS1CQkJCQi1DQ0NDQy1ERERERC1FRUVFRSJ9

  3. Save the Base64 encoded string into the .auto_activation file.

For creating the file, a quick tool exists. L'Math will delete the activation file once activation has been attempted.

Method 2: Command Line Parameter

Since version 1.10.x, L'Math can be activated (per-user) with the command line parameter --cli --activate=[license key]. The app will be activated for the current user.

If the app is successfully activated, the following line will be printed to the standard output at some point:

The software has been activated! (current user only)

Windows

l-math.exe --cli --activate=AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE

macOS

./LMath.app/Contents/MacOS/LMath --cli --activate=AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE

Linux

./LMath.AppImage --cli --activate=AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE

Removing an activation

The user can deactivate the application from the settings menu, under the "License" tab, where activation details can also be seen.

Mechanically, an activation can be removed by deleting the .license file under an user's data folder.