This tutorial introduces the software battery concept and describes how to work with software batteries in GemStone.
Why Software Batteries?
Software batteries provide a different from of software licensing than the typical commercial software license. The software battery is a per use style of license, which allows for much greater flexibility than other software license types. Since the battery charge can easily be transferred or shared the use of the software is highly portable. This allows you to install GemStone for use on any number of computers, allowing many individuals to utilize the application as needed. Software batteries eliminate the need to purchase licenses for each user who may use the application.
How do the Batteries Work?
Each time a new FCS file is loaded into GemStone, the battery charge is decremented by one unit. When the battery charge is depleted GemStone will prevent you from opening additional FCS files. You will still be able to open any files that have previously been loaded.
When the battery is depleted, additional Battery charge can be obtained either via a purchase from Verity Software House or a request to a Battery Server for GemStone at your institution.
In addition to remembering the files that have been previously loaded, GemStone associates a set of files with each stored analysis or GemStone Document. The GemStone Document can be shared with others who will be able to load the associated files into that analysis without requiring any battery charge. This means that an analysis can be shared, adjusted, or modified by many users, or the same user on different computers, with only one charge per associated file.
Each user account on a computer will have its own software battery. This allows many users to use GemStone on the same computer without using up battery charges of another user.
Recommendations for Battery Use
In most cases it is recommended to leave most of your battery charge in your Web Battery Account. And, that you only transfer enough charge to your computer to accomplish the task at hand. Doing this will prevent loss of battery charge in the event that you computer’s hard drive needs to be reformatted, replaced, or the OS needs to be reinstalled. Having the majority of your battery charge in your Web Battery Account also allows you to transfer charge easily to another computer or to another user. This enables you to quickly “activate” GemStone on another computer or for another user.
What is a Web Battery Account?
A Web Battery Account is an account that can contain a number of battery charges for a specific application. Your Web Battery Account is associated with a Member Account on www.vsh.com. Battery charges can be put into your account via a purchase, by uploading remaining charge from an installation of GemStone, or via a transfer from another user’s Web Battery Account. Battery charges are removed from your Web Battery Account when you download them to an installation of GemStone, or by transferring them to another user’s Web Battery Account. When you login to your Member Account, you will see a number of actions that can be preformed on the Web Battery Account.
Free Trial Battery
If you are new to GemStone you can request a free trial battery which will allow opening of your own data for evaluation. To request a free trial battery from GemStone you can click on the Free Trail button on the banner dialog that is displayed when GemStone first launches. This button will take you to Verity’s website where you can fill in information needed to supply you with the trial battery.
Working with Battery Charge
There are a number of actions that act upon GemStone’s battery. If your computer is connected to the Internet, you can buy additional battery charge from www.vsh.com, redeem a battery certificate, check the balance of your web account, download charges from your web account, or upload charges to your web account. If your computer is connected to an internal network that hosts a Battery Server for GemStone, you can request battery charge from the Battery Server. If you computer is not connected to a network you can use the offline transfer mechanism to obtain battery charge.
Some of the actions listed above have more than one way to access them. For our discussion, we will consider the use of the Battery Menu. Let’s first introduce the other two locations of battery interaction.
The first is the Battery Meter, which is located in the lower right corner of the GemStone main window, and shown below. It will indicate the current percent of charge remaining in the battery. The tool tip displayed by holding the mouse over the Battery Meter will give the actual remaining charge amounts. The context menu, shown by right clicking the Battery Meter, contains a few shortcuts to actions also contained in the Battery Menu.
The second is the Battery Status dialog. The Battery Status dialog, shown below, can be accessed via the Battery Menu, the Battery button on the Banner dialog, or the context menu of the Battery Meter. The Battery Status dialog contains a few buttons that allow you to perform actions also available under the Battery Menu.
Purchasing Battery Charge
If you need to purchase battery charge the process can be initiated by selecting the Buy Now option in the Battery Menu. You will be directed to the Verity Software House online store where the purchase will be completed.
Charging the Software Battery
Selecting the Charge Battery command in the Battery Menu initiates the Charge Battery Wizard. The Charge Battery Wizard will guide you through the process of charging the battery.
There are three sources of battery charge that can add charge to GemStone’s software battery: a Battery Certificate, a Web Battery account on Verity’s web site, or a Battery Server on your local area network. For each of these sources, there are several methods for actually charging the software battery.
Battery Charge Method 1: Redeem a Battery Certificate via the Wizard
If your computer is connected to the Internet you will be able to redeem a Battery Certificate directly using the wizard. Note that firewalls can sometimes interfere with this action. To redeem the certificate, select method 1 and click Next. The following page will be displayed.
Enter the Battery Certificate Code in the field. When you click Next the wizard will attempt to redeem the certificate. The wizard will either move to a success or failure page when the request is completed. If this method fails you can redeem the certificate using method 2.
Battery Charge Method 2: Redeem a Battery Certificate using a web browser
If your computer is not connected to the Internet you will need to use this method to redeem your Battery Certificate. Choose method 2 in the wizard and click Next. A page is displayed with a Transaction Code and your Computer ID. Take these codes and your Battery Certificate to a computer with internet access and visit www.vsh.com. Click Redeem a Battery Certificate in the Quick Links section, enter the information and follow the instructions given.
The web site will provide you with several codes to complete the process. When you have the new codes, click Next in the wizard to move to the next page. On this page you will need to enter the three Battery Charge Codes generated by the website.
After you enter the codes, click Next. The codes will be evaluated and the wizard will either move to a success or failure page. If this method fails please contact technical support at tech@vsh.com for assistance.
Charge Battery Method 3: Download charges directly from your Web Battery Account
If your computer is connected to the Internet, you can download charges directly from your Web Battery Account on the Verity web site. Note that firewalls can sometimes interfere with this action. To begin this method, select option 3 in the wizard and click Next. The following page will be displayed.
Enter your Verity Software House web account information and specify a number of charges to download. Click Next to initiate the download request. The wizard will either move to a success or failure page when the request is completed. The actual charge downloaded may be reduced if your web account has fewer charges than you have requested. If this method fails, you can download charges indirectly using method 4. The method will fail if the wizard cannot connect with the Verity web site, the user account is not valid, or the account has no charges in it.
Charge Battery Method 4: Battery Charge Codes from a Web Battery Account
If your computer is not connected to the Internet, you can use this method to obtain battery charges from a Web Account on Verity’s web site. Choose method 4 in the wizard and click Next. A page is displayed with a Transaction Code and your Computer ID. Take these codes to a computer with internet access and visit www.vsh.com. Login to your Web Account and choose the Get Battery Charge Codes link. Enter the information and follow the instructions given.
The web site will provide you with several codes to complete the process. When you have the new codes, click Next in the wizard to move to the next page. On this page you will need to enter the three Battery Charge Codes generated by the website.
After you enter the codes, click Next. The codes will be evaluated and the wizard will either move to a success or failure page. If this method fails please contact technical support at tech@vsh.com for assistance.
Charge Battery Method 5: Request charges from a Battery Server
If your computer is connected to a local network that hosts a Battery Server for GemStone, you can request charges from the Battery Server. Note firewalls can sometimes interfere with this action. To begin the process, choose method 5 and click Next. The following page will be displayed.
Enter the network name or the IP address of the Battery server, the password required by the Battery Server, and enter the number of charges requested. When you click Next, the request is sent to the Battery Server. The wizard will move either to a success or failure page depending on the result of the request. The actual charge downloaded may be reduced the Battery Server has fewer charges than you have requested or if there is a limit on how many charges you can requested at one time. If this method fails you can obtain charges form a Battery Server using method 6.
Charge Battery Method 6: Battery Charge Codes from a Battery Server
If your computer cannot connect directly to your Battery Server, you can use this method to obtain battery charges. Choose method 6 in the wizard and click Next.
A page is displayed with a Transaction Code and your Computer ID. Take these codes to the Battery Server administrator. The administrator can enter the codes into the Battery Server to generate the Battery Charge codes you need to complete the process.
When you have the charge codes, click Next in the wizard to move to the next page. On this page you will need to enter the three Battery Charge Codes generated by the Battery Server.
After you enter the codes, click Next. The codes will be evaluated and the wizard will either move to a success or failure page. If this method fails please contact the Battery Server Administrator for assistance.
Uploading Battery Charge to Your Web Account
If you computer is connected to the internet, you have the option of uploading all remaining battery charge to your Web Battery Account. Note, firewalls can sometimes interfere with this action. Uploading your remaining battery charges allows you to redistribute your remaining battery charge to other computers or users. You can also prevent the loss of your battery charge by uploading your battery charge before reformatting or replacing your hard drive or reloading your operating. To upload the battery charge, choose the Upload Credits option from the Battery Menu. A dialog like the one shown below will be displayed. You will need to enter your web account login and password, and optionally choose to have the password remembered on this system. When you click OK the Upload will proceed and alert you as to the result, either success or a reason for failure.
Checking the Balance of Your Web Battery Account
If you computer is connected to the Internet, you will be able to check the balance of your Web Battery Account directly from the application. Note, firewalls can sometimes interfere with this action. To check your Web Account Balance, choose the Check Balance option from the Battery Menu. Enter your web login and password and optionally choose to have the password remembered, in the dialog, shown below, that is displayed. When you click on OK, GemStone will attempt to check the balance of your Web Battery Account, and will either display the current balance or a reason the action failed.
Summary
In this tutorial we have considered the why and how of software batteries. We have learned the benefits over other software license structures. We covered recommendations for using the battery system. We learned about the Web Battery Account. We then covered use of the battery system, and how to obtain the battery charge needed to complete analysis on a computer.
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