Sprutcam got to me...

C

CNC Dude

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Not certain if anybody is a Sprutcam user here, but here is my ordeal. For the first time in history, I have jobs which actually will pay me something. As I am preparing the CAM output, the CAM tool (JunkCAM) starts to tell me the protection key isn't found. Odd, because it is right there!!!!

Anyway, chances are they protection key is damaged. Which pretty much means my 1,500 investment is lost before I can make a cent and right when some cents are waiting for output.

This is a HASP4 Aladdin key. Anybody has experience with these A-Holeys? I hated protection keys before I purchased this junk. Now I hate them forever! Am I toast, or is there anything you guys can think of?

This may be a tremendous opportunity to move to a different CAM SW. Recommendations? I need 4 axis, though. So I think I have been gutted alive here...
 
Re: Sprutcam raped me...

CNC Dude said:
Not certain if anybody is a Sprutcam user here, but here is my ordeal. For the first time in history, I have jobs which actually will pay me something. As I am preparing the CAM output, the CAM tool (JunkCAM) starts to tell me the protection key isn't found. Odd, because it is right there!!!!

Anyway, chances are they protection key is damaged. Which pretty much means my 1,500 investment is lost before I can make a cent and right when some cents are waiting for output.

This is a HASP4 Aladdin key. Anybody has experience with these A-Holeys? I hated protection keys before I purchased this junk. Now I hate them forever! Am I toast, or is there anything you guys can think of?

This may be a tremendous opportunity to move to a different CAM SW. Recommendations? I need 4 axis, though. So I think I have been gutted alive here...
Click to expand...

Woah, hold the horses... If it's legal/legit software, call them up and get support/assistance. If there's a record of your purchase transaction (and in this day and age, I gotta believe there's a receipt somewhere) they should be able and hopefully willing to assist you. For the most part, companies don't want unhappy customers. The CAD/CAM business is packed with players and all such companies make their living off A) the initial sale, B) support fees, C) training fees, D) product upgrades.

Hate to say this but, if the software was not legit, then it's time to get on the straight and narrow. For the most part, bootlegged SW is pain because there's no support, product upgrades etc...

Ray
 
Re: Sprutcam raped me...

I agree with Ray, before you get too worked up. Remove the key and plug it back in. Reboot your machine. If those don't work, call your sales guy. I had a similar problem when I ordered Alibre (though they have a software key, not a hardware key). Took about 2 minutes on the phone and they straightened me out. No problems since.
 
Guys, this is a legit copy of the SW. I paid about $1.5K for it.

It has been working for three years and today it stopped working. Everything points out to a defective key. This is precisely why this key business is a pain. By being a responsible and honest fellow, I am paying here.

Yes, I will call my supplier, but that won't do any good until Monday. On Monday, they will tell me I need to send the key and they will send me a new one. An entire week is gone and my jobs? On hold!

BTW, I restarted the two computers, reinstalled the drivers, checked running services, firewall port settings, Installed USB devices, and the key is not there. The bastard broke down by itself!

These keys truly bug me. I use a $6K SW at work which uses a license over email system (AKA the cloud). It is so simple to get it to work, and I can use my SW on every computer I can think of, except only one at a time. No need for keys and no need for dongles. Only if there was no internet, would I be hosed. Why Sprutcam is not employing this method, is beyond me.

Will see what happens, but there is just no more CNC for me this weekend...
 
CNC Dude said:
Guys, this is a legit copy of the SW. I paid about $1.5K for it.

It has been working for three years and today it stopped working. Everything points out to a defective key. This is precisely why this key business is a pain. By being a responsible and honest fellow, I am paying here.

Yes, I will call my supplier, but that won't do any good until Monday. On Monday, they will tell me I need to send the key and they will send me a new one. An entire week is gone and my jobs? On hold!

BTW, I restarted the two computers, reinstalled the drivers, checked running services, firewall port settings, Installed USB devices, and the key is not there. The bastard broke down by itself!

These keys truly bug me. I use a $6K SW at work which uses a license over email system (AKA the cloud). It is so simple to get it to work, and I can use my SW on every computer I can think of, except only one at a time. No need for keys and no need for dongles. Only if there was no internet, would I be hosed. Why Sprutcam is not employing this method, is beyond me.

Will see what happens, but there is just no more CNC for me this weekend...
Click to expand...

Most software protection schemes used in various packages are licensed libraries purchased from companies that specialize in that area. It's impractical for a software company to develop and maintain their own protection schemes. Anyhow, the price range of a particular methodology is directly related to how good it is -and how convenient it is. Trade-offs are ever-present and this is what the SprutCam people went with.

Ray
 
Re: Sprutcam got to me... (And Aladdin too, while we are at it...)

It is a Tormach Setup. I reinstalled the drivers, but it is clear the key is dead. Why? Well, beats me, but no hardware will ever last forever. It was working fine this morning and then it stopped. There was no lightning, or a power loss, or anything like that. It was just its time.

If it were allowed to make a copy of an USB key, I would be operational. But making copies of keys is not allowed for obvious reasons.

I sent an email to Tormach and will call them on Monday. Since my version is Sprutcam 7, and that is no longer supported, I think they will ask me to upgrade to version 8. Or, maybe there is a way to get a new key and continue as if nothing had happened. Completely conjectural at this point in time...

This is the first SW I ever employ with an USB key. Everything else I had used utilized serials locked to the hardware. But everything I has found on the web points out to the key being broken. Dead meat! Or dead silicon, I should say.
 
Re: Sprutcam got to me... (And Aladdin too, while we are at it...)

CNC Dude said:
It is a Tormach Setup. I reinstalled the drivers, but it is clear the key is dead. Why? Well, beats me, but no hardware will ever last forever. It was working fine this morning and then it stopped. There was no lightning, or a power loss, or anything like that. It was just its time.

If it were allowed to make a copy of an USB key, I would be operational. But making copies of keys is not allowed for obvious reasons.

I sent an email to Tormach and will call them on Monday. Since my version is Sprutcam 7, and that is no longer supported, I think they will ask me to upgrade to version 8. Or, maybe there is a way to get a new key and continue as if nothing had happened. Completely conjectural at this point in time...

This is the first SW I ever employ with an USB key. Everything else I had used utilized serials locked to the hardware. But everything I has found on the web points out to the key being broken. Dead meat! Or dead silicon, I should say.
Click to expand...

Bad things can happen to USB flash-memory devices. They are just small file systems subject to header corruption due to errant software and/or hardware failure. The file contents are encrypted. SafeNet is the largest company that makes security dongles and in quantity, they cost about $10 bucks each. Each is burned with your specific registration information... The upshot is, be prepared for a small fee to replace it. The precise fee will depend on how much Tormach wants to get out of you.

Ray
 
If I am "lucky", it will be about $600. If I am unlucky, it will be about $1100.00.

Murphy's law at its best! I was going to get close to $500 to make this job, which I was going to use to buy me a Heimer sensor. Now I may need to pay $500 just so I that can make this job. Oh joy...

Bye bye Heimer!
 
CNC Dude said:
If I am "lucky", it will be about $600. If I am unlucky, it will be about $1100.00.

Murphy's law at its best! I was going to get close to $500 to make this job, which I was going to use to buy me a Heimer sensor. Now I may need to pay $500 just so I that can make this job. Oh joy...

Bye bye Heimer!
Click to expand...

Do you know that for sure or are you just freaking-out with worst-case scenarios? If the office isn't open on the weekend, is there a forum group that you can ask questions?


Ray
 
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