The problem:
You run AutoCAD MEP 2012 and it obtains a Revit Architecture Suite license before it obtains a Revit MEP Suite license. This is cascading correctly per the Autodesk technical solution http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS16981643
Autodesk has certain guidelines to determine the cascading order, cost of the programs, order in which they were developed (Revit Architecture Suite was before Revit MEP Suite) to set the cascade order. So, the order is "as designed" and although doesn't make sense (until you know the guidelines), it is here to stay.
There are two ways to work around this problem:
1) Run 2 license managers. Install the license manager on another machine and run it with the Revit MEP Suite license and one with Revit Architecture license. Point the workstation to the appropriate license manager.
2) Use an Options file to create groups and use the INCLUDE statement to limit availability. If you are not in the group, you will be excluded from obtaining that license. You'll most likely have to create multiple groups and INCLUDE statements.
#2 is a better option if you can narrow it down to certain users for each license, but if you need those users to be able to cascade to any of the licenses, then this won't work, use #1 above instead and a Windows Environment Variable to fail over to the other server when the first one is out of licenses.
Here's an exerpt from http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS17532548
"The ranking of a product is determined by its place in the cascading sequence for a given product. Cascading sequences—the order in which one product cascades to another—is pre-determined by individual product groups at Autodesk and cannot be changed or configured. "
Here are a couple other technical solutions to help you with either option:
- How to control network license access using an options file: http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS1055247
- How to specify license servers using the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable: http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS1065268
If you need assistance with this, give us a call at 888-528-4765 and have your support contract number handy. We also offer a one time free support incident to those that don’t have a support contract with us.
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