A lower software version may be run using a higher version license by creating a text file named level.txt within the installation folder of the earlier product version. However, this does not apply to web-activated licenses which are not compatible with the previous conventional licenses (therefore, for example, the SAP2000 v16 license cannot be used to run SAP2000 v15).
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Level.txt file
Create a level.txt file by creating a text file with the following two lines (as described below). Rename the file as level.txt.
- Line 1: Product Level. Enter the level of the current license (in caps), for example: 'BASIC', 'PLUS', 'ADVANCED' or 'ULTIMATE', etc. See level.txt for a list of levels for each CSI program.
- Line 2: Product Version. Enter the version number of the current license, for example, '15'.
NOTE: This process may not work when versions are separated by more than one major release, in which case the license file for the older version should be requested. It is not possible to run V15 using V16 license, because the licensing has changed to a web-activated licensing that is based on different locking criteria.
Location of level.txt file
- Standalone installation with standalone license – For a standalone installation with a standalone license, the level.txt file should be located in the lower version program folder, which contains the program executable. The license file ("lservrc" file) of the current version should also be copied into this same folder as the level.txt.
- Standalone installation with network license – For a standalone installation with a network license, the level.txt file should be located in the lower version program folder, which contains program executable.
- Workstation installation – For a workstation installation, the level.txt file should be located on the server in the lower version program folder, which contains program executable.
Example: Running SAP2000 v14 using a v15 license
When running SAP2000 v14 using a SAP2000 v15 Advanced license, the level.txt file created will contain the following two lines:
ADVANCED
15
Listed below are the installation and licensing combinations with the appropriate locations for where the level.txt and v15 "lservrc" file should reside:
- Standalone installation with standalone license – If running a standalone installation with a standalone license, the SAP2000 v15 "lservrc" file must be copied into the SAP2000 14 folder containing the SAP2000.exe. The level.txt file will also be copied into this same folder (SAP2000 14 folder).
- Standalone installation with network license – If running a standalone installation with a network license, the level.txt file should be copied into the SAP2000 14 folder, containing the SAP2000.exe, on the client machine.
- Workstation installation – If the client machine has a workstation installation, then the level.txt file should be copied onto the server under the SAP2000 14 Server folder, which contains the SAP2000.exe.
To use SAP2000 V15 license to run SAP2000 V14 with the add-on module license (Bridge, Staged Construction, Off-Shore), the SAP2000 V14.2.5 program installation and the SAP2000 V15 Ultimate license are required.
NOTE: The *.ini file takes precedence over the level.txt file, therefore it may be best to leave the field for the program level blank in the *.ini file.
