This section describes how to set up the client applications to work with the License Statistics Usage Client. Configuring the client applications involves rerouting the application startup process to the Usage Client executable, which will then start up the application.
Before setting up individual applications to run with the Usage Client, copy xfusageclient.exe and xfusageclient.cfg into the same directory as the application(s) to be monitored on the client machine.
Then, for each application to be monitored:
- Change the name of the application executable; for example winword.exe might be renamed to winword_real.exe.
- Rename xfusageclient.exe to the original application name; for example, rename xfusageclient.exe to winword.exe). This way, when the user starts the application, it will start the xfusageclient executable, which will start and monitor the actual application; for example, Word.
- Modify the configuration file xfusageclient.cfg to specify the real executable name; for example, winword_real.exe. Check the other settings in the configuration file and change as needed. For example, if the Usage Client fails to acquire a license from the license server (due to overuse or the server being down), you can choose to ignore the failure, issue a warning, or stop the Usage Client.
- Rename the xfusageclient configuration file to the new name of the xfusageclient executable; for example, winword.cfg.
This procedure will preserve the original application startup icons on the end user's desktop. For example, the Word application can still be started by selecting the same Word startup icon to which the end user is accustomed. The change is transparent to the end user.
Some applications will not work or will not function properly if you rename the application executable. In this case, instead of renaming the Usage Client:
- Configure the Usage Client with the application path, and keep the application executable name unmodified.
- Update the icons on the end user's desktop.
Particularly when there are numerous end user machines to configure, it is best to automate a solution that can make the needed modifications on all desktops instead of making the changes manually.