PDF Forms Flattener Licensing: Activation, Offline Licenses, and Common Errors

PDF Forms Flattener can use either online activation or an offline license file. This guide explains how the two licensing methods work and offers suggestions for resolving common activation and license errors.

Which Licensing Method Are You Using?

PDF Forms Flattener may be licensed in one of two ways:

Online activation

Online activation uses an activation key supplied by Datalogics. When the key is successfully activated, PDF Forms Flattener creates a local license file for that machine.

A license created through online activation is typically node-locked, meaning it is associated with the machine where it was activated. The software also needs periodic access to the Datalogics activation service to validate the license.

Offline license

An offline license is a .lic file supplied directly by Datalogics. It does not require an online activation request or periodic access to the activation service.

Place the license file in the location specified in the delivery instructions. The permitted systems and deployments depend on your license agreement, so do not assume that an offline license can be copied to additional machines without authorization.

If PDF Forms Flattener prompts for an activation key even though you have an offline license, the application may not be finding the license file.

Activating an Online License

During installation or the first time PDF Forms Flattener runs, you may be prompted to enter an activation key.

Enter or paste the key exactly as it was provided. Activation keys are case-sensitive and should not contain extra spaces.

A successful activation creates the local license file and may display a message similar to:

License successfully activated. Setup is now complete.

Internet access is required during online activation. Your firewall or proxy must allow PDF Forms Flattener to communicate with the Datalogics activation service.

Activation Limits and Moving a License

An activation key may have a limit on the number of systems that can be activated. If that limit has been reached, you may see:

The activation key you supplied has already been used to activate the maximum number of licenses.

Contact Datalogics Support if you need to move the software to another machine, replace an existing activation, or confirm the number of activations allowed by your license.

Do not copy a license created through online activation from one machine to another. Because the generated license is tied to the original machine, it may fail validation on the new system.

License files are signed and should not be edited.

Internet Access and Periodic Validation

An online license requires occasional access to the Datalogics activation service for validation.

PDF Forms Flattener may continue to operate temporarily when the system is offline and its local license remains valid. However, a prolonged connection problem can prevent the next validation from completing.

An offline license does not make these periodic activation-service requests.

Common Licensing Errors

Invalid activation key

You may see:

The activation key you supplied is not a valid license key. Please check the key and ensure that you have entered it correctly.

Or:

The activation key you supplied was not found.

Check that:

The complete key was entered without additional spaces.
The key is intended for PDF Forms Flattener.
The key has not been mistyped.
The correct online-activation version of the product is installed.

If the key still fails, contact Datalogics Support to verify it.

Expired or disabled key

An expired key may produce a message such as:

The activation key you supplied has expired. Please enter a valid key.

A disabled key may no longer be available for activation even if it was previously valid.

Contact Datalogics Sales or Support to confirm the subscription status and obtain an updated key when appropriate.

Maximum number of activations reached

You may see:

The activation key you supplied has already been used to activate the maximum number of licenses.

This means the permitted activation count has been reached. Datalogics Support can help verify existing activations and determine whether an activation can be moved or reset.

Error -105 or a network read error

You may see:

Error -105 requesting activation
Read error from network (-105)
PDF Forms Flattener license failure

This error means PDF Forms Flattener could not communicate with the activation service.

Check the following:

Confirm that the system has internet access.
Check whether a firewall or proxy is blocking the activation request.
Ask your network administrator whether outbound activation traffic is permitted.
Retry after confirming that the network connection is available.

If the system cannot be given the required network access, contact Datalogics Support to discuss an offline license.

License file cannot be found or read

You may see an error such as:

Can't read license data. No such file or directory.

This normally means the application cannot find or read the license file.

Check that:

The license file is in the location specified in your delivery instructions.
The application account has permission to read the file.
The file was included when the application was deployed or published.
The file name and extension have not been changed.
The license has not expired.

If an offline license is present but the application still requests an activation key, the license is probably in the wrong location or is not being included in the deployed application.

Information to Send Datalogics Support

If the problem continues, provide the following information:

The complete error message and error number.
Your operating system and version.
Whether you are using an activation key or an offline .lic file.
Whether the system has internet access.
Whether the application is running behind a firewall or proxy.
Whether the software was moved, reinstalled, upgraded, or deployed to a different machine.
The location where the license file was installed.
The PDF Forms Flattener version and package being used.

Do not send your complete activation key through an unsecured public channel.

Additional Help

If these steps do not resolve the problem, contact Datalogics Support with the information listed above. Support can confirm your licensing method, review the activation status, and help determine whether a replacement key or offline license is needed.