Identifying and Resolving issue with Named Pipe Communication


Table of Contents

Background

Named pipes is a method of inter-process communication that allows applications or processes to communicate using shared memory. 

CONNECTION Client uses named pipes for communication between the Bentley Licensing Service and CONNECTION Client. 

 

Effects of an issue with Named Pipe Communication

The Bentley License tool must communicate with Connection client in order for the Bentley licensed tool to retrieve a policy. This is necessary so the Bentley License Tool can grant you a license for the applications you are allowed to run.

If the Bentley license tool is unable to pull A policy, typically applications will enter and stop functioning after 7 days

 

Identifying a Named Pipe Communication Issue

If you can sign into CONNECTION Client, this should be reflected in the Bentley licensing tool as well.

If named pipes are not functioning, the Bentley License Management Tool will not be aware that CONNECTION Client is Signed in, and will display a different message

 

What to do if you determine you have a Named Pipe Communication Issue

You can change the communication method used by CONNECTION Client from name pipe communication to http communication.

Below instructions involved running two different batch files, each in different command line sessions.

One ("ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat") with the command line started as an administrator - 

The other ("ccoverhttpenable-user.bat") with the command line started as a non-administrator - 

Both batch files should not be run from the same command line session! 

To do so, perform the following steps -

 

1 )  Download "ccoverhttpenable v2.zip", unzip the file to get "ccoverhttpenable-user.bat" and "ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat"

Note the directory you saved the files to, you will have to navigate to the directory in the command line. if you are unfamiliar with the Command Line, create a directory off the root of the C: drive and put the files there for ease - 




2)  Sign out of Connection Client

3)  Open task manager and end Bentley.Licensing.Service.exe, Bentley.Connect.Client.exe and all other Bentley programs. Wait to be sure they do not start again.

4)  Navigate to %localappdata%/Bentley/  (paste into address bar in Windows Explorer), 

5)  Delete "MySELECT.db" and Delete "Licensing" folder (and all files within) 

6)  Assuming you are a local user without administrator rights (see below for how to determine) -

a) Have an administrator login the system and follow step 7, a thru c

b) Sign in to windows as regular user, run CMD

c) Navigate to the directory where you saved the bat files, using CD command

CD [/D] [drive:][path]   For instance - CD C:\TEMP

d) Follow step 7e

This step needs to be repeated for every user if machine is used by multiple users

 e) Go to step 8

 

7)  Assuming you are a local user with administrator rights -

a) Run CMD as an Administrator

    1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu
    2. Type CMD in the search bar
    3. Right-click on Command Prompt or Command Prompt (Admin)
    4. Select Run as administrator
    5. Click Yes if the Windows 10 User Account Control prompt appears

b) Navigate to the directory where you saved the bat files, using CD command 

    1. CD [/D] [drive:][path]   For instance - CD C:\TEMP

 

c) Run Admin  script in Admin CMD ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat <space>1 <enter> -  "ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat 1" (leave off the quotes)

    1. Note the number controls the batch file, the "1" tells it to make changes,  a "0" tells it to undo changes

d) Close Admin CMD window. Open CMD again, this time as a non-Administrator

e) Navigate to the directory where you saved the bat files, using CD command 

    1. CD [/D] [drive:][path]   For instance - CD C:\TEMP

f) Run User script in CMD ccoverhttpenable-user.bat <space>1 <enter> -  "ccoverhttpenable-user.bat 1" (leave off the quotes)

    1. Note the number controls the batch file, the "1" tells it to make changes,  a "0" tells it to undo changes

8)  Login to CONNECTION Client

9)  Open Bentley License Tool, verify that Bentley License Tool has username displayed in upper left corner. If name doesn’t appear in Bentley License Tool , run CONNECTION  Client as Admin and try again.

    1. Open task manager and end Bentley.Licensing.Service.exe, Bentley.Connect.Client.exe and all other Bentley programs. Wait couple of minutes to be sure they do not start again.
    2. Go to Connection Client install location, by default it is %programfiles%\Common Files\Bentley Shared\CONNECTION Client , then go to LicService folder.
    3. Find Bentley.Licensing.Service.exe and right click on it and choose 'Run as administrator'
  1. Start products
  2. If product still fails to get a license, please send a screenshot of both of the command line sessions, and gather and submit fresh logs -

 

How to collect logs

 

How to determine if you are a System Administrator

Method 1: Through Settings
  1. Open Settings: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Navigate to Accounts: Click on "Accounts".
  3. Go to Your Info: Click on "Your info".
  4. Check Account Type: Look for your user account name and the word "Administrator" should appear next to it if your account has administrative privileges. 
     
Method 2: Through Control Panel
  1. Open Control Panel: Search for "Control Panel" in the taskbar and open it.
  2. Go to User Accounts: Click on "User Accounts".
  3. Change Account Type: Click on "Change your account type".
  4. Check Account Type: Ensure that "Administrator" is selected. 

 

Re-Enabling Named Pipe Communication

 

  1. Download "ccoverhttpenable v2.zip", unzip the file to get "ccoverhttpenable-user.bat" and "ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat" (if necessary)
  2. Sign out of Connection Client
  3. Open task manager and end Bentley.Licensing.Service.exe, Bentley.Connect.Client.exe and all other Bentley programs. Wait briefly to be sure they do not start again.
  4. Assuming you are a local user without administrator rights  -
    1. Get an administrator to login the system and follow step 5, a thru c
    2. Sign in to Windows as regular user, run CMD
    3. Navigate to the directory where you saved the bat files, using CD command
    4. Follow step 5d
      • This step needs to be repeated for every user if machine is used by multiple users
    5. Go to step 6
  5. Assuming you are a local user with administrator rights -
    1. Run CMD as an Administrator
    1. Navigate to the directory where you saved the bat files, using CD command
    2. Run Admin  script in admin CMD ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat <space>1 <enter> -  "ccoverhttpenable-admin.bat 0" (leave off the quotes)
    3. Run User script in admin CMD ccoverhttpenable-user.bat <space>1 <enter> -  "ccoverhttpenable-user.bat 0" (leave off the quotes)
  1. Login to CONNECTION Client