Borrow a License

With a borrowed license, you can run an Autodesk product for a specified time period while disconnected from the network. If you do not remember when a borrowed license expires, you can check the date in two ways: click Help About and consult the Product License Information dialog box, or in some products, place your cursor over the Borrowing icon in the status tray (lower right corner of the screen).

When the borrowing period expires, the borrowed license is automatically returned to the license server. When your computer is reconnected to the network, you can run your Autodesk product from the network or borrow a license again.

Interaction with Other License-Borrowing Tools

Using the license-borrowing feature in your Autodesk product is the recommended way to borrow a license. Some third-party borrowing tools are available, but these tools are not supported or compatible with the license-borrowing feature in your Autodesk product. Other supported license-borrowing tools are the Autodesk License-Borrowing utility (shipped with Autodesk products) and the borrowing feature in LMTOOLS utility, a component of the Autodesk Network License Manager on Windows servers.

If another license-borrowing tool is active when you attempt to use the license-borrowing feature, proceed as follows to borrow a license for your Autodesk product:

• If you run the Autodesk License-Borrowing utility that shipped with your Autodesk product and then turn on the borrowing flag for the Adskflex option or the All option, a license can be borrowed when you start your Autodesk product. However, you cannot return a license until you exit and then restart your Autodesk product.
• On a Windows server, if borrowing is set in the LMTOOLS utility for all products, either use the other tool to borrow licenses for your Autodesk product, or stop the borrowing process in LMTOOLS utility, and then use the license-borrowing feature in your Autodesk product.
• If borrowing is set in LMTOOLS utility for non-Autodesk products only, stop the borrowing process in the LMTOOLS utility. You can then use the license-borrowing feature to borrow licenses for your Autodesk product. If you do not stop the borrowing process in LMTOOLS utility, the license-borrowing feature will not function.

To borrow a license using the Tools menu

This option is not available in all Autodesk products.

1. Click Tools menu License Borrowing Borrow License.
2. In the Borrow a License window, on the calendar, click the date when you want to return the license.

   This date must be within the valid date range set by your network administrator. The valid date range is displayed in this window.

3. Click Borrow License.
4. In the License Borrowed message, click Close. The license is borrowed, and you can now use your Autodesk product with your computer disconnected from the network.
   Note: In some products, you can verify that your license is borrowed by placing your cursor over the Borrowing icon in the status tray, which is in the lower-right corner of your Autodesk product.

To borrow a license using the Help menu

1. Click HelpAboutProduct Information or Product License Information.
2. In the Product License Information window, click Borrow License.
3. In the Borrow a License window, on the calendar, click the date when you want to return the license.

   This date must be within the valid date range set by your network administrator. The valid date range is displayed in this window.

4. Click Borrow License.
5. In the License Borrowed message, click Close. The license is borrowed, and you can now use the Autodesk product with your computer disconnected from the network.