MaximDL ate my Pinpoint license

[Bob Denny]

It would help me to know how you got into the state you were in, and how you got out of it, so I can avoid a bad taste in others' mouths.

[Bill Weiss]

Hi Bob and all, got my computer video card fixed and I'm up and running again! OK! I seem to have a similar issue with maxim. With my wife's permission, I installed the new and improved maxim dl v6! Yahoo! But.....I get a message that pinpoint has been down graded to LE! Humm! ACP has never been loaded on my computer. Do I need to buy a newer version of pinpoint for my trial of ACP? Thanks Bob and all for any recommendations.

[Bob Denny]

I get a message that pinpoint has been down graded to LE! Humm! ACP has never been loaded on my computer. Do I need to buy a newer version of pinpoint for my trial of ACP? Thanks Bob and all for any recommendations.

I'm confused. Under what conditions did you get that message? When installing MaxIm 6? Also you say ACP is not on that computer but then you say you're trialing ACP?

[Bill Weiss]

Hi Bob, OK, so I set-up a plan using ACP planner, say ngc 7261. Right click in the planner box and add target, set-up filters etc. And save. Hit run....all is looking good in the console output and then "pinpoint LE is licensed only for use within Maxum DL, and Max Point. To use pinpoint within this program, please purchase a pinpoint license from pinpoint.DC dreams.com" is what I get! This didn't show up until I installed maxdl v6. You and Dick posted a good overview of how to use Astronomy.net/plate solve downloads, etc--I figured before I dabbled into that I would just go ahead and upgrade my maxDL. Oh, the thing about "ACP has never been on my computer before" was a quote from another customer that you asked that had similar issues...I believe. There is another thing I need to clearify...when I downloaded maxDL 6, I got a receipt via. Email BUT! No email yet with the 'activation' license! I called Tim at maxim, and told me that the guys my not be back to work til the 3rd of Jan. Gees! Those Canadians!!!!

[Bob Denny]

Ah, OK. MaxIm did not see your ACP license ... well you don't have one... yet you have a MaxIm license ... oh wait, you don't have one because they are closed till Jan 3... I am unsure how all of this adds up. The problem here is that you have neither a PinPoint license nor an ACP license, and thus the MaxIm update knew this and correctly assumed that you are installing MaxIm for stand alone use awaiting a license from them.

I'm not sure how to get you out of this pickle. It all works fine when you install MaxIm, then ACP, then run the demo, or if you already have MaxIm installed, install ACP then run the demo. But installing MaxIm, licensing MaxIM, then installing ACP for demo then installing a later version of MaxIm... then wanting to continue your ACP demo... failure of imagination on my part when designing the demo systems for ACP and PinPoint.

If you want I can log into your system and see if I can unwind the convoluted license/no-license mess. I cannot however supply a license for MaxIm 6.

One thing to try before I log in is to launch MaxIm 5 which should still be on your system. Once you launch MaxIm 5, ACP wills tart using that and not pay attention to MaxIm 6. That should get you back to where you can demo the main features of ACP (like acquiring images).

PS: Astrometry.net usage is "on demand" and only if the normal ACP processing can't solve (due to lost scope or ??).

PPS: The quote in my previous message came from yours and resulted in my confusion.

[Bill Weiss]

Thanks so much Bob!! This sounds like a lot of work to get the trial working. I'm confident that ACP will work on my set-up. The question I have now is if I buy a license this January, will I/you have to upload a new ACP to fix/reset any licenseing issues? I would like to be up and running with ACP.....permanently😄😄😄

[Bob Denny]

A license will "fix" it :-) :-) Also the software you get will never stop working, and you get support and upgrades for a year. Thereafter it's a yearly subscription for support and upgrades. But the software you get won't stop working at some future date.

[Bill Weiss]

Well hell!! Let's add to cart'!!! I would like to first get the license issue with maxim cleared up first--I'm hoping they will send me an email soon.

[Colin Haig]

Bill, I suggest you post a message on the Diffraction forums to prompt them about your licence. A few of their team have been checking forum messages and responding where possible.

[Bill Weiss]

I just posted a message on their forum...hopefully, they will get back. Sounds like holiday vacation time for those folks!! Thanks Colin