Delta Watch: Software installation and the license

  • Installing Delta Watch for automated data processing?
  • Want to update your current licence, and maybe add Delta Live!?
  • A new major release requires to update the licence?

Here is what you need to know BEFORE you order the licence key.

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Delta Watch: Software installation and the license

The licence

The Topcon Delta Watch software requires a licence for correct operation.

This licence controls things like:

  • Processing capability for total stations, GNSS, or both combined
  • Number of projects
  • Number of active points
  • Add-ons such as:
    • System diagnostics
    • Delta Live! and RESTful API interface
    • Import & Export
    • Rail, Convergence and structural monitoring modules

The licence is hardware dependent and cannot be transferred!

Delta Watch can be installed once on a device and tested for a limited period before finalizing the licence. The current trial period is 21 days from date of installation.

In this article we will look at the following topics:

  • New customers and hardware selection. jump to
    • Hardware dependent licence
    • Trial period
  • Minimum and recommended system requirements. jump to
  • Collecting installation key information. jump to
  • First time activation. jump to
  • Upgrading your license. jump to

New installation and hardware selection

Hardware dependent license

  • The Delta Watch license is linked to the hardware signature of the computer on which it runs. It is therefore important to ensure that Delta Watch runs properly, and that the computer can last a few years, before finalizing the license.
  • It is not possible to transfer the license to another computer. For each computer a (new) license would need to be bought for Delta Watch to work.

 

Trial period

  • To get started, and test if the chosen setup is suitable, the Delta Watch installer comes with a 21 day trial period. During this period all modules are enabled, including Delta Live!, and Delta Watch fully functions, no restrictions!
  • The Trial period will automaticaly be enabled:
    • on first time installations.
    • if the installer is for a new major version, like going from v2.15 to v3.4.
  • The trial period should be used to set up and create the first project and test drive the computer.
  • If during this testing the computer is changed and Delta Watch is installed on a new setup, then a new trial period will start.
  • When there are about 7 days left in the trial period, and Delta Watch runs okay on the hardware configuration, only then the final license should be requested from Topcon. This avoids having to buy a new license if there is a change of computer later on.

Minimum and recommended system requirements

Below is a table with guidelines for system requirements to run Delta Watch. It must be noted that disk space requirements are influenced by factors such as:

  • Database backup configuration.
  • Amount of data being processed. For example: Single total station with 25 prism once every 2 hours, or 10 total stations with total of 1500 prisms every hour!
  • Regular data base maintenance being performed

For details on estimating database size and backup space requirements, see article Delta Watch: Database management.

 

System requirements
Minimum
  • Operating system: 64-bit, Windows 7 or later
  • Installation of .NET Framework 4.7 or higher
  • CPU: Dual Core CPU with 3 GHz
  • Random access memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Hard disk space: HDD 20 GB free space*
Recommended
  • Operating system: 64-bit, Windows 10 or later
  • Installation of .NET Framework 4.7 or higher
  • CPU: Quad Core I7 CPU with 4 GHz
  • Random access memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Hard disk space: HDD 250 GB free space*

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  • Operating system: as per above
  • Model: C4.2xlarge
  • vCPU: 8
  • Random access memory: 15 GB RAM
  • Hard disk space: EBS
  • EBS bandwidth: 1.000

*Dependent on size and duration of project

Instead of using an AWS or equivalent service, Delta Watch can also run on a Virtual Machine (VM). The requirements of a VM configuration are similar to the Minimum and Recommended requirements as per above table as if it was operating on a real computer.

 

As requirements might change from time to time, always check in the latest manual for up-to-date requirements.

 


 

Collecting installation key information

Once satisfied with the performance of Delta Watch on the computer, the license key can be requested. 

Submit the following information:

  • Installation key: Upon program start when there is no valid license, this can be copied as text. See images A and B below.
  • Screenshot from About dialog box: Image C below.
  • Information text file: In the Delta Watch Help menu, select About Delta Watch..., and a dialog box shows. Save as a text file with all relevant information. Click on Expand in the bottom left, and then click Save. For full details on how to get this file check the article: Delta Watch: Creating About information file
  • Copy of your purchace order detailing the Delta Watch version and modules purchased.

First time activation

The license key will be delivered digitally, either as an installer, email attachment (*.LIC), or plain text. Beware, some email providers block the license file incorrectly. Sometimes if delivered by email as a attachement, the attachement is an email that contains the actual license file. Open the attached email and then save the files.

Installer:

  • Simply run the program, and check that it points to your Delta Watch installation folder.

*.LIC file or plain text:

  • Start Delta Watch and when prompted, click on Enter License key.
  • A dialog box will open. If the license is plain text, it can be copied/pasted in section A, see image on the right. If delivered as a file, load it. See section B on the right.

Upgrading your license

When purchasing additional items, such as increased point count, more projects, or the Delta Live! add-on, the license will need to be updated. When requesting the extra items, the same details have to be submitted as if this was a first time installation. but this time also include the current license file. This file, called Tunis.lic is found in the Delta Watch\Configuration program folder.

 

Information required when requesting additional modules or sensors:

  • Provide same information as if this was a new installation:
    • License / Installation key and current Delta Watch version.
    • Generate the AboutDeltaWatch text file.
    • Copy of purchage order.
  • Include the current license file, Tunis.lic.
    • This file is found in the Delta Watch/Configuration folder.

 

Updating Delta Watch after receiving the license.

The method of updating depends on how the license was delivered. Select from the below options based on what was delivered.

Installer:
  • This is an executable file that might have been send via email or shared via secure download link.
  • Save the installer on the same computer as Delta Watch.
  • Close Delta Watch, run the installer, and check that it points to your Delta Watch installation folder.
*.LIC file
  • Most likely delivered via email. The file is either attached directly to the email, or is an attachement in the attached email. If the later, open the attached email and save the file to your local drive.
  • Close Delta Watch, and use File Explorer to navigate to the Delta Watch/Configuration folder.
  • Replace the existing file with the new Tunis.lic file.
Plain text:
  • Most likely delivered via email. Text is either directly in the main email, of in the attached email. If the later, open the attached email and copy the content.
  • Copy/paste the text into a new text file called Tunis.lic. Use a program such as Notepad for this.
  • Follow the procedure above for *.LIC file.

 

Start Delta Watch, and check in Menu > Help > About Delta Watch... if all is correct.