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Why is ArcCatalog checking out an FME License?

  • 22 December 2016
  • 3 replies
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Every time I open Esri ArcCatalog, I noticed that it is pulling an FME License from my floating license pool - this is quickly using up all available licenses!

The most common reason is if you have 'Extended' FME into ArcGIS - Esri applications will use an FME license when the extension is enabled.

 

(see https://docs.safe.com/fme/html/FME_Desktop_Documentation/FME_Desktop_Admin_Guide/IntegrationConsole/extending_applications.htm)

However, some users have reported this occurring when FME is not 'Extended'! After testing many scenarios, it seems that this occurs when Esri ArcGIS and the Data Interoperability Extension are both installed.

 

If there are any FME licenses in "C:\\ProgramData\\Safe Software\\FME\\Licenses", Esri ArcGIS will try to 'combine' licenses. If you move the .dat files located here to <FME_InstallDir>\\licenses instead, then this issue should be resolved.

In other cases, users have reported that turning off 'Search Indexing' in Esri ArcGIS resolves this issue. If you 'Pause Indexing', this may resolve the issue for you. (see http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.4/map/working-with-arcmap/using-search-in-arcgis.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_D28CE894E1744F51A71BEE2CF8F6F36F)

Please let us know if moving the license files does not solve this issue for you and we can investigate together.


If you are unable to move the FME license files from that directory, try this workaround instead:

In ArcCatalog, click to open the tree of Interoperability Connections and then restart ArcCatalog. Of course, you will need at least one Interoperability Connection, even if it is just a GMLSF connection to a blank .gml file.


The most common reason is if you have 'Extended' FME into ArcGIS - Esri applications will use an FME license when the extension is enabled.

 

(see https://docs.safe.com/fme/html/FME_Desktop_Documentation/FME_Desktop_Admin_Guide/IntegrationConsole/extending_applications.htm)

However, some users have reported this occurring when FME is not 'Extended'! After testing many scenarios, it seems that this occurs when Esri ArcGIS and the Data Interoperability Extension are both installed.

 

If there are any FME licenses in "C:\\ProgramData\\Safe Software\\FME\\Licenses", Esri ArcGIS will try to 'combine' licenses. If you move the .dat files located here to <FME_InstallDir>\\licenses instead, then this issue should be resolved.

In other cases, users have reported that turning off 'Search Indexing' in Esri ArcGIS resolves this issue. If you 'Pause Indexing', this may resolve the issue for you. (see http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.4/map/working-with-arcmap/using-search-in-arcgis.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_D28CE894E1744F51A71BEE2CF8F6F36F)

Please let us know if moving the license files does not solve this issue for you and we can investigate together.

We run ArcGIS Desktop with the Data Interop extension, as well as FME Desktop. We noticed this behaviour only when FME was installed *after* ArcGIS (and not extended); however moving the licences as described by @RylanAtSafe seems to work.

 

 

Our other solution was to re-install ArcGIS on top of FME: this also seemed to work.

 

 


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