AFT Software Installation

Overview

AFT software can be installed on an unlimited number of user machines, but the number of concurrent users is dictated by the number of Seats which were purchased on the license.

Full installation setup consists of the following steps:

  1. Application Installation

  2. Activating the eLicense

If you have purchased the optional Chempak Database add-on, then you will need to follow additional instructions for the Chempak Database Installation. Add-on Modules like GSC, XTS, and SSL are already bundled with the application and are turned on/off from the software interface with a valid license.

 

Requirements

  • License Number - This is a 9 or 10-digit number provided on the receipt of purchase in the format of XXXXX-XXXXX (the hyphen is part of the license number). Note: The License Numbers are product-specific and version-specific. For example, a Fathom 13 installer will reject a Fathom 12 License Number. Make sure you have the correct License Number from the software purchase receipt that applies to the product and version that is being installed.

  • Registration.txt File - This is a text file containing the required 32-digit eLicense Activation Code, and it is provided with the receipt of purchase.

  • Internet Connection - The PC must have access to https://my.nalpeiron.com (IP address 20.237.110.18, on port 443).

  • Administrator Privileges - The application installation will require admin rights on the PC.

 

Application Installation

The instructions below apply to the following versions:

  • Fathom 8 (2015.04.14) to Fathom 13 Final Release

  • Arrow 5 (2015.04.15) to Arrow 10 Final Release

  • Impulse 5 (2015.04.14) to Impulse 10 Final Release

  • xStream 1 (2021.04.12) to xStream 3 Final Release

  1. Navigate to https://www.aft.com and click the Downloads > Previous Versions drop-down menu. Download the appropriate installer under Full Versions for the product of interest.

  2. Right-click on the installer and select Run as administrator.

  3. Click Next to begin the installation.

  4. Read and accept the License Agreement.

  5. Enter your Customer Information and License Number. Note: The License Numbers are product-specific and version-specific. For example, a Fathom 13 installer will reject a Fathom 12 License Number. Make sure you have the correct License Number from the software purchase receipt that applies to the product and version that is being installed.

  6. Select Local Install (Recommended). Server installs should only be completed by qualified IT professionals who understand the intended purpose of Server Installations as described below on this page.

  7. Click Next to accept the default install directory. Changing the install directory is not recommended and may require additional configuration.

  8. Review the queued installation tasks and click Install.

  9. Click Finish.

 

Activating the eLicense

  1. Copy the Registration.txt file into the installation directory: C:\AFT Products\AFT Application

  2. The first time the application is launched, right-click the application executable and select Run as administrator. This will automatically copy the eLicense Activation Code into a shared directory so that it can be used by other AFT applications.

  3. If the application does not start, then please see our eLicense FAQs for troubleshooting.

 

Server Installations

For the majority of users we recommend the Local Install option where the application is located directly on the client machine. Large workgroups with Network Licenses and many client machines may want to consider the Server Install (Advanced) option. Server installations allow the base application and files to be stored on a network server, while client machines will have a shortcut and pointer to the server. The client machines will effectively clone the executable and required files from the server and run it in local memory.

AFT has periodic Maintenance Releases where new installers can be run to update the product executable and files. These updates contain important fixes, patches, and improvements; however, this process can be burdensome to complete when there are many client machines that need to be running the same version (as dictated by engineering project requirements). Server installations allow IT personnel to perform these updates one time on the server, which saves time as opposed to updating each individual client machine.

Please note that AFT Technical Support can only assist with the standard steps listed on this page. We cannot guarantee resolutions for deviations related to the following:

  • Internal IT configuration, permissions, and security policies

  • Configuration of Citrix or other virtual desktop deployment services (see the Notes below)

On the Server

Follow the standard instructions but with modifications at the following steps:

  1. Customer Information: Put the same company name in both the Name and Company fields. This information will be visible on all client machines in the Help > About menu of the software interface.

  2. Select Server Install (Advanced).

  1. Share the C:\AFT Products folder from the server with the network of client machines. Client machines need both read and write permissions.

On Each Client Machine

  1. Navigate to the shared server folder: C:\AFT Products\AFT Application\Network Client Setup.

  2. Run the AppClientSetup.exe to install the necessary files on the client machine.

  3. Activate the eLicense on the client machine.

Notes

Server Executable: Trying to launch the application executable on the server will not work unless you also run the AppClientSetup.exe on the server itself. This is not needed, and we recommend performing testing from the client machines themselves.

Citrix Virtual Desktops/Apps: The licensing cache files will become invalidated if they are copied, moved, or modified in any way. Fathom 13, Arrow 10, Impulse 10, xStream 3, and previous versions have the licensing cache located in the AppData\Roaming directory, so synchronization of the Roaming folder with virtual desktops, active directories, or other system disk images can corrupt the license cache. It may be helpful to ensure the license cache is excluded from any synchronization services.

  • Add the following directory to the Citrix exclusions list: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Nalpeiron.

  • Extend the Dynamic Session Timeout in Citrix so that sessions aren't ungracefully terminated while someone is on lunch break. This can help prevent seat lock-up on Network eLicenses.