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CASmate-Pro

Mike L

New Member
Hi I have a customer that runs the CASmate-Pro program and for some reason today it come up and say:
Can not run CASmate-Pro New-Hermes: The program has expired

Has anyone come across this problem before?
He has it running on Win98 First Edition, but would like to run on WinXP if possible.

Thanks for any input with this problem.

Mike
 

N2Harpz

New Member
When I bought my shop two years ago. I had the same thing. Windows 98 crashed and the computer died. The Casmate floppies would not reload. I had to upgrade the puter and to go to Flexi.

It might be time for your friend to upgrade:
 

iSign

New Member
it was never meant to run on XP...

some people have created loopholes by circumventing the security block, which is a solution that meets with varied opinions regarding the interpretation of the DMCA... it can work though!
 

Mike L

New Member
It's really not a problem to run on XP, I will just use VM running Win98.
The problem is the error he is getting, so I guess this isn't anything anyone has seen.
There are no floppy disk just a cd, it runs his router from what I am told.
I am just working on the solution to fix the program, and he has another computer that runs the newer software but he say this one does a better job.
I wouldn't have a clue.
I did read some other threads on the company being out of business which some say exempts them from piracy of the program, and we are not interested in doing anything illegal. He owns his copy and has since it came out and he has also paid for the upgrades.
Do dongles ever go bad? I am new to dongles but I understand their purpose.
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
The only dongles I've ever seen go bad either worked or they didn't. The application you are working with came from a company named Scanvec. They merged with Amiable Technologies and became Scanvec-Amiable. That company was later bought out by an employee group and became SAi.

The old Scanvec used to give limited trials for a small fee by supplying a dongle which had a counter in it ... typically for 100 saves or plots executed. At the end it would give an expired message. I suspect that is the dongle you are working with. Either your friend only had a limited run dongle or he has forgotten that he would have received a permanent dongle to replace it if he ever paid the fee for it.
 

iSign

New Member
I used Casmate for many many years, although only for a plotter. I did purchase Flexi at a very reasonable price (considering the list price anyway) when Amiable bought out Scanvec... but I continued to use Casmate for several more years, however I finally made the jump (& Fred's suggestion) & have never looked back.

There are two other things I am somewhat familiar with that may be of use here is that another nearby signshop also used Casmate when they bought a CNC router, and I would supply him the .scv files for cut letters etc.

I'm not sure if the program was really used to "run the router" or if it was just used to create a compatible file format to send to the router. Since Flexi can read .scv files, I presume it can also export Flexi files, or "save as" an .scv format, so you might ask him if creating .scv files helps him, or running Casmate is still required. This is mentioned simply because there might be easier, or more numerous, solutions if the file format is the only missing link.

By the way, W98 compatibility doesn't work with a dongle installation version of Casmate, because it is an 8 bit program. Regarding the legal comment above, I am in agreement & have chosen to believe that circumventing the dongle is permissible in this case, because my rightful licensed use of the program is hindered by a dongle they are no longer available to support. I never resolved the XP issue, but I know several people have. (for vinyl plotter work anyway)
 

Mike L

New Member
Well I have come to the conclusion that the HASP plug had a set limit of uses and I am in the belief that with the company out of business and no support that I will need to find a way around this device.
If anyone has information that could help me out I would appreciate it.
You can email me or PM me.

Thanks
Mike
 

iSign

New Member
Well I have come to the conclusion that the HASP plug had a set limit of uses

The legal issue with Casmate being out of business, is that if you (or your friend) legally paid for the privilege of running Casmate TODAY, then the DMCA has language that MAY be interpreted to allow you to legally circumvent the security device.

In your friends case, he doesn't have ANY rights to run the software today, because he had limited rights, & he exhausted them. There is no legal way to run something which your friend holds no current license to run. And to advise you of circumvention procedures (if they even exist) would, in your case, violate the rules of this forum.

FWIW, the only circumvention I am familiar with requires having the program operating properly, with a dongle that is operating properly, & under those conditions, a script or some such thing can be run to replicate the authorization codes (made up words to describe my limited understanding) allowing the software to run without the dongle after this procedure.
 

Mike L

New Member
I spoke with him on the phone and he said when he paid for the updates and the 6.5 version there is nothing that was told to him or in his paper work stating there was a set amount of use's.

So I am not really sure what to do at this point except explore other options.
I am just a computer Tech guy LOL first time I have ever had to deal with these types issues.
 

iSign

New Member
I'm not sure if the program was really used to "run the router" or if it was just used to create a compatible file format to send to the router. Since Flexi can read .scv files, I presume it can also export .scv files, or "save as" an .scv format, so you might ask him if creating .scv files helps him, or running Casmate is still required. This is mentioned simply because there might be easier, or more numerous, solutions if the file format is the only missing link.


So I am not really sure what to do at this point...

Why don't you try to get more information to address the points I made above, & we all may be better able to help you identify what your other options may be.
 

iSign

New Member
Can he buy a new dongle ?
New? no... not for the last 7 or 8 years or so...

I have version 6.52, the box, all the documentation, a working dongle, and the circumvention code for running in W98, without the dongle, after running with the dongle first to set it up (which allows one to run it at home, and at work without moving the dongle, but AFAIK, not for running it in XP... which is also possible, but by some mystery I've never learned)

I've clung to this software like a life preserver for the first sevaral years after I weaned myself off of it... but at this point I'd probably sell it for $750 if someone wanted it.
 

Mike L

New Member
Thanks for your input guys, I have found a work around that we both feel comfortable with and he is back in business.
 

S1gntist

New Member
Scanvec CasMate

I used Casmate for many many years, although only for a plotter. I did purchase Flexi at a very reasonable price (considering the list price anyway) when Amiable bought out Scanvec... but I continued to use Casmate for several more years, however I finally made the jump (& Fred's suggestion) & have never looked back.

There are two other things I am somewhat familiar with that may be of use here is that another nearby signshop also used Casmate when they bought a CNC router, and I would supply him the .scv files for cut letters etc.

I'm not sure if the program was really used to "run the router" or if it was just used to create a compatible file format to send to the router. Since Flexi can read .scv files, I presume it can also export Flexi files, or "save as" an .scv format, so you might ask him if creating .scv files helps him, or running Casmate is still required. This is mentioned simply because there might be easier, or more numerous, solutions if the file format is the only missing link.

By the way, W98 compatibility doesn't work with a dongle installation version of Casmate, because it is an 8 bit program. Regarding the legal comment above, I am in agreement & have chosen to believe that circumventing the dongle is permissible in this case, because my rightful licensed use of the program is hindered by a dongle they are no longer available to support. I never resolved the XP issue, but I know several people have. (for vinyl plotter work anyway)

In reading your post I as wondering if you still have a copy of the software - I am trying to convert some old files that were saved from CasMate for my own archive of work done. I have all needed except the CD to re-install the software with...
 

CS-SignSupply

New Member
I have a utility that will convert SCV files but may or may not work on Win7 or higher... I can drop box it to you if you would like to try... This utility is the IC2 (Inspire Casmeate) from Scanvec back in the day.

Shoot me a PM with email address to send download link
 
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