On Mon, 23 Mar 2020, Jean-Pierre Coulon wrote:

> I have been using orcad pspice demo version 9.1 for several years. Since 
> today, when I try to open a .CIR file it says:
>
> "failed to connect to the pspice simulation server" [...]

Finally I found the cause: The service DcomLaunch was stopped on my 
computer. Type services.msc from your command prompt window and activate 
DCOM Server Process Launcher. But don't ask me why Orcad spice needs it 
:-)

Hope this will be useful for others.

-- 
Jean-Pierre Coulon

Tim Williams wrote...
>
> "Rick C" wrote ...
>
> Myself, I purchased Altium Designer in mid 2015, which I let
> expire in 2016, which gives me up to version 16.1.9.  Win
> still uses some ancient PCAD (2006?), or is it Protel ('97?)?

 I was a longtime PCAD user, and continued after Altium
 purchased PCAD.  But their last PCAD update was 2006.
 Sometime after that I added Altium licenses, and soon
 after switched to Altium, even tho PCAD had important
 features missing from Altium.  I work mostly with 17,
 because the 18 and 19 versions slow me down too much.
 However, I've hear they fixed most of the issues in 20,
 so I may give it a try soon.  Meanwhile, all of my CAD
 files are still organized in a huge PCAD folder, likely
 why people think I'm still a PCAD user.  But that's OK.


-- 
 Thanks,
    - Win

"Rick C" <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:ea14f41b-72c9-4b68-859f-146eca3106f1@googlegroups.com...
> That is a problem with every piece of commercial CAD software I've ever 
> used.  Even if you have a perpetual license, it requires either an annual 
> renewal or network contact with the mothership.  If for any reason that is 
> no longer supported, your software doesn't work.  The license gives you 
> permission to run the software, not necessarily the means.
>

You've not used Altium, I see!

For all the _fucking_ _bullshit_ that everyone else uses (e.g. Macromedia 
License Manager), that almost never works...

...Altium is astonishingly easy to license.

And even if your license server connection drops, it allows you to continue 
working, with a periodic nag.  As long as it knows you were once licensed 
before, I suppose.

And that's one specific configuration.  You can do a standalone license and 
completely disable the phone-home, you can pull from a pool (on the local 
network; the license server is a separate tool, that is also easy to set 
up), you can pull from your online registration (no need to carry around a 
license file or remember a code, just log in and their server verifies your 
license).

And it doesn't expire, the subscription service is simply for support and 
ongoing updates, access to latest version, etc.

Myself, I purchased Altium Designer in mid 2015, which I let expire in 2016, 
which gives me up to version 16.1.9.  Win still uses some ancient PCAD 
(2006?), or is it Protel ('97?)?  Which work by the same licensing model 
AFAIK (or, probably going back far enough it's just ordinary boxed 
software?).  The output of which is still backwards compatible in AD20.

Tim

-- 
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electrical Engineering Consultation and Design
Website: https://www.seventransistorlabs.com/ 

On Monday, March 23, 2020 at 3:51:09 PM UTC-4, Jean-Pierre Coulon wrote:
> I have been using orcad pspice demo version 9.1 for several years. Since 
> today, when I try to open a .CIR file it says:
> 
> "failed to connect to the pspice simulation server"
> 
> I can't even view it. This is before I try to simulate. I limit myself to 
> .CIR files that I have already simulated.
> 
> Am I the only one? Does a demo software really need to connect to a 
> server? Then did this server close today?
> 
> Bye,
> 
> -- 
> Jean-Pierre Coulon

That is a problem with every piece of commercial CAD software I've ever used.  Even if you have a perpetual license, it requires either an annual renewal or network contact with the mothership.  If for any reason that is no longer supported, your software doesn't work.  The license gives you permission to run the software, not necessarily the means.  

Heck, once I ordered CAD software for a non-trivial prices.  It was stated to include Modelsim.  When I got the package it didn't, it included Aldec's Active-HDL instead.  I complained and they said, "tough".  In the end it worked fine and I was happy, but the bait and switch certainly pissed me off at the time. 

-- 

  Rick C.

  - Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
  - Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

I have been using orcad pspice demo version 9.1 for several years. Since 
today, when I try to open a .CIR file it says:

"failed to connect to the pspice simulation server"

I can't even view it. This is before I try to simulate. I limit myself to 
.CIR files that I have already simulated.

Am I the only one? Does a demo software really need to connect to a 
server? Then did this server close today?

Bye,

-- 
Jean-Pierre Coulon