<font color="#ff0000" size="5">CAESAR II Version 5.00 Ready ...</i></font>


CAESAR II Version 5.00 is almost complete. We are in the final clean up stages of the documentation, the installation, and a few minor adjustments to the software. This release is as big or bigger than the 4.00 release, when we moved from DOS to Windows. There are many changes that have been made to the software for this release. To obtain a <a href="http://www.coade.com/caesar/c2500sneakpeek.zip">Sneak Preview PowerPoint</a> of what is coming, click this link.


<font color="#ff0000" size="5">ESLs - Transitioning from HASP to HL</font>

As you know, we will be moving all of our software licensing to Aladdin's new HL keys. New versions of our products will not recognize the current HASP keys that we use. The current "plan" to accomplish this transition is as follows:


When a new version is released (for example CAESAR II Version 5.00), it will be shipped with an empty "new" HL key. This new version will not run with the users existing HASP key. To use this new version the user must transfer the licensing data from the old HASP key to the new HL key. This can be accomplished by:

1. Installing the new version from the CD. This will also load the new ESL drivers.
2. Running the ESL License Transfer Program, found in \[program]\assidrv.

Once the ESL License Transfer Program completes its task, the new HL key will be ready to run the new version of the software. Detailed user instructions will be shipped with the release and will be the first thing users see. These instructions <a href="http://www.coade.com/caesar/ESL_Upgrade_Instructions.pdf">("ESL Upgrade Instructions")</a> can be obtained from this link.


The existing HASP keys are modified as follows:


<font color="#ff0000">Local HASP keys:</font>

These ESLs are modified so that they become date limited with an expiration of June 30, 2006. The "client name" is appended with the string "Data moved toHL", and the "Run Limit Counter" is reset to "-10". This allows the user to continue running the existing version of the software using the old HASP key until July 1, 2006. After this date, if the existing version needs to be used, it should be reinstalled using the "latest HL build", which is also shipped on the CD containing the "new" version.


<font color="#ff0000">Network HASP keys:</font>

These ESLs are modified by removing the licenses for a specific program. The "client name" is appended with the string "Data moved toHL", and the "Run Limit Counter" is reset to "-10". This allows the user to use other COADE products licensed off of the old HASP key. If the user needs to run the existing version, they must reinstalled using the "latest HL build", which is also shipped on the CD containing the "new" version. This is necessary since network ESLs are not date limited.


<font color="#ff0000">User / Dealer Support:</font>

The second attachment "ESL Upgrade Trouble Shooting" is intended to aid the COADE staff and its dealers with this transition. This document illustrates the transfer of both network and local licenses, and includes screen captures of every step.


<font color="#ff0000">ESL Utilities:</font>

What are we shipping to support and access the new HL keys? Things have trimmed down with the new keys. The following "new" programs are shipped in \assidrv:

• HL_Test.exe - a generic testing program, will work with any COADE HL key, either local or network.
• ESL_Image.exe - the revised imaging program. From now on we only need to e-mail the ".MEM" file to users.
• HaspToHL??.exe - the license transfer program, specific to each product. So for CAESAR II the program name is HaspToHLC2.
• PULSE.exe - a stand alone ESL viewer and update program. This is basically a stand alone application that performs the same functions as the options on the "ESL" menu of the engineering applications. This can be used if for some reason the user can't start the main application.
• HaspDinst.exe - Aladdin's new driver installation routine.

What don't we need and what won't be shipped any longer?

• <em>serial numbers</em> - there are no longer dealer, full run, or limited run installations. Everyone will install the same thing. Licensing will be 100% controlled from the ESL.
• hinstall.exe - Aladdin's old driver installation routine.
• htst_??.exe - the old, program specific, testing utility
• NetHaspUpdate.exe - the old utility to update network license counts. This isn't needed any longer, we can use the "imaging method" instead. This is easier and better since it doesn't require the back-and-forth business with the user.
• HASPINFO.exe - the old utility to show the network licensing. This is now shown in the standard data review of the ESL.

An additional document <a href="http://www.coade.com/caesar/ESL_Upgrade_TroubleShooting.pdf">("ESL Upgrade TroubleShooting")</a> is available to aid our Dealers in this transition process.


Please get familiar with this process and these two documents.



<font color="#ff0000" size="5">Using the Existing (<em>Old</em>) Version to Finish Projects</font>

Often a customer won't want to implement a new version immediately. It may be necessary to finish existing projects on their existing (old) version, while starting new projects with the new version. This is possible with the new HL ESLs because with the release of each product, we have also included a final <em>build</em> of the prior version that works with the HL ESL.

So how would a user actually implement this? Assume we start with a clean machine and we want to install CAESAR II Version 4.50 (the <em>old</em> version), and a new HL ESL. Insert the "CAESAR II 5.00" CD, and when the installation menu appears, select the option to "Setup the ESL". This will install the ESL drivers for the new HL key. Once this completes, quit the Installation Menu. Then, using Windows Explorer, browse the CD for the "CAESARII_450_Final_Build" subdirectory. Run the "Setup.EXE" program found here to install the <em>final build</em> of Version 4.50. This <em>final build</em> will look for the new HL ESL, not the old HASP ESL.

The first shipments of Version 5.00 went out today to fullfill new orders, using CDs written here. All future new orders will ship Version 5.00.

Updates to existing (current) customers will begin as soon we receive the CD shipment from the duplicator.

Indeed, Version 5 is destined a big-bang product--any adjective will behoove it. Compared with prior beta-tests, to me this Version renders a new experience as well, witnessing upclose how hard COADE pushes for its completion until it IS complete. Version 4 wasn't released in this manner. Congradulations to COADE'S C2V5 development team!