To sum up the several responses I've received, the lock files are
created by the "vendor license daemon" (VLD) program and there is no
easy way to change the name of this file. It's hard-coded into the
VLD; sometimes it's even encrypted to thwart patching the VLD with
adb(1). Apparently the lock files are a weak point in FlexLM; if
one can trick multiple VLD's into running off multiple lmgrd's (using
different port numbers), one can fool the system into running as many
copies of a licensed program as one desires.
#pragma SOAPBOX on
Of course, as the customer I consider this a lame excuse. It should
be the vendor's responsibility to make his/her software easy to use, not
my responsibility to jump through hoops to get some poorly-designed piece
of code to run properly.
It makes the program less useful to me; right now I'd just as soon
install a program with a virus in it on my system as install something
that uses FlexLM. And as I am responsible for purchasing software for
this department, when it comes time to renew licenses I am certainly
going to keep this in mind and shop around for anything that uses a
better floating license scheme. A copy of this post is also being sent
to an on-campus E-mail list of others who frequently purchase
software.
I will continue this until FlexLM is fixed to either not use lock files
or to stick them in a more appropriate place (say, a /var/spool/FlexLM
directory). And I encourage everyone else on the net to do so as well.
#pragma SOAPBOX off
#pragma SERMON on
To everyone who responded, my heartfelt thanks. And as far as anyone
who accused my previous post of being "rude", this (requesting
followups to be E-mailed) is a time-honored USENET practice, so kindly
simplify the following algebraic formula:
(2q +1) (2q -1) + 1
#pragma SERMON off
-- David Barts N5JRN UW Civil Engineering, FX-10 davidb@ce.washington.edu Seattle, WA 98195
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