MIL and MIL-Lite licenses

See also

User Guide:

Hiding the MIL licensing process Preparing computers for Distributed MIL

Reference:

MappInquire

Availability

Available in MIL-Lite

Available in MIL

MIL and MIL-Lite have different licensing models:

MIL-Lite. With MIL-Lite, there is a permanent development license (for MIL-Lite functionality) provided with Matrox Imaging hardware or when a MIL-Lite supplemental license is present.
MIL. With MIL, there are two types of permanent licenses: a development license and/or a runtime license. Licenses are always verified when a MIL application is allocated, as well as when the application is running; this verification introduces negligible performance overhead. You can use a MIL provisional license while waiting to obtain a permanent license. Users with MIL installed also have the ability to run (but not debug) MIL-Lite applications if Matrox boards are present.

Refer to the respective Matrox software license agreement for the legal provisions of using/redistributing MIL or MIL-Lite. The rest of this chapter deals with MIL and MIL-Lite and its licensing mechanisms.

MIL provisional licenses

MIL provisional licenses permit you to temporarily use MIL either while waiting for a permanent license, or to evaluate whether to buy MIL. The following table outlines the types of MIL provisional licenses and their function and purpose:

Name of license	Function	Purpose
MIL evaluation license	Permits you to run and debug MIL applications for 30 days.	To try out MIL's features, and evaluate whether you want to purchase a MIL permanent license.
MIL temporary license	Permits you to run MIL applications for 30 days.	To run MIL applications while waiting for a hardware or software license-key to activate a permanent runtime license.

MIL evaluation license

A MIL evaluation license is a 30-day development license. The evaluation license permits you to run and debug MIL applications. You should use a MIL evaluation license to try out MIL's features, and evaluate whether you want to purchase a permanent license.

The evaluation license needs to be activated using a code obtained from the MIL product page on the Matrox Imaging website or from a local representative, and will be valid for 30 days from the date of issue. This code must be entered in the MILConfig utility application, in the Activate pane, accessible from the Licensing item.

Attempting to alter the computer's calendar before the evaluation license expires will immediately disable MIL. In that event, MIL can only be re-used once an appropriate license is installed.

MIL temporary license

A MIL temporary license is a 30-day runtime license that permits you to run MIL applications. It does not allow for development (debugging) of MIL applications. You should use a MIL temporary license to run MIL applications while waiting for a MIL runtime dongle or a software license-key to activate a permanent runtime license.

The temporary license is only available on certain Matrox imaging hardware. The license is activated from the MILConfig utility application, in the Temporary License pane, accessible from the Licensing item. The license is valid for 30 days from the moment the license is activated with the MILConfig utility.

Once the temporary license has expired, it is not possible to prolong or restart it. Attempting to alter the computer's calendar before the temporary license expires will immediately disable MIL. In that event, MIL can only be re-used once an appropriate license is installed.

MIL permanent licenses

MIL permanent licenses permit you to use MIL in perpetuity (that is, for an indefinite period of time). The following table outlines the types of MIL permanent licenses and their function and purpose:

Name of License	Function
MIL development license	Allows you to develop, debug, and run MIL applications.
MIL runtime license	Allows you to run MIL applications.

MIL development license

A MIL development license permits you to develop, debug, and run MIL applications. To activate the license, a MIL development dongle (hardware license-key) must be attached to your computer's USB port. A MIL development dongle is included with the MIL development package.

MIL runtime license

A MIL runtime license is required for each computer that will run a MIL application. It does not allow for development (debugging) of MIL applications.

You can purchase a MIL runtime license according to the requirements of your application. A MIL runtime license grants access to specific modules/features, some of which are grouped together in packages. Consult the MIL datasheet or your local representative regarding the available runtime packages.

A MIL runtime license can be activated using one of two methods:

A MIL runtime dongle (hardware license-key).
A software license-key.

When using a software license-key, you can hide the MIL runtime licensing process from your customer using the Gencode command-line utility. For more information, see the Hiding the MIL licensing process section later in this chapter.

Summary of activation procedures for all MIL licenses

The following table outlines the activation procedures required for all MIL licenses on different operating systems:

Type of MIL license	Activation procedure
Type of MIL license	For supported versions of Microsoft Windows or Linux	For Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact ¹
Evaluation license	License is activated using the MILConfig utility, in the Activate pane, accessible from the Licensing item.	License is activated using the Matrox smart camera portal website.
Temporary license	License is activated using the MILConfig utility, in the Temporary License pane, accessible from the Licensing item.	License is activated using the Matrox smart camera portal website.
Development license	Requires a MIL development dongle (hardware license-key).	Not applicable. ²
Runtime license	Requires a MIL runtime dongle (hardware license-key) or software license-key.	Requires a software license-key. ²

¹ Windows Embedded Compact is supported only for Matrox smart cameras.

² Under Windows Embedded Compact, there is only one type of permanent license: a runtime license. When you purchase this license, you receive both development and runtime privileges. To activate this license, you must have a software license-key.

If you have installed both MIL 32-bit and MIL 64-bit on the same computer, either an evaluation license or a MIL development dongle is required to activate both versions of MIL.

MIL-Lite licenses

The following licenses will permit you to use MIL-Lite functionality on your computer.

MIL-Lite development license

MIL-Lite comes with a permanent development license (for MIL-Lite functionality) provided Matrox Imaging hardware or a MIL-Lite supplemental license is present.

MIL-Lite supplemental license

You can purchase MIL-Lite supplemental licenses according to the requirements of your application. A MIL-Lite supplemental license grants access to specific modules/features that are otherwise not accessible in MIL-Lite, some of which are grouped together in packages. A MIL-Lite supplemental license grants access to a MIL-Lite development license, if Matrox Imaging hardware is not present. Consult the MIL datasheet, your local representative, or Matrox Imaging sales regarding the available packages.

The following MIL-Lite supplemental licenses are available:

Distributed MIL.
Compression/decompression.
GigE Vision/USB3 Vision.

A MIL-Lite supplemental license can be activated using one of two methods:

A MIL-Lite supplemental license dongle (hardware license-key).
A software license-key.

When using a software license-key, you can hide the MIL-Lite supplemental licensing process from your customer using the Gencode command-line utility. For more information, see the Hiding the MIL licensing process section later in this chapter.

Summary of MIL and MIL-Lite licenses

The following table outlines the license requirements for different MIL and MIL-Lite activities:

Activity	Requirement
Developing a MIL application	MIL development license. MIL evaluation license.
Running a MIL application	MIL runtime license. MIL temporary license.
Developing a MIL-Lite application	MIL-Lite installed with any Matrox imaging board or a MIL-Lite supplemental license.
Running a MIL-Lite application	MIL-Lite installed with any Matrox imaging board or a MIL-Lite supplemental license. MIL installed with any Matrox imaging board.

There are some considerations to take into account regarding licensing when running applications that use Distributed MIL (DMIL). For more information regarding licensing of a DMIL cluster, see the Licensing considerations subsection of the Preparing computers for Distributed MIL section of Chapter 48: Distributed MIL.

If using a Matrox Supersight with multiple system host boards (SHBs), a license is shared across its SHBs.

You can inquire which module have a valid license by using MappInquire() with M_LICENSE_MODULES.