License Source Protection for Routines and Add-On Instructions

When protecting a component using License Source Protection, users without the license cannot open the project or import components protected by the license.
IMPORTANT: On CompactLogix 5370, ControlLogix 5570, Compact GuardLogix 5370, and GuardLogix 5570 controllers, to open a project when a component is license-protected, insert a CmStick containing the corresponding license with at least USE Permissions into a USB port on the computer.
Applying Execution Protection for the component is possible when using License Source Protection on Compact GuardLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5480, ControlLogix 5580, and GuardLogix 5580 controllers. Execution Protection allows execution of the component only on a specific controller family, or only on controllers in a specific controller family that contain the execution license.
TIP: In this version of the Logix Designer application, License Source Protection does not support these routine types:
  • Safety routines.
  • Sequential Function Chart routines.
    Function Block Diagrams on Compact GuardLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5480, ControlLogix 5580, and GuardLogix 5580 controllers, unless the Function Block Diagram is included in an Add-On Instruction. However, License-protected Function Block Diagrams are supported are supported in both routines and Add-On Instructions on CompactLogix 5370, ControlLogix 5570, Compact GuardLogix 5370, and GuardLogix 5570 controllers.
The table lists the permissions provided by licenses.
Permission
Description
Use
This is the minimum permission available for a license. Allows a user to open, import, upload, or download the project.
Important:
 A CmStick containing a license with Use permission must be present locally on any USB port on the computer. Use permission cannot be obtained from a network license server. All other license privileges can be contained on the local CmStick, or provided by a license server on the network.
Tip:
 On Compact GuardLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5380, CompactLogix 5480, ControlLogix 5580, and GuardLogix 5580 controllers, a Use license is not required to open, import, upload, or download a project containing a License-Protected component when that component has been locked.
View
Allows users to view routine logic for the component, or local tags for an Add-On Instruction. It also enables printing, searching, and cross referencing. Editors and properties dialog boxes for the component are limited to read-only, and changes are prevented.
Tip:
 A View license is required to unlock, view, and re-lock a License-Protected component.
Edit
Allows users to edit the routine or Add-On Instruction.
Tip:
 A View license is required to unlock, edit, and re-lock a License-Protected component.
Copy
Allows users to copy the logic in the routine or Add-On Instruction.
Export
Allows users to export the routine or Add-On Instruction in a non-encrypted format.
Protect
Allows users to enable or remove license protection from a component.
Important:
 A user can add or remove protection from a component only when the Protect permission exists on the license currently protecting that component.
License Source Protection on a component affects the following features:
  • Editing - If the license does not contain the View permission, the Language editor does not open, the edit menus are unavailable in the Controller Organizer and the Logical Organizer, and the component icon is grayed out. With View permission, the editor opens in read-only mode. If the license contains Edit permission, editing is allowed.
  • Printing - Routines cannot be printed unless the license contains View permission. Add-On instructions can be printed, but the routines and local tags are not printed without View permission.
  • Exporting - The protected component is written to the export file in an encoded format unless the license contains Export permission. To export in non-encrypted text, the license must contain the Export permission, and when saving the export file, the user must deselect the
    Encode Source Protected Content
     option. Locked components are always exported encoded.
    TIP: To export protected components in non-encrypted text, you also must uncheck the
    Always Encode Protected Content on Export
     check box on the
    General
     tab of the
    Workstation Options
     dialog box.
  • Component Properties - All controls on the dialog boxes of the components are read-only unless the license contains Edit permission.
  • Search and Replace -
    Find All
     is the only available search type.
    Find Next
    ,
    Replace All
    , and
    Replace Next
     skip the protected component. When the protected component is skipped, a message appears on the status bar indicating the source is not available. This message is also logged to the search results tab for a
    Replace All
     search. Edit and View permissions control users' ability to search and replace.
When the license does not contain the View permission, users cannot view the logic of a protected routine, and the
Find All
 search result items do not navigate to the found locations. This affects the following features:
  • Navigation - Users cannot navigate to a protected component.
  • Verification - Users cannot navigate to an error in a protected component.
  • Cross Reference - Cross reference information is displayed for items referenced within a protected component, but users are not allowed to navigate to the location within the protected component. Double-clicking to navigate to a protected component displays a message on the status bar indicating that users are unable to edit the component and that the source is not available.
    TIP:
    Find
     does not search locked components even when a View license is present.
The
Go to Location
 menu item is unavailable.
  • Go To - There is no edit item in the
    Go To
     dialog box for a protected component.
  • Cut, Copy, Paste - Users can copy, paste, and drag and drop source protected components from the Controller Organizer or Logical Organizer. Users cannot copy, paste, or drag and drop logic contained within the source protected component unless the license contains Copy permission.
    IMPORTANT: Use caution when copying and pasting components between different versions of the Logix Designer application. The application only supports pasting to the same version or newer version of the application. Pasting to an earlier version of the application is not supported. When pasting to an earlier version, the paste action may succeed, but the results may not be as intended. You cannot paste protected components from later versions of the application into earlier versions of the application. For example, attempting to paste from version 19 into version 18 or from version 20 into version 19 will fail.
Provide Feedback
Have questions or feedback about this documentation? Please submit your feedback here.