On DOS and Windows systems, the license management software requires that every connected machine use the IPX communication protocol, or every machine use the NetBIOS protocol.
Each time the runtime system is initiated on a DOS or Windows system, it inquires whether there are other active runtimes on connected machines, and counts their responses. When the NetBIOS protocol is used (without IPX), the count may take several seconds to complete. By default, the application is not delayed. It begins executing in parallel with the count procedure.
If the runtime determines that the user limit has been exceeded, and if the application is already running, a pop-up window appears, containing the message shown below. The user is asked to press <enter>, and the application exits.
If the application has not started running, the error message is sent to the current error file (or, if there is no error file, to the screen). The runtime then exits. The message is:
You have exceeded the licensed number of users for ACUCOBOL-GT. If you would like to add users, please contact your customer service representative.
It is possible to cause the COBOL application to wait for the count to be completed. If the site chooses to wait, the application begins executing only if the count procedure determines that the limit has not been exceeded. If the user limit is exceeded, the application is not started. The error message shown above is sent to the error file, and the runtime exits. To cause the application to wait, set the runtime configuration variable A-WAIT-FOR-LICENSE to "1" (on, true, yes). The default value of this variable is "0" (which means: do not wait for the count to be completed).