Where does Sparx EA store the connection to the PCS floating license store?

[Modesto Vega]

Does anybody know where Sparx EA stores the connection to the PCS floating license store? I am trying to change the connection from a file based license store to a PCS license store and keep getting "network path not found error", which I suspect they are due to the file based license store no longer being available.

[Eve]

I suspect you need to set the keystore type. That corresponds to SKT in the link below.

https://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/15.2/product_information/zero_config_support.html

[Modesto Vega]

Thank you Eve, we managed to overcome the issue but not completely sure how as it involved a reboot and renaming a file, stored in the application data folder, with the word key either in the name or the extension.

[Eve]

 

You don't need to manipulate any files to edit the windows registry.

[Modesto Vega]

You don't need to manipulate any files to edit the windows registry.

Where I work "mere mortals" cannot edit the windows registry, it is not an option.

[Geert Bellekens]

You don't need to manipulate any files to edit the windows registry.

Where I work "mere mortals" cannot edit the windows registry, it is not an option.

You probably can.

There is a whole section of the registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER) that can be edited without admin rights.
If they restricted access to RegEdit you might need to write a little script to edit the registry.
See https://github.com/GeertBellekens/Enterprise-Architect-VBScript-Library/blob/master/Projects/EA-Matic%20Scripts/Fix%20Mandatory%20User%20Settings.vbs for an example

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

Access to RegEdit is restricted and will hazard to guess that executing the script linked below could be consider a threat.

Assuming that the registry can be edited by unprivileged accounts is a very naïve view of security.

[Geert Bellekens]

Assuming that the registry can be edited by unprivileged accounts is a very naïve view of security.

Why? That is really by design. There is a part that is meant to be editable by any user, and a part that is restricted to administrators.
Setting your options in EA changes the registry, do you consider that a threat as well?

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

[SNIP]
Setting your options in EA changes the registry, do you consider that a threat as well?

Sparx EA users should not have to access the registry to fix or change anything, including changing the connection to the PCS floating license server. All of this should be changed through the main user interface.

There is a fundamental issue with the way Sparx EA checks for license keys, it will never load without a valid license key. If Sparx EA cannot find/check out a valid license key, it should load with all of its functions/menus disabled, except for the function allowing changes to the location of the licenses.

[SNIP]
Why? That is really by design. There is a part that is meant to be editable by any user, and a part that is restricted to administrators.

Apologies in advance for the directness of the following comment, if you or Sparx Systems cannot see why certain organisations classify having unrestricted access to the window registry as a security threat, this explains why Sparx EA is often not considered as a "serious" enterprise architecture tool (emphasis intended). To be honest, having used it for many years, I think it is a pity it is not consider as more "serious" tool.

[Geert Bellekens]

Apologies in advance for the directness of the following comment, if you or Sparx Systems cannot see why certain organisations classify having unrestricted access to the window registry as a security threat, this explains why Sparx EA is often not considered as a "serious" enterprise architecture tool (emphasis intended). To be honest, having used it for many years, I think it is a pity it is not consider as more "serious" tool.

You keep implying there is something inherently dangerous about having access to the registry. There really isn't.
The registry is not a magical hacking tool, it's merely a structured place to store settings.

You don't want regular users to have access to the restricted administrator part, sure,  but that is already taken take of by Windows itself. The system won't allow you to edit the restricted parts if you don't have admin rights, regardless of the tools or scripts you use.

The parts that are editable for regular users are meant to be edited by regular users.
Having access to that part of the registry is no security threat at all.

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

You keep implying there is something inherently dangerous about having access to the registry. There really isn't.

I am not implying anything. It is not up to me, Sparx Systems or you to dictate the security policies of any organisation. If an organisation choses to restrict registry access, it is not up to me, you, or Sparx Systems to question the policy. Restricting access to the registry is not an uncommon practice.

[Geert Bellekens]

Restricting access to the registry is not an uncommon practice.

By that you mean disabling or removing Regedit?

That would be the same as registricting access to text files by removing notepad.exe

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

Restricting access to the registry is not an uncommon practice.

By that you mean disabling or removing Regedit?

That would be the same as registricting access to text files by removing notepad.exe

Geert

I haven't used the words "disabling" or "removing", I have used the word "restrict". Please think RBAC, certain roles have access to the registry, while certain roles do not. Most users are typically in the latter group. Having to access the registry to change the keystore location, is not necessary and should be done via the Sparx EA user interface.

[Geert Bellekens]

Having to access the registry to change the keystore location, is not necessary and should be done via the Sparx EA user interface.

I surely agree that EA should provide a convenient user interface to change the keystore location (don't they already, or does that only show if you don't have a location already?) but that still means accessing the registry (using the tool EA instead of Regedit or another tool)

Geert

[Modesto Vega]

[SNIP]
I surely agree that EA should provide a convenient user interface to change the keystore location (don't they already, or does that only show if you don't have a location already?) but that still means accessing the registry (using the tool EA instead of Regedit or another tool)

This is my point, there does not seem to be a convenient user interface to change the keystore location without having first obtained a valid key. If Sparx EA (v 15.2.1560) cannot find the configured keystore location, the user interface always "bombs out" when you try to point Sparx EA to a valid keystore location.

Managing the keystore location seems to be a complete afterthought that was never properly integrated into the software.

Edit: By the way this only happens with floating licenses. It des not happen with local licenses.