Sign in and obtain a licence¶

Guide — Herzog CAB activated on this computer: via the customer account or via a CodeMeter licence

Herzog CAB cannot be started without a valid licence. Since version 2.0 there are two routes for this — Herzog CAB detects at startup which one applies:

Route	For whom	What you need
Customer account (standard case)	All new customers from version 2.0 and everyone who has switched from the dongle to the account.	Your user in the customer account and an internet connection at the first start.
CodeMeter (existing customers)	Customers with a CmDongle or CmAct software licence from version 1.x.	The CodeMeter Runtime and the dongle or the licence files.

Both available?

If Herzog CAB finds a CodeMeter container with a valid licence, it uses it — the customer account only comes into play if no container is present. Existing customers therefore change nothing.

Standard case: signing in to the customer account¶

Prerequisites: You have accepted the invitation to the customer account and set a password; Herzog CAB is installed; the computer is online.

Step 1: Wait for the first start¶

Start Herzog CAB. On a computer that has not yet been activated, the Herzog CAB – Sign in to your customer account dialog appears. At the top there is a blue header band with Herzog CAB and the subtitle Sign in to your customer account, with a small animated braid running on its right. Below it is the note "Herzog CAB is not yet activated on this computer." with a short explanation. The layout and behavior of the dialog are the same as for the daily sign-in with the account user.

Step 2: Sign in¶

Field / button	Meaning
Email address	The address of your user in the customer account (the same as in the licence portal).
Password	Your account password (masked input).
Code from the authenticator app	Only expands after you click Sign in if two-factor sign-in is set up for your user. Type the current six-digit code into the six boxes — after the sixth digit, Herzog CAB checks it automatically. Details under Sign-in with the account user.
Stay signed in	On by default. Herzog CAB then starts on this computer without a new sign-in until you sign out in the program, change your password or do not work with it for 30 days. Applies only to your Windows user. If several people work on the computer with the same Windows user, switch it off.
Sign in	Checks the credentials on the licence server, signs the computer in to the account and occupies a seat.
Quit	Closes Herzog CAB without signing in.

After a successful sign-in, Herzog CAB starts directly — you are also signed in to the program with the same user; no second sign-in dialog follows. At the very first start on a computer, you then set up the workspace folder.

Password manager

Windows password managers do not fill in this dialog automatically. With Auto-Type (e.g. 1Password: Ctrl+Shift+Space, KeePass: Ctrl+Alt+A), the manager types the email address and password into the field that currently has the focus — clicking in the Email address field selects the prefilled content for this.

Step 3: Check¶

Under File > Settings, Licence tab, you now see your account, the signed-in user, the edition, the activated modules and the lease with its expiry date — see Licence and cloud.

What happens afterwards¶

Seat and lease: As long as Herzog CAB is running, the computer occupies a seat in the account. It is released when the program is closed, after a crash after 15 minutes at the latest. The lease renews itself at every program start and every six hours. Without a connection, Herzog CAB keeps running for up to 24 hours, version 2.0.0 for up to seven days.
All seats taken: Herzog CAB then shows the All seats taken dialog at startup with the list of who is currently working. See Licence problems.
Offline for longer: If you work without a network for more than 24 hours (trade fair, construction site), first take an offline lease for up to 30 days under Settings > Licence. The seat then remains occupied for that time.
Further operators on the same computer: At the next start, the shorter Herzog CAB – Sign in dialog appears. Each colleague signs in there with their own account user; the computer still occupies only one seat. See Sign in and sign out.
Handing over or reinstalling a computer: First choose Sign out this computer (Licence tab). This cancels the computer's sign-in and also releases an offline lease. Forgetting it is not a problem: the seat is released anyway as soon as the program is closed. An administrator can also release or block the computer in the licence portal.

Messages when signing in¶

Message	Meaning / remedy
E-mail address or password is not correct.	Check the credentials; reset the password via Forgot password in the licence portal.
Two-factor sign-in is set up for this user …	Not an error — enter the code from the authenticator app.
The code is not correct.	Check the time on the phone, wait for a new code.
Sign-in succeeded, but all seats of the account "…" are currently taken.	The credentials are correct, but all seats are currently occupied, in the program or in the browser. Below it you see who is currently working. Wait until someone closes Herzog CAB, or order more seats under Subscription and order.
This user is deactivated.	An administrator has deactivated the user in the portal.
Too many failed attempts. Please try again later.	The licence server slows down after several failed attempts — wait a few minutes.
The licence server cannot be reached …	Check the internet connection, proxy and firewall (destination: `license.herzog-cab.com`, port 443). A connection is mandatory for the first sign-in of a computer.

Further cases: Licence problems.

Existing customers: dongle or CmAct licence¶

Herzog CAB uses Wibu CodeMeter for these licences.

Prerequisite

The CodeMeter Runtime must already be installed.

Licence type¶

Type	Article	Product Code	Scope
Full version	88805	200006	All functions, unlimited
Designer edition	88805	200006, Feature Code 4	Designer only

The firm code at Wibu CodeMeter is always 6001037 (Herzog GmbH).

Sources¶

Source	When?
CmDongle (USB licence stick)	If you have ordered a physical dongle.
CmActLicense (software licence)	If your licence is bound to the fingerprint of the computer.

Variant A - Licence via USB dongle¶

You received a small Wibu dongle with your order. The licence is already preinstalled on the dongle.

Close the Herzog CAB program if it is running.
Plug the CmDongle into a free USB port.
Wait briefly - Windows recognizes the stick and CodeMeter reads the licence automatically.

You can recognize success by the CodeMeter tray icon at the bottom right of the taskbar: it changes from gray to blue.

📷 Screenshot missing

Subject: CodeMeter tray icon in the Windows notification area before and after plugging in the dongle (color change gray → blue). How to create: Photograph it with the dongle unplugged, then plug the dongle in and photograph it again after a few seconds. Target file: assets/screenshots/activate-license/tray-icon-farbwechsel.png

Open the CodeMeter Control Center (double-click the tray icon) and check that a licence with firm code 6001037 and article 88805 (full version) is displayed.

📷 Screenshot missing

Subject: CodeMeter Control Center with a detected CmDongle, firm code 6001037 and article 88805 in the licence list. How to create: Plug in the dongle, open the CodeMeter Control Center, show the licence list. Target file: assets/screenshots/activate-license/kontrollzentrum-dongle-erkannt.png

The dongle must stay plugged in

The dongle must remain plugged in while Herzog CAB is running - otherwise the licence is not found. Only remove it after closing the program.

Several workstations

If you have only one dongle, you can move it between several computers - but only ever on one computer at a time.

Variant B - Software licence via CmAct file exchange¶

Software licences are bound to the fingerprint of your computer (hardware characteristics). Activation takes place via a multi-stage file exchange between you and Herzog GmbH.

Overview¶

1. Empty.WibuCmLif      Herzog GmbH  →  you    (empty licence container)
2. Request.WibuCmRaC    you          →  Herzog (request with fingerprint)
3. Update.WibuCmRaU     Herzog GmbH  →  you    (valid licence)
4. Receipt.WibuCmRaC    you          →  Herzog (receipt)

The advantage: your computer needs no direct internet connection to Wibu - the exchange takes place by email. The disadvantage: a bit of back and forth; allow about one working day.

Step 1 - Import the empty container¶

You receive a file from Herzog GmbH by email with the naming scheme

Herzog-CAB-Container_CmActLicense_6001037.WibuCmLif

Save the file on the target computer.
A double-click on the file is enough - the CodeMeter Control Center opens automatically and sets up an empty container for the manufacturer Herzog GmbH.
Alternatively: open the CodeMeter Control Center and drag the .WibuCmLif file into the window with the mouse.

In the Control Center, an entry CmActLicense for the company Herzog GmbH now appears under License. The status shows "Activation invalid" - this is correct after this step; the activation only follows in step 3.

📷 Screenshot missing

Subject: CodeMeter Control Center directly after double-clicking the .WibuCmLif container — entry “Herzog GmbH”, status “Activation invalid”. How to create: Double-click the .WibuCmLif file, photograph the Control Center. Target file: assets/screenshots/activate-license/kontrollzentrum-leerer-container.png

Step 2 - Create a licence request¶

Open the CodeMeter Control Center.
Select the container Herzog GmbH.
Click Activate License at the bottom (in older versions "License Update…").
In the CmFAS Assistant, choose the action Create license request and click Next.

📷 Screenshot missing

Subject: CmFAS Assistant with the option “Create license request” selected. How to create: In the CodeMeter Control Center, click Activate License, photograph the first assistant step. Target file: assets/screenshots/activate-license/cmfas-lizenzanforderung-erzeugen.png

Select Herzog GmbH as the manufacturer (it is in the list after step 1) and click Next.
Choose Request license for this empty container, then Next.
Choose a storage location - the generated file has the extension .WibuCmRaC.

Step 3 - Send the request back¶

Send the .WibuCmRaC file as an email attachment to your Herzog representative. The default address is:

e.siemering@herzog-online.com

Step 4 - Import the activation file¶

You will shortly receive a file with the extension .WibuCmRaU in return.

Important: same computer

Import the .WibuCmRaU file on the same computer on which you created the request in step 2. The licence is bound to the fingerprint of this computer and does not work on any other computer.

How to do it:

A double-click on the .WibuCmRaU file is enough - the licence is imported automatically.

Alternatively via the Control Center:

Open the Control Center and select the container Herzog GmbH. The container is visible (name: CmActLicense, serial no. is displayed), but the status still shows "Activation invalid".

Click the Activate License button at the bottom of the window.
In the CmFAS Assistant, choose the action Import license update and click Next.

Select the .WibuCmRaU file and follow the assistant's instructions to the end.

Step 5 - Check success¶

In the CodeMeter Control Center, the active licence Herzog CAB with Product Code 200006 (full version) should now appear under Herzog GmbH. The next time Herzog CAB starts, the full version is activated.

Step 6 - Create and send back a receipt¶

So that Herzog GmbH can document the successful activation, create a receipt as the final step:

Open the Control Center → select the container Herzog GmbH → Activate License → CmFAS Assistant.
Choose the action Create receipt, then Next.
Choose a storage location - the generated file also has the extension .WibuCmRaC.
Send this receipt by email to your Herzog representative.

Important notes on CmActLicense¶

Computer binding

CmActLicenses are bound to the computer on which you created the request in step 2.

Hardware change or relocation

If you move to another computer or replace hardware (mainboard, hard disk), the licence must be returned before the move via a separate relocation procedure and then reactivated. Contact your Herzog representative in good time — or talk to them about switching to the customer account, which works without computer binding.

Licence check by Herzog CAB¶

At startup, Herzog CAB checks whether a valid licence is available:

Status	Behavior
CodeMeter licence present, valid	Program starts normally (dongle route).
No CodeMeter container, computer signed in to the account	Program starts normally; the lease is renewed in the background.
No CodeMeter container, computer not yet signed in	Sign in to your customer account dialog.
Lease expired and no server reachable	Notice dialog; as soon as there is a connection again, the program starts normally.
Licence expired (dongle) or module ended	Notice dialog, program does not start.

If the licence check fails, read Licence problems.

Next step¶

With the valid licence, the installation is complete. At the first program start you still set up your workspace folder — see First start and setup.