AFT Fathom Latest Release

Standalone Installation Information

The Current Full Version download is a single, self-extracting/installing file that contains the complete setup as distributed on the AFT Product DVD. The following steps are required to complete the download/setup procedure (if you are installing the application on a shared network server, please use the Network Installation Information in the next section):

• Using the link above, download the “Current Full Version” file to an empty, temporary folder.
• If you are using Internet Explorer, once the download has completed click Open to start the installation
• Otherwise, browse to the file using File Explorer and double-click on the file to start the installation.
• If you are updating the application, install the application in the same folder as the original installation. This will overwrite any older files with new ones.
• During the installation, select the Standalone/Client Computer Setup Type and follow the installation prompts.
• After the installation is complete, the downloaded file can be deleted.
• If you are installing for the first time and your copy protection is a USB key, you will need to run the AFT copy protection setup.

For more information:

• Standard USB Installation Instructions
• Standard eLicense Installation Instructions

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Network Installation Information

The Current Full Version download is a single, self-extracting/installing file that contains the complete setup as distributed on the AFT Product DVD. There are two parts to network installations: 1) the main application and 2) the client setup.

If you are installing the software for the first time on a network, you will also need to install the client portion on each client that intends to run the application. The full application setup creates a subfolder of the main application, named Network Client Setup, in which it places the Network Client Setup file (used in step 2).

The following steps are required to complete the download/setup procedure:

Step 1 – Main application (Current Full Version)

• Using the link above, download the “Current Full Version” file to an empty, temporary folder.
• If you are using Internet Explorer, once the download has completed click Open to start the installation.
• Otherwise, browse to the file using File Explorer and double-click on the file to start the installation.
• If you are updating the application, install the application in the same folder as the original installation. This will overwrite any older files with new ones.
• During the installation, select the Network Application Setup Type and follow the installation prompts.
• After the installation is complete, the downloaded file can be deleted.
• If you are installing for the first time and your copy protection is a USB key, you will need to run the AFT copy protection setup.

Step 2 – Network Client Setup file

• First time CLIENT installation:
  • The first time a client computer is being configured to run AFT software from the network, the Network Client Setup must be run.
  • From each client, browse to the Network Client Setup subfolder on the network and double-click on the Network Client Setup file for your product to start the client installation. Note: Use the same method to browse to the client installation location as the user will use to access the application, because the program shortcuts will be created based on how you launch the client setup (i.e. network drive identifiers).
  • Follow the prompts during the installation.
  • The client installation will do the following:
    • Create a shortcut on the client computer to the application on the network.
    • Install and register the DLL files to the Global Assembly Cache (GAC)
    • Copy the Example and Verification files to the users C:\AFT Products folder area
• Application Updates:
  • Typically, the client setup portion is not changed for regular maintenance releases, so there is usually no need to reinstall the client with a maintenance release.
  • On rare occasions, there may be a note in the maintenance release notice, to update the client installation. In such cases, rerun the Network Client Setup following the instructions above for “First time CLIENT installation”.
  • No problems are created if the Network Client Setup is run more than once.

For more information: 

• Standard USB Installation Instructions
• Standard eLicense Installation Instructions

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Information on Licensing

AFT employs two types of licensing methods which include a standalone license option and a network license option. A standalone license uses either a green standalone USB key or a cloud-based standalone eLicense for the Rights Management while a network license uses either a red network USB key or cloud-based network eLicense. A standalone or network license should not to be confused with a standalone or network installation. Regardless of which license type (i.e., standalone license or network license) is purchased, the software applications can be installed on as many computers (i.e., client machines) as desired. What restricts the amount of usage depends on the type of license purchased.

If a standalone license is purchased, the software can be installed on as many computers as desired, but will only run on whichever computer either has a green standalone USB key plugged into it, or has a cloud-based standalone eLicense activated on it. The standalone license can then be transferred from user to user by either passing around the green standalone USB key or by deactivating the cloud-based standalone eLicense on the current user’s computer before activating on the next user’s computer.

If a network license is purchased, the software license can be shared among multiple users much more easily. Users do not have to pass around a physical green standalone USB key or deactivate/activate the cloud-based standalone eLicense to share the license with others. Instead, the network license is located either on a red network USB key that is plugged into a centralized license server/machine that can see users’ computers through the network or accessed through the cloud-based network eLicense services. Users can easily access the license simply by running the software and if the license is available, the software will launch. Once the user closes the software, the license is checked back into the network USB key or the cloud-based network eLicense.

It should be noted that BOTH a standalone license or a network license can work if the Current Full Version of any of the AFT software applications are installed locally on any user’s machine as a "Standalone Installation". However, if it is desired to install the Current Full Version of any AFT software application onto a shared network server as a "Network Installation", then only a network license will work for that type of installation.

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