The following guidance outlines how to configure
Artisan products in a VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure)
environment. A VDI environment refers to a
one-to-one model where each user is assigned their own dedicated virtual machine
(VM).
If your environment uses a session-based model (where multiple users
share a single VM or server), please refer to
the Session-Based VM
Setup documentation instead.
VDI environments require some specific
configuration considerations for Artisan products, particularly in relation to
licensing and automatic updates. The sections below describe the required
changes.
The VM images or templates should have the
required CloudScapes products
installed. This will include the CS Buddy
App and the required CAD plugins. These can
all be downloaded from the CloudScapes website.
https://www.csdhub.com
The Buddy App runs in the taskbar service icon
area of the desktop and communicates with the local CS Update and Licensing
service which in turn communicates with the CloudScapes web
services.
Revit - If required, install the required
version(s) of the CS Artisan RV Revit AddIn.
AutoCAD - If required, install the latest version
of the CS Artisan AC Plugin.
BricsCAD - If required, install the latest version
of the CS Artisan BC Plugin.
The configuration of all Artisan products can be
controlled via registry settings. In this case being able
to:
· Change the mode of Artisan to run in a VDI VM
mode
· automate its plugin enabled state
· add the licence information
· set the licence de-activate option on exit
The following are the Registry settings that will
need adding to set the required automation.
Determines the VM running
mode. This dictates how Artisan handles
licensing and automatic updates.
Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design
Type: REG_DWORD
Name: VMMode Values: 0, 1 or
2
|
Notes: |
0 = |
(or no key) No VM (will force Artisan Licensing to run in
normal workstation mode). |
|
1 = |
Running in VM mode. Use
this option if VM’s are non-persistent (ie. Their state resets after each
hosted session). This mode will
prevent Artisan products from running updates during the
session. This prevents potential
consequences (corrupt models, etc.) from a session being updated by
Artisan and then reverting back in subsequent
sessions. | |
|
2 = |
Running in VM mode. Use
this option if the VM setup runs in persistent mode (keeps state between
sessions). This mode allows Artisan
updates to run. |
Any PlugIn key
under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design would have had its permissions changed by the
installer with read / write permissions for a standard windows
user. This allows standard user sessions to
write the required licence keys, etc. during PlugIn
launch.
Path: CS Artisan RV
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan RV 2026
CS Artisan AC - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design\CS Artisan AC
CS Artisan BC - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design\CS Artisan BC
Type: REG_DWORD
Name: Enabled
Values: 0 or
1
Notes: The key is optional, if not exist, the AddIn is enabled by
default. 0 will
disable the Add-In for all users, 1 will Enable the Add-In for all users.
To
target other versions of Artisan RV, change the last key in the path as
required, ie. CS Artisan RV 2026 to CS Artisan
RV 2024 (for
example).
Path: CS
Artisan RV
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan RV
2026
CS
Artisan AC
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan
AC
CS Artisan BC - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design\CS Artisan BC
Type: REG_SZ
Name: Account Name
Values: as provided by
CS Design.
Type: REG_SZ
Name: Licence Number
Values: as provided by CS Design.
Notes: If using Group Policies, both these values should be blanked for
non-Artisan users/groups.
Path: CS
Artisan RV
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan RV
2026
CS
Artisan AC
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan
AC
CS
Artisan BC
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan
BC
Type: REG_DWORD
Name: Auto Deactivate
Values: 0 or 1
Notes: 0 to KEEP product activated. 1 to deactivate. If in VM mode (VMMode
key set to 1 or 2), then the Auto Deactivate key will be overridden to true and
the options disabled in the UI.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design]
"VMMode"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS
Artisan RV 2026]
"Auto Deactivate"=dword:00000001
"Account
Name"="YourAccountName"
"Licence
Number"="YourAccountNumber"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS
Design]
"VMMode"=dword:00000002
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CS Design\CS Artisan
RV 2024]
"Auto Deactivate"=dword:00000001
"Account
Name"="YourAccountName"
"Licence Number"="YourAccountNumber"