| Criterion | Score | Comment | |-----------|-------|---------| | Ease of use | 5/10 | Confusing .c2v/.v2c workflow for beginners | | Reliability | 6/10 | SoftContainer fragility hurts | | Security | 7/10 | Adequate for industrial use | | Portability | 4/10 | Tied too tightly to hardware fingerprint | | Documentation | 6/10 | Official docs exist but scattered | | Support | 5/10 | Distributor-dependent; CODESYS GmbH responsive only to direct customers |
Overall: 5.5/10 – Functional but frustrating. Works well if you standardize on dongles and avoid VMs. SoftContainer is a support trap.
Title: Understanding CODESYS Licensing: A Guide to Activation
In the world of industrial automation, software licensing ensures that developers have access to the latest features, support, and security updates. CODESYS uses a flexible licensing model, but understanding the activation process is crucial for a smooth workflow. codesys license activation
Container vs. Key Before activating a license, you must decide where to store it.
The Activation Workflow The activation process is designed to be automated. By entering your Ticket ID into the License Manager, the software queries the CODESYS server to verify the purchase and downloads a unique certificate file. This file acts as your proof of ownership.
Best Practice: Revocation Perhaps the most important aspect of CODESYS licensing is the Revocation process. If you are upgrading your PC or moving a license from a hard drive to a USB stick, you must revoke the license before formatting your old drive. The Activation Workflow The activation process is designed
By following these steps and understanding the difference between storage containers, you can ensure your automation projects remain compliant and fully operational.
CODESYS does not store licenses in the software executable itself. Instead, it stores them in a License Container.
Cause: The persistent storage for licenses is incorrectly configured on the target.
Solution: Set the PlcLogic service to start after the filesystem mount. For embedded, ensure a battery-backed RTC is present (licenses check system time). codesys license activation
You’ve just finished programming a complex motion control sequence. You download it to your Industrial PC (IPC) or Raspberry Pi. Everything runs perfectly on your engineering laptop.
Then you unplug the USB cable.
Two hours later, the PLC stops. The dreaded "Runtime license not found" error appears.
If you are new to CODESYS, this is the most common "gotcha." Unlike traditional PLCs (Siemens, Rockwell) where the license is baked into the hardware, CODESYS uses a soft licensing model. You buy the IDE (development environment) and the Runtime (the execution engine on your device) separately.
Today, we are going to walk through exactly how to activate that Runtime license so your machine runs 24/7.