Dev license after ip address change

[jmestep]

My ip address was just changed by RoadRunner and that caused my dev license to break. I've got a new one I'm trying to get set up, but am getting an error when I follow the directions to update the key:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:


[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]
CommerceBuilder.Services.AbleCommerceHttpModule.a(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1) +2238
System.Web.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +92
System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +64




I'm sure it will get solved eventually, but I'm concerned if it happens again-- I can't work on a client's website. Does anyone know if I set up a domain name on my computer, change my license key to that domain, and set up test websites in separate folders under that domain, if that would work?

[AbleMods]

You should be able to add a clients domain name to your local hosts file in Windows XP and then use their keycode.

The only gotcha would be you could no longer browse the "real" domain name...your PC would be resolving it to your local IP until you removed the entry for that domain from your host file.

[jmestep]

I'll try that next time. I've got one of my test sites accessible by doing a complete reinstall, using the new dev key, copying the old customized pages over. But I've still got to get their test products back into the new database.
I still would like to know what the error means because other people are going to run into it. One of my clients went thru several domain name changes and had to get a new key for each and could never get it to update. We ended up doing a new install each time since he didn't have any products in and I was working on the design on my own computer.

[AbleMods]

My understanding is the HTTP redirector intercepts all browser requests, parses the encoded domain in the license code and the issues an immediate URL change to reflect that encoded domain URL.

You should be able to force a prompt for keycode on any ac7 install by renaming the CommerceBuilder.Lic file in the ~/App_Data folder. Do that and then just hit the home page and the redirector will take you to a safe page to enter a new keycode.

[jmestep]

Thanks, Joe but I've already tried that for both test sites. I had done that once a while ago (can't remember why) but it was before RC3. It looks like someone else is posting a problem also. Maybe something changed in RC3.

[AbleMods]

Ok, sorry I couldn't be more help. I haven't tried it since RC3 was released, you might be on to something there.

[Logan Rhodehamel]

If you have a valid license installed, go open the file App_Data\ablecommerce.config.

The first line should start <application ....

Anywhere inside that line, add the demoMode indicator:

<application demoMode="true" ...

If you have a live license installed, this will put your store into full-time demo mode. Domain restrictions are not enforced and there is no expiration. You can also switch this on and off from the admin interface. This is a new feature we added in RC3 to try and ease the difficulty of development against a live license.

[jmestep]

Thanks, Logan. That switched the one site I had re-installed into demo mode. I still can't get to the other dev site that I haven't reinstalled. I've changed the code in the ablecommerce.config, but still can't get it to open. Is there something else I can do?

[Mark Harris]

I too get this problem when trying to update the license. My demo license expired, trying to upgrade it to a real license. I'm using an IP based url.

My solution is to remove the webstore folder, and reinstall then restore the database backup.