Purchasing a time block (detailed)
The normal starting licence, "TSG Base", is a free Viewer licence
which allows you to view existing TSG datasets. If you would like full functionality then you need to purchase a time block for your licence. Your licence will then give you premium TSG functionality for the duration of the time block, and revert to Viewer functionality once the block’s time period has passed.
(A time block may also be purchased for a licence that already has some Premium time. The purchase will extend the licence’s Premium time period.)
This section describes buying a time block from TSG. You should have TSG installed with a base licence activated before you purchase a time block. Please note that a time purchase is not activated in TSG like a base licence. A Refresh in TSG is all that is needed.
It is possible to log on to the Customer License Portal right after obtaining the TSG Base licence and purchase a time block even before installing TSG. That procedure will not be dealt with here, except to say that the base licence is activated in the usual way and has its Premium time once activated. If there is more than one "TSG Base" licence registered in your name then be careful to buy the time block for the "right" one.
Once purchased for a licence, time cannot be moved to another licence.
Start TSG and bring up the licence dialog from TSGs Help -> Licence menu.
- Click Purchase time.
Your web browser will try to open on an area of the TSG online store where time purchases are offered. Before it can get there, it will have you log on with your Customer Licence Portal credentials.
- Click Log In once you have entered your credentials.
You should see a range of time blocks on offer.
- These are blocks of calendar time.
- If there is more than one TSG Base licence registered in your name then you may see more than one set of the above options. There may be one set per licence. Be careful to choose an option from the right set. Match the set’s License ID with the Licence field shown in TSG’s licence dialog.
- Choose an item and click Add to Cart in its row.
You will be presented with TSG’s EULA.
- To proceed with the purchase, tick the box labelled "I accept the terms and conditions in the above contract", then click I Agree.
Your selection will be added to the shopping cart.
- If you are in Australia, you will see that GST has been added to the item cost.
- Click Checkout.
You are shown your server registration details and asked to confirm them.
- Click Continue after checking your details.
We are closing in on the transaction.
- The only payment option is credit card: Visa Or MasterCard.
- Click Continue.
Complete your payment details.
- Click Continue.
After you confirm the purchase, you will be shown an invoice. The invoice will also be emailed to you. Behind the scenes, the licence server will have adjusted your licence’s expiry date. An updated licence resides on the server. The final step is to bring the updated licence into TSG.
Go back to TSG and bring up the licence dialog if necessary.
- Click Refresh. This will retrieve the updated licence from the server and load it into TSG.
- Reminder: A time purchase is not activated like a base licence. Do not concern yourself with trying to find activation codes on the time purchase’s invoice. A Refresh in TSG is all that is needed.