This is a condensed version of the CD sleeve or Read Me First card included with all HydroCAD programs.
Installing your HydroCAD system
The current HydroCAD release will run on most Windows-based computers. Details here.
To install HydroCAD, run the "setup" program from the HydroCAD disk or download. Follow the on-screen instructions to install HydroCAD on a local drive. When setup is complete, start HydroCAD and review the on-line Tutorial, which will run automatically.
Note: HydroCAD should not be run in Windows "Compatibility mode". HydroCAD is designed to run as a native application on all supported Windows platforms. Using "Compatibility mode" can cause hard-to-diagnose problems and should never be used! To verify your settings, right-click the HydroCAD icon and check the Compatibility tab.
Installation problems
 | If you get a "Corrupt file" message when running setup, your setup file is
damaged. Download the program again or obtain a new program disk. |
| If you get an "insufficient rights" message, please contact your system
administrator for assistance. You must have "administrator" rights in
order to run the setup program.
|
| If you have trouble running HydroCAD please read about possible startup problems. |
Installing on a network
You may use HydroCAD on a network (subject to the terms of the License Agreement) by using the built-in "license pooling" mechanism. This allows multiple users to share a smaller number of licenses on a local network.
First, install HydroCAD on each PC where the program will be used. (Do not install the software on a server or shared drive.) Follow the regular installation process, exactly as you would for use on an independent PC. There is no separate "network installation".
Administrators' tip: If you are preparing a script for automatic installation on multiple computers, you may use "setup /silent" to perform a silent installation on each PC.
Next, start HydroCAD on any PC. The first time you run the program the serial number screen will appear automatically. (If the screen does not appear, open it by selecting Settings|Serial Number.) Now click the Network button and browse to any shared network folder where you would like to store the license information. Then enter all the serial numbers you wish to share and click OK. You should also enter a password to protect your setup from inadvertent changes. When done, you can exit from HydroCAD.
Note: The license file must be established by entering the serial numbers through HydroCAD as described above. The license file will not be recognized if it is copied, moved, or deployed by any other means.
Now start HydroCAD on each additional PC where it will be used. When the serial number screen appears, click the Network button and browse to the same shared folder. When the license information is found, the program will run immediately. (You do not have to re-enter the serial number(s) or know the password in order to configure the additional systems.) If there will be multiple HydroCAD users on a given PC, repeat the same process for each user.
Note: Each PC and user must use the exact same path (or UNC name) to access the shared folder. If the path doesn't match, some computers will not recognize the shared serial number(s).
Administrators' tip: You can automate this step by preloading the location of the license folder into the registry key HKCU\Software\HydroCAD\Settings\LicPath for each user. This will allow HydroCAD to start without further prompting for license information. You can also use this registry key to specify a hidden license folder that may not be visible with the Network button.
Note: For your security, the HydroCAD license information is stored in an encrypted file which is keyed to the drive where it is stored. If you need to move the information to a new drive or server, click the Network button and select the new location. If the file is moved by any other means it will no longer be recognized, and you will need to re-enter your serial numbers.
For further details please read about Startup Problems.
Installing an update
Any program updates should be installed with the standard installation procedure described above. The update should be installed to the same location as your previous version of HydroCAD for Windows. Program settings and user data files are not altered by the installation process.
1) Updates should always be installed to the same folder as your current installation. Although the SETUP program will allow you to install to a different folder, this is not recommended, since the previous installation will become inactive.
2) A PC can only have a single active version of HydroCAD at any given time. Whenever you want to change versions (up or down), we recommend that you always install to the same folder as your current installation. This will make your previous data files immediately available, and avoid any confusion about file locations.
3) If you wish to install the Sampler on your PC, run the setup program as described above. Note that the Sampler will replace any previous HydroCAD installation. However, you can revert to your previous installation by running the applicable setup program. (Be sure you have your earlier CD before installing the Sampler!)
4) You normally do not need to uninstall before installing a new version. Uninstall is recommended only when upgrading from HydroCAD 6.00. You do not need to uninstall when upgrading from any other release.
What if I want to revert to an earlier version?
Just install the earlier version to the same folder as your current installation. You do not need to uninstall your current program. (See details in previous section.)
Increasing your node capacity
To increase your node capacity, start HydroCAD and enter your revised serial number on the Settings|Serial Number screen in place of the old number. Unless you are also installing a newer version of HydroCAD, you don't need to re-install the software - just enter the new serial number.
Moving to a new PC
To move HydroCAD to a new computer, do a standard installation on the new PC as described above. You should also copy any HydroCAD project files that were stored on the old PC. When you start HydroCAD on the new PC, enter your serial number or setup license pooling.
You can remove the old program using the Uninstall option under Start|Programs|HydroCAD -or- you can leave it in place if you are going to share the license, as described above.
Using different editions
Whenever you install a different version or edition of HydroCAD, it will replace any edition already on your computer. However, all data and settings are preserved and are immediately available for use by whatever software was most recently installed.
For example, if you start with the HydroCAD Sampler and subsequently purchase a full program, use the default installation options to install the full program over the Sampler. This also applies to the metered and express editions.
This means that you can only have one HydroCAD installation at any given time. If for some reason you need to switch back-and-forth between editions, it takes just a few seconds to run the desired setup program and make the switch.
Note: Installing different editions to separate folders is not recommended and is not supported. This will result in duplicate copies of various data files, leaving you and Windows confused about how to run the program! When you install a different edition, always install it over any previous HydroCAD installation.
Updating from HydroCAD-5 or earlier
Earlier programs were normally installed in C:\HydroCAD, and are not altered as long as the new program is installed in C:\ProgramFiles\HydroCAD, as recommended by the setup program. Network users should also install to C:\ProgramFiles\HydroCAD, rather than to a network drive as recommended with earlier versions.
To import projects from HydroCAD-5 (or earlier), use Project|Import|HydroCAD-5 on the new HydroCAD menu. This will translate any existing project without altering the original files.