Update software after a new release

Updating your Golden Software products ensures you always have access to the latest performance improvements, security enhancements, and feature releases. Surfer and Grapher users with active software maintenance or an active software subscription are entitled to an assortment of benefits, including access to new features and routine software updates.

Whether you manage an individual desktop installation or oversee a network deployment, this guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions to help both single-user license holders and concurrent-use network license administrators update Surfer and Grapher seamlessly after a new software release.

Not sure which license type you have?

Open Surfer or Grapher and click File | License Info:

• If you see a Deactivate License button, you have a Single-user License.
• If you see a Forget Server button, you have a Concurrent-use License.

Single-user License	Concurrent-use License

Updating a Single-user License

Update a single-user license with internet access

If your computer is online and can communicate with our activation service, then your software license will update automatically. When a new version of the software is released, you can choose to update when prompted or complete the steps below to update manually:

1. Start the program and click File | Check for Update or File | Online | Check for Update.
2. A window will appear stating that a newer version is available.
3. Click OK to start the upgrade process.
4. Close the program to allow the software update to install.

Common Errors:

• If your software maintenance is expired, you may receive a message that a new version is available but your license is only valid for the latest version before your software maintenance expired.
• If you receive a message that you have the most recent version installed but you know a new version was released, it is possible that security settings are preventing communication with our servers. See Whitelisting Golden Software domains for more information.

Update a single-user license without internet access

1. Start the program and click File | License Info. You should see red text reading "Unable to contact the activation server".
2. Click Offline update.
3. In the Offline License Update dialog, your product key should automatically be filled in to the Step 1 field.
4. Click the Create a License Update Request file link in Step 2.
5. Save the file, transfer it to an online computer, and contact us with the file attached.
6. You will receive a new license file by email with instructions for completing the license update.
7. After completing the license update, download the latest version of the program installer.
8. Transfer the installer file to your offline computer.
9. Run the software installer to complete the update.

Updating a Concurrent License (Server-Managed)

Concurrent licenses are managed centrally on a license server machine. Client PCs cannot perform the software update until the server's license is updated first.

For end users

Please reach out to your internal IT department or License Administrator host to update the server license before attempting to update your desktop installation. 

Once your server has been updated, you can follow the steps in the Updating a Single-user License section above.

For License Administrators:

1. First make sure the License Manager and License Administrator on your license server are updated.
2. Open the updated License Administrator on your server machine.
3. Click the Manage tab to view installed licenses.
4. Select the feature license for your product and click Update selected license to update the Max version allowed.
5. Once updated on the server, end-user client PCs can run File | Check for Update within Surfer/Grapher or install the latest release directly.

For detailed server setup instructions, see Set up a concurrent license server.