Just my 10 cents worth. My 2021 pro License and plugins are becoming harder to use. I bought sketchup as an addon to my main cad software because it was easy to do concepts etc and I purchased a lot of plugins to support the base programme. I really recent buying a perpetual license or a plugin and then having the functionality removed, but mostly I recent my choices being removed and replaced by subscription models rather than offering both. I personally like the option to upgrade when I see good progress.
I am now learningand using Rhino 3d which is a similar cost to Sketchup Pro and provides most of the functionality that is only achieved by plugins in sketchup. From what I can see Rhino 3D will continue to provide perpetual licenses. In V8 they added simplified push/pull modelling which is really quick and awsome. Perhaps if more people looked at this alternative, trimble and associated plugin developers would reconsider the subscription model.
sirtet
Do you still use a “Perpetual”-License Version of SketchUp Pro, like SketchUp Pro 2020 or earlier?
Did you know you no longer can activate the license, eg. in case you get a new PC or need to reinstall?
Hi sirtet,
I have SU Pro 2021, the classic perpetual license, as not too keen on the rent-ware subscription direction, so haven’t bothered with upgrading to the current version, even though I used to from version 5.
Although SU is very intuitive & fun to use, I’m not using it much these days as I have other more CAD based software that has a flexible approach for perpetual or subscription licensing, not to mention the SU upgrades aren’t working for me of late.
In 2022 I had a new PC & the computer chap I used just copied everything over to my new PC besides other things. I can’t recall that I needed to activate SU again, but it sounds like my version of SU may not work if I get a new PC in future.
If so, I’d still be reluctant to pay for a subscription license, (perpetual yes, if added back) so it might be the end of the road with SU for me. Just in case all this was some sort of master plan by SU HQ to get perpetual users to be subscription users… 
Am I cynical… 
I also have 2021 Classic Pro Licence. I poured so much money into plugins and now I find most have moved to subscription or I am not able to download from the extension warehouse. I will always prefer the choice to upgrade a perpetual license when I need something for my workflow. I think we as valued clients need to take back ground from what is market manipulation and it seems the only way to do that is to make it clear that subscription without choice is not only morally wrong it needs to be financially unsustainable for the vender for them to consider a different model.
There may be a perpetual license, but there is no such thing as perpetual software.
With a perpetual license, you should be able to maintain a particular era machine / OS / application setup frozen at a point in time so to speak. Power and influence matters. IIRC, Phil Bernstein (Yale professor and former VP at AutoDesk in charge of REVIT) arranged for Beinecke Rare Book library to set up and maintain older versions of Windows and AutoCAD so there would always be access to them.
Totally agree. I use windows 11 and I can still use adobe photoshop 5.5 after 10 years of no support. I do not require support, it works as it was back then.
I kind of understand security issues but to remove the ablity to download paid extensions from the 3D warehouse in both Classic pro licenses and web browser reeks of manipulation to me.
Did need to change the Font Size and play around a bit in the registry for it to work though!! (-:
Activating a license for 2017
DOES WORK, after the above mentioned change of URL is done to the file
/Support/License.dat
[Licensing UI]
LICENSING_ADD_LICENSE=https://licensing.sketchup.com/en/2017/add-license.html
How to activate on SU2016:
It’s quite a bit more complicated than on 2017, should work with 2015 too i guess.
I found out i DO have a SU2017 license when my SU2016 workaround started to work…
The server responded that my lic. seems not to be valid… (Aha, seems i upgraded, and forgot about it.):
The “License Manager” link still works, and based on the old serial it could tell me the new one and mail me the auth.nr.
So, it looks like activating on SU2016 would work too, but i could not test, since my 2016 lic. is no longer valid after i upgraded it to 2017…
-
You need to use a tool like Fiddler.
It can intercept SU’s request to the license server and respond with a local file, in which we fix the issues of the original file:
-
The local file is a modified version of the one originally returned by the server.
The modifications:
Mainly, the code of the linked addLicenseV2.js which only works on EDGE is replaced by IE-compatible equivalent code. Gemini was able to create that 1st try… (It is directly embedded in the html doc to avoid https errors when loading from file://).
I also removed google tag manager and changed urls from relative to absolute. That’s all i think.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<!--[if IE 8]><html class="ie8"><![endif]-->
<!--[if (gt IE 8)|!(IE)]><!--><html><!--<![endif]-->
<head>
<title>SketchUp Pro 2017 - Add-License | SketchUp</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://licensing.sketchup.com/images/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" />
<meta http-equiv='Content-Type' content='text/html; charset=UTF-8' />
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" />
<link href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:300italic,400,300' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'>
<style type="text/css">
html,
body {
background-color: #d4d5d1;
font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif;
font-size: 14px;
height: 100%;
margin: 0;
overflow: hidden;
padding: 0;
width: 100%;
}
a {
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
margin-top: 8px;
}
#advanced {
display: none;
height: 100%;
}
#advanced #host {
display: none;
font-size: 14px;
}
#adv-btn {
color: #4d5259;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
margin-top: 22px;
text-decoration: none;
}
#adv-btn:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}
#add-license-btn,
#adv-license-btn,
.action-btn {
cursor: pointer;
float: right;
outline: none;
}
#ajaxBusy {
background: rgba(0,0,0,0.15) url('https://licensing.sketchup.com/images/ajax-loader.gif') no-repeat center;
background-size: 50px;
bottom: 0;
display: none;
height: 100%;
left: 0;
margin: auto;
overflow: hidden;
padding: 0;
position: absolute;
right: 0;
top: 0;
width: 100%;
z-index: 10;
}
#content {
height: 200px;
position: absolute;
top: 0; left: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0;
}
.cta-btn {
background: #e72b2d;
border: 0;
color: #fff;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
font-size: 1.4rem;
font-weight: 600;
margin: 10px 0;
padding: 9px 27px;
text-align: center;
white-space: nowrap;
}
.dialog-box {
margin: 0;
padding: 50px 40px;
width: auto;
}
.message-area {
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 16px;
height: 182px;
padding: 10px 40px;
text-align: center;
}
.big-message-area {
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 12px;
text-align: center;
}
.headline {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: bold;
}
.cloak {
display: none;
}
.license-info.invalid {
border: 2px solid #e72b2d;
}
.guidance {
color: #4D5259;
font-size: 21px;
}
#serial-number,
#authorization-code {
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 10px 0 5px;
padding: 3px 5px;
width: 100%;
}
#serial-number:active,
#authorization-code:active {
outline: none;
}
.tip {
margin-top: 20px;
}
textarea {
background: #fff url('https://licensing.sketchup.com/images/bg-adv-license.jpg') center no-repeat;
background-color: #fff;
background-size: contain;
box-sizing: border-box;
font-size: 14px;
margin-top: 17px;
padding: 3px 5px;
outline: none;
overflow: auto;
resize: none;
width: 100%;
}
#welcome-window {
color: #4D5259;
height: 298px;
margin: 0 auto;
position: relative;
width: 639px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div id="welcome-window">
<div id="content">
<div id="simple" class="dialog-box">
<p class="guidance">JS translated by Gemini to IE11 compatibility: Copy and paste your license info below</p>
<input type="text" id="serial-number" placeholder="Serial Number" class="license-info">
<input type="text" id="authorization-code" placeholder="Authorization Code" class="license-info">
<a id="adv-btn" class="toggle-btn" href="#">Advanced...</a>
<button id="add-license-btn" class="cta-btn">Add License</button>
</div>
<div id="advanced" class="dialog-box cloak">
<textarea id="adv-serial" cols="50" rows="8"></textarea>
<a id="adv-btn" class="toggle-btn" href="#">Back to simple licensing...</a><button id="adv-license-btn" class="cta-btn">Add License</button>
<p id="host">
Host ID: <input type="text" id="hostId" value="Host Id" style="width: 50%;" disabled>
</p>
</div>
<div id="invalid-license" class="dialog-box cloak error">
<div class="big-message-area">
<p class="headline">Oops...</p>
<p>That doesn’t look like a valid Serial Number and Authorization Code combination.</p>
<p>Please check your license and try again.<br>
(Hint: Copy & paste works best, but also try manually typing it in.)</p>
<p>Authorization codes can be found in your license email or retrieved from our <a href="skp:openExternalUrl@https://www.sketchup.com/license/renew">License Manager</a>.<br>
For more license troubleshooting tips, please visit this <a href="skp:openExternalUrl@https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/troubleshooting-license-error-messages">Help Center article</a>.</p>
</div><button id="reset" class="action-btn cta-btn return">Let me try again...</button>
</div>
<div id="incompatible-license" class="dialog-box cloak error">
<div class="big-message-area">
<p class="headline">Oops...</p>
<p>That doesn't look like a valid license for this version.<br>
Each year's version has its own unique license serial number and authorization code.</p>
<p>SketchUp Pro 2017 serial numbers begin with the letter "S".</p>
<p>Authorization codes can be found in your license email or retrieved from our <a href="skp:openExternalUrl@https://www.sketchup.com/license/renew">License Manager</a>.<br>
For more license troubleshooting tips, please visit this <a href="skp:openExternalUrl@https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/troubleshooting-license-error-messages">Help Center article</a>.</p>
</div><button id="" class="action-btn cta-btn return">Let me try again...</button>
</div>
<div id="machine-limit" class="dialog-box cloak error">
<div class="message-area">
<p class="headline">Oops...</p>
<p>This SketchUp Pro license has been used on too many computers</p>
<a href="skp:openExternalUrl@https://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000078">Learn more...</a>
</div><button id="" class="action-btn cta-btn return">Add License...</button>
</div>
<div id="expired-license" class="dialog-box cloak error">
<div class="message-area">
<p class="headline">Oops...</p>
<p>Your SketchUp Pro license has expired.</p>
<p class="tip">Tip: Contact the company that provided your SketchUp Pro license to renew your license.</p>
</div>
<a href="skp:showRemoveLicensePage" id="" class="">
Remove license...
</a>
</div>
<div id="network-error" class="dialog-box cloak error">
<div class="message-area">
<p class="headline">Oops...</p>
<p>SketchUp encountered an error with the license server.</p>
</div><button id="" class="action-btn cta-btn retry">Retry...</button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="ajaxBusy"></div>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://licensing.sketchup.com/libraries/jquery/jquery-3.2.0.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://licensing.sketchup.com/libraries/jquery/jquery.placeholder.min.js"></script>
<!-- <script type="text/javascript" src="https://licensing.sketchup.com/libraries/sketchup/addLicenseV2.js"></script> -->
<script type="text/javascript">
(function($) {
function addLicense() {
var separator = '----------------------------------------------------------------------';
$.valHooks.textarea = {
get: function(elem) {
return elem.value.replace(/(?:\r\n|\r|\n)/g, '%0A');
}
};
var sketchupLicense = $('#adv-serial').val();
if (sketchupLicense.indexOf(separator) !== -1) {
var start_pos = sketchupLicense.indexOf(separator) + 1;
var end_pos = sketchupLicense.indexOf(separator, start_pos);
sketchupLicense = sketchupLicense.substring(start_pos, end_pos);
}
window.location.href = 'skp:addLicense@' + sketchupLicense;
}
function autoLicense(version, host, os) {
var auto = $.QueryString['auto'];
if (auto) {
callForLicense(version, host, os);
}
}
function validateInput() {
var isValid = true;
var language = window.location.pathname.split('/')[1];
var serialNumberRequired, authCodeRequired;
switch(language) {
case 'de':
serialNumberRequired = 'Seriennummer ist erforderlich';
authCodeRequired = 'Autorisierungscode ist erforderlich';
break;
case 'es':
serialNumberRequired = 'Se requiere el número de serie';
authCodeRequired = 'Se requiere el código de autorización';
break;
case 'fr':
serialNumberRequired = 'Numéro de série requis';
authCodeRequired = 'Code d\'autorisation requis';
break;
case 'it':
serialNumberRequired = 'Il numero seriale è obbligatorio';
authCodeRequired = 'Il codice di autorizzazione è obbligatorio';
break;
case 'ja':
serialNumberRequired = 'シリアル番号が必要です';
authCodeRequired = '認証コードが必要です';
break;
case 'ko':
serialNumberRequired = '일련 번호가 필요합니다';
authCodeRequired = '승인 코드가 필요합니다';
break;
case 'pt-BR':
serialNumberRequired = 'É necessário o número de série';
authCodeRequired = 'Código de autorização é necessária';
break;
case 'zh-CN':
serialNumberRequired = '需要序列号';
authCodeRequired = '需要验证码';
break;
case 'zh-TW':
serialNumberRequired = '需要序號';
authCodeRequired = '需要授權碼';
break;
case 'sv':
serialNumberRequired = 'Serienummer krävs';
authCodeRequired = 'Auktoriseringskod krävs';
break;
case 'ru':
serialNumberRequired = 'Серийный номер необходим';
authCodeRequired = 'Код авторизации необходим';
break;
default:
serialNumberRequired = 'Serial number is required';
authCodeRequired = 'Authorization Code is required';
}
if(!$('#serial-number').val()) {
$('#serial-number')
.attr('placeholder', serialNumberRequired)
.addClass('invalid');
isValid = false;
}
if(!$('#authorization-code').val()) {
$('#authorization-code')
.attr('placeholder', authCodeRequired)
.addClass('invalid');
isValid = false;
}
return isValid;
}
function callForLicense(version, host, os_user_name) {
if ($('#simple').is(':visible')) {
var serialNumber = $('#serial-number').val().trim();
var authCode = $('#authorization-code').val().trim();
var license = '{"serial_number": "' + serialNumber + '",' +
'"auth_code": "' + authCode + '",' +
'"su_version": "' + version + '",' +
'"host_id": "' + host + '",' +
'"os_user_name": "' + os_user_name + '"}';
if (validateInput()) {
var request = $.ajax({
data: 'input=' + license,
dataType: 'json',
timeout: 15000,
type: 'POST',
url: window.location.hostname === 'licensing.sketchup.com' ?
'https://api.sketchup.com/licensing/v1/activate' :
'https://stg-api.sketchup.com/licensing/v1/activate'
});
request.done(function(data) {
switch(data.response_code) {
case 0:
var license_file = data.license_file;
license_file = license_file.replace(/(?:\r\n|\r|\n)/g, '%0A');
license_file = license_file.replace(/\\/, '%5C');
window.location.href = 'skp:addLicense@' + license_file;
break;
case 1:
$('.dialog-box').hide();
$('.license-info').addClass('invalid');
$('#invalid-license').show();
break;
case 2:
$('.dialog-box').hide();
$('#machine-limit').show();
break;
case 3:
$('.dialog-box').hide();
$('#expired-license').show();
break;
case 4:
$('.dialog-box').hide();
$('#invalid-license').show();
break;
case 5:
$('.dialog-box').hide();
$('#incompatible-license').show();
break;
}
});
request.fail(function(jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {
$('.dialog-box').hide();
switch(textStatus) {
case 'parsererror':
$('#invalid-license').show();
break;
case 'abort':
case 'error':
case 'timeout':
default:
$('#network-error').show();
}
});
request.always(function() {
$('#ajaxBusy').fadeOut();
});
}
}
}
function obscureFields() {
var serial = $.QueryString['serial'];
if (serial) {
var oldSerial = $('#serial-number');
var oldAuthCode = $('#authorization-code');
var newSerial = $('<input>').attr({
'type' : 'password',
'id' : 'serial-number',
'class' : 'license-info',
'value' : serialNumber
});
var newAuthCode = $('<input>').attr({
'type' : 'password',
'id' : 'authorization-code',
'class' : 'license-info',
'value' : authCode
});
newSerial.insertBefore(oldSerial);
newAuthCode.insertBefore(oldAuthCode);
oldSerial.remove();
oldAuthCode.remove();
}
}
//jQuery fix for placeholders in lte IE9
$('input, textarea').placeholder();
// Get the serial number from the query string
$.QueryString = (function(a) {
if (a === '') return {};
var b = {};
for (var i = 0; i < a.length; ++i) {
var p = a[i].split('=');
if (p.length != 2) continue;
b[p[0]] = decodeURIComponent(p[1].replace(/\+/g, ' '));
}
return b;
})(window.location.search.substring(1).split('&'));
var serialNumber = $.QueryString['serial'];
var authCode = $.QueryString['auth'];
var suVersion = $.QueryString['su_version'];
var hostId = $.QueryString['host_id'];
var osUserName = $.QueryString['os_user_name'];
if (typeof serialNumber !== 'undefined') {
$('#serial-number').val(serialNumber);
$('#authorization-code').val(authCode);
}
var urlPath = window.location.pathname.split('/', 3);
var langCode = urlPath[1];
var versionFromPath = urlPath[2];
// 2019 and later use placeholder text instead of the background image.
var suVersionNum = parseInt(versionFromPath, 10);
if (suVersionNum <= 2018) {
var bgImage = '#fff url(/images/' + langCode + '/bg-adv-license.jpg) center no-repeat';
$('#adv-serial').css('background', bgImage);
$('#advanced textarea').on('focus', function() {
$(this).css('background', '#fff');
}).on('blur', function() {
if ($(this).val() == '') {
$(this).css('background', bgImage);
}
});
} else {
$('#adv-serial').css('background', '#fff');
}
$('#advanced').on('click', function(e) {
var hostId = $.QueryString['host_id'];
$('input#hostId').attr('value', hostId);
if (e.shiftKey) {
$('#host').toggle();
}
});
$('#add-license-btn').on('click', function() {
callForLicense(suVersion, hostId, osUserName);
});
$('#adv-license-btn').on('click', function() {
addLicense();
});
$('.toggle-btn').on('click', function() {
$('#simple').toggle();
$('#advanced').toggle();
});
$('.return').on('click', function() {
$('.error').hide();
$('.hide').hide();
$('#simple').show();
});
$('#reset').on('click', function() {
$('.error').hide();
$('.hide').hide();
$('#simple').show();
});
$('.retry').on('click', function() {
callForLicense(suVersion, hostId, osUserName);
});
$('#serial-number').on('keyup', function(e) {
if (e.which == 13) {
$('#authorization-code').focus();
}
});
$('#authorization-code').on('keyup', function(e) {
if (($('#serial-number').val()) && ($('#authorization-code').val())) {
if (e.which == 13) {
callForLicense(suVersion, hostId, osUserName);
e.preventDefault();
}
}
});
// Ajax activity indicator bound to ajax start/stop document events
$(document).ajaxStart(function() {
$('#ajaxBusy').fadeIn();
}).ajaxStop(function() {
$('#ajaxBusy').fadeOut();
});
$(function() {
obscureFields();
autoLicense(suVersion, hostId, osUserName);
});
})(jQuery);
</script>
</body>
</html>
PS:
To get developper tools on embedded IE:
Open the embedded IE u want to inspect, then start %systemroot%\system32\f12\IEChooser.exe
PPS:
I know, the topic can sometimes shift gradually, but…
What about discussing Rhino and the World somewhere else than in this thread about the Lic. Server?
(Please don’t answer, just act accordingly 
)