PLE License

Golaem Personal Learning Edition (PLE) license is a time-unlimited license which allows you to evaluate, use and learn Golaem. The only difference between a PLE license and the Full Commercial license, is that all Golaem files generated from a PLE license or from a Maya scene saved with a PLE license will be "watermarked" at rendering time or at geometry bake export time. Thus, PLE license or PLE saved Golaem files can NOT be used for production purposes.

If the Golaem plugin is loaded without a commercial license, it will automatically switch to a Personal Learning Edition (PLE) license. This behavior can be disabled by setting the GLMCROWD_NO_PLE environment variable to 1. 

Watermarking

Rendering

Golaem files exported from a PLE licensed Maya session or from a PLE saved Maya scene will be "watermarked" at rendering time by assigning the Golaem default shader to random meshes. The randomization is consistent from one frame to another to allow making image sequences without flickering effects.


Rendering of a Golaem scene generated with a Full commercial license - Rendering of a Golaem scene generated with a PLE license.

Geometry Bake

Golaem files exported from a PLE licensed Maya session or from a PLE saved Maya scene will be "watermarked" at geometry bake time by removing random meshes. The randomization is consistent from one frame to another to allow making image sequences without flickering effects.


Geometry Bake of a Golaem scene generated with a Full commercial license - Geometry Bake of a Golaem scene generated with a PLE license.

Unreal Engine Replay

Golaem cache exported from a PLE licensed Maya session or loaded with a Golaem for Unreal with a PLE license will be "watermarked" at geometry level. The randomization is consistent from one frame to another to allow making image sequences without flickering effects.


Unreal Engine Replay of a Golaem cache with a Golaem for Unreal license - Unreal Engine Replay of a Golaem with a Golaem for Unreal PLE license.

License and File Status

Every time the Golaem plugin is loaded with a PLE license, a specific Shelf Icon will be displayed at the end of the Golaem Shelf and it will display the following in-view message (drag the mouse in the viewport to remove it). The same message is also displayed every time a sane file is opened using a PLE license:

Every time a Maya scene saved with a PLE license is opened (whatever the current license is), it will display the following in-view message (drag the mouse in the viewport to remove it):

Every time a Golaem Simulation Cache saved with a PLE license is rendered (whatever the current license is), it will display the following message in the Render Log:

// Warning: [Golaem]: This Simulation Cache has been generated with a Personal Learning Edition License. Some random meshes will not be shaded. //

The currently used license can also be checked in the Script Editor when the Golaem plugin is loaded or within the Golaem About Menu:

Every time the Golaem Layout Editor is loaded with a PLE license, a specific Icon will be displayed at the end of the Layout Editor menu (). Every Layout File saved from this session will then be permanently marked as PLE, even if re-opened with a valid lite license later. Every time a Layout File marked as PLE is opened in the Golaem Layout Editor, a specific icon will be displayed in the upper left corner of the Layout Graph Edition panel. The file marked as PLE will stay PLE even if re-opened from a Golaem Layout Editor that is not PLE.

Contamination

The PLE License is contaminant:

  • if a Golaem scene saved with a PLE licensed Maya session, it'll be tagged as PLE and all files generated from this scene will be watermarked.
  • if a Golaem scene generated with a PLE licensed Maya session is saved from a Full commercial license, it'll stay tagged as PLE and all files generated from this scene will be watermarked.

To check if your files are contaminated with a PLE, you can use the following methods:

  • MEL function glmGetSceneLicenseCheck(): this will list all relevant files and their PLE status (recommended)
  • glmCheckLicense command with the savedWithPLE flag : this will give you the PLE status of the specified file