Aster Software Read User Guide

ASTER terms of licensing and updating

End User License Agreement (EULA)

Working with licenses

Aster Software 2001 - . All rights reserved.

This license describes the conditions under which you may use a given copy of ASTER software (“the program”). If you are unable or unwilling to accept these conditions in full, then, notwithstanding the conditions in the remainder of this license, you may not use the program at all.

The program is “try-before-you-buy” software. An unregistered copy of the program can be only used for evaluation purposes during the 14-days trial period. Registration gives you the right to use the program after the 14-days trial period and receive technical support. After the expiration of the 14-days trial period, you must either register your copy of the program or stop using it.

You are granted a non-exclusive license to use the program on one computer at a time. The program may not be rented, leased, or transferred.

Any use of the ASTER program which is illegal under international or local law is forbidden by this license. Any such action is the sole responsibility of the person committing the action.

The program is distributed “AS IS” and you assume full responsibility for determining the suitability of the program and for results obtained.

IBIK Software makes no warranty that all errors have been or can be eliminated from the program and, with respect thereto, IBIK Software shall not be responsible for losses, damages, costs, or expenses of any kind resulting from using or misusing the program including without limitation, any liability for business expenses, machine downtime, damages experienced by you or any third person as a result of any deficiency, defect, bug, error or malfunction. IBIK Software shall not be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages relating to or arising out of the subject matter of this Agreement or actions are taken thereunder.

NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. YOU USE THE PROGRAM AT YOUR OWN RISK. IBIK DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NOBODY WILL BE LIABLE FOR DATA LOSS, DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR ANY OTHER KIND OF LOSS WHILE USING OR MISUSING THIS SOFTWARE.

You may not distribute, copy, emulate, clone, rent, lease, and sell the program. Also, you may not modify, decompile, disassemble, otherwise reverse engineer, or transfer the program, or any subset of the program, except to the extent and for the express purposes authorized by applicable law. Any such unauthorized use shall result in immediate and automatic termination of this license and may result in criminal or civil prosecution.

All rights not expressly granted here are reserved by IBIK Software.

IBIK Software reserves the right to make exceptions to any of these conditions, or alter these conditions, at any time. However, you may always use these conditions instead of an altered version if you prefer (note that this license explicitly applies only to one version of the program; therefore, if IBIK Software makes new conditions in connection with a future version, you do not then have the right to apply these conditions to that version instead).

Installing or using the program signifies acceptance of these terms and conditions of the license. If you do not agree with the terms of this license, you must remove the program files from your storage devices and cease to use the program.

ASTER Installation ID

ASTER creates an automatic backup copy of the information on active licenses activated on the computer to our license server. This backup allows you to restore all of your activated codes with just a few mouse clicks. This can be very useful if your computer crashes, reinstalled your OS, or forgot your license code when you need to restore the purchased licenses to activate the ASTER.

A backup of your licenses is created and sent to the server when you activate a license. In order to identify the computer, ASTER creates and assigns a unique identifier number to it. When you start ASTER for the first time, you will see the following information message:

After you click the “OK” button, a unique identifier is created and it is displayed in the window as below:

Please make a note of it and keep it in a safe place, for example, in your notebook or some cloud storage like Google Drive or one drive. This ID allows you to restore (See. Restoring a license from a backup below page) your ASTER license data in case you need to reinstall Windows. We recommend you do not store the identifier data on the same computer as it may be lost when your system crashes.
If you need to check the identifier, you can find it in the lower-left corner of the “ASTER Control Panel” window.

ASTER License Activation

Trial Period

After ASTER is installed on your computer and run for the first time (or again after a windows re-installation), you will see “ASTER Activation Dialog”

You need an internet connection to activate the trial or license. If the computer is connected to the internet through a proxy server, then click the first option to configure ASTER to connect through the proxy. (See. Configure ASTER to use Proxy Server). Enter Activation ID to activate the license you purchased for ASTER. If you just want to try ASTER in trial, then click the last option to activate the trial for 14 days.

ASTER has a 14-day trial, during which you can test the full capabilities of the program and make your decision about purchasing a license. The ASTER program will work without any functional limitations in the trial.
When a few days are left in the trial period, and you open the ASTER Control, you will see “License Expiration Reminder” dialog box will be displayed with the information about the remaining days for the trial and date of the next reminder *.

*You can change the “Date of the next reminder”
After the trial expires, when you run the program, it will show you the window to activate the license - to continue using ASTER. We hope that the 14-day trial was sufficient for the test and you will purchase a license afterward. You can choose to uninstall the program if you do now wish to purchase a license currently.

Activation Code

When you buy an ASTER license, you will receive product activation code. To activate the license, you must have an internet connection on the computer. To activate the license click on the “Register” button in the General Settings tab in ASTER Control. Then, in the “ASTER Activation Dialog” enter the Activation ID (activation code) in the “Enter Activation ID here” field and then click the “Activate” button.

You will see a “Activation Success” dialog box, after successful activation. Clicking the “OK” button will restart the ASTER to apply the license details and open ASTER again.

Acquisition and activation of any licenses give you an opportunity for an additional 14 Days trial. This trial period will allow you to test ASTER with many workplaces and possibly decide on the purchase of additional licenses. Multiple licenses can be activated on one computer to get additional workplaces. But remember ASTER has a limit of 12 workplaces from one computer.

The additional workplaces trial period begins only after activation of trial workplaces. This allows you to make a decision to test the feasibility of purchasing additional licenses later.

To do this, make sure your computer system allows you to add additional workplaces with current hardware. You can also check how many additional workplaces you can create in the computer and its performance.

Once you are sure, you can activate the additional workplaces in trial from the “ASTER Activation Dialog” by clicking the “Activate ASTER trial workplaces” button

Batch activation code

Unlike the usual activation code designed in most cases to activate the ASTER program on a single computer, the activation code (Batch activation code) can activate ASTER on several computers. Batch activation code is useful for the mass installation of ASTER, for example, in organizations or when distributing computers with pre-installed software, which includes ASTER. It is enough to remember and use only one batch activation code instead of many activation codes and its installation ID.

Batch activation code is, in fact, an identifier (list) to several common activation codes of the same type. When purchasing a batch activation code, you must specify the type of license (Home or Pro). For a pro license, you must specify the total number of ASTER workplaces that will be licensed on all computers and the number of computers on which the batch activation code will be used. Once again, please keep in mind the fact that the licenses in the package will be identical, i.e the same time (home or pro) and the same number of workplaces on each computer. When creating a batch activation code, the specified number (equal to the number of computers from your order) of the usual activation codes are created and for this package, one unique batch activation code is created, which is the serial you will receive (together with the usual activation codes included in this package).

Manual activation by batch activation code is carried out in the same way as activation by usual activation code, i.e. the number is entered in the corresponding file in the activation dialog box. The batch activation code is sent to the ASTER license server, where the server will select a free (not yet activated) normal activation code from the corresponding package and activates it. It also binds the activation code to the computer that sent the activation request. When you re-request activation from the saved computer, the server will find the license corresponding to this computer and send the registration information that is already in the database. In case of accidental (or intentional) re-activation, a new activation code will not be used.

ASTER Master License

One of the most popular methods for installing the ASTER program is the mass distribution of ASTER in the hardware and software complex, for example, a computer class for the school, based on cloning the disk with the pre-installed ASTER master license, here is steps to do it:

• The operating system is installed on the computer (hereinafter referred to as the master computer), then a predefined set of software, including ASTER.
• After installing ASTER on the computer, the ASTER master license is created, which specifies the batch activation identifier.
• From the hard disk of the master computer (hereinafter referred to as the master disk), copies (clones) for the required number of disks of the same type are made.
• Master disk clones are installed on other computers that have the same hardware set.

The first time you start ASTER on a clone computer if the program finds a master license on the disk. Then, with little or no intervention from the operator, it will activate the batch activation code found in the master license. If the master license was created without password protection, only the windows to activate the ASTER will open. Otherwise, you will need to enter the password after the user clicks the “Activate” button. You only need one more click of the mouse to confirm to run the program in administrator mode. Then the activation will proceed automatically.

This greatly helps in the process of activating ASTER on a variety of computers when distributing many computers.

To create a *master license*:

• Purchase the batch activation code ASTER for the required number of computers - Pro or Home as required.
• Install the ASTER on the master computer and check the functioning of all programs installed in the computer (including ASTER)
• Start the ASTER with the make-master option on the master computer. To do this, you need to run the following command (after closing the “ASTER Control Panel”, if it is running):
  Command: asterctl --make-master
• In the window that appears, enter the batch activation code in the “License package” field and, if you want to protect yourself from the batch activation code being used by unauthorized personnel, enter a password in the “Password” field that will be requested when the ASTER is activated on the clone computers.
  
  
  
• After entering the specified data, click the button “Create ASTER master license”. Since creating a master license involves removing existing ASTER licenses, you need to confirm this operation.
  
  Note: To create a master license, you will be requested administrative access. After it's completed, you can start cloning the master disk to the required number of clone disks.
• After cloning is done delete the master license from the master computer. Otherwise, ASTER will not start on it.
  
  To remove the master license from the master computer (and from the clone computer, if necessary), you need to execute the command specified in the screenshot below, i.e.
  
  Command: asterctl --clean-license
  After executing the command on the computer, the master license ASTER will be deleted. Now, you can use the PC to create the next batch of clone computers for another contract/purchase order for your hardware and software distribution.

Viewing activated codes on the computer

Sometimes there is a need to find out the list of ASTER keys activated on the computer and information about them. You can get the list by clicking on the “Check activation IDs on this PC” button Check Activation ID. Check activation history on the “General settings” tab.

In this list, both 'active' and 'inactive' licenses, as well as 'deactivated' keys, are displayed. The 'Seats' column indicates the number of workstation seats the license provides. The 'Type' column indicates whether the license is an expansion or a primary one. The 'Expiration Date' column shows the expiration date of the license.

In the last 3 columns, you can also see how many times this license has been transferred and how many transfers are remaining. You are allowed '4 transfers' of a license per year.

You can save the data provided in this window in a text file using the 'Save' button.

There is also the possibility to obtain information on all your licenses, not just on this PC. To do this, you need to go to the 'About' tab and click on 'Get Activation Status' in the lower right corner. You will be redirected to a website where you can check the status and history of activation keys by entering your email address in the 'Verify ActivationID (by email)' tab, to which the licenses were registered, or by entering the activation key itself on another tab 'Verify ActivationID (Online)'. Additionally, on the 'Verify Packet Key Info (online)' tab, you can check the status and history of your ASTER bundle key.

In the email or in the browser (depending on your chosen method of retrieval), you will see a list displaying both active and inactive licenses, as well as deactivated keys.

In the 'Activation State' column, you will see the license status:
- 'Activated' - the activation code is valid, meaning the license is active;
- 'Invalid' - the activation code is invalid. This means that at some point this code was successfully activated on this computer, but the license has become invalid (e.g., the annual license period has ended);
- 'Deactivated' - the license has been deactivated on this computer.
The 'License Type' column indicates what type of license it is.
The expiration date of the license is listed in the last column.

Deactivate ASTER licenses

You can deactivate all licenses (see. ASTER terms of licensing and updating) or some of the ASTER licenses. This can be useful when you want to transfer licenses to another computer or to correct the errors that occurred when the product was activated. For example, if the license was activated not on the computer for which it was intended.

Deactivation is done in the 'ASTER Activation Dialog' window, which can be opened by clicking on the 'Registration' button on the 'General Settings' tab, and then selecting 'Deactivate Licenses'.

In the dialogue box that appears, select the licenses you wish to deactivate. Enter the email address where notifications of the license deactivation will be sent. Choose the reason for deactivation from the list, and if necessary, provide a message describing the reason for deactivation. In the last column, you can see the number of available transfers. You are allowed a maximum of '4 transfers' per year. Once everything is filled out, click the 'Transfer' button. A confirmation window for deactivation will appear.

In the open window, select the licenses to confirm deactivation and click 'Proceed with Transfer'. After successfully sending the request, you will receive a message on the specified email with a unique request number. It is recommended to save this number just in case (for example, to refer to the request in case of any issues). The deactivation request is processed almost immediately (sometimes within a few minutes). After the process is successfully completed, you will receive a second email confirming that your request has been processed, and a window with new activation keys will open. You can save these keys in a text file or copy them to the clipboard. Starting from version '2.51', the keys remain the same. Once you have saved the keys using one method provided, the 'I have saved Activation Keys in a safe place' button will activate. Click on it and, if you choose to restart ASTER, the 'ASTER Activation Dialog' window will open, where you will see the new licensing status on this PC. Now, with the new keys you have obtained, you can activate ASTER on a new PC or in case of hardware replacement.

If for some reason you cannot save new activation codes (for example, accidentally closed the last dialog), do not worry. Just do the last step of deactivation again (starting with clicking the 'Deactivate licenses' button) and get a new list of activation codes again.

Clearing ASTER license information

Some situations when there is a need to remove all ASTER license information from a computer are listed below:

• You want to clean the computer after deactivating the license (See. Deactivate ASTER licenses) and transfer the license to another computer. For this case, it is not necessary to clear the license information as the license is unusable.
• The computer has a long list of invalid licenses that were once activated on it. This list may be annoying to you, and you would like to get a “clean” list of the ASTER licenses. This can be done by removing all the license information, and then re-activate only the valid activation codes.
• In rare cases, the ASTER support service can recommend you to clean licenses to troubleshoot or get a clean list.

In previous versions, this cleaning could be done by the following command:

This is executed in the Windows shell window, which is not convenient.

The action of clearing the license information requires user confirmation, and if the answer is yes, you will be prompted to save the activation codes (See. Viewing keys activated on the computer).

The second method is the 'Clear License' button in the context menu of the 'System' section in the 'Workplaces' tab, which can be accessed by clicking on:

Information sent to the license server

When you deactivate and create backup copies of the license, some information is sent to the license server.

This information sent to the server contains the following data:

• The name of the buyer and the email address used to purchase the ASTER licenses.
• Activation codes are generated by the ASTER license server when purchasing licenses.
• Code for binding licenses to the hardware of the computer.
• Registration keys are generated by the ASTER license server in response to the activation of the activation code.
• ASTER installation ID.
• The system time of the user's computer at the time of the request.
• ASTER version number installed on the user's computer.
• Language of the ASTER User Interface.
• Activation code for deactivation.

The date to and from the license server is encrypted. We can make sure the above list doesn't contain any data, except for the data you provided during purchase, received from the license server after purchase of license and after activation of the license, and minimal data for the backup and deactivation process.

Preparing to set up ASTER

To successfully start additional workstations, you must first configure the system: assign a monitor, keyboard, mouse and, if necessary, a sound device to each workplace.

Before proceeding with the setup of ASTER, remember the following important information:

• Most of the changes in the ASTER settings are stored in the program memory (temporarily) and will not be written to disk until you click the "Apply" button.
• Some settings change take effect only after the computer restarts. The indication of this is the appearance of the "Restart System" button in the lower-left corner of the program window.
• ASTER starts automatically when the first (main) workplace logs on to Windows and reaches Desktop if the workstations are not already configured. Otherwise, it will be minimized to the system tray (notification area).
• When you close the ASTER window on the first workplace, the program does not exit. It will minimize to the system tray. To exit the program, click the "Exit" or "Finish" button from the context menu of the program icon in the system tray.
• After starting the program, a window opens in which ASTER is configured. Controls like icons, buttons, lists, etc. are provided with hints in the style of "What is it?". You can call this prompt in the following ways, in case there is any doubt about the purpose of this or that element: Press Shift and F1 keys on the keyboard simultaneously (the simplest option) or open the context menu (right mouse click) and select the "What is it?" option.
• The "System" section menu contains general system settings, while the "Workplaces" menu contains individual settings.
• After enabling or disabling ASTER, a reboot is required.
• Devices can be assigned by drag and drop or through the device context menu by selecting "Assign to Workplace".
• The "Workplaces" tab visually represents the mapping of workplaces and devices. Each workplace is represented as a limited area where devices can be placed. To the left of the Workplaces is the "System" area, where all undistributed devices are located, along with a dropdown list of shared devices.

Assigning Devices and Running Workplaces

Indicating Devices

One question that arises when assigning monitors (and other devices) to workstations: "How to compare the real computer equipment and the equipment image in ASTER?"

Several methods are implemented to make it easy to find out the devices:

• "Tooltip" when hovering over the device image. For monitors, it shows the monitor model (if detected) and the video output it is connected to, as well as the video adapter model. This method is not very useful when multiple similar devices from the same manufacturer are connected.
• "Activity indication". For example, when pressing keys or moving the mouse, the images of the corresponding devices are outlined with an orange border.
• "Forced self-indication". If the context menu of the device contains an item "Device Indication", it means that self-indication is available. When using this method, the indication of the corresponding physical device is activated for a few seconds. For example, the monitor displays its number (one or two numbers, the first being the ordinal number of the video card, the second being the number of the video surface of that card). By the monitor number, you can easily match the real device with its image in ASTER. Indication of sound playback devices (speakers) is done by playing a small melody through the corresponding physical equipment.
• "Connection indication". In the ASTER settings, an icon of the newly connected device appears, which is surrounded by a flashing red frame for some time. Therefore, disconnecting/connecting the device is enough to match it with the image in the ASTER settings.

Assigning Monitors

When assigning monitors to workplaces, the following options are possible:

• With only one graphic card, all monitors connected to it can only be used separately to run additional workstations. Thus, several workplaces can be run on monitors connected to a single graphic card.
• If there are several graphics cards, you can assign workplaces to individual graphic cards with all their monitors. Thus, each workstation can use its own separate graphic card (this scheme is recommended to achieve better performance for graphic applications, including games).
• If there are several graphic cards with the ability to connect two or more monitors to separate graphic cards, all connected monitors can be used individually or in groups to run additional workplaces, provided that workplaces with multiple monitors are assigned their own separate graphic cards (a workplace with multiple monitors cannot share any of its graphic cards with another workplace).

When the "ASTER Control" program is first launched, all monitors are typically assigned to the first position, and some display images may be semi-transparent ("turned off"). In reality, display images represent video surfaces of video cards that can be connected to actual video outputs and, accordingly, monitors. Transparency means that the video surface is currently not connected to a monitor.

The display of semi-transparent monitors can be enabled in the "System" menu ⇒ "Workplace Panel Settings" ⇒ "Displays without monitors". By default, the checkbox is unchecked, and semi-transparent displays are not shown if they are not assigned. A display can be semi-transparent even when the monitor is physically connected to the video output and powered on but not part of the Windows desktop ("desktop extension").

Assigning a monitor (or any other equipment) to a workplace is easiest done by dragging and dropping with the mouse to the desired workplace. However, not all equipment and workplace pairings may be possible due to conflicting configurations that will not work. In simple cases where dragging is not allowed, the mouse pointer will change (a prohibitory sign - a crossed-out circle will appear). When assigning monitors, conflicts can easily arise, and it may not always be clear how to avoid or resolve them. Therefore, automatic conflict resolution is applied to monitors. When dragging a monitor into the workplace area, the configuration's validity is checked, and if conflicts are found, the situation is transformed into a conflict-free one according to specific rules. Monitors that are removed from the workplace to resolve conflicts are moved to the left part of the window in the "System" section.

You can extend the desktop and set monitor modes using the 'Screen' element in the Windows Control Panel (Control Panel » 'Screen' » 'Screen Resolution'). This Control Panel element can be opened directly from 'ASTER' by selecting 'Display Settings' from the 'System' section menu. Here, you can also access other system settings.

Starting Workplaces

To start additional workplaces, you can do so immediately after assigning monitors by clicking the 'Enable ASTER' button

There are three options for starting workplaces:

• Manually with the "Run ASTER workplaces" button. This option should be selected for the first trial run of the workplaces. If the "Run ASTER workplaces" button is unavailable for clicking (inactive), it likely means that the monitor settings are not suitable for starting additional workplaces (or workplaces have not been assigned monitors). Here try adjusting the monitor settings, apply them, and restart the PC.
• When the system starts.
• When the user logs into the system at the primary workplace. This option (like the first one) may be useful when using DisplayLink monitors that are required at the start of the workplaces but are not yet ready for use.

Workplaces that do not have a monitor connected at the time of startup will not be launched, but after the monitor is connected (ready for use), they can be pre-launched:

• By using the "Start workplaces" command from the workplace menu;
• On the "General Settings" tab with the "Start ASTER workplaces" button.

For running workplaces (other than your own), the "Force Relogin" command will be available, which functions as a forced system exit followed by automatic re-entry. Automatic re-entry will only occur if it has been configured; otherwise, only the exit will be performed.

Assigning keyboard and mouse

Keyboards and mice (hereinafter input devices) can be assigned to workplaces after they have been successfully launched, or during the initial 'ASTER' setup. Devices can be assigned by dragging and dropping, or through the 'Workplace appointment' option in the device's context menu, as described earlier. Input devices can be composite, in which case connecting one physical device will display multiple input devices in the settings (for example, keyboard + keyboard + mouse).

If the assignment of keyboards and mice was done incorrectly (with 'ASTER' enabled) and after applying the settings, controlling the computer becomes difficult, you can reset the key assignments by pressing 'CTRL+F12'. You may need to press 'CTRL+F12' multiple times until all keyboards and mice are automatically assigned to the controlling workplace. After that, you can correct the incorrect device assignments.

Typically, 'CTRL+F12' is rarely used in other programs since there is no need for it. However, if 'CTRL+F12' is used in other software (for example, in Adobe products), you can reassign the key combination in 'ASTER' or even disable it. To do this, go to the 'System' section and select the 'Keyboard/Mice switch hotkey' menu item. In the dialog box that appears, click the input field with the mouse and press the key you would like to use in combination with the 'Ctrl' key. Note that some common combinations ('Ctrl-F4', 'Ctrl-C', 'Ctrl-S', 'Ctrl-V', etc.) are prohibited for this purpose. To completely disable this combination, click the 'Reset' button.

Assigning Audio Devices

Sound devices (sound cards) can be assigned to individual workplaces or shared with all.

Assigning sound devices as well as other devices is done on the "Workplaces" tab. Each individual sound card can be represented as a set of sound devices of various types, which can be assigned to workplaces separately. Unlike other devices assigned strictly to one workstation, the sound device can be shared for several places and stored in the "General" tab.

New assignments of audio devices take effect immediately after you click the "Apply" button. However, to account for changes, you may need to restart any application in use when audio devices were assigned.

Assign USB-Hubs

When assigning a USB hub, it simplifies the device assignment process and allows for device replacement without adjusting 'ASTER' settings, which is especially convenient when dealing with many workplaces and corresponding devices.

When assigning a hub to a workplace:

• Devices connected to the hub are automatically assigned with the hub – this applies only for devices that can be assigned in the usual way: keyboard, mouse, sound devices, video camera, game controller, USB monitor, as well as child hubs along with their devices.
• Connected devices cannot be explicitly dragged to another location or to 'Common'; only the hub with all connected devices can be dragged. There is one important exception to this 'hard' rule, and that is the USB hub 😊. So, the child hub can still be dragged to another location or to 'Common'. This allows for cascading connection of USB devices to different workplaces. For example, you assign a hub to a workplace, connect a second hub to it, which is then assigned to any other workplace. This creates a chain of USB hubs, allowing you to increase the number of USB ports and save on the length and quality of USB cables. However, it is not advisable to go too deep into this chain, as it may affect the stability of connected USB devices.

Assigning USB hubs, besides automatic device assignment, also performs restrictive functions:

• Prohibits all workplaces (except those to which the hub is assigned) from accessing optical (CD/DVD) drives and disks connected to the designated USB hub;
• Disks and optical (CD/DVD) drives connected to the USB hub are displayed in File Explorer only on the workplaces for which the hub is assigned, but only if the 'Hide empty drives' and 'Do not show hidden files, folders, or drives' options in File Explorer are enabled.

When dragging the hub to 'Common', the devices connected to the hub regain their previous assignments to workplaces, and the ability to drag devices reappears.

USB hubs are displayed in the settings as icons with red notches – the more notches, the deeper the hub is in the USB tree. The root hub does not have notches. Typically, the deepest hubs need to be dragged to locations. To assign all hubs from one branch of the USB tree, it is sufficient to assign the higher-level (parent) hub. The icons of the hubs reflect the type of hub.

From the point of view of the system, a USB-3.0 hub box can be not one, but two USB-3.0 and USB-2.0 hubs, and when dragging one, two hubs can be dragged (dragged + paired from the same box). In this case, after dragging, you will be offered a choice:

Use the checkboxes to select the hubs you actually want to drag: both or just one. Generally, the best solution is to leave the default (i.e., both 'USB-3' and 'USB-2' hubs), since both hubs are in the same case.

Assigning IP Address

For proper operation of certain network applications/games, it may be necessary to assign separate IP addresses to workplaces. This can be done in the menu of the selected workplace under the 'Assign IP Address' option. Only local, static (permanent) IP addresses of network adapter(s) can be assigned; if needed, install a virtual adapter and add the required number of IP addresses to the selected network device. For quick access to the control panel tools in Windows mentioned in these documents, you can use the 'Device Manager' and 'Network Connections' buttons on the 'General Settings' tab.

The IP address assigned to the workplace can be applied to all network applications or only to some of them. For selective application of the IP address, you can specify individual applications or folders with applications. In the latter case, the chosen IP address will be applied to any application launched from the specified folder. There are three mutually exclusive switches above the list of applications and folders:

• If the top switch is selected, the list is ignored, and the IP address is applied to all network applications launched from the specific workplace.
• The middle switch specifies the application of the IP address only for applications and folders in the list.
• The bottom switch sets the application of the IP address to all applications and folders on the computer except those listed. On the left of each item in the table, there is a toggle switch that allows you to temporarily exclude the item from the list without deleting it - you just need to reset the switch. To remove an item from the list, use the 'Remove from List' button. To add an application or folder to the list for selective IP address application, click the 'Add to List' button and select the desired object from the directory of folders and applications.

An application from the directory can be added to the list both as the application itself and as the folder containing it - using the 'Add Application' or 'Add Folder' buttons. Adding folders is only available from the root node 'Computer'. To finish the selection, press the 'Close', 'OK' buttons, and then the 'Apply' button in the main 'ASTER' program window. The specified IP addresses will take effect for network applications launched after saving the settings (pressing the 'Apply' button).

Useful Settings

Hardware and Software Cursor

The monitor context menu includes a 'Hardware Pointer' toggle only if a shared video card is used in the workplace.

This toggle allows you to set the type of pointer for the specific monitor. If the cursor icon is surrounded by a frame, the hardware cursor is used; otherwise, the software cursor is used. Clicking on this option toggles the settings to the opposite.

Hardware mouse pointers are better suited for games and full-screen graphic applications, where a clear drawing of the pointer is more important than its shape. For other applications, the software pointers are better suited. Different monitors of the same graphics card can use different types of the mouse pointers (for example, the monitor of the 'gaming' workplace can use the hardware, and the rest – software pointers).

Setting up automatic user login

To set up automatic user login in ASTER, you can specify the login credentials for a specific user. To do this, open the workplace menu and select the option 'Assign User'. In the window that appears, enter the login details.

For automatic login, you can use both a local and a domain account by selecting the appropriate option in the 'Account Type' switch.

• For a local account type, select the appropriate account from the drop-down list and enter and confirm the password if necessary.
• For a domain account type, enter the domain name, account name, and password with confirmation if the account has a password.

Selecting the option 'Show login dialog' cancels the automatic login for this workplace.

Press 'OK' to accept or 'Cancel' to reject the changes. To save the changes permanently, don't forget to press 'Apply' in the main 'ASTER' program window. The 'Accounts' button will open the system 'User Accounts' window, where you can view, and if you have sufficient privileges, edit and add user accounts.

Configure ASTER to use Proxy Server

If the computer is connected to the Internet through a proxy server, there may be issues with activating the key/trial period, deactivation, or sending a request to customer support through the program interface. Here, you need to configure ASTER to connect to the Internet through a proxy server. To do this, on the 'General Settings' tab, click the 'Proxy Setup' button and enter the necessary information in the opened window:

• Proxy server type: HTTP/SOCKS5;
• Host - name or IP of the proxy server;
• Connection port;
• Fill in the 'User' and 'Password' fields if authentication is required.

If you are already connected to a proxy server, the fields in this dialog will be filled with existing system settings. Otherwise (or in case of special settings), you need to fill them in manually.

To disconnect from the proxy server, select 'No proxy' from the list. In this case, the other fields are not important and inactive.

After filling in all the necessary fields, it is advisable to check the connection (using the 'Test' button). During the test, the program will send an echo request, and if the response is correct, a message confirming successful testing will appear.

Troubleshooting problems

If after turning on ASTER or applying new settings of monitors there are problems with displaying the desktop or with the computer loading, you need to restart the computer in safe mode and disable ASTER using the button 'Turn off the ASTER and reboot the PC'. Now, ASTER is disabled (after a normal restart of the computer with ASTER disabled) to make proper adjustments of monitors.

To boot the computer in safe mode, press the F8 key several times at the very beginning of the computer startup (until the Windows logo appears or “Start Windows”) and select the Safe mode option in the boot options menu. For more information on loading the OS in safe mode, see the FAQ.

Checking for new version ASTER

On the 'About' tab, a link to check for updates is available when you start the 'ASTER Control Panel' with administrative rights ('Run as administrator'). When you click on the link, the program will contact the license server ASTER, after which a pop-up window will display information about the latest available version of ASTER:

Typically, a virtual adapter is only required when a physical one is absent, but it may also be necessary when using a USB modem.

Request for support - ASTER

For technical support, click this button to send the request for support in the lower right corner of the ASTER Control Panel. In addition, for most error messages, a similar button is available in the error window. For example, if you click on the «Support» button in the activation error, you will see the following dialog box:

The text describing the problem (for the above error) will be automatically generated based on the text of the error message.

Support Request Types

When you request support, choose the most appropriate request type to match your situation from the list Request Type (When the error message windows open, the most suitable type will be selected automatically). Based on the choice, the contents of the ASTER technical report will be generated, i.e any date that will help to solve the problem will be collected and sent to the ASTER support service (See. Standard report types in ASTER below page).

Available types of requests are as follows:

• «Just a question» – This option is chosen when there is no real problem, and you just want to ask questions about ASTER, its capabilities, limitations, etc. In this case, the minimal information concerning ASTER will be included in the report file. (See. Standard report types in ASTER).
• «I cannot activate the ASTER or activation fails» – By default, this will be selected when an activation error occurs. Select this option if the error involves license activation. For example, when the activation of the program suddenly disappears. In the report file, in this case, data regarding ASTER licensing will be included (Option «ASTER License Information»).
• «ASTER doesn't start or gives an error at startup» – This is automatically selected when there is an error with the ASTER program. You can select this option if this describes your issue closer than other options. A data file will be included in the report when you choose this option (Option «Basic System Information»).
• «Computer freezes, reboots, or «Bugs» – should be selected if after installing the ASTER program Windows starts having problems: hanging, rebooting, or crashing («Blue Screen Of Death») and another issue with an operating system that didn't occur before installing ASTER. This report will include «Detailed System Information».
• «Other Problems» – should be selected if you are unable to decide which option in the request type matches your problem. The report will include «Basic System Information».

By default, the content of the ASTER technical report is selected based on the selected request type, however, the content of the report can be adjusted in one of the following ways:

• Select the standard report type using the radio button under the description field.
• Add files to your report from your computer which is relevant to the problem and may help to resolve the problem by our support team.
• Add screenshot or windows clipboard data to the content of the report (For example, a screenshot or copied text).

Description of request and Email address

In the field «Enter a description of the problem or your question» we recommend you to describe your problem with as many details as possible or ask your question of interest or concerns.

Do not skip writing the description, if you would like to get a solution to your problem or a proper answer to your queries as soon as possible.

When you open the «Support Request» dialog box from the error message box, then a description will be generated automatically from the error text. You can add more details about the issue as well. However, please leave the error message text unchanged.

The email address field is mandatory and is filled automatically from the registration data if there is registration (license) for ASTER. This field may have an incorrect or outdated email; if yes, then please change it to the correct current email of yours so you can receive a response from our support team.

Standard report types in ASTER

After selecting the type of request, the content of the ASTER report is generated based on one of the standard report types listed under the description field of the «Support Request» dialog box.

If required, you can (for example, at the request of the support service) change this selection using the radio buttons. The amount of information included in the report increases depending on the selection from top to bottom, i.e., the report type below contains information that is contained in the report types above and adds additional data to the report. For query types «Just a question» and «Cannot activate ASTER or activation failure», the report type is fixed and cannot be changed.

Type of reports and data contained in them:

• «Basic Information ASTER» collects the minimum information for the report. IT collects information such as ASTER version, services status, license details as well as a number of workplaces and any ASTER errors (if any).
• ASTER License Information collects additional information in addition to the above report. It collects windows registry and over data required for licensing, activation, and registration.
• Basic System Information In addition to the above two reports this collects windows registry keys used by ASTER and structure that allow the developer to reproduce the configuration of the workplaces as well as the output from the “SystemInfo” system utility.
• Detailed System Information It contains the same data as “Basic System Information” however it collects details using MSInfo32 utility instead of SystemInfo which produces more detailed information. When the MSInfo32 tool is running please do not click the “Cancel” button on the information box, otherwise, the collected data will not be included in the ASTER Report.
• Detailed Debugging Information This report includes the windows mini-dumps (small memory dumps that windows create in case of system crashes and stores on disk). Collecting this data requires administrative privileges, so the radio button corresponding to this report has a shield icon to denote that it requires administrative privileges. In case you have not enabled minidump a message will appear, click the “Yes” button to turn it on. This report should send after you have encountered BSOD. Only then there will be minidumps. If there are no minidumps, you will receive an appropriate message. When attaching minidumps, it will increase the size of the report, thus you may encounter issues in sending or forwarding the report by email. So, this is only required to be done, only if ASTER technical support requests it.

Adding files and clipboard content to the report

You can add additional files from your computer to the report if you think the files will help solve the problem or an ASTER support staff asks for additional files.

The button "Add Files" opens a standard open dialog box from which you can select the files you added to the report. The selected files are displayed in the table below the button. By clicking on the name you can open them to check or edit them. To delete a file from the list, click the "X" button on the left of the file name.

Do not add many files in the report as it increases the size of the file and may prevent it from being delivered to the ASTER support. Also, some files are filtered in the email server, thus attach only required files.

Besides the files, you can also add the content of the clipboard to the ASTER report. This is convenient when you want to add screenshots. Just take a screenshot using the "Alt + PrintScreen" combination and then press the "Insert Picture" button:


The text in the button Insert.. depends on the content of the clipboard:

• Insert Picture – if the clipboard has an image or a screenshot.
• Insert plain text – if the clipboard has unformatted text. For example, from a notepad.
• Insert Formatted text (HTML) – if the clipboard has formatted text like from a Microsoft Word document.

When the button is clicked, the files will be given temporary names like "Clipboard_N" with the appropriate extension and are added to the report. You can view the contents of the files by clicking on the file name. The file will open in the appropriate application, and you can use it to edit the information in it, like hiding sensitive information or selecting the required window in a screenshot. Files created from the clipboard are assigned a unique name by Windows, so they do not match the file in the list. To get the real name and folder of the files, move the mouse pointer to the file and a tooltip will display the full path of the file.

Try to make the size of the screenshot as small as possible, so use the "Alt + PrintScreen" key combination, which only takes a screenshot of the active window, rather than the entire desktop if you press only the "PrintScreen" button.

There are two solutions for this

• Firstly, Move the Support Request dialog box to the side so that “ASTER Control Panel” is visible and take a screenshot of the entire desktop by pressing the “PrintScreen” button. The resulting image can be edited in any graphics editor in order to hide sensitive information in it.
• Secondly, copy the auto-generated error description to the clipboard. Then close the dialog box. Now, click the “Support Request” button on the bottom right corner to open the dialog box again. This time, you can access the main windows and take screenshots easily. After the dialog is open, do not forget to paste the error description that was saved in the clipboard earlier.

Sending a report

After you have typed in the description of the problem and chosen the type of technical report, you must send a request to the support server of ASTER.

To do this, click the «Send» button. Please make sure the email address entered in the report is a correct email address. in the «Your email address» field. After clicking the button a compressed zip archive will be created and sent along with the description of the problem to the ASTER support service. This may take a few minutes to complete, so do not close the windows till they.

When the report is successfully sent, a success message will appear, which will mention the support request number. Please make a note of that number so you can contact us directly in case you have any more input. And in case the sending fails, an error message will appear as below:

The description of the error may vary, depending on the cause of the error, in this case, sending a report

For technical support for ASTER please email: asterprosoft@gmail.com or you can contact our technical support using one of the following messaging application:

WhatsApp: +91 84695-90965

When you contact the support service, besides the description of the problem, we recommend you to send a file with the technical report of the program and screenshots to better explain the problem.

If there are problems with activation, you must specify the name and email used during purchase of the license and if you can then your order id for the purchase or some proof of your purchase.

You will find the user manual and answers to common questions here.

The history of version changes is available here.

Visit our site Aster Software, Message us, we are always here to assist our users

The proxy server has been implemented to prevent clients (PCs with ASTER installed) from accessing unwanted hosts on the corporate network (LAN). Essentially, it acts as a filter, allowing requests only to certain hosts and rejecting all others. The allowed hosts are the ASTER licensing servers.

The proxy receives a request from the PC with ASTER installed via the local area network (LAN), forwards it to the requested licensing server, receives the response via the internet, and then returns it to the originator of the request via the LAN:

The Proxy Delivery Package includes the Proxy Server Program and the Control and Configuration Program (“Configurator,” for short) into one distribution.

The table with the list of licenses contains all licenses activated on the PC.

In the columns:

• “Activation Key” - displays the activation codes of licenses. Only licenses with a checkmark to the left of the activation code will be requested for deactivation. Therefore, if multiple licenses are activated on the PC, only some of them can be deactivated, while the rest will remain activated.
• “Registration Name” - displays the data provided during the license registration (name and email).
• “Extension” - indicates whether this license has been extended.
• “Workplaces” - the number of workstations licensed by this key.
• “Expiration Date” - the license expiration date. If the license is not time-limited, it shows “Never Expires.”
• “Transfers Completed” - how many times the selected license has been deactivated.
• “Transfers Available” - the total number of transfers (deactivations) available for this license (limit: 4 transfers per year).
• “Transfers Remaining” - how many transfers (deactivations) are still available for this license.

In the field 'Fill the E-mail: Notify me to this email', enter the email address where you want to receive a message about the processing status of the request and its completion.

In the 'Choose the Reason for Transfer' field, specify the reason for deactivating the license.

The 'Enter a description of the transfer reason, if needed' field is optional. You should fill it out if, for example, you have exceeded the available number of transfers, but for valid reasons, you need another deactivation.

Click the 'Transfer' button to submit your deactivation request.

Click the 'Cancel' button to cancel the deactivation request and close the deactivation dialog.

In order for some network programs to work correctly, it may be necessary to assign the workplace to different IP addresses, for example, for network games or to ensure network interaction of workstations and their identity on the network. The window contains settings that allow you to select IP addresses, and also bind individual applications and or entire folders with applications to selected IP addresses for workplaces. If you need these settings, fill out the table with the applications/folders that you want to bind to the IP address and select the rule by which the binding will be made.

To open the settings, click the button in the column 'IP Address' on the 'Workplaces Tab'.

Select the IP-address from the list which you want to assign to the current workplace. You can only use the static IP address for the assignment.

Select the 'Apply to all the programs and folder' option if you want to bind the selected IP Addresses to all applications. In this case, the list below will not be taken into account.

Select the 'Apply only to programs and folders from the list' option if you want to bind the IP only to the applications and folders from the list below.

Select the 'Apply to all programs except those in the list' option if you want to bind the IP to all applications except those listed below.

The table contains a list of programs and folders with applications that will be used to form a list of the programs binding to the IP address.

In the 'Object name' there are checkboxes that allow you to temporarily include/exclude objects from the list.

To fill, click the 'Add to list' button, select the list to delete, and click 'Remove from list'.

The 'OK' button saves the changes made and closes the dialog.

The 'Cancel' button closes the dialog without saving the changes.