This installation guide only applies to standard (non-Enterprise) customers. Enterprise License customers, please see Enterprise Installations for your setup instructions.
To get started, download the latest version of the installer from ctech.com/downloads and run CTech3DPDFConverter.exe. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
Once the installation is finished, launch C Tech 3D PDF Converter. If no valid license is found on the system, an error banner is shown and the licensing window will open automatically so you can get set up right away.
Before you can use the converter, you will need to purchase a subscription from C Tech and complete the activation process described below. The licensing window can be opened at any time by clicking Update License at the bottom of the Output section, and will open automatically on first launch if no valid license is detected.
Once a license is active, the title bar of the licensing window displays your current subscription expiration date, giving you a quick way to check when your subscription is due for renewal.
Start by filling in your details in the Licensee Information section. It is important that all fields are completed accurately — the information you provide must precisely match the details on your C Tech invoice, otherwise the activation request cannot be processed.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Hardware ID | Automatically detected from your system (read-only). This ties the license to your machine and is included in the activation request automatically. |
| Username | Your name |
| Company | Your organization |
| Your email address | |
| Phone | Your phone number |
| C Tech Invoice # | The invoice number from your C Tech purchase |
Standard (non-Enterprise) licenses are CPU-locked, meaning the license is tied to the specific machine you activate on. Make sure you are running the activation on the computer where the converter will be used, and that you are logged in as the end user who will be running the application.
Once your Licensee Information is complete, click Generate Activation Request. This will create an activation request file with a .car suffix, which needs to be sent to C Tech for processing.
To send the request, click Send via Email. This opens a pre-addressed email to sales@ctech.com containing your activation request information in the email body. The email will include a line marked DO NOT CHANGE BELOW HERE — do not edit or remove any of the content below that line, as it contains the technical details C Tech needs to generate your license.
Please allow up to 2 business days for C Tech to reply with your license file.
When you receive the license file (.lic) from C Tech, you are ready to complete the activation. Scroll down to the Activation section of the licensing dialog:
CTech3DPDFConverter.exe.lic file you received
If activation is successful, you will see a confirmation message:
The converter automatically backs up any existing license before applying the new one, so your previous license is preserved if anything goes wrong.
When your subscription is due for renewal, you do not need to reinstall the application. Simply click the Licensing button at the bottom of the sidebar in the main converter window to open the licensing dialog, then follow the same activation process described above.
Enterprise customers who have access to the C Tech Universal License Server do not need to go through the manual activation process. Instead, the converter will automatically request a license from the server each time it starts up. To use this, make sure the license server is correctly configured in the C Tech License Manager before launching the converter.
See the Enterprise Installations topic for full setup instructions.
Once installation is complete, we recommend reading Optimizing 3D PDF Playback in Adobe Reader or Acrobat to get the best viewing experience for your generated PDFs.
These instructions only apply to Enterprise Program customers who have paid for the PDF Converter Unlimited Add-On. Standard (non-Enterprise) customers should refer to Installing C Tech 3D PDF Converter instead.
Before proceeding, ensure the following software is installed on your servers and client computers. All packages are available from ctech.com/downloads:
Note: You must have received EVS Key updates after June 1, 2022. If you have a current Enterprise License Subscription and need updated keys for the PDF Converter, contact sales@ctech.com.
PDF Converter licenses are synchronized to your Enterprise License renewal. The PDF Converter will not function if your Enterprise subscription has expired, unless a valid non-expired standalone license is also present on the same machine.
For Earth Volumetric Studio (EVS) users, make sure to install EVS and the C Tech License Manager prior to installing the C Tech 3D PDF Converter. If no EVS usage is intended, install the C Tech License Manager directly. See EVS Floating Enterprise Installation for licensing setup and C Tech License Manager for License Manager configuration.
Once the License Manager is configured and the EVS server is reachable, run CTech3DPDFConverter.exe and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation. The PDF Converter will open fully licensed without displaying a licensing request screen — no .car activation files are required.