How do I license the Commandline renderer manually?

Follow these steps to manually license the Commandline renderer on Windows and macOS.

Windows

1. Navigate to your installation directory: 
   C:\Program Files\Maxon\Cinema 4D 20**
2. Double-click Commandline.exe to launch it.
3. When prompted, choose a license method and follow the sign-in steps.

macOS

1. Navigate to your installation directory: 
   /Applications/Maxon/Cinema 4D 20**
2. Right-click Commandline.app and select Show Package Contents.
3. Go to: Contents/MacOS
4. Double-click the Commandline executable.
5. When prompted, choose a license method and follow the sign-in steps.

After Launching

1. Allow the Cinema 4D modules to load. This may take a moment.
2. When the license method dialog appears, select your method and continue. 
   
3. After choosing the license method, you will be asked follow-up questions depending on the method you've chosen:
   • Maxon App → No follow-up, but ensure Maxon App is installed and you are signed in.
   • Maxon Account → Maxon Username & Password.
   • Maxon License Server → Server Address & Port Number.
   • RLM → RLM method (Offline or Online), Server Address & Port Number.
4. Once complete, the Commandline renderer is ready for use.

Resetting the License

If you need to change your license method or redo the process, follow these steps to reset the configuration:

1. Navigate to the Commandline preferences folder:

   • Windows:
     C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\Maxon\Maxon Cinema 4D 20**_********_x
   • macOS:
     /Users/<USERNAME>/Library/Preferences/Maxon/Maxon Cinema 4D 20**_********_x

   Note: Ensure you select the folder ending with the _x suffix.

2. Locate and delete the licensetype.prf file inside this folder.
3. Restart the Commandline renderer. You will now be able to select a new license method.

Automatic Login Setup

To configure the Commandline Renderer to automatically log in without manual intervention, see our detailed guide:

How to Enable Automatic Login for Cinema 4D and the Commandline Renderer