2. Installing PRIMER software
Overview
Here we provide instructions for the download and installation of PRIMER 7 (with PERMANOVA+). Please read this information in conjunction with our End-User Licence Agreement (EULA).
These instructions are applicable to enable activation of single end-user licences of the software for any of the following sectors:
- COMMERCIAL (Private enterprise, consultant, for-profit organisation)
- PUBLIC (Government/State agency, museum, not-for-profit organisation)
- ACADEMIC (University/College faculty, technicians and postdoctoral researchers)
- STUDENT (Full-time student at undergraduate, Masters or PhD levels)
Your purchased Licence Key (32 characters) will authenticate the software. Your licence is identified by a unique serial number, which you should use in any communication with us regarding your licence.
Trial mode vs Fully-featured version
PRIMER 7 (with PERMANOVA+) software can be downloaded and installed either in trial mode, (free for 30 days) or as a full version, which requires payment for a licence activation key.
In trial mode, all PRIMER 7 and PERMANOVA+ routines are available, but you will be unable to save or print, and all graphics you produce will be watermarked, so presentation-standard output is unobtainable from screen grabs. You will be able to access a small sub-set of example data files from within the “Help” menu (although not the full, more extensive set of example data files). The trial version has a 30+ day expiry date, with an additional grace period, but will then cease to operate – reinstallation of the trial version on the same machine is not possible.
The full version is activated by entering your Licence Key in the Install routine. A valid installation key can be purchased at any time from PRIMER-e and inputting that to the Install routine when on-line will remove all such printing and saving restrictions and watermarks. Once purchased, your single end-user License Key can be used to activate the fully-featured PRIMER software on up to two (2) computers (e.g., at home and at work). You will then be able to save, print and produce graphics without a watermark and access the full set of extensive example data files.
If you need to move your PRIMER software to a new machine (or re-image the machine), first uninstall your Licence Key. If you are unable to uninstall the Licence Key (e.g., due to machine failure), contact us on tech@primer-e.com, and our technical team can reset your Licence Key for installation onto a new machine.
PRIMER 7 and the PERMANOVA+ add-on
The trial software includes both PRIMER and PERMANOVA+, but if only the base package of PRIMER is purchased (without the PERMANOVA+ add-on), then the PERMANOVA+ routines will not be enabled and those menu items will no longer appear. If you purchase PRIMER 7 with PERMANOVA+, your Licence Key will enable all routines.
If a single-user PERMANOVA+ licence, for use with PRIMER 6, is already registered to you then no further purchase of PERMANOVA+ is needed when you upgrade to PRIMER 7 – it operates in essentially the same way with PRIMER 7 as it did with PRIMER 6. When you upgrade, you will be given a single installation key, and your PRIMER 7 software will include the PERMANOVA+ add-on as well, due to your pre-existing licence for this.
How do I know if I have the PERMANOVA+ add-on?
Once PRIMER is installed, click on Help > About PRIMER.... The splash screen will show the add-on as being present if you have purchased it (as in the image below). If your licence key includes PERMANOVA+, then you will also see the PERMANOVA+ menu item appear within PRIMER when you select a resemblance matrix in the workspace tree; almost all the routines in PERMANOVA+ begin from a chosen resemblance matrix.
Check for updates
Click on Help > Check for Updates.... If an update is available (as in the image below), click on Update and follow the instructions.
Download the installer
- First, head to our download page. Where it says 'Choose your Software', choose 'PRIMER 7 with PERMANOVA+, Full version - valid licence key required'.
- Enter your details and tick the box $\checkmark$'I'm not a robot' (you will need to successfully follow the ensuing verification instructions associated with this statement), then click on the green button to 'Download software'.
- On the screen that says 'Thank you!', click on the link to download the executable file for installation: "PRIMER7Setup.exe". This file will then be available for you in the 'Downloads' folder on your machine.
Install the software
Once the download has completed, double click on the downloaded installation file ('PRIMER7Setup.exe') to start the installation process.
Install and activate PRIMER
Install the software
Important note: You will require administrator permissions on your user account to install PRIMER on your computer. If you do not have these permissions, please contact your IT team who should be able to assist you in installing PRIMER.
- Double click on the downloaded installation file ('PRIMER7Setup.exe') to start the installation process:
- A 'PRIMER 7 Setup' window will appear. Please read the 'End-User License Agreement for PRIMER'. If you agree to the terms and conditions of this EULA, click on the tick-box $\checkmark$'I agree to the license terms and conditions' and then click on Install.
- Follow the prompts and once the installation has successfully completed, click Close.
Activate the licence key
You must be connected to the internet to carry out the licence authentication, though after that the software can be run when not connected.
- Double-click on the desktop icon to launch the PRIMER 7 software.
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Click on the Install License button in the 'Welcome to PRIMER 7' dialogue box. (Note: If you have already exhausted your 30-day trial, a message may appear to advise you that 'Your evaluation period has expired'. If that happens, simply click on Install License to carry on with the instructions to activate your licence.)
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Copy and paste your 32-character Licence Key code into the 'License Key' box and click on Install. (Note: the installation key shown in the image below is not a valid licence key - you have to paste in your own!)
- In the 'License Status' box it will tell you it is 'Authenticating', then it will indicate 'License Installed'. Click on Close.
The installer will then automatically open your PRIMER-e software.
Note: If your firewall denies access to our authentication server and your IT service cannot unblock this, please contact the PRIMER-e office for assistance to authenticate your licence: primer@primer-e.com.
Uninstall / re-install PRIMER
If you need to move the PRIMER software to a new machine (or re-image the machine), first uninstall your Licence Key (when connected to the internet) and then uninstall the PRIMER software, if required. Uninstall-reinstall cycles are intended to cope with the purchase of new machines (not regular movements between a larger body of PCs). A given Licence Key will permit 4 such uninstall-reinstall cycles only.
Important note: You will require administrator permissions on your user account to uninstall PRIMER from your computer. If you do not have these permissions, please contact your IT team who should be able to assist you in uninstalling PRIMER.
To uninstall your Licence Key:
- Open PRIMER and click on Help > Install License....
- In the 'Install PRIMER 7 License' window, click on Uninstall License.
- In the 'Confirm License Uninstall' window, click on Yes to confirm. It will 'De-authenticate' before telling you there is 'No License Installed'. Click on Close.
To uninstall the PRIMER software from your machine:
- Press the 'Windows Key' and the 'R' key on your keyboard at the same time to open the 'Run' window.
- In the 'Run' window, type 'appwiz.cpl', then Click OK .
- A new window will pop up with a list of installed programs on your computer. Look for 'PRIMER 7' in the list (programs are shown alphabetically), or type 'PRIMER 7' in the 'Search Programs and Features' box (located in the top right-hand corner of the dialog), and then select the PRIMER 7 program shown in the list with your mouse so that it is highlighted.
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With the PRIMER 7 software highlighted, click the Uninstall button at the top of the list, then just follow the prompts to finish uninstalling the PRIMER software. Please note, you must have administrator permissions on your user account to perform this operation.
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If you have a valid PRIMER license activated when uninstalling PRIMER software from your machine, you should receive a prompt that says "Do you want to uninstall your PRIMER 7 license to allow you to install it on another machine?" You should click "Yes". The only exception is if you are planning on reinstalling PRIMER on the same machine again, then click "No" and follow the procedure to "Install and activate PRIMER".
(Note: When you next attempt to start up PRIMER 7, it may tell you that 'Your evaluation period has expired'. You will be able to re-install the Licence anew by clicking on Install License and entering your current or a new Licence Key.)
To uninstall your current Licence Key and reinstall with a new Licence Key
- Open PRIMER, select Help > Install License.
- In the 'Install PRIMER 7 License' window, click on Uninstall License.
- In the 'Confirm License Uninstall' window, click on Yes to confirm this action. It will 'De-authenticate' before telling you there is 'No License Installed'.
- Next, copy and paste the new Licence Key into the 'License Key' box and click on Install.
Reset a Licence Key
If you are unable to uninstall the software from your machine before installing on a new machine (e.g., machine failure), please email us directly at primer@primer-e.com with your name, licence serial number (or Licence Key) and a request to reset your licence. We’ll check the information you provide against our records and let you know once the licence key has been re-set and ready for re-installation (within 1-2 business days). If you are not the registered end-user, please note that we will need the registered end-user to get in touch with us to confirm your request.
'The number of installations has been exceeded'
When installing the software on a new machine, you may see an error message that says, 'The number of installations allowed for this licence key has been exceeded'. If you have multiple machines with PRIMER installed, simply uninstall PRIMER from one of them to allow you to install it on a different machine. If you are unable to do this, please email us directly at primer@primer-e.com with your name, licence serial number (or Licence Key) and a request to re-set your licence.