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Activate the Offline Trial License

Repository and folder scans in the distributed beta require a signed PostQ postq.lic file. Limited file scans are available without a license. Activation is offline: the scanner validates the signature, effective dates, product, trial limits, and local usage state without contacting a PostQ service. The standalone Report Viewer does not require activation.

Important

A license file is an entitlement record. Store it as a protected secret, do not commit it to source control, and do not embed it in a container image or report archive.

Trial limits

The signed dates define the UTC activation window, not a pre-consumed trial. Activate the license on any day inside that window. The 15-day trial begins on first successful activation and ends on the earlier of its fifteenth UTC day, the signed activation-window end, or the beta end. The current beta window is 19 August 2026 through 30 September 2026 UTC. Default limits are 20 unique repositories and 1,000 eligible source files per repository; signed values are authoritative.

Activate the CLI

Use an explicit path for managed workstations and CI:

postq-code-scanner-cli --license-file /secure/postq.lic --license-status

Use postq-code-scanner-cli -about --license-file /secure/postq.lic to print product/build facts, the beta window, activation time, effective license expiry, and aggregate usage without scanning or starting an unactivated trial. The same grouped About information is displayed by the VS Code and Eclipse plugins.

The scanner resolves a license in this order:

  1. --license-file <path>
  2. POSTQ_LICENSE_PATH
  3. postq.lic in the current working directory
  4. postq.lic beside the scanner JAR or installed distribution

An explicit path is recommended because it is easier to audit and does not depend on the process working directory.

Activate VS Code

  1. Open the PostQ Code Scanner Activity Bar view.
  2. Expand Configuration.
  3. Select Activate License From File.
  4. Choose the issued postq.lic file.
  5. Confirm that Configuration shows green checks for the license, Java 11+, and OpenGrep before licensed folder or workspace scans.

Activate License From Content is available for controlled host workflows that cannot retain the source file. Do not paste license content into workspace settings, source files, terminals, tickets, or chat systems.

Use Refresh Configuration in the Configuration view title to rerun the license, Java, and OpenGrep readiness checks. Remove Installed License deletes the extension-managed postq.lic copy after confirmation. It preserves the local usage ledger and trial history.

Activate Eclipse

Open Window > Preferences > PostQ Code Scanner and set Offline license file to the full path of postq.lic. Use the Configuration view to check readiness before scanning.

The Configuration view menu provides Refresh Configuration and Remove License. Removing a license clears the configured path after confirmation; Eclipse does not delete the original license file.

Activate a container scan

Mount the license read-only and pass its container path:

docker run --rm \
  -v "$PWD/source:/repo:ro" \
  -v "$PWD/reports:/reports:rw" \
  -v "$PWD/postq.lic:/run/secrets/postq.lic:ro" \
  postq-code-scanner-cli:latest \
  --license-accepted \
  --license-file /run/secrets/postq.lic

The container stores its persistent local usage ledger below /reports/.postq/. Preserve that directory between scans and protect it from modification.

What is stored locally

The licensing flow stores the first activation time, repository fingerprints, and latest observed time in a local ledger. It does not store source content, findings, repository paths, customer identity, or license signatures in scanner reports. License validation does not transmit usage or licensing data to PostQ.

If activation fails

License failures use exit code 3 and a stable error identifier. Messages include the applicable UTC boundary and current UTC time for date failures. LICENSE_KEY_MISMATCH means the license was issued with a different key from the scanner build; LICENSE_SIGNATURE_INVALID means verification failed with the expected key, commonly because content was modified or corrupted. Do not edit the license envelope; any change invalidates its signature.

See License FAQ and Troubleshooting.