"Server Mailslot Not Created" Error

No longer supported

Zoo 4.0 was the license manager for Rhino 4, which reached end of life long ago. This article is kept for historical reference. For current LAN Zoo licensing, see the LAN Zoo guide.

Question

When I log into my Zoo server and try to run the Zoo, I get the following error:

FATAL ERROR: Server mailslot not created.

Answer

You can get this message if you are using the old standalone version of the Zoo instead of the Windows Service version, which has been available since 2008.

With the old standalone version, you had to log on to the system and start the Zoo program. The Windows Service version starts when the system starts, like other Windows Services.

If the Zoo program was running on the system, but under a different logon process, then you would get the FATAL ERROR: Server mailslot not created error when you tried to run it again because the other process already has the Zoo’s mailslot open.

To determine if you are using the old standalone version, look in the Zoo 4.0 folder in Program Files. If you see a listing like this:

Old standalone version files

Then you are using the old standalone version. If your listing looks like this:

Windows Service version files

Then you are using the Windows Service version. Also, if you look in the Services applet in Control Panel, you should see a Zoo License Manager service listed at the bottom.