1. PrecisionTree ReadMe
Version 5.5.1
January 2010
Palisade Corporation
All Rights Reserved
Contents
About This Product
Release Notes
System Requirements
Installation
Technical Support Information
Software Activation/License Transfer
Student Version Information
About This Product
PrecisionTree 5.5 is an add-in to Microsoft Excel version 2000 or higher, which allows you to
construct and analyze both decision trees and influence diagrams directly in your spreadsheets.
For a version history of the PrecisionTree application, please see the Version History.rtf file in
the DocumentationEnglish subdirectory of the main PrecisionTree program directory.
Release Notes
Installing PrecisionTree 5.5 as an upgrade to PrecisionTree 5.0.x
If you install PrecisionTree 5.5 as an upgrade to an already installed version of PrecisionTree
5.0.x, you must have a current software maintenance agreement with Palisade Corporation. If
you do not have a current maintenance agreement the upgrade will be registered as a 30-day trial
version of the software. Contact your Palisade sales representative to purchase or check the
status of your software maintenance .
NOTE: To return to PrecisionTree 5.0.x after having installed PrecisionTree 5.5, you will
need to uninstall PrecisionTree 5.5 and reinstall PrecisionTree 5.0.x.
Installing Side-by-Side with PrecisionTree 1.0:
PrecisionTree 5.5 and PrecisionTree 1.0 may be installed on the same computer. The two
products, however, cannot be running simulatenously on a single machine, even on two different
copies of Excel.
Model Compatibility between PrecisionTree 5.5 and previous versions:
When a PrecisionTree 1.0 model is opened in PrecisionTree 5.5, the application will ask you if it
is okay to convert the model into the newer PrecisionTree format. This one-time conversion may
take several minutes for large models. Once a model is converted and saved, it can no longer be
used in PrecisionTree 1.0. In addition, you should note:
* Sensitivity analysis information saved in PrecisionTree 1.0 models is not recognized in
PrecisionTree 5.5. You will need to redefine your sensitivity analysis parameters to
2. perform this analysis in PrecisionTree 5.5.
* References across multiple decision trees are now required to be between trees using
the same calculation method. References that don’t satisfy this requirement will return
calculation errors.
* The calculation of “Distributed Branch Formulas” has been improved in PrecisionTree
5.5. If these formulas are used in your PrecisionTree 1.0 model, the probabilities and
values associated with each branch may change when these formulas are reapplied in
PrecisionTree 5.5.
* PrecisionTree models created or edited with PrecisionTree 5.5 can not be used with
PrecisionTree 1.0.
Models created in PrecisionTree 5.0 are completely compatible with PrecisionTree 5.5.
Compatibility with Excel 2007
PrecisionTree 5.5 is completely compatible with Excel 2007. However, we highly recommend you
upgrade Excel 2007 to the latest service releases available from Microsoft. The original release
of Excel 2007 is significantly slower than its later service releases.
System Requirements
Access Privileges:
To run this installer, you must have local administrative rights. After you install the program, no
special permissions are required to run the program.
Operating Systems:
PrecisionTree 5.5 for Excel requires Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP, or later. PrecisionTree 5.5
for Excel will not run under Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows
NT 3.5.1, or Windows 3.1. PrecisionTree 5.5 for Excel will not run on the OS/2, Macintosh, or
UNIX platforms.
Spreadsheets:
You must have an installed copy of Microsoft Excel 2000 or higher. PrecisionTree for Excel will
not run with Microsoft Excel 97 or earlier. PrecisionTree is not compatible with non-Microsoft
spreadsheet packages such as Lotus 1-2-3.
Help Files:
Palisade help files are in Microsoft HTML-Help format. Microsoft requires you to have Internet
Explorer 4.0 or later installed on your machine to view this file, although you are not required to
specify Internet Explorer as your default browser.
Online Manuals:
To view Palisade's online manuals, you must have version 4.0 or higher of Adobe Acrobat Reader
installed on your machine. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available without charge from
www.adobe.com.
System Applications:
PrecisionTree 5.5 for Excel requires the installation of the following Microsoft system applications,
which are installed along with the PrecisionTree 5.5 for Excel application if not found on the
installation system. They will be seen in the add/remove programs following installation.
* Windows Installer 3.1
3. * Microsoft C++ 8.0 Runtimes
Installation
Directory Structure:
By default, this installer creates a main Palisade program directory, by default located at Program
FilesPalisade. The product itself is installed as a subdirectory of the main Palisade program
directory. This is similar to how Excel is often installed into a subdirectory of a main “Microsoft
Office” directory.
Installed Files:
The installer places several files into the main program directory. All of these files are needed for
the software to run properly. In addition, this directory includes example files and help files.
Several files which are shared among several Palisade products are copied into the Program
FilesPalisadeSystem directory. The installer also copies several Windows support files into your
WindowsSystem directory.
Registry Keys
Palisade products store system-wide settings in the registry in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwarePalisade. All user-specific settings are stored in the registry
in HKEY_CURRENT_USER. If you need a more complete description of registry usage, contact
Palisade’s technical support department.
Uninstallation:
To uninstall your product, double click the Add-Remove Programs icon in the control panel and
press the ‘Remove’ button for the product from the list shown.
Technical Support Information
Palisade is dedicated to providing quality technical support for our customers. If requesting
technical support via our website, fax, email, or post, please be sure to supply the following
information:
1. Your name, serial number, and a return email address, phone number, or fax number.
2. The Palisade product and version number you are using (e.g. PrecisionTree 5.5.1).
3. The version of the Windows operating system you are using (e.g. Windows XP).
4. If relevant, the version of Office software you are using (e.g. Office 2003).
5. A description of the problem. Please be as specific as possible.
World Wide Web:
Palisade’s web site is www.palisade.com. The site contains a technical support knowledgebase
(a searchable database of technical support questions and answers) as well as information on
how to obtain the latest software upgrades and patches. The site also contains all the latest
product information, news, and software demos.
Email:
Palisade technical support can be reached at support@palisade.com For general sales
questions contact:
4. in the United States and Canada: sales@palisade.com
in South America and Latin America: ventas@palisade-lta.com
in Europe: sales@palisade-europe.com
in the Asia/Pacific region: sales@palisade.com.au
Fax:
Palisade’s fax number is (607)-277-8001 in the USA, +44 1895 425051 in Europe, and +61 2
9954 3882 in Australia.
Phone:
Palisade technical support can be reached via phone at (607)-277-8000, Monday through Friday
8:30am-5:00pm Eastern Time in the USA. In Europe, technical support is available at +44 1895
425050, Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm GMT. Asia-Pacific customers may call our
Australia office at +61 2 9929 9799 from 0900h to 1700h AEST.
Please note: telephone technical support is not available for student versions of Palisade
products.
Post:
Palisade technical support can be reached via mail at
Palisade Corporation
Department of Technical Support
798 Cascadilla Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
USA
Or
Palisade Europe UK Ltd.
31 The Green
West Drayton
Middlesex
UB7 7PN
United Kingdom
Or
Palisade Asia-Pacific Pty Limited
Department of Technical Support
Suite 101, Level 1
8 Cliff Street
Milson Point NSW 2061
Australia
Software Activation/License Transfer
What is software activation?
Activation is a one-time license verification process that is required in order for your software to
run as a fully-licensed product. An Activation ID is on your printed/emailed invoice and may
resemble a dash-separated case sensitive sequence like "01-5001257-8C2E53-AE4". If you
5. enter your Activation ID during installation or from the PrecisionTree Help/License Activation
menu, the software will request the license from the Palisade license servers
service.palisade.com and service2.palisade.com, using HTTP protocol over TCP/IP port 80. No
personal user information is sent during the request, and the digitally signed license is transferred
from the Palisade server to your machine. If successful, your software will be activated and no
further user action will be required.
What if my software is not activated?
If you do not activate your license, your software will run as a trial version with time and/or
number of uses limitations. The software must be activated to run as a fully-licensed product.
How long can I use the product before I have to activate it?
Software that is not activated may be run for fifteen days. All of the product's features are
present, but the License Activation dialog will appear each time the program is launched to
remind you to activate and to indicate the time remaining. If the 15-day trial period expires, the
software will require activation in order to run.
How do I view the License Activation dialog?
The License Activation dialog box is viewed through the PrecisionTree menu command
PrecisionTree/Help/License Activation. This dialog allows you to view the status, activate, and
deactivate your license. Activated software shows a status of "Activated" and trial version
software shows a status of "Not Activated" If the software is not activated, the remaining time that
the software is allowed to run is displayed.
How do I activate my software?
If you do not have an Activation ID you may obtain one by clicking the Puchase button in the
License Activation dialog. An online purchase will be immediately given an Activation ID and an
optional link to download the installer should reinstallation become necessary. To purchase by
phone call (800) 432-7475 or (607) 277-8000.
Activation if you have Internet Access
In the Palisade License Activation dialog box, type or paste the Activation ID and press
"Automatic Activation". A success message should appear after a few seconds and the License
Activation dialog box will reflect the software's activated status. Make sure you enter the
Activation ID exactly as given -- including any dashes.
What if Automatic Activation fails?
If you attempt to use Automatic Activation and receive a message that it has failed, the failure
may be due to a number of reasons. Check to make sure that you have entered the Activation ID
correctly, including all symbols, but without any leading or trailing blanks. Check to make sure
that the license is not currently active on another computer. If you have a firewall there may be a
failure when attempting to create a direct Internet connection between your computer and
Palisade's license server. Please use the interactive web page located at:
https://activations.palisade.com/useractivation/
If you are still encountering problems, please send an email to
activate2@palisade.com
with a description of the problem. Please include a screen shot of the License Activation dialog.
I have Internet Access but I am still unable to Activate/Deactivate automatically.
Your firewall must be set to allow TCP access to the licensing server. For single user (non
network) installations, your firewall must permit http://service.palisade.com and
http://service2.palisade.com.
6. Automatic Activation was successful, but my product still won't run
If you were successful activating your license, but your product still appears to be a trial version
when you launch it, there may be a mismatch between your license and the product you have
installed. For example, if your Activation ID is for PrecisionTree 5.5 Professional, it will not work
with @RISK 5.5 Industrial, The DecisionTools Suite 5.5 Professional, or any other product/version
combination. If you have the wrong product installed, simply uninstall it and install the product
which corresponds to your Activation ID. There is no need to deactivate or reactivate your
license, since it will remain on your computer during the process of changing the installed
product.
How do I rehost my software license (transfer my license to another computer)?
If you need to move your software license from one computer to another (for example, if an old
computer is being replaced with a new one), the license must first be deactivated on the old
computer and then activated on the new computer.
1. On Machine A, from the License Activation dialog, click "Automatic Deactivation". Wait
for the success message. The license has now been removed from Machine A and returned to
Palisade's license server.
2. On Machine B, install PrecisionTree. In the License Activation dialog, click activate
"Automatic Activation". Wait for the success message. The license has now been installed onto
Machine B.
If either machine does not have Internet access then you will need to use the "Manual
Deactivation" and "Manual Activation" buttons. Follow the instructions in the dialogs for
generating and sending XML files to Palisade.
Please keep in mind that Palisade requires at least 90 days between each license transfer of a
standalone license. If your situation is such that frequent license transfers are needed, please
contact Palisade's Sales Team for information on Concurrent Network licensing. Rehosting a
single user license does not permit the simultaneous use of PrecisionTree on two machines.
Student Version Information
If you are using the student version of PrecisionTree, please read this section.
Student License Agreement
The student version of PrecisionTree is for academic use only. Any non-academic use of the
student version of PrecisionTree is strictly forbidden and represents a violation of the terms of the
student license agreement.
Limitations of the Student Version (for Student Versions Included in Textbooks Only)
PrecisionTree student version models are restricted to have no more than 500 nodes in a
decision tree. Influence diagrams are limited to have that many nodes of the equivalent
underlying decision tree. This restriction only apply to student versions included with textbooks.
Watermarks on Graphs
All graphs created with the student version of PrecisionTree are “watermarked” with the text
“PrecisionTree Student Version, For Academic Use Only”. It is considered a violation of your
license agreement to attempt to remove or alter this watermark.
Expiration
7. The student version of PrecisionTree will expire after a fixed period of time. Student versions
obtained directly from Palisade Corporation typically expire after one year. Student versions
bundled with textbooks typically expire after two years.
