Guide 12.1
Beginner, 5 min read. Checked with Scalpel 1.12.8 on .
In short
Quit Scalpel on the old computer, sign in at scalpeltrade.com/account and click Free this machine next to it, then start Scalpel on the new computer and paste your licence key. One licence covers two computers at a time, and you can free up to 3 computers in any 30 days.
Your licence is tied to computers, not to you: each one that runs Scalpel takes one of the licence's two slots. Moving to a new computer means giving a slot back and letting the new computer take it. It takes two minutes and you never need the old computer to do it, so a dead laptop is no problem.
Before you start
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Two computers at a time | A home PC and a laptop, or a trading PC and a backup. A third computer is refused until you free one. |
| Free up to 3 in any 30 days | Generous for real moves, and stops a key being passed around. A fourth free inside 30 days is refused: ask support. |
| The same computer keeps its slot | Reinstalling or updating Scalpel on the same computer never uses a second slot. |
| A rebuilt computer is a new one | Reinstalling Windows or macOS gives the computer a new identity, so it takes a new slot. Free the old entry, which usually has the same name. |
| Freeing is instant | No waiting period: the slot is free the moment you click. |
Scalpel identifies a computer by a scrambled code made from its system id, never by your files or hardware details. The account page shows each computer by its name (for example TRADING-PC), when it last checked in, and which version it ran.
Flatten any position first, then close Scalpel (the window's close button, or System > Shut down). If the old computer is lost or broken, skip this step.
Go to scalpeltrade.com/account, or click Manage licence and computers in Scalpel's Settings > About. Type your email and click Email me a sign-in link. The link works once and expires in 15 minutes.
Your Lifetime licence panel shows your key and Machines 2 of 2 1. Find the old computer by its name and Last seen time, and click Free this machine 2. The page says "Machine freed" and the count drops to 1 of 2.
Not sure which is which? The one you are moving away from is usually the one with the older Last seen. On Windows the name is the computer name in Settings > System > About; on a Mac it is the name in System Settings > General > About.
Click Copy key next to the key on the same page. It looks like SCLP-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. It is also in your purchase email.
Start Scalpel on the new computer. The Activate Scalpel screen appears instead of the cockpit. Paste the key and click Activate (or press Enter). The cockpit opens, and the account page now lists the new computer.
Open Settings (Ctrl+,) and pick About. The Licence line reads Licensed with the last four characters of your key, then "Active on 1 of 2 computers." (or 2 of 2 if your other computer is also active). See guide 11.10.
The licence moves, but your settings stay on the old computer until you copy them. Your presets, hotkeys, desk layout and every Settings tab are in one file; your Analytics history is in a folder of its own.
| What | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Settings, presets, hotkeys, layout | %APPDATA%\scalpel\config\scalpel.toml | ~/Library/Application Support/scalpel/scalpel.toml |
| Analytics journal (SIM and LIVE) | %APPDATA%\scalpel\data\journal | ~/Library/Application Support/scalpel/journal |
Copy them across before you first start Scalpel on the new computer (or quit it, copy, and start it again). Paste %APPDATA%\scalpel into the File Explorer address bar to open the folder on Windows. Re-check Settings > Connection: the new computer may run TWS or IB Gateway on a different port (guide 1.4).
licence.json from its data folder (%APPDATA%\scalpel\data on Windows), so it asks for a key next time.