KB: "ContentCart Service Is Unavailable" Warning in Content Cart

Solution Details

Warning and Error Occur During Acquisition

When adding a component to the Content Cart, the following warning may appear:

ContentCart service <http://live.altium.com/AcquireService.asmx> is unavailable. Try to check firewall rules on server.

After selecting OK, the warning closes and the Content Cart dialog opens.

If Prepare Cart is then selected, the following error may appear:

Error from live.altium.com: 404 Not Found

Although the messages reference service availability, firewall rules, or a missing web resource, the root cause is often related to the selected Content Cart target.

Incorrect Target Selection Causes the Error

The Content Cart is used to transfer content from a source to a destination. This issue occurs when the Content Cart target is set to Altium Content Vault instead of the intended acquisition destination.

Altium Content Vault is a read-only source of component data and cannot be used as a destination for content acquisition. When the Content Cart attempts to prepare content for transfer using the Content Vault as its target, the warning and subsequent 404 error can occur.

Verify the Intended Acquisition Target

• Verify which destination the content should be transferred to.
• Check the target currently selected in the Content Cart.
• If the target is set to Altium Content Vault, change it to the intended destination.
• Common intended targets include an Integrated Library (IntLib) or an Altium 365 Workspace.
• If the Content Vault is selected automatically, temporarily disable it and then select the intended target.

Update the Target and Complete the Transfer

1. Add a component to the Content Cart.
2. When the warning appears, select OK.
3. In the Content Cart dialog, locate the target selection field.
4. Review the currently selected target.
5. If the target is Altium Content Vault, change it to the intended destination.
6. Confirm the target selection.
7. Select Prepare Cart and Deliver Cart.
8. Verify that the transfer completes.

Temporarily Disable the Content Vault 

1. Open Preferences.
2. Navigate to Data Management » Servers.
3. Expand Known Servers.
4. Locate Altium Content Vault.
5. Set the server state to Off.
6. Return to the Content Cart and select the intended target destination.
7. Re-enable the Content Vault after completing the action, as it is the source of component data (for example when using the Manufacturer Part Search). 

Additional Notes

• The warning does not necessarily indicate a firewall or network issue.
• In many cases, the Content Cart continues to function after the message is dismissed.
• Altium Content Vault is intended as a source of component data and is not intended to act as a writable Content Cart target.
• Component information such as models and parameters is sourced from the Content Vault. If it is temporarily disabled, it should be re-enabled after completing the required action.
• If the warning persists after changing the target, additional investigation of server connectivity and configuration may be required.

References

• Acquiring Workspace Data Using the Content Cart
• Extracting Data from a Workspace