by ·Comments Off on PRS-NOP-1056 The contents of the node operation “append” could not be parsed.

Product:

Cognos Controller Web 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
After login to database in Controller Web you get a error.

PRS-NOP-1056

The contents of the node operation “append” could not be parsed.

DetailsExpand

org.dom4j.DocumentException : Error on line 3 of document : Open quote is expected for attribute “name” associated with an element type “param”.

Possible Solution:
The ” is in the wrong format in the file variables_CCRWeb.xml

Start Notepad++ as administrator

Open D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\templates\ps\portal\variables_CCRWeb.xml

Change to

<CRNenv c_cmd=”://controllerservername.domain.com:9080/#!/CamLogin”>
<cookies>
<param name=”_passport”/>
</cookies>
</CRNenv>

Save and restart the controller web services.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-configure-controller-web-use-cognos-cam-authentication

by ·Comments Off on A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&).

Product:
Cognos Controller Web 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
At a new installation when browse to the controller web, you get a error after you have logged in.

Error Message:

Server Error in ‘/ibmcognos’ Application.

A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&).
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.Web.HttpException: A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&).

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[HttpException (0x80004005): A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&).]
System.Web.HttpRequest.ValidateInputIfRequiredByConfig() +11986128
System.Web.PipelineStepManager.ValidateHelper(HttpContext context) +52

Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:4.0.30319; ASP.NET Version:4.7.3770.0

Possible solution:
Some of the configuration files contain wrong characters. The web server does not like to get the & sign in the URL that is sent in the request between CA11 and CONTROLLER WEB. You get same error in IE or Chrome web browser.
In this case the com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties file had some / replaced with & characters

Ensure that the lines point correct

biUrl=http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi&v1&disp

should be

biUrl=http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

Open D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.web\com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties in notepad++ to edit.

Check also files like D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics\templates\ps\portal\variables_CCRWeb.xml

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-install-controller-web

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SS9S6B_10.4.2/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ctrl_inst.doc/t_contrweb_configure.html

by ·Comments Off on How change port for Cognos LCM

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Product_version=11.1 R7 (LTS)
install_type=Custom
selected_features=FTR_LCM
IBM-JRE_version=8.0.6.15
LCM_BUILD_version=11.1.7-2009181443
LICENSE_version=11.1.7-2009291107
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
When starting the Cognos® LifeCycle Manager (LCM) on the same server as CA11 is installed, they use the same port 9300.

Suggested Solution:

Start notepad++ as administrator
Change port on LCM by open D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\lcm\wlp\usr\servers\lcm\server.xml in notepad++

Change the row <httpEndpoint host=”*” httpPort=”9305″ httpsPort=”-1″ id=”defaultHttpEndpoint”/> to use 9305 instead of 9300
Save the file.
Start a CMD as administrator.
Go to folder D:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\lcm
Run lcm_start.bat to start the service

You need to update the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\IBM Cognos LCM\LCM URI internet shortcut to reflect the change of port

Then after that it should work to start and use it

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_upgr_mngr.doc/upgr_mngr.pdf

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSEP7J_11.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_upgr_mngr.doc/t_upgr_mngr_create_project.html#upgr_mngr_create_project

by ·Comments Off on Install FAP client on Citrix server

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Problem:
How install FAP client on Citrix server for several different environments?

Solution:
First you must have SQL client installed on the server, as the FAP client talks direct with the SQL database that have the Cognos Controller database and the specific FAP database.
Download sqlncli64.msi and install it.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50402
Then go to your Cognos Controller server where you have installed FAP,
Copy following files from folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\webcontent\ccr
C1.Win.C1FlexGrid.4.dll
ctrl_ug_fapug_contextlinks.csv
FAPClient.exe
FAPClient.exe.config

Place this files in a separate folder on the citrix server like c:\ibm\fap.

Right-click on FAPClient.exe and create a shortcut to the public desktop for the users.
To be able to pre-populate the login, so the user do not need to write server name every time.

You update the FAPClient.exe.config file with the default values all user should get.

Best is if you copy the FAPClient.exe to a duplicate file called FAPClientQ.exe and then do the same with file FAPclient.exe.config file so you also have a FAPClientQ.exe.config file.
Repeate so you have a set for TEST called FAPClientT.exe and FAPClientT.exe.config, like this:

Open the FAPClientQ.exe.config file in NOTEPAD++ and add the lines for your QAS system database server like:

<setting name=”Server” serializeAs=”String”>
<value>roger2</value>
</setting>
<setting name=”Database” serializeAs=”String”>
<value>FAP</value>
</setting>
<setting name=”User” serializeAs=”String”>
<value>Fastnet</value>

Save the file, and then edit the FAPClientT.exe.config file with the values to your TEST system.

Edit the FAPClient.exe.config with the values for your PRODUCTION system.

When a user start FAPClientQ.exe program, the values in the corresponding config file is used, and the user only have to enter the password to get access to the FAP program.

Create 3 different shortcuts to the .exe files, and present to the user in the Citrix portal.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-install-fap-client-end-users-desktop-pc

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-installupgrade-controller-serverclient

The values is then saved in the users windows profile in a folder similar to this C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\IBM_Corp\FAPClient.exe_Url_kyxu0h5bacedq1foqhff0niw3305yy1o\10.4.2000.145\user.config

by ·Comments Off on TM1WEB, an error has occurred when using TLS

Product:
Planning Analytics 2.0.9.3
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
After SSL setup in TM1WEB, then TM1WEB does not list any TM1 servers to connect to.
In TM1 APP WEB (pmpsvc) when you click on a contributor link you get a “an error has occurred”.

TM1 applications should use the internal Cognos certificate, ibmtm1.arm.

Please follow the official documentation, as it changes with every new version of PA.

Possible Solution:

As TM1Web is using a new keystore, you must include the TM1 Server certificates in the keystore file or you will be unable to see your TM1 Servers, point to that the SSL CERT import failed.

Redo the setup from; but first take a backup of all keystores files you use.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-configure-ssl-ibm-planning-analytics-spreadsheet-services-using-existing-keystore

If you got a PFX file with the certificate chain and key as you need you can use it to setup SSL.

For PMPSVC do this;
Start IKEYMAN.EXE as administrator from C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\jre\bin folder
Open CAMkeystore file from C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1_64\configuration\certs folder
It is a PKCS12 file with password  NoPassWordSet

In Personal Certificates remove the encryption certificate
As you already have a correct PFX file, you click on IMPORT button.
Select you PFX file and enter the password you got with the PFX file from the Certified Authority who created the PFX for you.

You will be asked to rename the personal certificate, enter encryption and press OK.
Go then to Signer Certificates and check that you have also got the root and  intermediate certificates for your server. Double click on the certificates to check they have correct date and DNS alias.

You may need to import the \bin64\ssl\ibmtm1.arm file again as Signer Certificates.
Close IKEYMAN.

Go into Cognos Configuration for Planning Analytics (TM1).
Edit the TM1 Applications Properties.  Update all URI references to contain your fully qualified address, as well as change the http to https.
Edit the Local Configuration properties.  Add the property StandaloneCertificateAuthority and set it to True.

Edit the Cryptography > Cognos properties.  Change the Use third party CA? to True.
Save the Cognos configuration for Planning Analytics (TM1).
Start the TM1 service.

For new TM1WEB:

Export the Root and Intermediate certificates from your web browser, by go to the cognos site, and then select each certificate and save them as Base-64 encoded X.509 cer files.
Stop IBM Cognos TM1 service.
Copy the PFX file you got to C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\bin64\ssl folder

Open C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\wlp\usr\servers\tm1web\server.xml in notepad++
Update the ports you want to use, here 9510 for SSL and enter -1 to disabled HTTP.
<httpEndpoint id=”defaultHttpEndpoint” httpPort=”-1″ httpsPort=”9510″ host=”*” removeServerHeader=”true”>

Add as last line:
<keyStore id=”defaultKeyStore” location=”${wlp.user.dir}/../../bin64/ssl/customKeystore.pfx” password=”xxxxthepasswordxxxx” />

Replace with your PFX file name and the password for that file.
Go to C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\jre\bin\ in a DOS prompt.

Import the TM1 cert with command:
keytool -importcert -keystore ..\..\bin64\ssl\customKeystore.pfx -storepass xxxxthepasswordxxxx -storetype pkcs12 -noprompt -alias ibmtm1 -file ..\..\bin64\ssl\ibmtm1.arm

Copy your Root and Intermediate certificate files to your \tm1web\bin64\ssl\ directory

Import the Root and Intermediate certificates with this command:
keytool.exe -import -trustcacerts -file “..\..\bin64\ssl\ca.cer” -keystore “..\..\bin64\ssl\tm1store” -alias ca -storepass applix
keytool.exe -import -trustcacerts -file “..\..\bin64\ssl\intermediate.cer” -keystore “..\..\bin64\ssl\tm1store” -alias intca -storepass applix

CER or PEM files should work both. Now the new tm1store is updated with your root certs.

Start your IBM Planning Analytics Spreadsheet Service

Test to browse to https://paservername.domain.com:9510/tm1web

Check for errors in file C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\tm1web\wlp\usr\servers\tm1web\logs\console.log

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/use-ikeyman-configure-custom-ssl-certificates-tm1web

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-configure-ssl-ibm-planning-analytics-spreadsheet-services-using-existing-keystore

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSVJJU_6.3.0/com.ibm.IBMDS.doc/admin_gd175.htm

https://www.sslshopper.com/ssl-converter.html

To check a PFX file;

One your laptop install openssl from here https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/tag/v2.23.0.windows.1 – get the file Git-2.23.0-64-bit.exe. Run the installation with all default values.

Start a command prompt as administrator. Go to folder C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin

openssl  pkcs12  -in  c:\temp\customKeystore.pfx -out  c:\temp\good.pem  -nodes

Open good.pem  in notepad++ to check it contains 4 certificates.

The PEM format is the most common format that Certificate Authorities issue certificates in. PEM certificates usually have extensions such as .pem, .crt, .cer, and .key. They are Base64 encoded ASCII files and contain “—–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—–” and “—–END CERTIFICATE—–” statements. Server certificates, intermediate certificates, and private keys can all be put into the PEM format.

by ·Comments Off on XQE-GEN-0002 on upgrade report

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7 fix pack 2
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:

When run some reports after a upgrade from previous version you get a error like this:

XQE–GEN–0002 An unexpected exception occurred: java.lang.StackOverflowError.

Report validation is OK but when you try to run it as HTML report you get a error.

Possible solution:

Check the report specification for any item or function that is common for the reports that does not work.

Can be that you have a filter in the Query parameters that you need to remove from the report to make it work.

You need to remove one part of the report at a time to find what part of the report specification that can give you the issue.

More information:

https://www.njit.edu/finance/sites/njit.edu.finance/files/finance-innovations/Cognos%20Analytics%20Reporting.pdf

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_ca_dshb.doc/ug_ca_dshb.pdf

https://reports.nycenet.edu/Cognos84sdk/documentation/en/ug_cr_rptstd.pdf

standard-deviation From the old Cognos 8
Returns the standard deviation of selected data items. The keyword “distinct” is available for
backward compatibility of expressions used in previous versions of the product.
Syntax
standard-deviation ( [ distinct ] expr [ auto ] )
standard-deviation ( [ distinct ] expr for [ all | any ] expr {
, expr } )
standard-deviation ( [ distinct ] expr for report )
Example
standard-deviation ( ProductCost )
Result: A value indicating the deviation between product costs and the average product cost.

by ·Comments Off on The url is not a valid url.

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
Can not add url or use link to tm1web or other web site.

When you try to add a URL you get below error:

Your URL uses an invalid domain. Click ‘View acceptable domains’ to see a list of domains you can use.

Solution:
On all Cognos BI (CA11) servers, go into Cognos Configuration
Expand Security
Select IBM Cognos Application Firewall
Under “Enable CAF Validation?” = True, click on pen icon to add more servernames for Valid domains and hosts.

Enter the company domain name with a wildcard as *.company.com
Enter all the server names for your Cognos Analytics servers
Enter all the TM1 servers you have in your environment
Enter the TM1WEB servers with port number like tm1webservername:9510 (you must enter the port number for all servers Cognos will communicate with if it is not port 80)

Click OK
Click SAVE in Cognos Configuration.
You need then click on RESTART to make this changes take effect.
Restart the primary content manager service first, when that is up again, then restart the other CA11 servers in your environment.

How add a URL link in CA11:

Click on + in the folder where you want the link to be and select URL

Enter a name and enter the URL to your server including port number 9510 for tm1web. Recommended is to use full names includeing domain part.

Click OK.

Test the link.

“Cannot open URL” can also be becouse the website does not exist.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_10.2.2/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.10.2.2.doc/t_inst_cnfg_caf_steps.html%23inst_cnfg_caf_steps

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.doc/t_inst_cnfg_caf_steps.html

by ·Comments Off on http://cognosanalyticsservername:9300/p2pd/servlet

Product:
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2019

Problem:
How find out who is Active Content Manager without logging in to the CA11 server?

Solution:

From a web browser enter following URL to server on port 9300 to check CM:
http://cognosanalyticsservername:9300/p2pd/servlet

State is Running if it is the active CM in a multiserver environment of cognos bi.

To find java memory usage, enter this URL:

http://servername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp?b_action=/diagnostics

Get Dispatcher version with this URL:
http://servername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet/gc

Verify the configuration of an install with URL:

http://servername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp/p2plbDiag

Find XML parser with URL:
http://servername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet/dispatch/xts.diag

To check if POGO is alive enter URL:
http://servername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp?b_action=/dbg

If you see this message pogo is alive

https://www.accelebrate.com/blog/call-pogo-name

In future use REST API to find out more:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ca_api.doc/c_ca_api_rest.html

https://community.ibm.com/community/user/businessanalytics/blogs/jason-tavoularis1/2020/07/30/connecting-to-rest-api-data

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_rest_api.2.0.0.doc/tm1_rest_api.pdf

https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSD29G_2.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.tm1_nfg.2.0.0.doc/c_nfg_tm1_rest_api_2_0_5.html

by ·Comments Off on Each XEON cpu core is often 70 or 100 PVU points

Product:
Planning Analytics 2.0.9
Microsoft Windows 2019 Server

Problem:
How many PVU is the CPU on my virtual TM1 server?

You can in Task Manager on the CPU tab, see number of sockets and number of cores.

Solution:
Check the number of sockets, if is less than or equal too 2 then each CPU CORE is 70 points.

In some cases the Windows 2019 task manager does not show correct number of sockets, so check the server hardware – what server are you running the virtual servers on? Then check that hardware, what number of sockets they have. For example, if you have a HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen9 server, check here

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04434541

says it are Upgradeable to two (2) processors. Then we assume it have 2 sockets max.
This mean that each cpu core in task manager is 70 pvu points.
A windows server with 4 cpu cores will then be 280 pvu points.

Check your contract for lines like this;  IBM Planning Analytics Local TM1 Server for Non-Production Environment Processor Value Unit (PVU) Annual SW Subscription & Support Renewal to see how many PVU points you can spend on your server.

More Information:
https://www.ibm.com/software/passportadvantage/pvu_licensing_for_customers.html

https://infocube.com.au/ilmt

https://lodestarsolutions.com/what-the-heck-is-an-ibm-cognos-pvu

by ·Comments Off on IBM Cognos Controller Consolidation missing

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2 IF7

CONTRL_UPDATE_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.1063-0
CONTRL_UPDATE_name=IBM Cognos Controller Update

CCRPORTAL_version=CONTRL-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.185-0
CCRPORTAL_name=IBM Cognos Controller Portal

Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Problem:
One a fresh new Windows server, after installation of Cognos Controller program for the first time, there is missing COM+ applications for Cognos Controller in Component Services.

Solution:
Uninstall Cognos Controller from the server, leave a few files left, as below picture show.

Then run the installation again. Select everything.
This can help in many cases.

Other things to check;
Run below power shell command to check that NET framework 4.7.2 is installed:

(Get-ItemProperty “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v4\Full”).Release -ge 461808

More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/vfp-and-vfpcom-error-messages-when-installing-controller-server-causing-frangovfpdll-not-be-registered-component-services-com-caused-apar-ph24802

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/migration-guide/how-to-determine-which-versions-are-installed

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6348246