Product:

Cognos BI 10.1.1

Windows 2008 R2 server

MSAS SSAS 2008

Symptom:

You have created a data source to a SSAS 2008 cube, and test it in Cognos connection.

It works for CQM but you get a error for DQM.

Error message:

http://servername:9300/p2pd  Microsoft Analysis Services 2008 / Compatible  Succeeded

http://servername:9300/p2pd  Microsoft Analysis Services 2008 / Dynamic  XOD-CON-0001 Failed to connect to OLE DB for the provider (Microsoft Analysis Services 2008) and server (sr01868): ERROR [category=ASSERTION,statusCode=0,causeCode=0,source=CODBOConnection::UpdateConnectionProperties(CNativeEnv&) at Java_com_cognos_xqe_data_providers_olap_odbo_ODBOConnection_cUpdateConnectionProperties]: CCLAssertError: CCL_ASSERT(NULL != m_pIDBInitialize);

Cause:

The DQM report service is 64 bit JAVA program and need the 64 bit version of the driver to be installed on the Cognos BI server.

In control panels add/remove programs the driver is listed as

111 MB version 10.50.1600.1    (the working version)

or

77,5 MB version 10.52.4000.0   (not working version)

 

Possible Solution:

Download the x64 version of Microsoft® Analysis Services OLE DB Provider for Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 from site http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=16978

File size is 55526 KB for SQLSERVER2008_ASOLEDB10.msi file 64 bit version.

Install the driver on the Cognos BI server and test the connection again.

Connection string:

;LOCAL;M8;SERVER=sr01868;Trusted_Connection=yes;LCID=en

Product:
Cognos BI 8.4.1 32 bit version
Windows 2008 R2 server

Symptom:
After install of a second instance of Cognos BI on the same server, inside IBM Cognos administration the status for the servers are Partially available.
The Cognos BI service are up and running in Microsoft Windows.
It is only Cognos that reflect that the new BI services is not working, but say that the new Cognos dispatcher at port 9500 is unavailable.

Error message:
In the file cbs_cnfgtest_run.log or localhost_log.txt, you can see errors.

Cause:
The local firewall on the Windows 2008 R2 server is blocking the new port you configured for the new Cognos 8 instance, so the Cognos Content Manager can not establish a contact to it.

More information from IBM:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21340076
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cbi/v10r2m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.c8pp_inst.10.2.0.doc%2Ft_newinstancesettings.html

More Information on How to install a second instance of Cognos BI:

Logon as local administrator on the Windows server.
Run NETSTAT from a command (CMD) prompt to see what ports are being used on the server.

Use this command to find if a practical port is in use:
netstat -an|find “9300”

Ensure that port 9500 is not used, because that is the port we will use in the example.

Go to Windows Firewall and Advanced Security from the control panel.
Click on inbound rules.
Open a existing rule or create a Cognos rule.
Ensure under protocols and ports tab, that TCP local port 9500 is open for all remote ports.
Ensure that “Allow the connection” is enabled.
Click OK.
Restart the Firewall function to get the change to be implemented.

Run iisetup.exe from the install share for the Cognos BI server.
(Right click and select Run as Administrator, this need to be done on Windows 2008 servers)
Click next for English as language during installation.
Agree to license agreement and click next.
Agree to non IBM license agreement and click next.
Change install directory to d:\program files (x86)\cognos\c8extra2 and click next.
Click yes to the dialog about installation folder “do you want to create it during installation”.
Only select “Application Tier Components” in the Components Selection, and click next.
(Gateway and content manager should not be selected, on a extra BI report service install).
Change program folder name to : IBM Cognos 8 (extra2) and click next.
Click next on summary.
Wait during the install of the 244 components.
Click OK.
Click Finish.

Repeat above steps for the install of Cognos BI Samples, and Cognos BI model (framework manager). Ensure you install to same folder (c8extra2).

Install TM1 portlets (if you are running reports from TM1 data) to the d:\program files (x86)\cognos\c8extra2 folder, from the C8_TM1_Portlets_win32_8.4.102.23.tar folder.
Update the varibales_TM1.xml file in folder d:\program files (x86)\cognos\c8extra2\templates\ps\portal to include the URL to the TM1 server.
(you can copy the file from the previous working installation of Cognos BI)

Rename cogstartup.xml in folder d:\program files (x86)\cognos\c8extra2\configuration to cogstartup_org.xml.
From old working Cognos BI Cognos Configuration program export the configuration to a text file in your c:\temp folder, named the file to cogstartup.xml.
Copy that file to the d:\program files (x86)\cognos\c8extra2\configuration folder.
Then go to start menu and under All programs – IBM Cognos 8 (extra2) – select IBM Cognos Configuration (right click and open with “Run as Administrator”)
Now you should get the configuration for content store pre-entered, same configuration as the old Cognos Bi installation. This can save you some time in configuration.
You must now change all the port numbers and rename the Cognos BI service.

Click on environment and change;
external dispatcher URI to have port 9500 instead of 9300
internal dispatcher URI to have port 9500 instead of 9300
dispatcher URI for external applications to have port 9500 instead of 9300

Click on logging and change local log server port number from 9362 to 9562.
Right click on IBM Cognos 8 under IBM Cognos 8 services, and select rename;
Enter new name: IBM Cognos 8 Extra2
Click on IBM Cognos 8 Extra2 and change shutdown port number from 9399 to 9599.
Click on Portal Service and change port number from 9300 to 9500 at Location of “applications.xml”.

Click on local configuration in top left corner and Click on save icon.
Click on Start icon to start the service.

Stop the service to install any additional service packs that have been installed on the previous installed Cognos bi 8 services. All Cognos BI servers must use the same service packs to work best. After install of service pack, open Cognos Configuration and click save, before start of the service. This to ensure the Service pack is correct applied.

After the new Cognos 8 BI service is up, in Cognos connection go to IBM Cognos Administration – Configuration tab – Dispatchers and click on more.
Click on set properties.
Click on Settings tab.
Change value for Logging to be the same as the other Cognos BI service, e.g. Basic.
Change any other values to be as the old service, for instance check that value for “Queue time limit of the report service (seconds)” are the same as the old installed Cognos 8 server.
If there are different values on the installed instances you can get odd behavior.

To use the new Cognos BI service better, you can consider to use advance routing:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/c8bi/v8r4m0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.swg.im.cognos.ug_cra.8.4.0.doc/ug_cra_id5272SpecifyAdvancedDispatcherRouting.html

Product:
Cognos BI 10.1.1
Cognos Controller 10.1.1
Windows 2008 R2 Server
Internet Explorer 10

Symptom:
When user surf to Cognos connection and try to login they get a error message.
You have more than one Cognos System that you work with at the same time, so you surf to Cognos Connection in one Internet Explorer session, and work with the other Cognos environment in a different tab of Internet Explorer.

Error message:
DPR-ERR-2107 – The User Capabilities Cache cookie cannot be decoded

Possible Solution:
For Each Cognos Environment do the following:
Logon to server as local administrator
Check the URL the users use to surf to the Cognos connection.
http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos
Open IBM Cognos Configuration on the server, right click and select “run as administrator”.

Open Actions menu, then click on Edit Global Settings

Click the General tab

Under Cookie Settings, enter the details for “Domain” and “Path”
Domain = servername.domain.com (this should be unique for each environment)
Path = ibmcognos
Click save from inside Cognos configuration.
Restart the Service.

Do this for each environment.
One for Cognos BI and one for Cognos Controller, if they do not share Cognos BI server.

Test that Cognos Framework manager works to login after the change.

Product:

IBM Cognos BI 10.1.1 or 10.2

Windows 2008 R2 Server

Problem:

How do I change the color on the banner in Cognos Connection ?

Solution:

The logo type and color in the Cognos Connection start page are controlled from the file system.xml found in folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\templates\ps\portal.

Create a PNG picture that is a line of Grey, shaded if you want, and place it in folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\webcontent\skins\NIPPON\branding.

Add below section for NIPPON to system.xml below the lines;

<!– Custom OEM headers –>

<param name=”OEM”>

<!–

Specify custom Cognos Connection / Cognos Viewer left side header here in the form of XHTML snippets.  Custom headers can be style-specific.

Example:

–>

<customHeader showContext=”true” contextDelimiter=” – “>

 

……….

 

</style>

<style styleFolderName=”NIPPON”>

<table tyle=”background-color:#ffffff;background-image:url(‘../skins/NIPPON/branding/105-background.png’);background-repeat:repeat-y;”>

<tr>

<td><img src=”../skins/NIPPON/branding/105-logo-generic.png”/></td>

<td class=”headerTitle” style=”padding-right:2px;white-space:nowrap”></td>

</tr>

</table>

</style>

 

Above section will display picture 105-background.png as the color in the back, repeat it for the page, and the picture 105-logo-generic.png will show the company logo in left side of the Cognos Connection.

Of course do you need to create a new SKIN first, by adding the NIPPON skin:

1. Copy one of the default skins folders and rename it
2. From Cognos Connection, go to Portal Administration
3. Select the Styles tab
4. Click on the New Style icon at top right
5. Give the new custom skin a name
6. In the field Style Location name type the new name of the custom skin
7. In the field Preview resource URL enter ../skins/name of new custom skin/preview.htm

To change the color of the text in Cognos Connection you need to edit the file banner.css found in folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\webcontent\skins\NIPPON\shared.

 

Change the number in this section to the color of text for the user name, that are shown as logged in to Cognos Connection.

.userNameContainer  {

padding-right: 8px;

font-weight: bold;

font-size: 70%;

color: #336699;

white-space: nowrap;

}

The value color: #336699; give a blue color.

color: #ffffff; is white, the default color.

color: #669911; give a light green text.

You do not need to restart Cognos BI for changes in banner.css should take affect, only refresh your Internet Explorer, to see the color change of the text.

.headerTitle {

font-family: Helvetica, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif;

padding-left: 16px;

font-weight: normal;

font-size: 0.95em;

color: #669911;

vertical-align: middle;

white-space: nowrap;

width: 100%;

}

Above section change the color of the IBM Cognos Connection text to the left in Cognos Connection to green.

If you do not want to change the system.xml you can add a logo in the banner.css file by edit the logo section.

.logo {

width: 45px;

height: 16px;

display: ;

background-image: url(../branding/your_logo_here.gif);

background-position: top left;

background-repeat: no-repeat;

}

Above section will show a logo to the left of the IBM Cognos Connection text, you need to remove the word NONE at the display: none; section. Then you replace the file your_logo_here.gif with you logo in a small gif file.

The gif file for the logo is in the folder C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\c10_64\webcontent\skins\NIPPON\branding

To add a different background image, you edit this section in banner.css file

.mainHeader1 {

background: url(../shared/images/banner-swoosh.png) no-repeat;

background-position: 220px 0;

max-height: 35px;

height: 35px;

min-width: 838px;

width: 100%;

}

 

Make a copy of the file banner-swoosh.png and name it banner-swoosh1.png in the folder C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\c10_64\webcontent\skins\NIPPON\shared\images

Edit the banner-swoosh1.png in a paint program to your like and save the picture.

Update the banner.css file to use background: url(../shared/images/banner-swoosh1.png) no-repeat;  instead of background: url(../shared/images/banner-swoosh.png) no-repeat;

Save the banner.css file and go to your Internet Explorer and press F5 to update the display.

#headerBack {

background: url(../shared/images/banner-background.png) repeat-x 0 0;

background-color: #336699;

min-height: 35px;

}

Above section in banner.css file give the right side color, it is a small picture banner-background.png that is repeated all the way to the end.

#headerBack {

/background: url(../shared/images/banner-background.png) repeat-x 0 0;/

background-color: #336699;

min-height: 35px;

}

You should NOT remove the background.png, as we have done above, because then it will only be white before and after your banner-swoosh.png picture. That is not readable.

#headerBack {

background: url(../shared/images/banner-background.png) repeat-x 0 0;

background-color: #336699;

min-height: 65px;

}

Change of the min-height, will make a space below the IBM Cognos Connection text and your tabs for public folders and so on. This space will have the blue color defined by the background-color: #336699; line above.

If you change it to background-color: #336600; you will have a 30 pixel high dark green border above Public Folder tabs.

#headerBack {

background: url(../shared/images/banner-background.png) repeat-x 0 40;

background-color: #336600;

min-height: 35px;

}

If you change the last 0 to 40 you will replace the background.png with you background-color, in above case dark green. Ugly.

 

More information:

http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cbi/v10r1m1/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_cra.10.1.1.doc%2Fc_customizingtheappearanceofcognos8.html

Product:
Cognos BI 8.4.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Microsoft SQL server 2005

Symptom:
Error during start of cognos service from cognos configuration.
EventService StartService Failure

This is on a second Cognos BI report server installed to add to a existing Cognos BI server installation to get more report processing power.

If you run a test from inside cognos configuration you get error like this:
Testing the database connection
No JDBC driver could be found in classpath
com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver

Error message:
In the cogserver.log file you will find errors like these;
CNC-SDS-0256 Unable to connect to the database using jdbc.db2.com
DPR-DPR-1035 Dispatcher detected an error
problem initializing handler monitorServiceHandler
CNC-SDS-0322 Database update failed with error code ACCESS_FAILURE_UNKNOWN.
The JSM service will be aborted.

Cause:
The default configuration for Cognos is to use DB2, you need to change the notification store to be using SQL server.

The Event service need access to the content store database.

Solution:
Go to Cognos Configuration
Go to Data Access – Notification
Right click on Notification store and select Delete
Right click on Notification and select New Resource – Database
Enter name Notification store
Select Microsoft SQL Server database
Enter database server and port number to be the same as content store connection on first Cognos BI server.
Enter user id and password to access content store database
Enter Database name to be same as content store name.
Go to top in cognos configuration
Click on save
Click on start the cognos bi service.

Product:
Cognos BI 10.1.1
AIX 6.1

Symptom:
When you create a schedule of a Cognos BI Report, you get a error icon, but no error message.

Problem:
There is no error message, only a blank screen after you press OK for the schedule report to get created.

Possible Cause:
When you have not setup SSO with Cognos BI then you should not use Use External Identity, it should be True only when you have SSO enabled.

Possible Solution:
Start Cognos configuration
Go to security – authentication dialog
Under the LDAP connection change Use External Identity from True to False.
Save the settings
Restart the Cognos BI services.

Can also be security settings that is after you changed LDAP source.
Revert back to old Authentication settings, and restart the server and see if that solves the issue.
It can be that you have changed the host and port for the authentication source in Cognos configuration that have created this issue.

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.1.1
AIX server
Oracle database

Symptom:
You run cognos BI reports, but they do not show names that contain local characters like åäö.
The åäö is replaced with blank, or the product name is not show at all in the report.

Problem:
Only exist on AIX server with Oracle database using Cognos BI 10.1.1
Can be because of how the Oracle database regions settings are configured.

Possible Solution:
In the profile for the service user account running the Cognos BI service, you need to set a variable to tell Cognos to use a different language for data it fetch from the database.

On AIX this is set by parameters in the .profile file for the user running the Cognos service.
Log in as root user on AIX server.
Go to the HOME folder of the user account.
Open the .profile file in text editor.
Add this line below # Cognos specific configuration line:

NLS_LANG=AMERICAN_AMERICA.WE8ISO8859P1
export NLS_LANG

Save the file.
Restart the Cognos service.

More information
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21343177

http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cfpm/v10r1m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.cp_inst_cr_winux.10.1.1.doc%2Ft_cp_setupdatasourcesforframeworkmanager.html