System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path c:\cognos\ccr\ccr.config is denied

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows Server

Problem:
When a user start Cognos Controller Client on Citrix server a second time they get a error:
System.Unauthorized Access Exception: Access to the path c:\cognos\ccr\ccr.config is denied at System.IO…Error.WinIOError( Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath )

Suggested Solution:
Disable the use of FSLogix.  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/overview
Cognos Controller update the ccr.config file during start of client, and also when the user change personal parameters inside the Cognos Controller client.
Each user of Cognos Controller need there own ccr.config file. If the file is not there, this error can show up.
They are normally in folder c:\users\%username%\appdata\roaming\cognos\ccr
and are created during login from the default file in folder c:\program files\ibm\ibm cognos controller local client\ccr.exe.config

https://help.nerdio.net/hc/en-us/articles/360036890651-FSLogix-How-It-Works-What-Can-Go-Wrong-How-To-Troubleshoot-

The understanding of the orchestration of FSlogix with profiles will make logical sense when you look at the pieces and parts that FSLogix puts together.

  • FSLogix apps is an installer that is loaded on WVDSH00 and is part of every deployment done with WVDSH00
  • Registry entry is configured on WVDSH00 to enable FSLogix and point the profile storage to \\FS01\Profiles\%username%
  • There is another registry entry that excludes DESKTOP, DOCUMENTS and FAVORITES folders from FSLogix profile because those are redirected to \\FS01\USERS\%username% folder. This registry entry points at an XML file that tells FSLogix to exclude those folders. This file is \\FS01\Profiles\redirections.xml

More Information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshooting-cognos-controller-link-not-installed-or-excel-link-not-installed-errors

App-V is not officially supported by IBM. But the following tips helped package/deploy the Controller client successfully:

    • (1) Re-package the Cognos Controller client *without* capturing (saving) the following folder (inside the App-V package):

%APPDATA%\Cognos

(2) To avoid an ‘Excel Link is not installed’, configure the setting ‘local interaction’ to ‘FALSE’ (within the OSD file for the main Cognos controller application).

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/error-systemxml-root-element-missing-inside-multiple-menus-controller-solved-avoiding-use-softgrid-microsoft-application-virtualization

The Controller client reads from and writes to a configuration file called ‘ccr.config’.

  • This is located here: %APPDATA%\Cognos\CCR\ccr.config
  • By default, this is: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Cognos\CCR\ccr.config

if the I.T. department have modified the value for %APPDATA% (for example redirected user’s profiles to be stored on a remote network file share) then this means that ccr.config reads/writes are slower.

  • In some environments, these are so slow that Controller aborts trying to read/write to that location, and falls back to a default local location (C:\Cognos\ccr\)
  • However, only one person at a time can use that location, therefore errors will occur (when trying to read the configuration file) if a different user tries to read that file.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/intermittent-access-path-ccognosccrccrconfig-denied-and-http-status-404-not-found-errors

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

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/130597

Use the “CacheDir” parameter to cause the Controller local client to move the storage location of the ‘cache files’ (*.DSS and *.DSD) into subfolders of the CacheDir.

Example:

For example, if “CACHEDIR” is configured to be the value “D:\Controller\Cache” then these files will created/stored inside folders such as:

D:\Controller\Cache\Windows_Username1\Cognos\CCR
D:\Controller\Cache\Windows_Username2\Cognos\CCR
etc.

NOTE: The configuration file (CCR.CONFIG) is unaffected by this parameter, and will stay inside the default location (%APPDATA%\Cognos\ccr)

IMPORTANT:

Do NOT modify the location of the “Cache Dir” to either (a) a mapped network drive or (b) a network UNC path.
Doing this will seriously affect the performance/speed of Controller, and also the stability (may create error messages).

Logon to client PC using the *same* Windows user that launches/runs Controller
Create a folder which will be used to store the cache files (for example: D:\Controller\Cache).

IMPORTANT:

Do not choose a network drive letter (or UNC path).
Instead, you MUST choose a location which is on one of the client device’s local hard drives.
This does not need to be its C: drive, although it must be a local hard drive
For example, you could choose: D:\Controller\Cache

3. Launch Windows Explorer
4. Open the folder where Controller is installed.

For example, by default this is here: C:\Program Files\ibm\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client

5. Open the file “CCR.exe.config” inside Notepad
6. Search for the entry similar to the following:

<add key=”CacheDir” value=””/>

7. Modify this entry appropriately, for example similar to the following:

<add key=”CacheDir” value=”D:\Controller\Cache” />

8. Save and test

You will notice that, after launching Controller, now all the cache files are created inside the following folder: D:\Controller\Cache\<Windows_Username>\Cognos\CCR