Product:

Cognos BI 10.2.1 fix pack 2

Windows 2008 R2 server

Problem:

The free hard disk space on the Cognos BI report server is low.

The Cognos folder under c:\program files\   take more than 50 GB space.

Cause:

When a BIBUS or REPORT crashes a dmp file is created in the bin folder.

They fill up the disc, and you should periodical erase these *.DMP files.

 Solution:

Change the cclWinSEHConfig.xml file in folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\configuration

Change value below from

<env_var name=”CCL_HWE_ABORT” value=”2:2″/>

To

<env_var name=”CCL_HWE_ABORT” value=”0:0″/>

Save the file.

Restart all the Cognos BI services in correct order.

Product:

Cognos BI 10.2.1 server

Windows 2008 R2 Server

Oracle database

Problem:

You have a report that take out all power of the database server, but you do not know that name of the report.

 Suggested Solution:

Add the name of the report to the SQL queries sent to the Oracle database, then the Database DBA can look into the trace of the queries and see what report give the issue.

On the Cognos BI server open the file CQEConfig.xml

Can be found in folder c:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\configuration

Change to have this content;

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>

<!–

Licensed Materials – Property of IBM

BI and PM: QECL

(C) Copyright IBM Corp. 2005, 2012

US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

–>

<configuration company=”Cognos” version=”0.1″ rendition=”cer2″>

<component name=”CQE”>

<section name=”DBConnectionPool”>

<!– Description: Database connection timeout. Default is 900 seconds (15 minutes) –>

<entry name=”Timeout” value=”900″/>

<!– –>

<!– Description: Database connection pool size. –>

<!– Maximum number of connections managed by the report server process. Default=40 –>

<entry name=”PoolSize” value=”40″/>

<!– –>

</section>

<section name=”QueryEngine”>

<!– Description: queryReuse feature –>

<!– value=”0″ means disable the feature –>

<!– default is value=”5″ which means cache up to 5 result sets per session –>

<entry name=”queryReuse” value=”5″/>

<!– –>

<!– Description: References to model query items may have 2-part names. (default(off)=0; choices=0,1) –>

<!– Off:  A parsing error is returned for a reference to a model query item using a 2-part name.  –>

<!– On:  The expression resolver will allow 2-part name references to model query items.    –>

<!– NOTE: Cognos 8.1 MR2 was the last release in which the default setting allowed 2-part names. This release (8.2) –>

<!– has the default set to disallow 2-part names. The next release (8.3) will no longer allow 2-part names. –>

<!– The use of 2-part names will generate the QE-DEF-496 warning message in the log file. –>

<!– entry name=”AllowModelQueryItem2PartNameReference” value=”0″/–>

<!– –>

<!– Generation of comments in native sql and cognos sql.–>

<entry name=”GenerateCommentInNativeSQL” value=”1″/>

<!– ( default(off)=0, on=1) –>

<entry name=”GenerateCommentInCognosSQL” value=”1″/>

<!– ( default(off)=0, on=1) –>

<!– The content of the comments is controlled with two entries, their defaults are specified in the value attribute –>

<entry name=”NativeCommentMacro” value=”#’ user=’ + $account.defaultName + ‘ report=’ + $report + ‘ reportPath=’ + $reportPath + ‘ queryName=’ + $queryName + ‘ start=’ + $startTime#”/>

<entry name=”CognosCommentMacro” value=”#’ user=’ + $account.defaultName + ‘ report=’ + $report + ‘ reportPath=’ + $reportPath + ‘ queryName=’ + $queryName + ‘ start=’ + $startTime#”/>

<!– –>

<!– Description: Include the preferred query subject into the join cache key –>

<!– ( default(off)=0, on=1) –>

<!–entry name=”IncludePreferredQuerySubjectsInJoinCacheKey” value=”1″/–>

<!– –>

<!– Description: Compute measure query items just once (off(default)=0, on=1+ –>

<!– entry name=”ComputeMeasureQueryItemsOnce” value=”0″ –>

<!– –>

</section>

<!– The following section is disabled by default.    –>

<!– The CQE logging is turned on when the existing section name (“_Logging”) is changed to “Logging”. –>

<section name=”_Logging”>

<entry name=”CQEXMLAPI” value=”3″/>

<entry name=”UseIPFLogging” value=”0″/>

<entry name=”QueryEngine” value=”11″/>

<entry name=”LogFileName” value=”..\logs\CQE.log”/>

<entry name=”QR” value=”3″/>

<entry name=”DBC” value=”11″/>

<entry name=”JoinPath” value=”11″/>

</section>

</component>

</configuration>

Will give that you have

–         Username

–         Report name

–         Report path

–         Query name

–         Start time

In the Query.

More Information:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/#!/SSMR4U_10.1.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_cra.10.1.1.doc/t_add_comments_native_cognossql.html%23Add_Comments_Native_CognosSQL

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-analytics/11.1.0?topic=database-using-application-context-in-dynamic-sql

<generateCommentsInNativeSQL enabled="true"/>
<NativeCommentMacro value="#'user=' + $account.defaultName + ' reportPath='
 + $reportPath +' queryName=' + $queryName + ' REMOTE_ADDR=' + $REMOTE_ADDR 
 + ' SERVER_NAME=' + $SERVER_NAME + ' requestID=' + $requestID#"/>

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Outlook Mail program

Problem:
Mail sent is not coming forward to the end user from Cognos BI.
In some cases you get a message from the Exchange Mail server that the mail is
This is an automated message from the Extensible Content Security

A mail from you x to y was stopped and Quarantined because it contains one
or more forbidden attachments.

Summary of email contents:

Attachment: My personal report 1.mht
My personal report 1.mht forbidden file extension (.mht)
My personal report 1.mht forbidden file extension (.mht)
Attachment: html
Attachment: image

Because:
Cognos BI 10.2.1 send mail with Excel 2002 attachments as MHT files, that Excel can open but your mail system may have excluded that be allowed.

If you send a report as HTML and include a Body Text in the Schedule message you will get the same issue, please send a link instead of a HTML attachment to make it work.

Solution:
In Server Administration, add “RSVP.FILE.EXTENSION.XLS” parameter to ReportService and BatchReportService.
Steps:
1. Open Cognos Connection.
2.Click Tools menu in the portal and select Server Administration
3. Check Services for Type (All services appear)
4. Select Set Properties for ReportService
5. Select the Settings tab
6. Find the property named Advanced Settings, and click the Edit… link
7. In the first empty set of boxes, type in the parameter name RSVP.FILE.EXTENSION.XLSand set the value to TRUE
8. Press OK.

More Information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21342065

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1 fix pack 2
Windows 2008 R2 Server

Problem:
How to make new portal tabs for existing users?
Possible workaround:
When you setup Cognos BI for the first time, create 10 hidden portal tabs that you later can use.
Create some common portal tabs:
Create a folder called portal under Public Folder in Cognos Connection.
Set that all users have read/execute/traverse rights to the folder portal.
This is done by click on MORE to the right of the folder in Cognos Connection.
Click on SET PROPERTIES and select PERMISSIONS tab.
Ensure that the Override the access permissions acquired from the parent entry is NOT marked.
Ensure that the Cognos group that the users belongs to are listed with read/execute/traverse rights. If not, click on ADD to add that user group.
Click OK to get back to Cognos Connection.
Click on the PORTAL folder to go down a level and create the portal pages.
Click on icon NEW PAGE
Enter a name for the portal page, like PORTAL ONE.
Click FINISH.
Repeat this for TEN pages.
Click on the SET PROPERTIES icon for the PORTAL ONE page.
Go to the PERMISSION tab.
Mark Override the access permissions acquired from the parent entry.
Mark all user group and click on REMOVE.
Add/leave only user group for SystemAdministrators here.
Only The SystemAdministrators should have read/write/execute/set policy/traverse on the portal page.

You can create a template folder and create the portal page under that template folder, and then you can copy that template portal page to the portal folder and only rename it. This is much faster to create more portals with the same settings.
Add the portals to the default profile in Cognos Connection:
Go to LAUNCH – IBM COGNOS ADMINISTRATION
Click on SECURITY tab and select Users, Groups, and Roles.
Click on the Cognos namespace.
Click on the EDIT DEFAULT USER PROFILE icon.
Click on the PORTAL TABS tab.
Click ADD.
Go to the Portal folder and mark all the new PORTAL PAGES you created.
Click on the Arrow icon and click OK.
Now all the portals pages are ready for the new users.
To make the tabs not visible, you have to change the system.xml file in folder
C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\templates\ps\portal\
Log on to the Cognos BI server (this change must be done on all Cognos BI servers)
Copy the C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\templates\ps\portal\system.xml file to a backup folder like d:\temp\backup
Open the C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\templates\ps\portal\system.xml in notepad.
Change the =”hideInaccessibleTabs” from false to true, so it looks like this:

true Save the system.xml file to the desktop.
Drag the system.xml file from desktop to the windows explorer window, showing you the folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\templates\ps\portal\
Replace the system.xml file.
Repeat on the Others Cognos BI servers.
Stop all Cognos BI windows services.
Start the Cognos BI service that run the Content Manager function first.
Start the other Cognos BI services on the Microsoft Windows servers.
Log in as an other user that is not System Administrator and he should not see the tabs.
This will only work for new users; users that have already accessed Cognos Connection are not affected by this setup.
This is how you erase a user profile in Cognos Connection:
Go to Administer IBM Cognos content
Click on SECURITY tab
Click on the AD namespace (the company namespace – not the Cognos)
Click on SEARCH icon
Select to search in “Name or description field”
Enter the name of the user and click SEARCH
Click on MARK for that user
Click on action “Delete this user’s profile”
Click OK on the question if you are sure you want to delete the user profile.
Logout from Cognos Connection ( close Internet Explorer ).
Login as the new user to Cognos Connection.
Go to MY HOME.
Check how many portal pages you see.

This is how to add users to the tabs (portal page), so they show up for the user in Cognos Connection:
Go to the template – portal folder.
Click on SET PROPERTIES icon for the portal you want to be visible for the user.
Click on PERMISSIONS tab.
Click on ADD
Click on AD ( the name of the company namespace )
Click on SEARCH
Enter the name of the user and click SEARCH.
When you find him, mark and click on the ARROW icon to add him to the list.
Click OK.
Mark the new user, and select so he gets read/execute/traverse rights on the portal page.
Click OK.
Close Internet Explorer and login as the new user to test if the PORTAL PAGE is visible.
Now you control what PORTAL TABS the users see by adding and removing the Cognos Security groups that the user belong to the pre-created portal tabs.
If the user goes into the Set preferences – portals tab he can see the names of the portal tabs – but there is an icon saying “cannot access page” for the portals he have no access to.
If you are a System Administrator in Cognos Connection, then you see all the tabs.
But you cannot add the tabs to a person who have already logged in to Cognos Connection. Then you have to erase his profile in Cognos Connection and he has to login again – or that you use a Cognos SDK script to copy a PORTAL TAB to his profile in Cognos.
More information:
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cfpm/v10r1m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.im.cognos.ug_cra.10.1.0.doc%2Fug_cra_id36310CustomizetheUserInterfaceBasedonGroupandR.html
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21351056
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21504740

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 server

Symptom:
User is not able to execute a event task from Cognos connection.

Error message:
CNC-ASV-0048 Error building report template: {0} CAF-WRN-2082 An error has occurred. Please contact your administrator. The complete error has been logged by CAF with SecureErrorID:2014-05-21-17:34:46.790-#24
Above is because you do not have any capability on the event.

CM-REQ-4012 You do not have the appropriate permissions to update or delete the object “/Transient/2014-05-21T13:44:32.295Z/ eventname” or a related object.

RSV-DST-0014 Unable to deliver the output of the report. See the run history details for more information. Ensure that the required services are started. Ensure that the user account is configured to distribute the output in the requested manner. CAF-WRN-2082 An error has occurred. Please contact your administrator. The complete error has been logged by CAF with SecureErrorID:2014-05-21-16:01:43.170-#2

Above because you do not have WRITE rights on the event object.

QE-DEF-0157 The Model or package /content/folder xxx does not exist or you are not allowed to use it because of security settings.

Above because you do not have rights on the framework package that is used by the event.

Solution:
Add the user to the Cognos groups for security or capabilities that will give rights to use Event Studio.

You also need to have WRITE rights on the event itself in Cognos Connection.
Go to the folder where you have your Event task, click on more.
Click set properties
Click on permissions
Ensure that the group the user is member of is here, and that it is Granted the;
Read, Write, Execute and Traverse rights.

Click OK and test with the user again.
You may have to logout and login again to make the security changes take affect.

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1
LICENSE_BI_SERVER_version=LICENSE_BI_SERVER-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.1019.0-0
LICENSE_BI_SERVER_name=IBM Cognos License
SWTAG_BI_SERVER_version=SWTAG_BI_SERVER-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.1012.0-0
SWTAG_BI_SERVER_name=SWTAG BI Server
C8BISRVR_version=C8BISRVR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.5000.275-0
C8BISRVR_name=IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Server
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 server

Issue:
What does IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes need?

Solution:
IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes is used to model dimensional metadata and to create dynamic cubes to use as data sources in the Content Manager. The software to create this is IBM Cognos Cube Designer for designing dynamic, aggregate, and create virtual cubes.

To install the IBM® Cognos® Dynamic Cubes software, perform the following tasks:

Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of the Business Intelligence Server software on a Windows, UNIX or Linux operating system.
Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of the Framework Manager software on computers configured for modeling dynamic cubes.
Ensure you have turned “User Account Control” to “Never Notify” before installing Cognos Cube Designer.
Install IBM Cognos Cube Designer on workstation for developer to create cubes.
Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of IBM Cognos Dynamic Query Analyzer on a 32-bit or 64-bit computer where the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Application Tier components are currently installed, that is the Cognos BI server itself.
Enable the 64-bit version of Report Server, inside Cognos Configuration.
Support for relational databases through JDBC connectivity.
Configure data connectivity to relational data sources.
Test the IBM Cognos Cube Designer installation, from the Framework Manager software.

The Report server component, included with the Application Tier Components, is provided in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Selecting which version you use is done by using IBM Cognos Configuration after installation. By default, the Report server component is set to use the 32-bit mode, even on a 64-bit computer. By using the 32-bit mode, you can run all reports, whereas by using the 64-bit mode, you can run only reports created for dynamic query mode. The DQM

The report server component, when installed with a Cognos BI 64 bit version ( in folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64 ) in default mode, where Report Server execution mode is set to 32 bit. The process of a report flow is simplified that it is sent from dispatcher to the DQM or CQM report engine depending on the report specification, after that it is sent back to the Report process to render report before showing it for users. The CQM report process and the rendering report process are inside the BIBusTKServerMain.exe. The old CQM (Classic Query Mode) process when inside BIBusTKServerMain.exe *32 is a 32 bit process.
When change the Report Server execution mode to 64 the BIBusTKServerMain.exe will start up as a 64 bit process, and can then only handle rendering questions. Not process CQM reports.

A 32 bit process have a limit of only accessing 4 GB of RAM. This can be a issue if you have complex reports, that need to calculate a lot of data before showing the resulting data in the Report, in case you should try to use DQM instead. In this 32 bit mode, the Cognos BI server can handle reports that access both DQM and CQM data sources. But it is not recommended to use for Dynamic Cubes, even to they can look to work. For Dynamic Cubes you need to setup a separate Cognos BI server with Report Server Execution Mode set to 64 bit.

Note: With Microsoft Windows 2008 R2, and later, the BIBusTKServerMain.exe*32 can use 4 GB of ram. In Microsoft Windows 2003 it should only use 2 Gb of ram, with default windows settings.

In 32 bit mode, the functions and cache benefits of DQM are there, and the DQM report process is using 64 bit mode and can use all memory. Suggestion is to start the new Cognos BI 10.2.1 server in this mode, and then test some reports with a DQM defined data source.

DQM uses the Query Service. If you set Query Service to false in Cognos Configuration, you disable DQM totally and also saves memory for because it is one JAVA process less. This is not recommended, if you going to use DQM.

Although the dynamic query mode (DQM) is supported in 32 bit installations of IBM Cognos BI servers, 64 bit servers are recommended for DQM. You should install Cognos BI 64 bit version.
The initial size and size limit of the JVM heap for DQM can be set in Cognos Administration via the Settings tab of the QueryService. By default each of these are set to 1 GB.

In production environments where Cognos Dynamic Cubes are not employed, it is recommended to set the initial heap size to 4 GB and the limit to 8 GB (a 64 bit server is required for memory settings above 2GB) and then monitor system resource usage during peak hours and adjust the settings accordingly.

For a server that is operating one or more Cognos Dynamic Cubes, the size limit of the query service should be set in accordance to the Dynamic Cubes hardware sizing recommendations.

Background:
Report Server Execution Mode:
There are 2 options 32-Bit and 64-bit

32 Bit mode supports CQM and DQM models
64 Bit mode only supports DQM models and Dynamic Cubes

Only 64 Bit mode of DQM supports Dynamic Cubes, this mean in most environment where you have a mix of reports and data sources that use both DQM and CQM, you need to set up more than one server and route the reports on the data source level (frame work package). So reports that will use Dynamic Cubes are routed to the Cognos BI server who have 64 Bit DQM mode, and also only supports DQM reports.

To prevent reports to be processed on a server that does not support them, you must implement Cognos Routing rules. This can be done in several ways, one is to apply a routing on Framework manager packages, like this:
Go to Cognos Connection and locate the package you would like to apply the routing to.
Click the set properties button for the package.
Under the Advanced routing section, click Set…
The Assign routing sets page appears. Type a routing keyword, “Sales Dept“, in the Type Routing Sets section and click Add.
Click OK. You will notice that the routing keywords are now displayed under Advanced routing.
On the Set properties page, click OK.
You also need to create server groups and add a routing rule.
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1 introduced a subtle change in the routing behavior, that untagged requests will be load-balanced across the whole system, instead the local Server Group only.

Before Cognos BI 10.2.1 a report that was send to a Cognos BI server, would stay in that server group that the first (primary) dispatcher was in. Meaning that Cognos BI reports would not be routed outside the server group of the first dispatcher. This have change, so now in Cognos BI 10.2.1 a report that is not connected to a “route set” on user or frame work manager package level, will be free to be processed on any of the Cognos BI reports servers in the solution.

If you implement Routing Rules in Cognos BI 10.2.1, you must have routing rules for all reports, to ensure that not any of them can end up uncontrolled on a Cognos BI server that does not have the data source it´s needs. Can be done by a routing rule that takes all reports to one server group. Set all the values to ANY and select a server group that will handle this reports.
• Package Routing Set:
• Group Routing Set:
• Role Routing Set:
This Routing Rule should be the last one in the list, because if a reports is found matching a previous routing rule, it is not processed further down the list.

More Information:

http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cbi/v10r2m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ig_rolap.10.2.0.doc%2Fc_installation_check_bi.html

http://www.ironsidegroup.com/2010/10/01/taking-control-%E2%80%93-ibm-cognos-advanced-dispatcher-routing/

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21427147

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/cognos/infrastructure/cognos_specific/page510.html

http://www.supernovae.be/blog_20130325_DistributedEnvironment

http://www.ironsidegroup.com/2013/06/04/ibm-cognos-10-dynamic-cubes-overview/

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21642000

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Oracle 11 database

Symptom:
When you try to change a Framework Manager model from Compatible Query Mode to Dynamic Query Mode you get a message:

Message:
BMT-IMP-0017 You cannot enable Dynamic Query Mode. The model contains data source(s) of unsupported type(s).

Possible Solution:
The data source inside the Framework Manager package does not have the properties for Schema or Interface set. This is needed in DQM.

Open the model in Framework Manager, and go to data sources.
In the properties tab check that you have the database schema at Schema line and expand the Type to check that the Interface is set (for example can be “OR”).

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Problem:
Sometimes when users run report or try to run a dashboard they get a blank screen or error message about DNS or no contact with server.
This is an environment where there are TWO Cognos gateways in front of the Cognos BI servers. Then there is a load balancer in front of the gateways, this should do that when user surf to the DNS alias for the gateway is routed to one of the Cognos BI gateways.
This to be able to handle more users than one Gateway can, and give some failover in case one of the Gateways brake down.
The error only comes when the users surf to the DNS alias for the gateway, if they instead surf to the servernname (in FQDN mode) for one of the gateway there is no issues. Surf like this http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos
If FQDN works, then the DNS service is OK.

Error Message:
Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage
What you can try: Dianose Connection Problems
or
IBM Cognos Workspace: Unable to connect to server
or
This page can’t be displayed

Solution:
After some investigation it was found that on Cognos web servers we had http header size set to 16kB, while on load balancer it was just 4kB. It was increased to 32kB on load balancer. This solved the problem.

Product
Cognos BI 8.4
Oracle database
Problem:
How do i get a list of all Packages in the Cognos Connection?

Solution:
Start SQL developer for ORACLE, connect to the Cognos BI Content Store.
Run below script (you need to adjust it for Microsoft SQL):

SELECT cmobjnames.cmid,
cmstoreids.storeid,
cmobjects.pcmid,
cmobjnames.name,
cmobjnames.mapdlocaleid,
cmobjnames.localeid,
cmlocales.locale,
cmclasses.name as type
FROM cmobjects, cmobjnames, cmclasses, cmstoreids, cmlocales
WHERE
cmobjects.cmid = cmobjnames.cmid
AND cmobjects.classid = cmclasses.classid
AND cmobjects.cmid = cmstoreids.cmid
AND cmclasses.name in(‘package’)
AND cmobjnames.localeid = cmlocales.localeid and cmlocales.locale in (‘en’)

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Client Internet Explorer 8 or 10
Client Windows 7

Symptom:
After change from Cognos BI 8.4 to Cognos BI 10.2.1 on new servers, the clients get a error message inside Internet Explorer when they try to run reports or click on folders inside Cognos Connection.
Click on Delete browser cache from inside Internet Options does not help.

If the user try to run the same report in FireFox from his computer it works.

Error message:
Internet Explorer Cannot display the webpage
DNS error

Solution:
You must manually erase the files in the IE cache.
From the TOOLS menu select Internet Options.
Select the General tab.
At Browsing History click on the Settings button.
Click on View Files button, to see the files inside the Temporary Internet files folder.
Select all files in this folder by pressing CTRL+A
Click on DELETE key on keyboard to erase the files.
Click X to close the directory.
Click OK to close the browser windows that are open.
Exit IE.

Start Internet Explorer again – and surf to Cognos Connection and see if it works better.