Information about Cognos Controller
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4
Microsoft Windows 2016 server
Problem:
New installed Cognos Controller client on citrix/terminal server give error when open a standard report in PDF.
Error message:
Suggested Solution:
Check that the user logged in to citrix, have access rights to run the program Adobe Reader. Can be limited by group polices in Windows.
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4
Microsoft Windows 2016
Oracle database 12c
Problem:
Get a error message when open Command Center dialog inside Cognos Controller client , in a new installation.
Error Messages examples:
Caused by: com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.NoSuchModelException: Unable to find instance of model of type: configproperty[ConfigPropertyModel]…….
Caused by: com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.WebServiceConnectionException: exceptionId=ERR.ANY.WEBSERVICECONNECTIONEXCEPTION.SERVICE_FAILED, …..
Caused by: com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.ResponseException: FAIL:com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.SQLRollbackException: Failed to rollback transaction….
Solutions to check:
Workaround is to use OJDBC5.JAR file in this locations on the Controller server:
c:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64
c:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\integration
c:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\FAP\lib
Even do CA11 can work with OJDBC7.JAR file, it may not be that Cognos Controller can it.
Check that file ccr-system-properties.properties and ccr-dbTypes.properties
in folder c:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\integration
are updated with Oracle information.
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21995182
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SS9S6B_10.3.1/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ctrl_inst.10.3.1.doc/t_usealternatejdbcdriver.html
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg22006798
Setup a TNS_ADMIN windows system variable to point to the TNSNAMES.ORA file
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21882992
Oracle driver OJDBC7.JAR file, will work for Cognos Controller, if you do not edit the ccr-dbTypes.properties file – leave it as default.
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4
Microsoft Windows 2016
Problem:
How create one silent install package, that can install to different environments. If the install script run in DEV it should point to the DEV controllerserver (e.g. by updating the ccr.exe.config file), same script should work for PROD.
Suggested Solution:
In case your terminal servers host name point out if it is DEV or PROD, like this;
DEV servers have TT in there servername like TT2345.
PROD servers have SRV in there servername like SRV2345, and PPE have PP in the servername.
Then you can create 3 uniq ccr.exe.config files, with a predefined line for each environment;
<add key=”WSSUrl” value=”http://DEVSERVER.COMPANY.COM/ibmcognos/controllerserver”/>
Place all files in the same folder on the server. 3 files of ccr.exe.config, with the middle part replaced with the environment tag. The client ccrlocalclient64.msi file and a BAT file with below code;
REM=================replace italic with your values=========
cd /D %~dp0
msiexec /qb /i CCRLocalClient64.Msi IBM_COGNOS_CONTROLLER=”C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client” WSSURL=http://controllerserver.company.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver HELPURL=http://webserver.company.com/ibmcognos/documentation/en/welcome.html
@setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
@echo off
set COGNOSVAL=NULL
call :CheckEnv %COMPUTERNAME%
call :CopyFile
Goto ScriptEND
:CheckEnv
echo %1
set str1=%1
if not x%str1:tt=%==x%str1% set COGNOSVAL=DEV
if not x%str1:pp=%==x%str1% set COGNOSVAL=PPE
if not x%str1:srv=%==x%str1% set COGNOSVAL=PROD
Goto END
:CopyFile
copy /Y ccr.%COGNOSVAL%.config “C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client\CCR.exe.config”
copy /Y CognosController.ps1 “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp\CognosController.ps1”
Goto END
:ScriptEND
endlocal
:END
REM=====================end of code==============
We also copy a ps1 file to the startup folder of Windows 2016.
The powershell cognoscontroller.ps1 file is run when a user logon to the terminal server, in that ps1 script you can have code to set that excel can open XLT files, and other things.
Update the BAT file with the your prod servers WSSURL and HELPURL, if the servername does not match Controller client is installed with this values.
Above show the line to update in the ccr.exe.config file.
The content of this file is copied to the users windows profile C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Cognos\ccr\ccr.config, when they start Cognos Controller Client for the first time.
To make above work, the Terminal Servers should not use a roaming profile.
Run the BAT file to install Cognos Controller, and it will copy the correct ccr.exe.config file to your program files folder.
More Information:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/folder-redirection/deploy-roaming-user-profiles
https://ss64.com/ps/push-location.html
https://www.tachytelic.net/2017/10/find-startup-folder-windows-server-2012-windows-server-2016/
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21640592
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21967963
https://allthingscognos.wordpress.com/category/cognos-controller/
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3.1
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 (Windows NT 6.2)
Issue:
What are the recommended settings for IIS Application Pools?
Recommendation:
For cognos controller and ICAPool that are used with Cognos Controller, recommended timeout is 600 minutes.
Login to the Cognos Controller Server.
Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager
Click on Applications Pools
Click on NET v4.5 or the one created for Controller.
Change Idle Time-Out (minutes) to 600.
Click OK.
Do the same for the other Applications Pool used by Cognos.
Cognos Controller Applications Pool should use the local system account.
Set the Cognos BI timeout value to same, open Cognos Configuration, and go to Security – Authentication, and change to 36000 seconds.
Save and restart your Cognos services in correct order. Cognos Content Manager service first.
Then you should change recycling of Application Pool for Cognos Controller to be at a defined time, and not after 29 hours.
Change this to it to be recycled at 1 AM at night, like below.
Also ensure that the logging of the recycling is active, this is not default in Windows 2012, see below to have it active.
More Information:
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21969315
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21990348
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3.1
Cognos Analytics 11.0.12
Planning Analytics 2.0.5
Problem:
What places should i change in Cognos in case i replace my Microsoft SQL database host to a new server?
First;
Stop all Cognos windows services.
Take a backup of the databases and copy them over to the new database server.
Ensure that the collation settings (sort order) is the same on old and new database instances.
Ensure that the SQL login have the correct dbowner rights on the database tables.
Start up the new database server.
Solution:
Cognos BI have connections to content store, and other databases you have setup from Cognos Configuration.
Start Cognos Configuration.
Go to Environment – Logging – Audit – Audit and change database server with port numbers value to the new SQL server.
Go to Data Access – Content Manager – Content Store, and change database server name value to the new SQL server.
Repeat the change for notification database,and any other database you have setup in Cognos configuration.
Save the changes and start the CA11 services, in case you have more than one BI server, start with the primary content manager first.
Surf to Cognos Connection, go to manage – administration console. Click on configuration tab. Go to Data Source Connections and in the right side click on the database link name. Then click on more in the right side.
Click on Set properties. Click on Connection tab. Click on pencil icon to edit the data source.
Change the server name to the new server, click on JDBC tab, and change Server name and port number to the new values. Click OK twice to save changes.
Test if the connection works.
Repeat for any data source you have here, that have changed database server.
Cognos Controller have database access that is stored in udl files, and is changed with IBM Cognos Controller Configuration program.
Start Controller Configuration on the Cognos Controller server.
Go to Database Connections – and for each database change the Data Source and click save.
Go to Report Server tab. Click on the check icon.
Press the REPAIR button, to update the data sources in Cognos Analytics.
Ensure that the windows user you are logged in to the Cognos Controller server, is system admin in CA11 Cognos connection, to make the update possible.
Go to Enhanced Reporting Optimizations tab – change the server name here. In most cases the file share for the ERO function is on the SQL server, and therefor need to be changed when you change your database server. Click save after each change, and you need to update each connection.
Ask the cognos controller users to test, by run a excel report with the ERO function active.
If the ERO share is on a file server (or the cognos controller server) you need to add the windows service account that the new SQL server is using to the file share, so the SQL server process have access to the files in this share.
The FAP service is configured in the C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\FAP\FAPService.properties file. Open it in notepad++.
db=FAP
host=changethistothenewdbservername
dbType=sqlserver
user=cognos
passwd=xxxxxxx
Host should be servername\\instancename or servername:port if the port is correct.
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21417314
Save the FAPService.properties file and start the IBM Cognos FAP Service.
Check the C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\FAP\error.log file for errors.
On the TM1 server there are ODBC connections to the SQL database, one is called FAP. All ODBC connections need to be updated to point to the new database server.
Export the values from registry and edit the server name in notepad.
Start Regedit program.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SOFTWARE – ODBC – ODBC.INI
Right click and select Export.
Save the file as ODBC_64.REG
Repeat the same for [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ODBC\ODBC.INI] to get the 32 bit ODBC drivers exported to a text file, like odbc_32.reg.
The file can look like below;
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ODBC\ODBC.INI\FAP]
“Driver”=”C:\\Windows\\system32\\sqlncli11.dll”
“Server”=”roger2”
“Database”=”FAP_database”
“LastUser”=”cognos”
Open the file in notepad and change the server to the new database server, save the file.
Double click on the reg file to register the new value for the ODBC connection.
Start the FAP client connect, and enter the new server name and any new username or password, step through the database on the source tab to ensure it point correct. Edit as below if needed.
You need to edit the server for the cognos controller database, on the source tab.
You need to update the Controller Web to the new database. Stop the IBM Controller Web service.
Start a CMD prompt and go to folder; cd d:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb
Enter the following command:
SyncDBConf.bat ..\Data wlp\usr\shared\config\datasources
Start the IBM Controller web service.
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21997329
More information:
https://www.ibm.com/software/reports/compatibility/clarity-reports/report/html/softwareReqsForProduct?deliverableId=13C73BD0195811E7A99D5014AD6C3D46&osPlatforms=Windows
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21882732&aid=3
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10735239
Microsoft Windows 2016 Server
Problem:
After upgrade to a later version of Cognos Controller 10.4, where also BI 10 have been replaced by CA11, the PDF shown inside Cognos Controller client is small. HTML reports works fine.
Solution:
The user profile of the user executing the report is referencing a style (also known as skin) from IBM Cognos Business Intelligence 10.
In IBM® Cognos® Analytics, in the lower-left corner, click icon for administration, select Administration Console.
On the Security tab, click Users, Groups, and Roles.
Click the namespace that contains the user.
Find the user whose preferences you want to view or change. You can use the Search feature to find a user Searching for entries using name, description, and name or description.
For that user – in the Actions column, click More.
Click Set preferences.
Click the different tabs to view or change the settings.
In the Preferences tab, choose Style Corporate.
Make the change and click OK.
Test again to run a report in Cognos Controller as PDF.
More Information:
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10739581
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_11.0.0/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ug_cra.doc/t_viewchange_userprofile.html
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4
Microsoft Windows 2016 server
Problem:
When doing currency conversation in a consolidation you get a error “ActiveX component can’t create object”.
When you check the Windows event log you find a error similar to this:
The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{4DAC0D14-D942-47CD-9A74-CBFC5BBFA14E}
and APPID
{6591F1B8-A9EF-45FA-A403-2850BD72D910}
to the user DOMAIN\USERNAME SID (S-1-5-21-55472620-132315974-3481569866-49656) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Service
Suggested Solution:
Login to the Cognos Controller Window server.
Go into IIS Manager
Go to the application pools.
Select the application pool for controller, can be NET v4.5 or Controller (depending what you have named it), and click advanced settings.
Under Process Model, change Identity from ApplicationPoolIdentity to LocalSystem.
Also ensure the Idle Time-out is 600 minutes, and not the default 20 minutes.
Click OK
Restart the IIS service.
You need also go into Controller Configuration
Change COM+ server to us Local System Account
Save the changes.
Retry the currency conversation.
More information:
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21608353
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21347488
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21459682
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3.1
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 server
Problem:
Cognos Controller Users are disconnected from Server, and have to start there Cognos Controller client again and login.
Suggested Solution:
Change the Recycle from default 29 hours to a specific time at night, when few users are using Cognos Controller.
Login to the Cognos Controller Server.
Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager
Click on Applications Pools
Click on DefaultAppPool or the one created for Controller.
On the right side click on Recycle…
Unmark the default of 1740 minutes intervals.
Mark Specific times
Enter 3:00 AM
Click Next
Click Finish.
Let the user test Cognos Controller more than a day before you define if this solve your issue.
More information:
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21990348
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21969315
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3.1
CONTRL_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.3.1100.216-0
CONTRL_name=IBM Cognos Controller
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 Server
Microsoft SQL 2012 database server
Problem:
How setup a dedicated server that will only run the schedules consolidation jobs?
Suggested solution:
Install complete CA11 (Cognos Bi) on the main server, and get it working.
Install complete Cognos Controller 10.3.1 on the main server and get it working.
Instructions on how
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=2ahUKEwjQsKjir4XdAhUJOpoKHU2qCucQFjACegQICBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww-01.ibm.com%2Fsupport%2Fdocview.wss%3Fuid%3Dswg21608353%26aid%3D1&usg=AOvVaw2dMBi4aGy__1hcdEVBaXU6
On the secondary server, that should only do controller schedule jobs.
Install the prerequisite components like IIS and SQL drivers.
Download SQLNCLI from here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50402
Install main Cognos Controller 10.3.1 on this secondary server.
Copy the SQL driver sqljdbc42.jar file to folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64.
Configure Controller Configuration to have one database connection to your main controller database. This will create the DATA folder.
Copy the UDL files from the main controller server to the consolidation server in folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\data.
Configure Controller Configuration to COM+ server setup, as of documentation.
Start the Batch Service in Controller Configuration.
Enter the url to the first server, as Report Server values;
Report server:
http://firstservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp
Dispatcher URI:
http://firstservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet/dispatch
Check that all the Cognos Controller services are installed.
Set IBM Cognos FAP Service and IBM Cognos Controller User Manager to Disabled.
Disable the IBM Cognos Controller Batch Service on the main controller server.
Check that IBM Cognos Controller Consolidation in Component Services is running when you do a scheduled consolidation.
If you do not have “IBM Cognos Controller User Manager” running on the same server where you have “IBM Cognos Controller Batch Service running”, then you can not schedule optimization of the Controller database – only schedule consolidation jobs.
Load balance as describe below, is not used in above setup;
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21677206
IBM Cognos Controller Web is manually installed in above picture, on this consolidation server. http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg22014043
Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3.1 (version 10.3.1100.166)
Cognos Analytics 11.0.8.11
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 Server
Problem:
After upgrade of Cognos Controller Client on Citrix server, the help menu does not work.
Error message:
Error Launching menu item “Help”.
Could not find a part of the path ‘c:\program files (x86)\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller\ctrl_ug_fapug_contectlinks.csv’.
at system.Net.FileWebRequest.EndGetResponse(IAsyncResultasyncResult) at…
Possible solution:
The file ccr.exe.config contain the wrong path. Open C:\Program Files\ibm\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client\ccr.exe.config in notepad.
Change the value
<add key=”CASUrl” value=”C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller\”/>
to
<add key=”CASUrl” value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client\”/>
Save the file and try again.
Check also that <add key=”HelpUrl” value=”http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter“/> point to the correct web address.
Example of the ccr.exe.config file:
<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”utf-8″?>
<!–
IBM SOURCE CODE HEADER START
# =====================================================================
# IBM Confidential
#
# OCO Source Materials
#
# IBM Cognos Products: ccr
#
# (C) Copyright IBM Corp. 2004, 2014
#
# The source code for this program is not published or otherwise
# divested of its trade secrets, irrespective of what has been
# deposited with the U.S. Copyright Office.
# =====================================================================
# IBM SOURCE CODE HEADER END
–>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name=”profile”>
<section name=”Settings” type=”System.Configuration.NameValueSectionHandler, System, Version=1.0.3300.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089, Custom=null”/>
</sectionGroup>
<section name=”log4net” type=”log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net” requirePermission=”false”/>
</configSections>
<profile>
<Settings>
<add key=”SelectDb” value=”true”/>
<add key=”Language” value=”2057″/>
<add key=”CASUrl” value=”C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client\”/>
<add key=”WSSUrl” value=”http://servername/ibmcognos/controllerserver”/>
<add key=”HelpUrl” value=”http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter”/>
<add key=”InstallExcelLink” value=”false”/>
<add key=”CacheDir” value=””/>
</Settings>
</profile>
<system.web>
<webServices>
<soapExtensionTypes>
<add type=”ClientExtension, ControllerExtension” priority=”0″ group=”0″/>
</soapExtensionTypes>
</webServices>
</system.web>
<log4net>
<root>
<level value=”ERROR”/>
<appender-ref ref=”CCRClient”/>
</root>
<appender name=”CCRClient” type=”log4net.Appender.FileAppender”>
<staticLogFileName value=”false”/>
<file type=”log4net.Util.PatternString”>
<conversionPattern value=”${LOCALAPPDATA}\CCRClientLogs\%date{MM_dd_yyyy}.txt”/>
</file>
<appendToFile value=”true”/>
<layout type=”log4net.Layout.PatternLayout”>
<conversionPattern value=”%date %-5level %logger – %message%newline”/>
</layout>
</appender>
</log4net>
</configuration>
Then in the users profile, check the same values are correct, in the file /appdata/roaming/cognos/ccr/ccr.config.