Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2
Microsoft SQL 2016 database server

Problem:
You have two environment, PROD and TEST, and want from same computer client be able to connect with same Cognos Controller 10.3 client to these environments. You can not have two different versions on Cognos Controller client installed at the same time on your laptop, because it is risk that it will not work with the Cognos Controller Excel add-in. Here it is same version of Cognos Controller client that should talk to two different Controller Application servers.

Possible solution:
Please take care and ensure that the client works with the correct database, and that you always clear the local cache inside Cognos Controller 10.3 when you start the program. This to ensure you do not have data from the other database inside the client.

Install the Cognos Controller client from the CCRLOCALCLIENT64.MSI file (that you find on the controller server in folder
C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\webcontent\ccr ).
Here you have instructions on how to install Cognos Controller 10.3 client
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21608353

After the installation, then you on the client create this files.
Go to folder C:\Program Files\ibm\IBM Cognos Controller Local Client\
Copy the file ccr.exe to ccrtest.exe and ccrprod.exe, so you have 3 exe files in the folder.
Copy the file ccr.exe.config to ccrtest.exe.config and ccrprod.exe.config, important the names match the previous names.
Then open ccrprod.exe.config in notepad.
It is only the row WSSUrl you need to change – so it point to the TEST or the PROD server.

<add key=”WSSUrl” value=”http://controllerPRODservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver”/>

update the ccrprod.exe.config text file and then save it.

update then ccrtest.exe.config text file with the TEST server name and save it. Also only on this row  <add key=”WSSUrl” value=”http://controllerTESTserver/ibmcognos/controllerserver”/>

Now you have a CCRPROD.EXE that will use the CCRPROD.EXE.CONFIG file to find the server when you start the program.

Now right click on CCRPROD.EXE and select “create shortcut” – place the shortcut on the desktop.
Now right click on CCRTEST.EXE and select “create shortcut” – place the shortcut on the desktop.

There should now be TWO icons for Cognos Controller 10.3 on the desktop of this user.
(if you want to install this on several users, then you should copy the 2 *.exe and the 2 *.config files you created and the 2 ccr – shortcut files to each users hard-disk, keeping them in the same folders as now.).

To start Cognos Controller 10.3 for the test environment, then you click on the CCRTEST.EXE icon.
After you have logged in, you go to menu Maintain – Special Utilities – Clear Local Cache.
Then you can start working in your Cognos Controller 10.3 Client session.

To see what database you are using in the program toolbar – go to Maintain – User – Personal Defaults
On the Layout tab, mark windows setting “Display Data Source and User ID”.
Click OK.

Restart your Cognos Controller 10.3 client program.

============== This is how the ccr.exe.config file can look like===================

<?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.domain.com/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>

==================================================================================

Here you can download the Cognos Controller 10.3 fix pack 1 version
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24043262

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 Server
Microsoft SQL 2014 server

Problem:
Surf to controller web give blank page. If you try to surf to http://localhost:9080/fcm.web/login instead of http://servername:9080/fcm.web/login it works fine.

Solution:
Ensure you surf to FQDN and that is in your Trusted Zone in IE. Local intranet zone is not good enough. You must surf to http://servername.domain.com:9080/fcm.web/

How to install Controller web:
During installation on your Cognos Controller server select to install the controller web parts.
This will create the folder C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb

Locate the file server.env in the C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\etc\ folder.
Open the file server.env and set the JAVA_HOME installation directory to JAVA_HOME=C:/Program Files/IBM/cognos/ccr_64/fcmweb/jre/jre.
To synchronize Controller Web with Uniform Data Language (UDL) files defined for databases used by Controller, run SyncDBConf.bat as an administrator from the command prompt.

SyncDBConf.bat takes two parameters:
The UDL files folder: the path to the folder containing UDL files (specifying database connections) defined for Cognos Controller.
The datasource folder: the output path for the folder that shall contain the data sources generated from the UDL files.
For example:
C:/Program Files/IBM/cognos/ccr_64/fcmweb/SyncDBConf.bat       ..\Data     wlp\usr\shared\config\datasources

Locate the file com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties in the C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.web folder.
Open the file com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties and set the login mode to loginMode=NATIVE.

Optionally you can change the available memory.
Locate the file jvm.options in the C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\etc\ folder.
This is part of that file;

# Java Heap size.
# In production, setting min and max to same value can provide the best performance by avoiding heap expansion and contraction.
# But high min value increases startup time, which may be undesired in a dev environment.
-Xms2g
-Xmx4g

Create a Microsoft Windows service by running the file install_service.bat in the folder C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\install_service.bat.
In the Windows Services console find IBM Cognos Controller Web and start the service.
Log in to Controller Web via your browser using the following url: http://[servername.domain.com]:9080/fcm.web/login.

The Controller web server name must be in TRUSTED ZONE in internet explorer.
Go to the Control panel on your workstation – click on internet options.
Click on Security tab
Mark Trusted sites and click on Sites button.
Enter the name of your Controller web server and click add. You may need to untick the “require server verification for all sites in this zone”.

You must surf to http://servername.domain.com:9080/fcm.web/

If you surf to http://servername.domain.com:9080/FCM.WEB/ you get a message like this

IBM WebSphere Application Server
Context Root Not Found

Close IE and try again with correct address.

If you surf to http://servername.domain.com:9080/ you get a message like this
Update Available. Click to download WebSphere Application Server Liberty Runtime

Do not update – close IE and try again with correct address.

If you change the Cognos controller databases, after the initial configuration of IBM Controller Web, then you need to stop the Controller Web Windows service, before you run SyncDBConf.bat again to collect the new database definitions.

To make Controller WEB work with CAM (Cognos Access Manager) :

You must configure IBM Cognos BI to not allow for anonymous authentication. You must also specify the Controller Web settings as below.

In the Cognos BI installation folder, /templates/ps/portal/, create a file with the name variables_CCRWeb.xml.
The content of the file variables_CCRWeb.xml must be as follows:

<CRNenv c_cmd=”http://controllerservername:9080/fcm.web/cam_login”>

<cookies>

<param name=”cam_passport”/>

</cookies>

</CRNenv>

Locate the file com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties in the C:\Program Files\IBM\cognos\ccr_64\fcmweb\wlp\usr\servers\fcm.web folder.
Open the file com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.properties and set the following properties:

biUrl: the URL that the user must go to when CAM authentication is needed. This property is only valid for CAM login mode.
biDispatchEndpoint: the endpoint to which Controller Web connects to validate CAM users and CAM passports. This property is only valid for CAM login mode.
loginMode: the authentication type. The accepted values are: CAM and NATIVE.

This is how it can be in the file;

# IBM SOURCE CODE HEADER START
# =====================================================================
# OCO Source Materials
#
# BI and PM: ccr
#
# (C) Copyright IBM Corp. 2004, 2009. All Rights Reserved
#
# 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

### SYSTEM RUNTIME SETTINGS ####
# See com.ibm.cognos.fcm.web.ui.infrastructure.SingletonSystemContext for current details

# global grace period before revalidating cache (milliseconds). Default: 6000 ms (if not defined)
# cache.validation.graceperiod=6000

### REALTIME EVENTS ###
# Examples:
# applicationID=fcm.web
# realtime=true
# jms=false

### CLASSIC and BI SERVER ###

# @TOKEN@ elements below must be transformed during deployment to match actual installation.
# Login mode can be set to NATIVE or CAM.
# Examples:
ccrwsUrl=http://controllerservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver/ccrws.asmx
biUrl=http://biservername.domain.com /ibmcognos/cgi-bin/cognosisapi.dll
biDispatchEndpoint=http://biservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet/dispatch
loginMode=CAM
# loginMode=NATIVE

# eof

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21997780
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21998917

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21984087

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 Server Standard
Microsoft SQL 2016 database server

Problem:
How copy a controller database to test database?

Solution:
Take a backup of your existing controller prod database in Microsoft SQL.
You can export the backup by use of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio or from a command line on the SQL Express server with this command:

SqlCmd -U admin -P cognos123 -S .\SQLEXPRESS -Q “BACKUP DATABASE [ControllerLive] TO DISK=’C:\backup\ControllerLive.bak’ “

Above is if you use SQL login admin with password cognos123, and the database name to take backup of is named ControllerLive. Enter the command in Notepad++ and save as a ANSI cmd file – that you then run from an administrative command prompt on the SQL server.

SqlCmd -E -S .\SQLEXPRESS -Q “BACKUP DATABASE [ControllerLive] TO DISK=’C:\backup\databases\ControllerLive.bak’ “

Above is when you use Windows authentication and the logged in Windows user on the SQL server is executing the SQL backup. You need to update the path to reflect your environment.
This BAK file is then copied to the server where you have your test environment.

Best is to restore the BAK file with use of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. But if you know the logical name of the database you can use a script like this:
SqlCmd -E -S .\SQLEXPRESS -Q “RESTORE DATABASE [ControllerTEST] FROM DISK=’C:\backup\databases\ControllerLive.bak’ WITH RECOVERY, MOVE ‘ControllerLive’ TO ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA\ControllerTest.mdf’, MOVE ‘ControllerLive_Log’ TO ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA\ControllerTest.ldf’ “

You need to update the path to the correct ones for your environment.

After the Controller Database is restored you in most cases need to connect the SQL login with this SQL query that you run in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio:
Sp_change_users_login ‘update_one’,’frango’,’frango’
Replace frango with the login name you use for your controller database.

Now the controller database is setup as ControllerTest, you need to go to the Cognos Controller server and add this database to Controller.
Inside IBM Cognos Controller Configuration mark the Database Connections tab and click on the NEW icon.
Enter database type to SQL Server.
Enter name to ControllerTest (or what you find most useful for the user to see)
Enter Provider to SQLNCLI11.1
Enter User ID to frango (or the SQL name to login to the database)
Enter Password to xxxxx (the password you have set on the SQL login)
Enter Initial catalog to ControllerTest (the name of the database in SQL)
Enter Data source to servername of the SQL server (and do not use FQDN)
Click on save.
Click on Check.
Click on Run, to start the DBCONV program.

Click on Connect to see version of the database.
If the Current version and upgrade to version number is not the same for Controller DB, then click on upgrade button.
Click on Close.

Go to Report Server and click on the green Check icon.
Then Controller will check if the new database exists in Cognos Connection.
If not, a REPAIR button will appear inside Cognos Controller Configuration.
Click on the REPAIR button (this will only work if the Windows user that is logged into the controller server is system admin inside Cognos Connection).
Report server connections have been created successfully.

Now you should restart the Windows server where Cognos controller are to ensure that the batch routine recognize the new database.

Then when this is done the super user of Cognos Controller should start their Controller client and login to see that the new database is working.

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg22001683
https://www.howtogeek.com/50295/backup-your-sql-server-database-from-the-command-line/
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21347969&aid=5

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3 fix pack 1 =
(IBM Cognos Controller Version 10.3.1.43
Integration Version 10.3.1.19
Install/Updater Kit Version 10.3.1.29)
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 server
Microsoft SQL 2014 database

Problem:
After upgrade to new version of Cognos Controller 10.3 when you go into the new IBM Cognos Controller Financial Analytics Publisher client (FAP) and click edit on a Source that have log level “detailed” you get a error message.

Other controller database “sources” that are listed work fine to be open by EDIT button in FAP client.

Error message:

See the end of this message for details on invoking

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

 

************** Exception Text **************

System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: InvalidArgument=Value of ‘3’ is not valid for ‘SelectedIndex’.

Parameter name: SelectedIndex

at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.set_SelectedIndex(Int32 value)

at FAPClient.frmEditSource.frmEditSource_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

 

************** Loaded Assemblies **************

mscorlib

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework64/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll

—————————————-

FAPClient

Assembly Version: 10.3.1.19

Win32 Version: 10.3.1.19

CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files/ibm/cognos/ccr_64/webcontent/ccr/FAPClient.exe

—————————————-

Microsoft.VisualBasic

Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 12.0.20806.33440 built by: FX45W81RTMREL

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll

—————————————-

System

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

—————————————-

System.Core

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll

—————————————-

System.Windows.Forms

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

—————————————-

System.Drawing

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

—————————————-

System.Runtime.Remoting

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll

—————————————-

C1.Win.C1FlexGrid.4

Assembly Version: 4.0.20153.110

Win32 Version: 4.0.20153.110

CodeBase: file:///E:/Program%20Files/ibm/cognos/ccr_64/webcontent/ccr/C1.Win.C1FlexGrid.4.DLL

—————————————-

System.Xml

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll

—————————————-

System.Configuration

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll

—————————————-

System.Data

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36372 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_64/System.Data/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Data.dll

—————————————-

System.Numerics

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Numerics/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Numerics.dll

—————————————-

System.Transactions

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_64/System.Transactions/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Transactions.dll

—————————————-

System.EnterpriseServices

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.33440 built by: FX45W81RTMREL

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_64/System.EnterpriseServices/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.EnterpriseServices.dll

—————————————-

Microsoft.GeneratedCode

Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.36366 built by: FX452RTMLDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll

—————————————-

 

************** JIT Debugging **************

To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this

application or computer (machine.config) must have the

jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.

The application must also be compiled with debugging

enabled.

 

For example:

 

<configuration>

<system.windows.forms jitDebugging=”true” />

</configuration>

 

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception

will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer

rather than be handled by this dialog box.

Possible workaround:
Looks like the new version of FAP does not support detail logging.
In old version of Controller FAP this setting would show DEBUG log level. Please ensure you take a backup of the SQL database before you do any changes in it. If this does not work, you can restore the Controller FAP database.
So go into Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
Connect to the database server there you have your controllerfap database.
Select you ControllerFap database and on table dbo.NRTR_SOURCE right click and select Edit Top 200 Rows.
Far to the right you have column “LogLevel” – here there is a value of 40, change that to 30, for the source you get the error.
Exit out and check that your update is there with SQL command:

SELECT TOP 100 [Name]
,[Status]
,[Type]
,[UserName]
,[Password]
,[NRTRPurgeDate]
,[NRTRPurgeSecNum]
,[NRTRPurgeTextSecNum]
,[CCRMoveIndex]
,[CCRTextMoveIndex]
,[CCRDBUrl]
,[LogLevel]
,[Info]
,[Interval]
,[IntervalCounter]
FROM [ControllerFAP].[dbo].[NRTR_SOURCE]

Now go into your FAP client and on the source tab
mark the name of the data source who have detailed loglevel and click on Edit button.
You should now get into the edit dialog without errors.

The loglevel in “edit source..” show High, instead of Detail as listed.
You can update the server value.
The port number is missing do, so you may need to add it 1433.
Click on Test Connection to see that it works.
Click Save.

You have now updated the FAP to work with the new ControllerFAP database on the new SQL server.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 server

Problem:
When starting the Cognos Controller client for the first time in a new installation, you get a error like this:
An error occurred while trying to access the server.
Details give:
The request failed with HTTP status 405: Method Not Allowed.
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] parameters)
at Cognos.Controller.ControllerSoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodname, Object[] parameters)
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.Light.WSLight.CheckServerConnection(String sGuid, String sUser)
at Cognos.Controller.Direct.ServerInfoD.CheckServerConnection()
at CCR.AppContext.CheckConnectionToServer()

If you start Internet explorer and surf to
http://APPSERVER:80/ibmcognos/controllerServer/ccrws.asmx
you get a HTTP error 404

Solution:
Ensure that on the Cognos Controller server you have installed windows roles for .NET extensibility 4.5 and ASP.NET 3.5 and ASP.NET 4.5 under Application Development for IIS server role.

This show some of what need to be in the Windows server to make Cognos Controller work:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21986254

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21653361

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Oracle 12c database
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Server

Problem:
Standard Error generated when running Multi Period Locking report, and you have not selected a “Use Filter”.

Error message:
“Number: 5
Source: FrangoDirect.PerLockHandler.SelectMultiPerLocks#System.Web.Services
Description: System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException:
Server was unable to process request. —> System.InvalidCastException:
Conversion from type ‘DBNull’ to type ‘Date’ is not valid……..”

Possible Solution:
Set a Selected filter when using “Multi Period Locking” and run the report for a specific period.

This is different behavior since Controller version 10.1.1 where this did not give a error.

Other workaround is to enter a date in the column for date in the “Define Submission” dialog in Cognos Controller for all rows.

More Information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21977555

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Oracle 12c database
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 server

Problem:
Got error in Cognos Controller client when doing a database optimization or run a Reconcile – Intercompany Balances.

Error message:
An unexpected error has occurred

System.ArgumentException: System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.Exception: fgsql c:\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\progs\fgsql.prg Error in line 324 Connection handle is invalid. 1466……

Solution:
Only the 64 bit oracle drivers are installed. Install the 32 bit oracle drivers on the Cognos Controller server.
The small calculations component is still 32 bit in the 64 bit version of Cognos Controller. Therefor you must have both 64 bit and 32 bit database drivers installed on the Controller servers.

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21365329
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21677791
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21676449

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2012 server

Problem:
At start of cognos controller client, from a new installation, you get a error message.

Error message:
An error occurred while trying to access the server.
http://localhost/ibmcognos/controllerserver

The request failed with HTTP status 404: Not Found.
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] parameters)
at Cognos.Controller.ControllerSoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodname, Object[] parameters)
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.Light.WSLight.CheckServerConnection(String sGuid, String sUser)
at Cognos.Controller.Direct.ServerInfoD.CheckServerConnection()
at CCR.AppContext.CheckConnectionToServer()

Solution:
The app folder in IIS for controllerserver was misspelled, recreate the application controllerserver in IIS manager.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Server

Problem:
When setup the “database connections for publish to datamart” and click save, you get a error like this:
The ConnectionString property has not been initialized.
An unkown error occurred. Please contact your system administrator for assistance.

Solution:
Ensure that all the steps for upgrade of the Controller/datamart database have been done with the controller DBCONV program.

Open Database Conversion Utility
Select the UDL file and click connect
Select Controller DB or Datamart DB accordingly
Click on Upgrade button, if the current version number is lower than the Upgrade to number.

Please also ensure that the timeout on IIS are long.
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21963432

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Server

Problem:
After new installation of Cognos Controller on old server, you get a error when you surf to Cognos Connection.

Error Message:
Server Error in Application “DEFAULT WEB SITE”Internet Information Services 7.5
Error Summary
HTTP Error 403.14 – Forbidden
The Web server is configured to not list the contents of this directory. Detailed Error Information
Module DirectoryListingModule
Notification ExecuteRequestHandler
Handler StaticFile
Error Code 0x00000000
Requested URL http://localhost:80/ibmcognos/
Physical Path C:\Program Files (x86)\ibm\cognos\c10\webcontent\
Logon Method Anonymous
Logon User Anonymous

Solution:
You need to change the virtual directory’s and applications inside IIS to point to the correct folder. The new controller program uses this folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\webcontent
Change all settings inside IIS manager for Cognos Controller and try again.