Product:
Cognos Controller FAP service
Windows 2012 R2
Microsoft SQL database

Symptom:
Start FAP Initial Publish for first time, after a half hour you get a fail message. Also show “java.lang.StackOverflowError” if you hold your mouse over the message in FAP log dialog.
You try by restart and new test but get same result again.

Text in C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\Server\FAP\error.log file can be:

2015-08-25 17:47:42,429 [schedulerThread] INFO Scheduler – FAP service started on host:SEservername.domainsweden.com
2015-08-25 18:15:30,786 [pool-4-thread-7] ERROR RetryInterceptor – Trial 1 failed for method populateMonthlyPeriod
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor25.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:56)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:620)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.retry.RetryInterceptor.intercept(RetryInterceptor.java:45)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.persistence.dao.period.PeriodFAPDaoMSSqlServer$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$519ff1f8.populateMonthlyPeriod()
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:182)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)

at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.Period.addMonthlyPeriodIfItNotExist(Period.java:184)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.facts.BaseFactsHandler.addPeriodsIfTheyNotExist(BaseFactsHandler.java:276)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.facts.CompositeFactsHandler.addPeriodsIfTheyNotExist(CompositeFactsHandler.java:258)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.dimension.facts.Facts$Transformer.run(Facts.java:128)
at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:483)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:274)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1157)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:627)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:801)
Caused by:
java.lang.StackOverflowError
at java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList.toArray(CopyOnWriteArrayList.java:364)
at java.util.logging.Logger.accessCheckedHandlers(Logger.java:1368)
at java.util.logging.LogManager$RootLogger.accessCheckedHandlers(LogManager.java:1507)
at java.util.logging.Logger.getHandlers(Logger.java:1362)
at java.util.logging.Logger.log(Logger.java:624)
at java.util.logging.Logger.doLog(Logger.java:653)
at java.util.logging.Logger.log(Logger.java:676)
at java.util.logging.Logger.severe(Logger.java:1162)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSParser.throwUnexpectedTokenException(tdsparser.java:97)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSParser.parse(tdsparser.java:88)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.getNextResult(SQLServerStatement.java:1488)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.processResults(SQLServerStatement.java:1135)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.processBatch(SQLServerStatement.java:1123)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.processExecuteResults(SQLServerStatement.java:1115)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerPreparedStatement$PrepStmtExecCmd.processResponse(SQLServerPreparedStatement.java:347)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.TDSCommand.close(IOBuffer.java:4660)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.discardLastExecutionResults(SQLServerStatement.java:93)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.closeInternal(SQLServerStatement.java:583)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerPreparedStatement.closeInternal(SQLServerPreparedStatement.java:172)
at com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerStatement.close(SQLServerStatement.java:595)
at org.apache.commons.dbcp.DelegatingStatement.close(DelegatingStatement.java:168)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.dao.BaseDao.closeJDBCObjects(BaseDao.java:85)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.persistence.dao.period.PeriodFAPDao.populateMonthlyPeriod(PeriodFAPDao.java:135)
… 5294 more

Solution:
Try with a different Cognos Controller database as a source. Try with less period of data, only select 6 months instead of 18 months inside the FAP manager client.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1 Fix Pack 2
Microsoft Windows 2012 Server

Problem:
After installation of Cognos Controller 10.2.1 Fix Pack 2 on a existing Cognos Controller 10.2.1 installation the Windows services are missing:
IBM Cognos Controller Java Proxy
IBM Cognos Controller User Manager

Maybe because the service is set to use a windows account different from the person logged in to the server doing the installation – can caused this error.

Error in log file isconfig-UPDATER_CNTRL-20151124_1249.log:

Error: Failed to retrieve environment variable “JAVA_HOME”.
==== Component: ccrconfigappserver ====
Setup File: ‘C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\bin\wct\ccrconfigappserver.xml’
Macro Definition: ‘InstallDir’ = ‘C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64’

Solution:
1. Reboot the Controller application server.

If this fails to solve the problem, go to step 2.

2. Logon to the Controller application server as a Windows administrator
3. Launch a command prompt (START – RUN – “CMD” )
4. Type the following command:

sc create frLicServer binpath= “C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\FrLicServer.exe” DisplayName= “IBM Cognos Controller User Manager” depend= RpcSs start= auto

5. Type the following command:

sc create “IBM Cognos Controller Java Proxy” binpath=”C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\server\CCRProxy.exe” DisplayName=”IBM Cognos Controller Java Proxy” depend=RpcSs start=auto

More Information
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24041193
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21680788
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21602419

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1 Fix Pack 2
Microsoft Windows 2012 Server

Problem:
After installation of Cognos Controller 10.2.1 Fix Pack 2 on a existing Cognos Controller 10.2.1 installation, the FAP program give error when you login to the FAP client.

Because you have forgotten to upgrade the FAP database to the new version 9.
Error:
Microsoft NET Framework
Unhandled exception has occurred in your application.

Invalid Length for a Base-64 char array.

Solution:
1. Go to the Controller Configuration
2. Go to the Database settings
3. Create a new connection to the FAP database
4. Save and test it
5. Click on RUN to go to the DBCONV program
6. Select FAP
7. Click Connect
8. Click Upgrade
9. Click Close
Try again to start the Financial Analytics Publisher client and login.

More information
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21602419
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS9S6B_10.2.1/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ctrl_inst.10.2.1.doc/c_win_ctrl_installfap.html%23win_ctrl_InstallFAP

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1
Windows 2012 R2 Server

Problem:
When a user that is logged into Cognos Controller clicks on the Excel icon to start excel from Cognos Controller, there is a message that the ADM user is already logged in.

Solution:
Somehow the user is noted as still logged in into Excel even do the program is closed.
Ensure all users are logged out of Cognos Controller by checking Maintain – Users – Active Users.
Go to the Controller server and restart the service “IBM Cognos Controller User Manager”.
This will throw out all users, even stuck ones, and you should be able to login again.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1
Windows 2012 R2 Server

Symptom:
User cannot login to Cognos Controller – they are prompted for user and password; with the old login dialog box you have when you run NATIVE login to Cognos Controller.
There worked yesterday to login with CAM SSO, that is connected to the Active Directory.

Possible Solution:
Login to the Cognos Controller applications server as administrator.
Right click on Controller Configuration and select “Run as Administrator”.
Go to the Server Authentication tab.
Change the “selected authentication method” from CAM Authentication to NATIVE.
Click on SAVE icon.
Change the “selected authentication method” from NATIVE to CAM Authentication.
Click on SAVE icon.

Then ask the users to try to login with the Cognos Controller client again. If all is well then should come in.

If that does not help, restart the Controller Applications server in a controlled manner.
This issue can have come from a reboot of the Controller Windows server, and some Controller services have not loaded correctly.

Remember to always use “run as administrator” when you change in configuration. Otherwise your changes are stored in folder c:\users\%username%\appdata\local\virtualstore\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\data\.

Produkt:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Server

Issue:
In the list of data sources in Cognos Controller Configuration is more databases than in the list that is shown for the Cognos Controller user when he log on to the Cognos Controller application with his Cognos Controller client program.
The Controller Configuration program was started on server as a normal user.
Solution:
When you start Controller Configuration program on the Windows server, you must start it with “Run as Administrator” to make it read the udl file from folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\data\
Otherwise it will read the files from folder (and that can be different content):
C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\data\
The Controller services will only read the UDL files from the real C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\data\ folder.
For security, New Windows OS forbids programs from writing to a variety of “sensitive” areas, among them the Windows folder and the Program Files folder. That includes all subfolders of Program Files, so this ban would be a hardship on older programs that store INI files or data files along with the program itself. To avoid disabling these programs, Windows OS lies to them. When they try to write to a banned location, it says “Sure, no problem!” but actually saves the data in a holding area called the Virtual Store. And when the program tries to read back the data it wrote, Windows Operating System slips in the data from the Virtual Store. The old program works fine, and other programs aren’t affected. A similar process handles programs that write to now-forbidden areas of the Registry.
Start – run command and enter %localappdata%\VirtualStore\ to see this users store.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2325762,00.asp

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1
Cognos TM1 10.2.2
Cognos BI 10.2.1

Symptom:
When publish from FAP program to TM1 cube with a Windows account you cannot login. But same account work when you access the TM1 cube from TM1 Architect.

Background:
TM1 and Controller are using CAM authentication against a BI server that is connected to the Company’s Active Directory.
The windows user account is in a different sub domain, than the TM1 and Controller servers, that are in an other sub domain in the Company Active Directory.
The FAP program cannot add sub domain information at login, as you can when you login to TM1 Architect.
If you use a Windows account that is in the same sub domain as the TM1 server, then the login works.

Solution:
Check the name space connection string at the Cognos Configuration on the BI server. It should point to the top of the AD domain. If it point to a single AD server in the domain, that server cannot have access of the whole AD, and therefor miss the account. This because the sub domain info is not passed on from the FAP program.
Ensure that the AD connection point to the top of the domain, or to a load balancer in front of the AD servers.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1 fix pack 4
Windows 2012 R2 server

Problem:
How install the Cognos Controller client on a Citrix server?

Fix pack downloaded from here
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24041934
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24042066

Solution:
The IBM Cognos Controller client has the following 3rd party dependencies that needs to be satisfied:
1. Microsoft .net Framework 2.0SP2 (Present in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 from start).
2. In the case where IBM Cognos Controller 10.2.1FP4 is installed to run as a local client on a Windows 10 client machine, it is required that Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 is installed.
3. Acrobat Reader 9.3 or ‘X’.
4. Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010, 2013, 2016.
5. Internet Explorer 8 or 9 or 10 or 11.

Copy the ccrlocalclient.msi file from folder c:\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\webcontent\ccr
To a share you created for the installation.
In that share create a text file called EXCEL.EXE.CONFIG with this content:

<configuration>
  <startup>
     <supportedRuntime version=”v2.0.50727″/>
  </startup>
 <runtime>                                                               
 <generatePublisherEvidence enabled=”false”/>                           
</runtime>
 </configuration>

Then you can install Controller program from the share to the local computer.

The Controller client installation in Citrix is performed in a similar way to any local installation. There are however a few things to observe in the installation process as Controller is installed in a shared Citrix environment.

The installation steps in Citrix are as follows:
1. Copy the ‘Excel.exe.config’ file to the Office installation folder (needs to be in the same location as excel.exe.)
2. Set terminal server in install mode, at the command prompt type:

change user /install

3. Run the installation from the command-line (convenient way to supply configuration parameters):

msiexec /i ccrlocalclient.msi WSSURL=http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver HELPURL=http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerhelp

4. Change back to execute mode:

change user /execute

5. Check the following registry key to ensure that not all users get the Controller Excel-link loaded from start:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\Install\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Excel\Options

There are different ways to check this, however, at the lowest level of this key there should not be an ‘OPEN’ value pointing to ‘/R \controllerxl.xll’ present!

In Internet Explorer the Cognos Controller server must be with the local sites to allow SSO login.
Go to Internet Options
Click Security tab
Select Local Intranet and click Sites button
Click Advanced button
Enter the url for the server ( http://servername.domain.com ) and click ADD
Repeat for only server name ( http://servername ) and click ADD
Click Close
Click OK
Click OK

More information
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa367988%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
http://www-969.ibm.com/software/reports/compatibility/clarity-reports/report/html/softwareReqsForProduct?deliverableId=1375106167322&osPlatforms=Windows#sw-2
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21608353

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.1
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2
Microsoft SQL 2012 database in cluster setup

Symptom:
After the SQL cluster have rolled from Node A to Node B, then the first Controller user to login and run a standard report get an error message. He run the report a second time and it gives the same error message. The third time he run the report it works fine. Same issue for other reports.
Thereafter the reports work fine inside Cognos Controller, until next time you role the Cluster.

Error Message:
RQP-DEF-0177
Ett fel inträffade när åtgärden ‘sqlStart’ status=’-121’ utfördes.
UDA-SQL0564 [Microsoft OLE DB Provdier for SQL Server][DBNETLIB]
General network error.
(SQLSTATE=08S01, SQLERRORCODE=11)

Solution:
After you have shifted the SQL cluster, restart the Cognos BI service on the Application server.
Wait the 5 minutes it takes to restart the IBM Cognos service, and then login to Cognos Controller client and test again to run report. Now it should work the first time.

The Cognos BI service check if it have contact with the database, if it loose contact – it will not use that node for some time.

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21378301

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.2.5130.56
Microsoft Windows 2012 R2 standard Server
Microsoft SQL 2008 R2 database Server 10.50.4000.0

Problem:
One user cannot login in to Cognos Controller over VPN connection.
Single Sign On is active with use of CAM users. After select the database to use the error message appears.

Error message:
An error occurred while trying to access the server
Invalid URI: The hostname could not be parsed.

Solution:
Change Cognos Controller Configuration to use FQDN instead of only hostname in all places.
Special at Client Distribution Server configuration, ensure that CASURL and WSSURL point to
http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver
instead of only servername.

Ensure that in Cognos BI Configuration Environment, that all references to localhost is replaced with the FQDN name of the servers.

Also on server and client ensure that server is part of local intranet.
Go to Windows Control panel.
Go to Internet Options.
Select Security tab.
Click on local Intranet.
Click on Sites button.
Click on Advance button.
Enter the *.domain.com ( the company domain ) to the “add this website to the zone:” and click ADD button.
Now the server name or the last part of FQDN should show in the list of websites for Local Intranet.
Click OK to leave Internet Options.
Restart IE and try to surf to http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos
– If it works without login message, then it is correct setup.

More information:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21366724