Product:
IBM Cognos Controller 10.2.1 fix pack 3
Microsoft Windows 2012 Server
Microsoft SQL database

Problem:
How do I upgrade the Cognos Controller Client to newer fix pack?

If you get error message like this when you start Cognos Controller, then you are missing some step in the client upgrade.
“invalid database version.
This version of Controller requires database version: 949”

“System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. –>
“System.Exception: Invalid column name ‘ExcelFileFormat'”

Solution:
On the Cognos Controller server you have to first install the Fix Pack.
You download the fix pack from IBM site:
http://www-933.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/swg/selectFixes?parent=Cognos&product=ibm/Information+Management/Cognos+8+Controller&release=All&platform=All&function=fixId&fixids=10.2.1-BA-CNTRL-Win64-FP003&includeSupersedes=0

On the Controller server stop all services and run the setup as of this instructions
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24041820

Then you need to go into Cognos Configuration and click save, and start to start the Cognos BI services.
Then you need to go into Cognos Controller Configuration and on the databases, you need to click RUN. This will start the DBCONV program.
Here you click CONNECT to see the version of the database.
And if needed you click on UPGRADE, more info here:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21346294

Click OK and close.
After database is update and Cognos BI services is started, it is recommended that you restart the physical Windows server where you have Cognos Controller installed, to ensure update of COM packages.
You can run command: SHUTDOWN /R /T 10 /F
to force a restart of the server. (check with IT department before you do this).

Then you need to copy the CCRLOCALCLIENT.MSI file from server to a share so you can install the client on your workstation or citrix servers. You find the file in folder;
\program files\ibm\cognos\ccr_64\webcontent\ccr

If you have a packaged installation of the Cognos Controller client in you organization then this is the MSI file you need to give them from the server, to update there package to the new version of the Cognos Controller client.

On client workstation you need first uninstall the previous version of Cognos Controller from the add/remove program dialog in the Windows Control panel.
The New version of Cognos Controller will be listed in Control panel as:
Name: IBM Cognos Controller Local Client
Author: IBM
Size: 234 MB
Version: 10.2.5130.56

Run CCRLOCALCLIENT.MSI to install the Cognos Controller client program.
Click NEXT on “welcome to the IBM cognos Controller Local Client Setup Wizard”
Enter the WSSURL to be the same as the value you have in Cognos Controller Configuration on the Controller server, in tab “client distribution server configuration”. Normal it is a value like this:
http://servername/ibmcognos/controllerserver
And for the HelpURL you need to make a entry like this;
http://servername/ibmcognos/ControllerHelp
The servername you can find in the Controller Configuration on the Server itself.

Leave the cache dir blank (if you not have used it before).
Click NEXT
Click INSTALL
Click FINISH

You get a new group on the start menu, called: IBM Cognos Controller
and under there you have icon for IBM Cognos Controller
click on it to start the program.

If you get error AAA-AUT-0013 when you try to login, then is the Windows user not added to the Cognos Controller program.
You need to add the windows user to the Cognos Connection group Controller users,
Surf to http://servername/ibmcognos
go to Administration page.
Select Security tab.
Click on Cognos
find the group Controller Users and click on MORE on the right side
click Set Members
click ADD on the right side
Click on your namespace name e.g. AD
Click search
Enter the name of the user, can be only lastname
Set Find text in: Name or description field
Click on Advance, to set:
Method: Contains the exact string
Type: Any
Scope: This folder and its subfolders
Click on SEARCH
if no match found with name try the user network login short name, e.g ROOS
Mark the user name and click on the arrow to add it the list of selected users.
Click OK
Click OK

Then you need to ask a Cognos Controller Administrator to login into the Cognos Controller client, and create an account for you windows user.
Go to MAINTAIN – RIGHTS -USERS
Select Create New: User
In the CAM user field. Click on the … to get a list of available users to add.
Select the user to ADD and click on the green icon.
Now the user name and email should be automatic populated inside Cognos Controller.
Ensure the user have the needed rights inside Cognos Controller Limitations tab.
Click SAVE.
Click CLOSE.
Exit Cognos Controller.

Now the new user can start the new Cognos Controller client and try to login again.

More Information:
https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/forums/html/topic?id=959ddbc4-15b9-4861-af57-a4d3f73b5c34
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27045132#tab_1021FP3
https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21608353
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21973646

Product:
Cognos Controller FAP version 8.5.1
Microsoft Windows 2008 server

Symptom:
When doing a IP (initial publish) for datamart in FAP get error “Could not login to TM1, host …. Server name: …. User name: …

If you have the mouse pointer over the error message a screen tip will say
SystemServerConnectionFailed

Cause:
FAP service can not connect to the TM1 server on port 5495 and 12345 (or what port you have setup for TM1 server)

Port number is defined in the tm1s.cfg file at line PortNumber=12366

Possible Solution:
Open the needed ports in the Windows Firewall on the TM1 server.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1

Symptom:
Error message when running Optimize of database inside Cognos Controller Client.

Message:
Error occurred at removal of temporary VFP files. VFP DLL file missing.

Cause:
The password for the service account that runs Cognos Controller COM+ was changed.

But only the IBMCOGNOSCONTROLLER part was updated from the Cognos Controller Configuration program.
The separate IBMCOGNOSVFP part is not updated automatic.

Solution:
Login to the Cognos Controller Server
Go to Control panel – Administrative Tools – Component services
Expand the COM+ applications until you see two entry’s that begin with IBMCOGNOS….
Right Click on the IBMCOGNOSVFP and select properties
Select the Identity tab
Change the username and password to the correct one at “This user”.
Click OK
Restart the COM plus service.
Restart the COGNOS CONTROLLER BATCH SERVICE.
Try again to run optimize of the database.

Above is not on all Cognos Controller installations. Common is that you have only one IBMCOGNOSCONTROLLER com application.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1
Windows 2008 R2 Server

Symptom:
Change to Cognos 8 authentication in Cognos 8 Controller configuration, from Native authentication does not change it for the users.

Problem:
Controller users still get login dialog to enter username and password

Solution:
On the Windows 2008 server you must start Controller Configuration program by right click and select RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR to allow the changes to be saved.

You do not get a error, but the switch to Cognos 8 is not registered by Windows. Most changes are in newer Windows version not stored correct if you not run the Configuration program as a administrator.

Start Controller Configuration program with Run as Administrator, and change selected authentications method to Cognos 8
Click save.

Let the user try again.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.1
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2

Symptom:
When you click on Report Server inside Cognos 8 Controller Configuration you get a Security alert message. Before you had installed SSL certificate and changed the Cognos Configuration to use HTTPS for Cognos Gateway and changed the Controller Configuration for Report Server and Client Distribution Server Configuration.

Error Message:
Revocation information for the security certificate for this site is not available. Do you want to proceed?
Yes – No – View

Cause:
Controller Configuration program ( e.g. IE ) can not access the certificate authority to valid the certificate. Can be because it is a private created certificate from a private CA.

Solution:
On the server ( and on clients ) go into Internet Explorer
Select Tools menu
Select Internet Options
Select Advance tab
remove check mark for “Check for server certificate revocation”
click ok
close internet explorer

Start Cognos Controller Configuration program again, and the message is gone.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1
Windows 2008 R2

Symptom:
FAP service is started but the FAP service manager give error that the FAP service is not started.
You have rebooted the server, but it has not helped.
There are no error log files in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Cognos\c8\Server\FAP folder.

Error Message:
It seems that no FAPService is running or FABdb is started/restarted after FAPService.
Start/restart FAPService to make FAP work correctly.

Cause:
Can be that the CCR_JAVA_HOME is pointing to a 64 bit jre instead of a 32 bit jre.
Ensure that the CCR_JAVA_HOME is pointing to a JRE folder.

You get a FAPFatalError.log like below when the FAP service is setup to point to a different database than the one you enter when you login in to the FAP Connect

Thu Oct 27 10:12:34 CEST 2011 – Fatal error when starting or running FAPService. Connection exceptionCould not connect to: jdbc:JSQLConnect://sslwin/database=controllerfap

Possible Solution:
Unpack jre.zip from the Controller folder C:\Program Files (x86)\cognos\c8\webcontent\ccr
to a folder on the FAP server named C:\Program Files (x86)\Cognos\java60\jre
Go to System and click on Advance system settings
Select Advance tab
Click on Environment Variables
Click on New system variables
Enter name: CCR_JAVA_HOME
Enter value: C:\Program Files (x86)\Cognos\java60\jre
Click OK
Click OK
Restart the FAP service.

The other issue is solve as below:

Open the FAPService.properties file in notepad and ensure that there is right database server name and database enter into the file. Save the file after changes and restart the FAP service.

Below an example.

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
db=controllerfap
host=servername
dbType=sqlserver
user=cognos
passwd=cognos
#clientcamuri=http:///cognos8/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.1 FAP service

Symptom:
The Controller FAP service does not publish and show that it cannot login to the TM1 cube.

Error Message:
Could not login to TM1, host: srv001, server name: tm1fap, user name: LAN\cognosservice
Could not logon with to CAM with user : cognosservice to clientCAMURI http://srv001/cognos8/cgi-bin/cognosisapi.dll

Cause:
The CAM url in the FAPservice.properties file is wrong, so the FAP service can not authenticate with the Cognos BI to access the TM1 cube.

Solution:
Stop the publish in the FAP service manager.
Stop the FAP service.
Open FAPservice.properties file in notepad
Change the Clientcamuri from

http://srv001/cognos8/cgi-bin/cognosisapi.dll

to

http://srv001/ibmcognos/cgi-bin/cognosisapi.dll

Save the file.
Start the FAP service.
Start the Data source in the FAP service manager
Start the Data Mart
Click in Update automatically in the Logs tab
Check that the Financial Analytics Publisher works now.

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.1 FAP service
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2

Symptom:
The Controller FAP service create a fatal error log file when you start your publish.

Error Message:
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com.cognos.ccf.c8itk.ITKProxySession (initialization failure)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initialize(J9VMInternals.java:140)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.CAMHelper.login(CAMHelper.java:64)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.CAMHelper$$FastClassByCGLIB$$1d0243e.invoke(<generated>)
at net.sf.cglib.proxy.MethodProxy.invoke(MethodProxy.java:149)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.retry.RetryInterceptor.intercept(RetryInterceptor.java:54)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.CAMHelper$$EnhancerByCGLIB$$3249b283.login(<generated>)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.TM1Context.login(TM1Context.java:128)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler.updateDatamarts(Scheduler.java:468)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler.run(Scheduler.java:251)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler$1.run(Scheduler.java:135)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:736)
Error happened Mon Aug 22 13:58:51 CEST 2011

Cause:
The TM1 client software BIN folder is not part of PATH on the server that runs the Controller FAP service.

Solution:
Copy the path to the TM1 bin folder.
Can be: D:\Program Files (x86)\Cognos\TM1\bin

Right Click on My Computer and click Properties
Click on Advanced System Settings
Click on Environment variables
Find PATH on system variables
Click on EDIT
Enter a ; last and past in the BIN path.

The path variable can look like this on the Cognos Controller FAP server:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Support Tools\;C:\Program Files\Legato\nsr\bin;C:\Program Files\HP\NCU;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\DTS\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\;D:\Program Files (x86)\Cognos\TM1\bin

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.1 FAP service

Symptom:
The Controller FAP service create a fatal error log file when you start your publish.

Error Message:
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.TM1Context.(TM1Context.java:51)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initializeImpl(Native Method)
at java.lang.J9VMInternals.initialize(J9VMInternals.java:200)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler.updateDatamarts(Scheduler.java:456)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler.run(Scheduler.java:251)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.service.schedule.Scheduler$1.run(Scheduler.java:135)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:736)
Caused by: com.ibm.cognos.tm1.TM1Exception: Could not load tm1api.dll due to: The specified module could not be found.

at com.ibm.cognos.tm1.API.internalInitialize(Native Method)
at com.ibm.cognos.tm1.API.initialize(API.java:357)
at com.ibm.cognos.tm1.API.initialize(API.java:97)
at com.ibm.cognos.fap.common.persistence.tm1.TM1Context.(TM1Context.java:48)
… 6 more
Error happened Mon Aug 22 13:33:43 CEST 2011

Cause:
The TM1 client software is not installed on the server that runs the Controller FAP service.

Solution:
Install TM1 9.5.2 client on the server.

Run setup.exe for Cognos TM1 32 bit version 9.5.2.
Select to install Clients – TM1 Clients.
Recommend also to install Developers Environment, so you have TM1 Architect.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1
Tm1 9.5.1

Symptom:
When doing a initial publish from controller database to the TM1 cube with the FAP (Financial Analytics Publisher) service you get a error.

Error message:
Could not execute TI process:Business AreaGroup_Process
ProcessAborted
Initial publish failed. Throwable exception.

Cause:
Some of the controller security groups have bad names or are invalid to be processed by the FAP.

Before you use below solution – ensure you have a complete backup of the Cognos controller database. Recommended that you take screen shoots of all the security groups you delete, so you later can recreate them with new names.

This to ensure that the security limits to controller users are in affect after the implementation of FAP functions.

Solution:
On the TM1 server go to the folder where the TM1 log files are created – can be the same folder as the TM1 server e.g. c:\tm1servers\tm1planning
Open the latest logfile in notepad e.g. the logfile name can be like this;
TM1ProcessError_20110225095005_Business AreaGroup_Process.log

Note what line it say there is a problem with
Error: Prolog procedure line (234): Element not found

Start TM1 architect
Select the TM1 cube e.g. tm1planning you are using to publish from FAP service.
Expand down to Processes and Business AreaGroup_Process
Double click on that process to open the Turbo Integrator.
Click on advanced – prolog tabs to show the script code.
Click on the GOTO LINE button on the right.
Enter the number and click OK.

Now you see the line in the script that gives the issues.
Can look like this;

ElementSecurityPut{‘Read’,’Business Area’,’BITO’,’U1IT’};

The last value is the security group name in Cognos controller.
You need to remove the U1 to get the name of the security group, in our example the group name is IT.

Log in to Cognos Controller client as the Administrator.
Go to Maintain – Rights –Security groups.
Click on Extended Dimensions tab.
Click on the CODE button to select the security group from the list.
Mark group IT and click OK.
Click on Delete button inside the security groups dialog.

You may get an information message like below

“There are users connected to this security group. All user connections must be removed before a security group can be deleted”

In that case you must delete the security group from the users that are using it.
Close the Security Groups dialog. Open the Users dialog by
Go to Maintain – Rights – Users dialog.
Click on Limitations tab and look at the line for Business Area Group.
Step trough all the Cognos Controller users to see who is using the Security group IT.

When you find a users who have security group IT in the right side – erase it – and click on save.
When all users are checked for the security group, you go back to the Security groups dialog.
Close the Users dialog, and open maintain – rights – Security groups dialog.
(you need to close the dialog between changes to make it understand the deleted connections)

Erase now the security group e.g. IT in our example.

Close the security dialog and exit Cognos controller client.

Now you need to go to the FAP service manage program and start the FAP process again.