Product:
Cognos Controller 8.4

Symptom:
When user changes company in there Data Entry reporting session they get an error message and then Excel is hanging.
In this environment the controller client is started from the ccr.exe file that is installed on the citrix servers with use of the ccrlocalclient.msi package.

Problem:
Error found on client in Windows Event log:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Cognos Controller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 0
Date: 2009-12-07
Time: 10:27:31
User: N/A
Computer: CITRIX1
Description:
Standard Error
Source: ControllerForms
Description: OpenWorkbook
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Cognos.Controller.ControllerForms.clsDataEntry.ActivateDataEntryForm()
at Cognos.Controller.ControllerForms.clsDataEntry.OpenSelectedForm(UserParameters& UserSelection)

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Cause:
The NET framework 2.00 on the Cognos Controller Client does not have full trust to the Cognos Controller Application Server.
On the computer you can check if the FULLTRUST is set to the server by run the commando CASPOL –LG from the command prompt.
Go to the command prompt
Go to the folder c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v2.0.50727
Enter caspol –lg
You will see a list of the connections to FULLTRUST.
Check the last lines of code group to find the Controller app server name to be listed.

Solution:
On the Cognos Controller Client Computer ( citrix server ) run a commando to set the trust to the server.
Create a text file (named setcaspol.cmd) on a share on the Cognos Controller server:

c:
cd\
cd c:\windows\microsoft.net\framework\v2.0.50727

Caspol.exe -m -q -ag All_Code -url http://cognosserver/cognos8/* FullTrust -n name1a
Caspol.exe -m -q -ag All_Code -url http://151.156.176.97/cognos8/* FullTrust -n name1b
Caspol.exe -m -q -ag All_Code -url http://cognosserver.domain.com/cognos8/* FullTrust -n name1c

Caspol.exe -e off

In above file you need to change “cognosserver” with you controller app server name.
Then run the setcaspol.cmd file from the Citrix servers, to set the trust in NET framework 2.00.

From the start menu – select run
Enter the \\servername\share to connect to the share there the setcaspol.cmd file is saved.
Double click on the setcaspol file to run it on the Client computer (citrix server)
You should briefly see 4 “Success” roll by, if the script is working.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5

Symptom:
Error after the selection of database when you login to the Cognos Controller client.

Problem:
Error message to user

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request: Permission denied …

Error in windows event viewer
Event Type: Error
Event Source: DCOM
Event Category: None
Event ID: 10016
Date: 2010-04-27
Time: 14:59:24
User: server\frangoadm
Computer: PTP280
Description:
The machine-default permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{BE913F44-118C-11D5-A324-00C04FA0E3B7}
to the user server\frangoadm SID (S-1-5-21-57989841-2049760794-725345543-1924). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Cause:
In some cases the windows service account used for the Cognos Controller service need more users rights than the default administrator groups gives it.

Solution:
Add the windows user account used for Cognos Controller COM+ package to the local group “Distributed COM users” on the Windows 2003 server for Cognos Controller application.

Product:
Cognos Controller 85

Symptom:
Error message when you try to convert old Frango Controller forms to the new Controller version 85.
You find this on menu MAINTAIN – SPECIAL UTILITIES – CONVERT – FORMS TO NEW DESIGN.
You successes to convert a few – but after a while you get stuck with a error message.

Error message:
Standard Error
Source: frmConvertOldForms
Description: Exception of type ‘System.OutOfMemoryException’ was thrown.
At Cognos.Controller.Forms.Form.frmConvertOldForms.PopulateLayout(String sForm, String sFormType, String sRad1, String sRad2,String sKol1, String sKol2, String& sLayout)
At Cognos.Controller.Forms.Form.frmConvertOldForms.PrepareLayouts()
At Cognos.Controller.Forms.Form.frmConvertOldForms.PerformMigration()
At Cognos.Controller.Forms.Form.frmConvertOldForms.IForm_DoClick(Int32 ICmd, String& sTag)

Information:
Other cause to make this happen can be a damage/not used data entry form.
Remove all forms that you do not need before you start the conversation.

To be able to convert the forms you must install the CONTROLLERCONV.MSI on a client computer with Excel 2000, which is then connected to the Controller Application server.

Workaround:
Export all the forms from the Controller database with use of the Transfer – Export Structures menu in the Cognos Controller client.
Create a new empty Cognos Controller database and import the forms structures into this database.
Then from inside the empty database with only Cognos Controller forms, run the convert of forms to the new version and you may be lucky and it works.
Then you export the forms from the empty database to a file.
Import that file into you old converted database, and you have a working form set.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1

Symptom:
After a new installation the Cognos Controller Client does not start when you click on the link for “Consolidate my financial information” in Cognos Connection website.

You may get IE webpage error details to show “Message: Permission denied”
Line 184
Char 108
Code 0

Problem:
If you look in task manager there are no IEEXEC process started.

If you start the CCR.EXE file direct on the Controller Application Server, the Controller Client program will show that the WSSURL is wrong after the Cognos Copyright Message.

Cause:
In IIS manager the Web Server Extension for ASP.NET v2.0.50727 is set to Prohibited
Or
The controller app server is in the Trusted Sites list in Internet Explorer 8.

Solution:
Change in IIS manager the Web Server Extension for ASP.NET v2.0.50727 to Allowed
Or
Change in Internet Explorer – Tools – Internet Options – Security – Local intranet
Click on sites
Enter the controller server http://servername to “add this website to the zone” and click Add.

The Cognos Controller server must be listed in the Local Intranet Sites when using Internet Explorer 8 (both on server and client computers).

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1

Symptom:
On a new installation of Cognos Controller 8.5.1 you get an error message when you try to start some of the new java functions.
E.g. you get an error when you select menu MAINTAIN-JOBS-DEFINE inside Cognos Controller.
There are different error message and probably different solutions at different installations environments. This is only suggestions to solutions for this issue.

Error message:
Model not found in context: job
Unable to find instance of model of type: job, type interface com.ibm.cognos.ccr.job.JobModel (load=LAST)
exceptionId=ERR.ANY.WEBSERVICECONNECTIONEXCEPTION.CANNOT_EXECUTE_SERVIC, argument(s)=[http://SERVERNAME/cognos8/controllerserver/CCRWS.asmx,
010:e86b8e3e-90c7-11df-b642-93cfe15c0313:4108201324]
Fail:!No driver found – dbtype is invalid:com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.DbConfiguration$DbType, SQL_SERVER=’MS SQLServer’ (provider=SQLNCLI.1)!

Solution:
Ensure that a SQLJDBC.JAR file is placed in the c:\program files\cognos\c8\server\integration folder from Microsoft if you are using Microsoft SQL 2008 server.

Error message:
Model not found in context: job
Unable to find instance of model of type: job, type interface com.ibm.cognos.ccr.job.JobModel (load=LAST)
exceptionId=ERR.ANY.WEBSERVICECONNECTIONEXCEPTION.CANNOT_EXECUTE_SERVIC, argument(s)=[http://SERVERNAME/cognos8/controllerserver/CCRWS.asmx,
010:38c30464-933b-11df-b410-97c9b6150a8d:1881910691]
FAIL:!com.ibm.cognos.ccr.common.SQLConnectionException: exceptionId=ERR.ANY.CONNECTIONEXCEPTION.CANNOT_OPEN_CONNECTION, argument(s)=[MappingModel, type interface com.ibm.cognos.ccr.classic.MappingImportDAO (load=DEFAULT),
Jdbc:sqlserver://imcogbi84.DatabaseName=xC82_05std.SelectMethod=Cursor.,[Ljava.lang.Object.@2d722d72]!

Solution:
Ensure that you have updated the file c:\program files\cognos\c8\server\integration\ccr-dbTypes.properties with the correct name of the database server and the correct name of the controller database file on that server.

The SQL section in ccr-dbTypes.properties lines can look like this;

SQL_SERVER.name = MS SQLServer
SQL_SERVER.driver = com.microsoft.sqlserver.jdbc.SQLServerDriver
SQL_SERVER.url = jdbc:sqlserver://imcogbi84;DatabaseName=xC82_05std;SelectMethod=Cursor;

(imcogbi84 should be the DNS name of the database server)
(xC82_05std should be the SQL manager name of the database file)

Error message:
Model not found in context: job
Unable to find instance of model of type: job, type interface com.ibm.cognos.ccr.job.JobModel (load=LAST)
exceptionId=ERR.ANY.WEBSERVICECONNECTIONEXCEPTION.CANNOT_EXECUTE_SERVIC, argument(s)=[http://SERVERNAME/cognos8/controllerserver/CCRWS.asmx,
010:e86b8e-90c7-11df-b642-93cfe15c0313:4034713480]
FAIL:!null!

Solution:
This means that the sqljdbc is working – but you do not have any data in the controller database.
Exit Cognos controller and log in again against an existing database with controller data in it.

Error message:
Model not found in context: job
Unable to find instance of model of type: job, type interface com.ibm.cognos.ccr.job.JobModel (load=LAST)
exceptionId=ERR.ANY.WEBSERVICECONNECTIONEXCEPTION.CANNOT_EXECUTE_SERVIC
argument(s)=[http://SERVERNAME/cognos8/controllerserver/CCRWS.asmx, 010:b3edc368-9336-11df-9234-b0f427c64e84:2448656821]
FAIL:Could not attach to JVM.

Solution:
Ensure that you have set the CCR_JAVA_HOME variable on the Controller server to point to the folder where you have unzipped the file jre.zip. Recommendation is to unpack it to folder c:\program files\cognos\java60.
Jre.zip is found in folder c:\program files\cognos\c8\webcontent\ccr.

Background information:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1 new parts made in JAVA need the JAVA database driver. For Microsoft SQL 2008 this must be download from Microsoft Web site and installed on the Controller application server in folder c:\program files\cognos\c8\server\integration.

Cognos Controller 8.5.1 new parts works only when you use the SQLNCLI.1 database client, therefore this must be downloaded and installed on the Cognos Controller Application server – even if you use Microsoft SQL 2008 server. That client is not included in the installation of Microsoft SQL 2008 server.
You must also define in Cognos Controller Configuration on database connections to use SQLNCLI.1 and not as before SQLOLEDB.1 in the field for database connection.

Links to more information:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d09c1d60-a13c-4479-9b91-9e8b9d835cdc&displaylang=en
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21440254

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5.1

Symptom:
After change to use Cognos 8 SSO with Microsoft Active Directory, you can not login to Cognos Controller Client.

Background:
When you change Cognos Controller to use Single Sign On with AD, the first user who login will become the Controller ADM user. This user must then add the other users in Cognos Controller (under maintain – rights – users dialog), before they can be able to login.
You should create a special domain account that will be used as the ADM account in Cognos Controller. Login to a windows workstation with that account and then start Cognos controller client from there.

Error Message:
CAM-AAA-0135 The user is already authenticated in all available namespaces.

Cause:
The Cognos Controller database does already have other users added – and the account you are trying to use is not part of the allowed list.

Possible Solution:
The database is restored from other environment – where the SSO have worked before.
Therefore the Controller database table XCAMUSER is filled with not working user accounts.

Start Microsoft SQL Management studio
Take a backup of the Cognos Controller database before you change anything.
Open the controller database
Open table XCAMUSER
Delete all data in that table
Close Micrsoft SQL Management studio

Go to the client workstation and try to login again to Cognos controller client.

Other Solutions:
Ensure that the windows user is part of the Cognos connection group “controller users”
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21371017
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21346666

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5

Symptom:
Cognos Controller can not run an Excel link report, which worked fine last month.
Use of both F9 or F10 will give errors when this excel sheet is updated.
Optimise2 (ERO) is active on the Excel report (name in cell A1).
Excel reports that is smaller works fine, but this large report gives error.

Error in windows event log on Controller client citrx server:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Cognos Controller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 0
Date: 2010-06-07
Time: 14:23:23
User: N/A
Computer: CITRIXSERVER
Description:
Standard Error
Number: 5
Source: FrangoDirect.ExcelLinkD.FetchValuesBulk#ControllerProxyClient
Description: System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x800A000E): Out of string space
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.CCRWS.ExcelLinkB_FetchValuesBulk(String sGuid, String sKeys, String sMcurr, Boolean bLocLang, String sUser, String sRep, Boolean bIsLnk, String sSortOrd, Int32 lOptBitSet)
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.ErrObject.Raise(Int32 Number, Object Source, Object Description, Object HelpFile, Object HelpContext)
at Cognos.Controller.Common.RaiseErrCli.RaiseError(Int32 lErrNo, String sErrSource, String sErrDesc, String sErrHelpFile, Int32 lErrHelpContext)
at Cognos.Controller.Direct.ExcelLinkD.FetchValuesBulk(String sKeys, String sMcurr, Boolean bLocLang, String sRep, Boolean bIsLnk, String sSortOrd, Int32 lOptBitSet)
at Cognos.Controller.Reports.ExcelLink.RunReportLnkBulk()

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Cognos Controller
Event Category: None
Event ID: 0
Date: 2010-06-07
Time: 14:23:23
User: N/A
Computer: CITRIXSERVER
Description:
Error occured at 6/7/2010 2:23:23 PM in Microsoft Office 2003, Error No=5, Source=FrangoDirect.ExcelLinkD.FetchValuesBulk#ControllerProxyClient, Description=System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x800A000E): Out of string space
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.CCRWS.ExcelLinkB_FetchValuesBulk(String sGuid, String sKeys, String sMcurr, Boolean bLocLang, String sUser, String sRep, Boolean bIsLnk, String sSortOrd, Int32 lOptBitSet)
— End of inner exception stack trace —, HelpFile= HelpContext=0

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Cause:
Some part of the reserved memory used on the Cognos Controller Application server is filled up and the solution for the moment is to restart the Cognos Controller Application server.

Please note that it can be other causes to this issue – like a not so good created Controller Excel report.

Solution:
Schedule a restart of the Cognos Controller Application servers every week, to prevent this from happening again next reporting time. Select a time and date when there are no one in Cognos Controller and working.

You can use a BAT file with this line to restart a Microsoft Windows 2003 server.

SHUTDOWN -R -F -T 3

-R is for restart
-F is for force to shutdown of all programs
-T is for time to wait before restart

Use Microsoft Windows schedule to set a time and date for the batch/script to run.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5

Symptom:
Error when you try to start Microsoft Excel from inside Cognos Controller by click on the excel icon on controller menu, or start a company – data entry session.

Error Message for the user:

Information
The Excel-link is not installed.
OK

Problem:
This can happen both with Excel 2003 and Excel 2007. Only seen on Terminal Servers/Citrix servers there the Cognos Controller client is installed.

If you check inside Excel under the Add-in dialog you see that ControllerXL exist instead for the “IBM Cognos 8 Controller Link”, this may be a sign that you need to reinstall Microsoft Office with all the add ones.

Solution:
(only use this solution after you have tried all the other suggestions you may have found)
(like check excel.exe.config exits, caspol –lg, reinstall of Cognos Controller excel link)

Uninstall the Cognos Controller excel add in from controller panels Add/remove programs.
Uninstall Microsoft Office completely.
Reinstall Microsoft Office (2003) and select all shared options in the Microsoft Office package.
Install the Cognos Controller excel add in from the file controllerclient.msi.

Reboot terminal server and test again.

Product:
Cognos Controller 8.5

Symptom:
When you try to start Cognos Controller from the link in Cognos Connection you get an error inside Internet Explorer:

CGI Error
The specified CGI application misbehaved by not returning a complete set of HTTP headers.

Cause:
The virtual directory’s on the Controller Applications IIS is not correct setup.

Solution:
Go to Internet Information Service on the Controller Application server.
Delete the virtual directory Cognos8

Create a new Cognos8 virtual directory and all the underlying directories needed for Cognos Controller application.

Following virtual directories should be created under the default web site:
/Cognos8 – Read
\Cognos\c8\webcontent
/Cognos8/cgi-bin – Read, Run Scripts & Executables
\Cognos\c8\cgi-bin

/Cognos8/Controllerbin – Read, Run Scripts
\Cognos\c8\WebContent\ccr
/Cognos8/Controllerserver – Read, Run Scripts
\Cognos\c8\ControllerProxyServer
/Cognos8/Controllerhelp – Read
\Cognos\c8\webcontent
/Cognos8/Controller– Read, Run Scripts
\Cognos\c8\WebContent\ccr

(Then redirection virtual directory Controller to /cognos8/controllerbin/ccr.exe)

Restart the Controller Application server and try again.

Product : Cognos Controller

Symptom
Screen error:
The installed version of the Cognos Controller Link add-in doesn’t match the server file version and the add-in might not work as expected. Contact your system administrator for an upgrade of the add-in files.
or
The installed version of the IBM Cognos 8 Controller Link doesn’t match the server file version

Problem
User launches any functionality in Controller which uses the Excel link. User receives the error message.

Cause
There are several potential causes for this error message:

Option 1
Invalid registry entry from third-party software
The Controller Excel-link is checking which version is installed by looking at the uninstall key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall) in the registry. If a subkey name on the uninstall key contains a trailing space character, the check fails resulting in this error.

Option 2
Controller registry key from older Controller client version was not successfully uninstalled before the new client version was installed

Solution
Option 1:
Locate the registry entry (under the uninstall key) which contains a trailing space. Then rename it so that the key name does not end with a space (‘ ‘) character.
Warning: Always backup registry before editing! Incorrect modifications can cause serious problems to your system.

For example, third party software ‘Altiris Carbon Copy Solution’ leaves an invalid registry key.

1. Launch REGEDIT
2. Navigate to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
3. Create export from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall structure to a “.REG” file
4. Locate the subkey “Altiris Carbon Copy Solution Agent ”
5. Rename this to “Altiris Carbon Copy Solution Agent”
6. Close Regedit
Option 2:
Uninstall any Controller Excel link client version (from the client PC)
1. Logon to the client PC as an administrator
2. Open ‘Control Panel’, and launch ‘Add/Remove Programs’
3. Search for an entry relating to ‘Cognos Controller link add-in’
4. Highlight this entry, and click ‘Add/Remove’ and follow the wizard to uninstall the client

Re-install the ‘correct’ client version
1. Launch Internet Explorer
2. Launch http://controllerserver/cognos8/controllerbin/controllerclient.MSI
3. Choose to ‘save’ this file on your desktop
4. Close Internet Explorer
5. Double-click on the file ‘ControllerClient.MSI’ on your desktop
6. Follow the install wizard to perform a default install
7. Test by launching Controller