by ·Comments Off on An error occurred while trying to access server

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Issue:
After a windows patch, no one can login to cognos controller.

Error:

An error occurred while trying to access server…

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array….

Solution:

Login to Windows server where CA11 and Cognos Controller IIS are.

Launch a command prompt
Type the following:    IISRESET

 

Check if you can login to Cognos Controller, after above restart of www service.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-controller/10.4.2?topic=controller-error-occurred-while-trying-access-server

by ·Comments Off on How stop virtualbox from command line

Product:

VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Microsoft Windows 10

Issue:
How stop virtual box vms from command line before computer shutdown?

Suggestion: (this may not work)

Create text files in a c:\scripts folder with the command you need to start and stop vms.
Important: that case of the vms name matched the name you have given them inside Virtualbox.

Create a CMD file with following command:

rem stop one virtualbox image
"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" list runningvms

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" controlvm "win2012big" acpipowerbutton
"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" controlvm "Win2016 CAPA" acpipowerbutton

Add the file to group policy on the computer:

  1. In a command window, open the Group Policy Editor (GPE) by running gpedit.msc.
  2. Expand Computer Configuration and select Windows Settings.
  3. Double-click Scripts (Startup/Shutdown).
  4. Click Add and add c:/scripts/vboxshutdown.cmd.

Add the start script (c:/scripts/vboxstart.cmd) to the Start properties.

Create a CMD file with following command to start:

rem start one virtualbox image
"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" startvm "Win2016 CAPA"
"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" startvm "Win2019"

 

You may need to use the Task Scheduler instead, to make it work.

Or try placing a shortcut of the script as a startup program in %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

Or place a shortcut to your start script in folder C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp – that make the script run when user login.

 

More Information:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/457329/shutting-down-all-virtualbox-vagrant-vms-in-one-easy-to-use-bash-command-that  

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/dn789196(v=ws.11)

https://simplecodesoftware.com/articles/how-to-set-up-group-policy-scripts-programmatically

Vboxmanage command not found in Windows CMD or PowerShell

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-automated-task-using-task-scheduler-windows-10

https://4sysops.com/archives/managing-virtualbox-vms-with-powershell/

http://desertpenguin.org/blog/nnvirtualboxpowershellmodul.html

https://github.com/SmithersTheOracle/VirtualBoxPS

Managing VirtualBox with PowerShell

by ·Comments Off on You have not logged in

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2016 server

Issue:
Working in a excel file with fgetval formulas, but even do – i is logged into Cognos Controller, the cell show “You have not logged in”.

Solution:

Check if it will update the values if you press F9.

Otherwise check your formulas carefully in your spreadsheet, as if they are wrong you will get this error.

If it is only one spreadsheet that does not work, it is probably a misspelled formula in that sheet.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-controller/10.4.2?topic=excel-cognos-controller-functions-in-microsoft

by ·Comments Off on Error Contacting User Manager

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Cognos Analytics 11.1.7
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:
When login to Cognos Controller, you get a error, after you select the database. This is a multi-server setup with load balanced Controller and CA11 servers. SSO with Active Directory is used.

Error message:

or

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Cognos.Controller.Common.CRNBridge.CRNBridge.ValidateUser(String passportId, String[]& membership, String sGuid, String sUser, String& sErrorMessage)….

System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebServiceHandler.CoreProcessRequest()
— End of inner exception stack trace —
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 CCRRemoteServerProxy.Proxy.Light.WSLight.UserManager_GetCurrentUsers(String sGuid, String sUser)
at FrUserManagerB.RemoteUserManager.GetCurrentUsers…..

or

System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. —> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.ControllerReportNetService.RepNet.GetUserInfo(String sGuid, String sUser, String passportId)
at Cognos.Controller.Proxy.CCRWS.GetUserInfo(String sGuid, String sUser, String passportId)
— End of inner exception stack trace —
at Cognos.Controller.Forms.Common.Main.DoLoginCognos8(Form& frm)
at CCR.AppContext.DoLogin()
at CCR.AppContext.Login()

Suggested Solution:

Check that the Cognos Gateway point to the correct Cognos Dispatcher or correct port in the IIS setup.

Start Internet Information Services (IIS) manager on the Cognos Gateway server.

Click on the Server name and double-click the Configuration Editor icon.

Expand the drop-down list and select webFarms.

Mark Collection and click on the ellipses.

Click on the webFarm element and then the ellipses.

Select the server you want to check, expand the applicationRequestRouting, and see the port number.

Edit the number, if it is wrong.  Check the other servers in the list.
Close the dialog.

Close the collection editor dialog to.

Click Apply in the Configuration Editor.

Close IIS manager.

You can also check the values in applicationHost.config file, under C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\Config folder.

Open the file in Notepad++

The lines for webfarms is at the end of the file.

 

How the communication probably works;

Check that the ccr.exe.config files WSSURL value point to a Cognos Controller server that is up;

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

On that server; Ensure that Cognos Controller Configuration points to a report server gateway that is up;

http://caservername.domain.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp

On that server; ensure that Cognos Analytics Configuration Dispatchers URI for gateway point to a CA dispatcher (report) server that is up;

http://caservername.domain.com:9300/bi/v1/disp

But also check the IIS server farm, that they point to CA servers that is up and that they use the correct port:9300

The CA11 server cognos configuration, will use the Content Manager URI, to validate that you can login;

http://caservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet

But also check that the IIS site /ibmcognos/sso have Windows Authentication enabled.

If the IBM Cognos service is not running, then the IIS Server Farm will classify it as unhealthy.

If the dispatcher server is unhealthy, then the CA gateway will not send the request there, and it will time out.

Check that the Windows firewall will allow port 8173 for the IIS communication and port 9300 for Cognos communication.

More information:

https://www.thebestcsharpprogrammerintheworld.com/2014/01/17/configuring-application-request-routing-arr-to-use-a-port-other-than-port-80/

https://serverfault.com/questions/132081/load-balancing-with-arr-iis-on-ports-other-than-80

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/request-failed-http-status-503-service-unavailable-when-launching-controller

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/invalid-login-response-error-when-accessing-cognos-analytics-sso

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/enabling-single-sign-cognos-secured-against-active-directory

https://docuri.com/download/the-active-directory-story_59c1d487f581710b2865bb0f_pdf

In the cognosserver.log file you can see error like this:

ERROR com.ibm.bi.platform.commons.web.BIResponseWrapper [Default Executor-thread-72] NA bi HttpServletResponseCode for /bi/v1/ping is in error: 503

Browse to   http://caservername.domain.com:9300/p2pd/servlet   to check if the content manager is running.

by ·Comments Off on Subquery returned more than 1 value. This is not permitted when the subquery follows

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
CONTRL_UPDATE_version=CCR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.4.2000.1063-0

Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:
You try to unlock a company in Cognos Controller. You get a error message:

“Subquery returned more than 1 value. This is not permitted when the subquery follows =, !=, <, <= , >, >= or when the subquery is used as an expression”

 

Workaround:

Delete the entire contents of the temporary table ‘sactrlinfo’.

Delete FROM [CCR_UKFPM].[fastnet].[sactrlinfo]

or
Disable the system audit log functionality entirely.

Go to Maintain – System Audit Log – Configuration and deselect:

“Enable tracking of structure change details for System Audit Log > Structures”

“Enable tracking of data change details for Audit Trail”

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/883764

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/375041

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/960392

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/subquery-returned-more-1-value-not-permitted-when-subquery-follows-or-when-subquery-used-expression-when-trying-lockunlock-any-period-change-period-locking-caused-apar-ph12550

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/apar/PH20395

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-track-changes-made-users-controller-database-using-system-audit-log-functionality

by ·Comments Off on Manual install Cognos Controller Client

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 10

Issue:
How install Cognos Controller client on my laptop?

Solution:

Find your CCRLocalClient64.msi file from a file share on the server. Recommended to copy the msi file first to your hard-disk and place it in a folder e.g. c:\temp.

Right click on msi file and select Install.

Click Next

Enter the name of your controller server, instead of localhost and press Next.

You should only update the WSS URL line, to something like this:

http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos/controllerserver

Press next

Press install

If you get a question about allow Cognos Controller to make changes to your computer, click Yes.

Click Finish.

Click on the IBM Cognos Controller icon on the Windows start menu, to start the program.

Select your database to login.

Click on the Excel icon to start your excel session. Can be good, to do this before you go to Data Entry.

Under Help – System Info – menu, can you see the version you have installed.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/cognos-controller-builds-ccr-name-and-database-version

If you go to Control Panel – Programs and Features, you will see the program installed.

From the control panel you can uninstall Cognos Controller, this you need to do before upgrade to a new version.

You need to have NET Framework 4.7.2 on your laptop for best performance;

https://support.microsoft.com/sv-se/help/4054530/microsoft-net-framework-4-7-2-offline-installer-for-windows

More Information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-install-controller-local-client

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cognos-controller/10.4.2?topic=1042-installing-configuring-cognos-controller-one-computer

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshooting-cannot-run-macro-cccomparedb-macro-may-not-when-launch-excel-controller-excel-link-button

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-upgrade-controller-1042x-later-interim-fix-if-fix-pack-patch-level

Inside Microsoft Excel, go to File – Options – Add-ins and check that Controller add ins are active.

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/controller-excel-link-disappears-after-excel-crashes

by ·Comments Off on The webpage cannot be found HTTP 400

Product:
Cognos Controller 10.4.2
Microsoft Windows 2019 server

Issue:
One user can not login to the new Cognos Controller setup with CA11, after selecting the database he get a error that he can not reach the CA11 website.

It worked in old version of Cognos Controller (where a different version of Cognos Analytics is used).

Solution:

On the CA11 servers, add the following registry value:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HTTP\Parameters]
"MaxFieldLength"=dword:00032768
"MaxRequestBytes"=dword:01000000

Reboot the windows servers, in correct order, with Cognos Content Manger first.

If a user is member of a lot of AD groups, here login call may be to big for the HTTP settings, therefor a adjustment like this is needed.

More information:

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshooting-controller-client-seems-launch-after-selecting-database-logon-screen-fails-appear

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/troubleshooting-cannot-launch-controller-client-caused-incorrect-selectdb-database-selection-mode-setting

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/controller-logon-window-does-not-appear-or-webpage-cannot-be-found-appears-after-selecting-database-caused-incorrect-report-server-settings

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/order-restart-cognos-analytics-servers-distributed-environment

https://its.uiowa.edu/support/article/109196

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6218316

Other causes can be;

1. Logon to the Controller application server as an administrator
2. From the Start menu, launch “Controller Configuration”
3. Open section “Web Services Server”
4. Open subsection “Report Server”
5. Ensure that the setting for “Report Server” is correct, and can be resolved by the end user’s PC.
Example (when using Cognos Analytics without SSO):
http://my-ca-server.company.com:9300/bi/v1/disp
Example (when using Cognos Analytics with SSO):
http://my-ca-server.company.com/ibmcognos/bi/v1/disp
6. Click “Save”
7. Test.
or

Steps:

  1. Logon to Report Server (Cognos Analytics server) as an administrator
  2. From the Start Menu, launch “Cognos Configuration“
  3. Expand section “Local Configuration – Security – Authentication“
  4. Ensure that the setting “Restrict access to members of the built-in namespace” is set to “True“
  5. After making changes, restart the Cognos service (for example restart the ‘IBM Cognos’ Windows service).

or

Steps:

  1. Logon to Report Server (BI server) as an administrator
  2. From the Start Menu, launch “Cognos Configuration“
  3. Expand section “Local Configuration – Security – Authentication – Cognos“
  4. Ensure that the setting “Allow anonymous access” is set to “False“
  5. After making changes, restart the Cognos reporting service.

or

Modify all IIS/SSO settings (for example the ‘Rewrite rules’) to use the lowercase value for the URLs.
All server references in Cognos and IIS must be lowercase.

but all above will give, that all users have the same issue.