Troubleshooting
Problem
User clicks "Transfer" - "External data" - "Import from flat file". User selects file (typically CSV) and starts the import process. User receives error message.
Symptom
Screen:
Standard Error
Source: System.Web.Services
Description: System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request. -->
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x800A0005): Invalid procedure call or argument
<....>
Scenario #1 - Event Viewer (Application Log):
- "The value of the variable isn't numeric".
Cause
The error "(0x800A0005): Invalid procedure call or argument" is generic, so there are several potential causes for this error:
- Scenario #1 - Invalid import specification, specifically relating to filters etc.
- Scenario #2 - Invalid import specification, specifically relating to lookup table duplicates
- For more details, see separate IBM Technote #1345596.
- Scenario #3 - Database is full or has restricted growth
- For more details, see separate IBM Technote #1573086.
- Scenario #4 - Code production problem in Controller 8.5.x or earlier.
- This only affects customers using Oracle as the database repository.
- Scenario #5 - Oracle on Linux does not always respond with the same data as Oracle running on Windows
- This only affects customers whose Oracle database server is hosted on a Linux operating system.
- Scenario #6 - Invalid database table owners
- Specifically there is a mix of table owners (e.g. "cognos" and "dbo" on the tables)
Diagnosing The Problem
The message "(0x800A0005): Invalid procedure call or argument" is generic. Therefore (to narrow down the exact root cause) look inside the 'Application Log' of the Event Viewer. This should give you some more information.
- TIP: Sometimes the errors are captured on the client device, and sometimes they are on the Controller application server itself.
Resolving The Problem
Scenario #1
Within the Import Specifications file used in this import:
- Ensure that the filter "Start_At" is defined correctly (assigned a valid row where there is data/numeric values).
- If using a variable &REPEAT ensure that the separator is defined properly. either in the variable, field separator below Operation, or in the operation template
- For operation GetItemLoop check that Argument 2 has the correct separator defined as Static value
Steps:
- Click "Transfer - External Data - Define Import Specifications"
- Select the appropriate Import Specification
- Select the 'Filters' tab
- Highlight the filter START_AT
- Go to the Sub Filter section
- Enter the appropriate start at row number (where the data starts in the source file)
Scenario #2
- See separate IBM Technote #1345596.
Scenario #3
- See separate IBM Technote #1573086
Scenario #4
- Upgrade to Controller 10.1 or higher.
- See separate IBM Technote #1573083
Scenario #5
- See separate IBM Technote #1573285
Scenario #6
- See separate IBM Technote #1694009
Related Information
[{"Product":{"code":"SS9S6B","label":"IBM Cognos Controller"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Component":"Controller","Platform":[{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"10.1.1;10.1;8.5.1;8.5;8.4;8.3","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB10","label":"Data and AI"}}]
Historical Number
1025862
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Document Information
Modified date:
15 June 2018
UID
swg21346308