IBM Support

"User XYZ already logged in to this database" unless user closes 'first' Excel, solved by using EXCEL_EAGERLOAD

Troubleshooting


Problem

User launches the main Controller client (CCR.EXE). An Excel instance is now running (in the background). User tries to perform any Excel related function. This opens a new (second) Excel instance - inside this, there is an error. The only way to get the Controller functions to work, is to close the 'first' Excel instance (after the Controller client has started), before using any client functions.

Symptom

User XYZ already logged in to this database

Cause

There are several potential causes for this issue.

  • See separate IBM Technote #1347869 for more examples.

This Technote specifically relates to the scenario where the cause is a limitation of Controller 10.2.1.

Environment

The problem is rare - it does not affect all environments.

Resolving The Problem

Fix:
Upgrade to Controller 10.3 or later.

Workaround:

Implement/use the local and/or server preference ''EXCEL_EAGERLOAD" (with a value of FALSE)

  • This will stop Controller from creating a new EXCEL.EXE session (as soon as the parameter choice screen is opened).

More Details on ''EXCEL_EAGERLOAD":

The 'server preference' acts on all users, but is applied on a per-database basis.

  • So if a customer wants to apply the change to all users for all databases, then they will need to insert the server preference on each and every database (for example 'Production' and 'Test').

The 'local preference' acts on that one user, but is applied for ALL databases.
  • So if a customer wants to apply the change to only one (or some) 'test' users, then they will need to ask each of those 'test' users to manually create the local preference themselves
  • Local preferences are stored in the end user's CCR.CONFIG files (located inside the Windows user profile here: %APPDATA%\Cognos\CCR). Therefore, if the customer uses Citrix/Terminal Server but does *not* have roaming Windows profiles, then this local preference change will have to be done (by each end user) on each and every one of the Citrix servers (so that the change is written inside each of the end user's Windows profiles)

NOTE: The value of the local preference overrides the server preference. Therefore, the customer can use a combination of server and local preferences to create the solution that they prefer.

If there is no local or server preference, then the default setting is 'TRUE'.

  • This means that (by default) Excel gets automatically launched (in the background) before you press the 'Run' button.

To create the server preference:

1. Ask the superuser to logon to the Controller database

2. Click 'Maintain - Configuration - General'

3. Click 'Server Preferences'

4. Create a new variable name: EXCEL_EAGERLOAD

  • value: FALSE

5. Save changes

6. Exit Controller, and re-logon. Test.

To create the local preference:

1. Ask the user to launch Controller, and logon to any database

2. Click 'Maintain - Installation - Local Preferences'

3. Create a new key: excel_eagerload

  • value: false

4. Save changes

5. Exit Controller, and re-logon. Test.

[{"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":"10.2.1","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB10","label":"Data and AI"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
15 June 2018

UID

swg22002613