Troubleshooting WebFOCUS considers all the places where a problem can occur. These include the following:
Try some of these solutions when troubleshooting WebFOCUS problems:
drive:\ibi\srv80\wfs\etc\edasprof.prf
This may be the problem if you receive a Resource not found message.
c:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat 7.0\work\Catalina\localhost
Note: If installed by WebFOCUS Client, Tomcat will be installed in the root directory of the WebFOCUS installation which, by default, is c:\ibi\tomcat.
If you receive an HTTP 500 server message on the Configuration Verification Utility page after installation, clear your browser cache and access the Diagnostics page again from either the Program Menu option or by copying the URL into another browser window. This may occur on a full installation or on a service pack upgrade.
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If you are planning to use WebFOCUS products, note that browsers released after the production date of a WebFOCUS version are subject to certification. Certification is done with the current release level of WebFOCUS and Developer Studio. For additional information, see Web Browser Support for WebFOCUS, which can be accessed by clicking on the following URL:
https://techsupport.informationbuilders.com/tech/wbf/wbf_tmo_027.html
Note: Some browsers may function differently depending on their operating system. See the WebFOCUS Release Notes for detailed information on known issues related to browser version or configuration. For more information, see:
http://techsupport.informationbuilders.com/tech/wbf/wbf_tmo_027.html
The WebFOCUS graph applet functionality requires Java VM plug-in, version 1.5 or 1.6. You can determine the Java VM a browser uses by going to the following page:
http://www.java.com/en/download/help/testvm.xml
If the browser is configured to use a Java VM, the applet should display listing the vendor and version of the Java VM.
Oracle Java VM is installed with a Java JRE which you can also download from:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html
If multiple Java releases are installed, your browser can normally only use the highest release. However, in some environments, your browser might be using a Microsoft Java VM or no Java VM at all.
If the option does not appear and you use the WebFOCUS graph applet or other applet-based feature, install a Oracle Java JDK or JRE 1.6 or higher.
For Java 1.6, click the Advanced tab, expand <APPLET> tag support, and select your browser. Click OK to close out. You may receive an error when selecting Mozilla. These browsers may already be using the Java plug-in even if they are not selected.
You can view an applet debug window for Internet Explorer by choosing Tools and Show Java Console. If this is not enabled, you can enable it for Oracle Java VM debugging by going to the Windows Control Panel and opening the Java Plug-In or Java option. For Java 1.6, click the Advanced tab, expand Java console, and select Show console.
If you have installed Java 1.6 but receive an error that says:
The Java Runtime Environment cannot be loaded from <\bin\server\jvm.dll>
Close all browsers and delete the following directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\User_ID\Application Data\Sun
For information on supported Firefox browser versions, see Web Browser Support for WebFOCUS, which can be accessed by clicking on the following URL.
https://techsupport.informationbuilders.com/tech/wbf/wbf_tmo_027.html
The following settings are required to use Firefox with Dashboard:
For versions of Internet Explorer prior to Version 9, using SSL with a CACHE_CONTROL setting of NO-CACHE will disable procedures that use PDF, Excel, or PPT output formats.
CACHE_CONTROL is set from the Administration Console under General Client Settings. Output is not affected if CACHE_CONTROL is set to the default value, PRIVATE.
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WebFOCUS Version 8 requires Java VM Version 1.6 or higher on the system that is hosting the application server where the WebFOCUS Client web application is displayed and the ReportCaster Distribution Server is installed.
There are two methods for verifying the Java VM version installed on the machine where the WebFOCUS client is deployed:
The version is listed under the java.runtime.version.
http://hostname:port/ibi_apps/diagnostics/properties.jsp
The version is listed under java.vm.version.
Ensure that your web and application servers are configured, as explained in Configuring Web and Application Servers.
Since WebFOCUS relies on processing by the Java VM, web server, and application server. Their debugging tools and log files can help troubleshoot common WebFOCUS issues. Review the documentation for your web and application servers for information on their tracing and log files.
C:\ibi\tomcat\logs
Note: You can safely ignore the following error:
org.apache.catalina.core.AprLifecycleListener lifecycleEvent - INFO: The Apache Tomcat Native library which allows optimal performance in production environments was not found on the java.library.path.
For more information, you can review:
C:\WINNT\system32\LogFiles\W3SVC1
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles\W3SVC1
If you cannot access HTML or other pages, try granting Scripts-only executable permissions to the aliases. To do this, open the Internet Services Manager, expand your website, right-click the ibi_html folder, choose Properties, set the Execute Permissions box to Scripts only, and click OK. If necessary, repeat for the approot alias.
Depending on your application server default settings, you may need to adjust the Java VM memory options if you run into performance issues. If the WebFOCUS installation configured Tomcat for you, this is done automatically.
The most common Java VM options you need to set involve the size of the Java heap and stack, which determine memory availability for Java programs and the Java VM. Errors can occur if not enough memory is available, and the heap size impacts performance, since it determines how often garbage collection occurs.
The following are the most common Java VM options related to memory settings. Replace the ### with the size you wish to set:
Sets the maximum Java heap size. It is common to make this 1/4 of the system RAM.
Sets the initial Java heap size. It is common to make this 1/8 of the system RAM.
Sets the Java thread stack size. You do not need to set this unless you are fine tuning your environment.
The size is normally set in Megabytes. For example:
-Xms256M -Xmx512M
To view your current Java VM memory settings, access the WebFOCUS Administration Console. In the left pane of the console, expand the Diagnostics node and click JVM Property Info, as shown in the following image.
The Java VM memory settings for your environment are displayed in the right pane, as shown in the following image.
Optimum sizes vary depending on your total memory, the needs of your application, how many other processes require memory, the type of Java VM, and other considerations. A good starting place is to set the minimum to 1/8 of the total RAM and set the maximum to 1/4 of total RAM.
Where to set these and other Java VM options depend on your application server.
For Tomcat, these are set automatically if the WebFOCUS installation configured Tomcat.
You can test basic graph functionality by running the sample cargraph.fex procedure installed with the WebFOCUS Reporting Server:
http://hostname:port/ibi_apps/WFServlet?IBIF_ex=cargraph&FORMAT=PNG
If you cannot generate graphics or want to improve performance, try adding the following Java option to your application server Java VM settings:
-Dsun.java2d.noddraw
For Tomcat, this is in the Apache Tomcat Properties windows on the Java tab, in the Java Options field.
If you cannot run a graph request, you may also need to set NTFS permission to allow your application server full permissions to the temporary directory used by the Java VM. This directory is the java.io.tmpdir parameter that appears in the WebFOCUS Administration Console when you click Diagnostics and JVM Property Info.
During the WebFOCUS Client installation, you are asked for the host name and HTTP port of your web server. This should be the host name and port that your end users use to access WebFOCUS and ReportCaster. These values are used for communications between ReportCaster and Report Library. If you use Report Library, ensure this is set to the end user accessible web server host name and port, even if it is not on the same machine as WebFOCUS and only forwards requests through a firewall.
If you need to change the web server host name and port that you entered during the installation:
Click Report Library in the left pane and change the host name and port in the Default Library URL for Email Notification field.
Then click the Save icon, followed by Restart to restart all WebFOCUS components.
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\utilities\showconsole
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\utilities\ReportCasterMain
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\utilities\ReportCasterConsole
For example:
http://hostname.domain.com:8080/ibi_html/wfconsole.htm
If you are not using ReportCaster, the ReportCaster links do not appear.
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A jar.exe utility is installed with the Java JDK. It lets you create, extract, and edit the contents of JAR, WAR, EAR, ZIP, RAR, and other archive files. If you deploy the WebFOCUS web application as a WAR file, the jar utility lets you change the webfocus file contents.
Note: The default WebFOCUS Apache Tomcat configuration does not use the WAR file, so this utility is normally not needed with Tomcat.
To use the jar command, ensure that the JAVA_HOME\bin directory is in your search PATH. For example:
C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26\bin
The exact directory varies depending on the Java release, and for Java 1.6, it is under C:\. This directory contains many Java utilities and is not added to your search PATH by the Java JDK installation. To add this to your search PATH:
;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_26\bin
The WebFOCUS web application is provided as both an expanded directory and a WAR file:
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\webapps\webfocus
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\webapps\webfocus.war
The easiest way to edit the web application is the following:
drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\webapps\webfocus
jar cvf ../webfocus.war *
This creates a webfocus.war file containing all files and subdirectories in your current directory. The webfocus.war file will be located one directory above your current location because you prefaced it with "../".
The options for using the jar commands are useful to know. You execute the jar utility from the Command Prompt.
jar cvf FileToCreate.war FileToAdd1 FileToAdd2
You can add all files and subdirectories using an asterisk (*).
jar cvf FileToCreate.war *
jar xvf ExistingFile.war FileToExtract1 FileToExtract2
Files are extracted to your current location.
You can extract all files and subdirectories by not specifying any files to extract.
jar xvf ExistingFile.war
jar uvf ExistingFile.war FileToAdd1
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WebFOCUS files have several non-standard file extensions on Windows, such as .mas, .prf, .acx, .wfs, .cfg, and .xmls files. Depending on the software installed on your machine, these file extensions may already be in use for other applications. Normally, this causes no conflicts when using either WebFOCUS or the other applications. However, should you attempt to open a WebFOCUS file that is mapped for another application by double-clicking it in My Computer or Windows Explorer, problems can arise.
Note: By default you might not see file extensions in My Computer or Windows Explorer. To see extensions, open My Computer or Windows Explorer. Then click the Tools menu and then Folder Options. On the View tab, deselect Hide file extensions for known file types and click OK.
Specific instances where WebFOCUS extensions may conflict are the following:
PRF files are normally mapped to Microsoft Outlook Profile settings. On some Windows releases, opening edasprof.prf by double-clicking it in My Computer or Windows Explorer, can cause damage to your Microsoft Outlook settings. Therefore, if you need to edit this file, open it from within a text editor.
MAS files may be mapped as Microsoft Access files if you have Microsoft Access installed.
When you open a file in My Computer or Windows Explorer, Windows opens it in the default application for which its extension is mapped. This mapping does not prevent you from opening a file using a different application than the one to which it is mapped. Therefore, changing this mapping is only required if you open WebFOCUS files from My Computer or Windows Explorer.
You can change mappings as follows:
PRF
The Edit File Type windows appears.
Edit
C:\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.exe
C:\WINNT\NOTEPAD.exe
This should not interfere in the operation of any applications, but will prevent WebFOCUS files from opening in the wrong applications.
Symptom: The context definition files for Tomcat are being deleted periodically.
The following files will be deleted randomly:
\Tomcat n.n\conf\Catalina\localhost\ibi_apps.xml
\Tomcat n.n\conf\Catalina\localhost\ibi_html.xml
\Tomcat n.n\conf\Catalina\localhost\approot.xml
Problem: This is a problem with Tomcat in certain environments. The exact cause of the issue is unknown.
For more details, see:
http://alwold.blogspot.com/2008/05/getting-tomcat-to-stop-deleting-your.html
Solution: Within the Tomcat configuration (server.xml), turn off autoDeploy.
On Windows, this is typically found at:
c:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Tomcat n.n\conf\server.xml
or, if the WebFOCUS client installation installed Tomcat, it is located under
c:\ibi\tomcat\conf\server.xml
<Host name="localhost" appBase="webapps"
unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="true"
xmlValidation="false" xmlNamespaceAware="false">
and change autoDeploy to false:
<Host name="localhost" appBase="webapps/localhost"
unpackWARs="true" autoDeploy="false"
xmlValidation="false" xmlNamespaceAware="false">
WebFOCUS |