RESOLVED: Excel Output List Content Missing

[locus]

Hi Folks,

This old chestnut has been queried many times in one way or another over the years, across different versions of Cognos.
In this case 8.4.1

I have reports that run fine in HTML, but on export to any spreadsheet format, including CSV, they are blank.
Now when I say blank, the header, footer, page#, date/time stamps are all there, but the list area is blank. No column headings either.
Just an empty space in the report.

Worth noting that PDF also has the same result.

I have downgraded the version of IE, testing each one, from IE11 to IE7.
Added parameter overrides for xls/xlsx to the environment settings in administration.
Nothing.

The one change I did notice as I was going down the versions of IE, was that an error message I have seen several times before was cropping up.
Along the lines of "The file type and extension don't match", with a corrupt file warning, but proceeding has the same file content as above. No data.

I have recently inherited a Cognos solution, that is, to say the least, dirty and disorganised so I have little history of how it was put together.
I am systematically pulling it back into shape by working through a list of logged issues, and others that I have come across during my analyses.
What I do see is that the company has been having this particular issue since July 2015.

Has anyone come across this before?

CHeers,
Locus

[locus]

Also,

The Parameters are displaying in the output "ParamDisplayValue" - The prompt criteria selected.

For different formats, different responses but same result:

1. Excel 2007 - Straight to empty report
This option comes back in a few seconds

2. 2000 Single Sheet - Warning message and then to empty report

Code Select Expand

The file format and extension of '.xls' don't match. The file could be corrupted or unsafe
This option takes an eternity to come back

Locus

[locus]

Rebuild everything from scratch.

ETL
Framework Manager
Report

Sometimes that's what it takes!