Deploy a cube to production and rebuild it automatically

[RudiHendrix]

Ok, I'm kinda stuck again...

Situation:
I've built a cube in Transformer using a package (let's call that "mySourcePackage") as data source. Obviously I connected to the development environment. Now I have created the cube and published it to my development environment.
This resulted in:
-A new connection "myCubeConnection" pointing to the "myCubeFile.mdc" on the development server. I have chosen a directory on the server as it will make it easier to access it from the web application.
-A new package "myCubePackage"
-The file "myCubeFile.mdc" itself of course

Now I need to have the connection, the package and the cube available on the Acceptance Test environment and eventually on the Production environment as well.

I can manually create a new connection in the other two environments or use the export/import functionality to get it there. Then I only need to tweak it to have it point to the location on that specific server.
The package can be copied to the AT and P environment using the export/import function.

But, how do I get the MDC file there?!? I can copy the file of course, but then I have a file containing development data.
In Transformer I have also created an MDL file of the model (next to the pyj files that I already had) and a specification of publishing the cube. (Created through the publish wizard.)

How can I create the mdc file on regular basis on the AT and P servers with the data specified for that environment?

As a test for development I also tried the following:
-Open a command prompt and navigate to the Transformer bin directory
-Run the following: cogtr -f"D:\Data\Publish specification" -p"D:\Data\Billing Cube 1.3.pyj"
But all it does is opening the model in Cognos Transformer.

Who can help me? It is kind of urgent as I have already been trying to solve this myself for quite a while!

[MFGF]

cogtr -f"D:\Data\Publish specification" -p"D:\Data\Billing Cube 1.3.pyj"
But all it does is opening the model in Cognos Transformer.

Hi,

Assuming you are running on a Windows server, you need to specify Transformer runs in batch mode - the -n2 switch specifies this.

MF.

[RudiHendrix]

Cool! Thanks!

Yes, it's working better now. Now it's returning an error message that the object already exists. That's understandable as I am trying to publish the cube again. In the meanwhile I learned that I shouldn't create a script to PUBLISH the cube but to UPDATE it.

Could you please push me in the right direction in that area as well?

[RudiHendrix]

I saw in another topic that you were referring to the documentation. I will look into it and ask specific questions again if I don't get it.

[MFGF]

Hi,

Have a look at the -g switch:

-g[powercube_name]|[powercube_group_
name/child_cube_name] -pfilename.py?|-mfilename.mdl

In fact, you should definitely have a read of the Transformer User Guide (Start -> Programs -> IBM Cognos 8 -> Documentation -> Transformer, then select the User Guide from the list).  Appendix A details all the command line options, and Chapter 8 covers Cubes in production Environments - look specifically at the section on "Update published powercubes and powercube connections".

MF.

[RudiHendrix]

I've already looked at the -g option (which is not in the documentation I had of Transformer 8.3 ;))

It doesn't really seem to have the same effect as when I go into Transformer, hit right click on the cube and select "Update Selected PowerCube..." Should it have the same effect?

I have alse been looking into chapter 8. However it refers to PCConn which is a deprecated feature in my version.

So I guess I should be looking at the first bullit: "copy the newer version of the cube to the deployment location(s ) of the existing version, and then activate the newer version."

[redmist]

If you are on V 8.4, Transformer has an option under the Powercube properties to automatically update/publish the cube once the cube has been refreshed.
Look under Deployment

On prior versions you will have to use either cubeswap or pcactivate to publish the cube

[RudiHendrix]

Step by step I'm getting a little bit further...

I have set the properties of the cube (in the deployment tab) to "Copy to available locations, then activate" and after building the cube "Automatically copy and activate"

Now I have pointed it to some directory and run pcactivate "Facturering kubus.mdc" \\gtvmd402\COG_Data\Cubes\

Then first I found out that I had to create a directory there called "Facturering kubus
Then I learned that I had to have an empty cube as "source". I had that left from another attempt and then it did succeed... But the cube is not filled with data again.

Now I've also found some cube update scripts...
connect <servername> 9300
logon <namespace_ID> <user_ID> <password>
Chapter 8: PowerCubes in Production Environments
set <data_source_name>
C:\cube_name1.mdc
exit

But I really don't know where I should run these! Command prompt tells me "connect" is not recognized as an internal or external command.
In SQL developer I get a little bit further...but still...

[MFGF]

Hi,

You should find that whan a cube is first activated, several things change:

1. The cube file (mdc) is moved into a date-time stamped folder.
2. A stub-cube is created with the original name of the cube.
3. A version file is created, pointing the stub-cube to the cube in the timestamped folder.

When a new version of the cube is created and activated, the following happens:
1. A new date-time stamped folder is created, and the new cube is placed within it.
2. The version file is replaced with a new one, pointing to the new cube in the new folder.

This can be done successfully while users are still connected to the original cube.

In my documentation, this is covered in Chapter 8, in the "Copy and Activate a Newer Version of a Published Powercube" section on page 210.

Regards,

MF.

[RudiHendrix]

Hmmm...

I'm going to copy all current files in the "target" directory and try it again.

So I have already published the cube (so the connection and the package are there and that should be ok). But I shouldn't right click and hit "create selected powercube" right?

And now I'm going to activate it through right clicking the cube and selecting "Copy and Activate Selected PowerCube"

Then I get a TR3801 error message telling me: "Business Intelligence Data Server error fetching .mdp sub-files for PowerCube 'Facturering kubus' (PDS-PCT-0041 PowerPlay Data Server cannot read the data cache. Ther version information may be missing. Open Data Cache))."

Pfff... I'm getting more and more sick of this. Further (obviously) this is something I cannot file a Cognos Service Request for, because I should read the manual. (But I don't understand the manual :( )
Further I cannot find any information on what the "Processing" tab means in the properties sheet of the PowerCube

A colleague of mine did the Transformer course, but he doesn't have information on the subject either :(

[RudiHendrix]

I think I got a little bit further now...

If I create the cube in the location where I want it and next choose to "Copy and activate" the cube I get the following:
Creating directory '\\gtvmd402\cog_data\cubes\Facturering kubus'
Copying '\\gtvmd402\cog_data\cubes\Facturering kubus.mdc' to '\\gtvmd402\cog_data\cubes\Facturering kubus\Facturering kubus.mdc'
A file with the cube name exists, but it isn't a stub ('\\gtvmd402\cog_data\cubes\Facturering kubus.mdc').

Am I really a little bit further?

[MFGF]

A file with the cube name exists, but it isn't a stub ('\\gtvmd402\cog_data\cubes\Facturering kubus.mdc').

If you open the mdc file with notepad, do you see a single line of text saying "This is a stub cube"?

What version of Cognos 8 are you using?

MF.

[RudiHendrix]

Nope... the word "stub" cannot be found.
I'm using Cognos 8.4

I know, that I should do a course in Transformer, but at the moment there is no time to do that and I've come this far... I hope to finish it. There is a big chance that the user is not going to use the cube, but will use the standard package anyway.

[MFGF]

PM sent.

[RudiHendrix]

Just for the sake of sharing knowledge...

I finally found out "a way" of doing this.

We've installed Cognos Transformer on all servers. Next I copied the pyj file of the cube to the server.

Using the following batch command the cube is rebuilt every day:
cogtr -n2 -c -p -s -m"D:\Data\COG\Cubes\Billing Cube.pyj"

Thanks to all for your help! (I still plan on doing a course in this area to fully understand it.)

[amannepalli]

Hello,

On the Command i navigated to the bin directory and executed the below command

cogtr -n2 -c -p -s -m"F:\REPORTS\Cognos\Transformer Models\DentalScorecards.pyj"

Thats the place where the models reside where F is a shared drive and is mapped to the server where Transformer is installed.

But still all it does is it just opens the Transformer.

Could you send me the steps in detail.Please help its  urgent.

[RudiHendrix]

I think you will see in the log file that an error is encountered during the cube build.

The log file generally exists in the default directory. So some "My Documents\Transformer\Models" (I'm not exactly sure anymore, but it is something of the sort.)

[amannepalli]

Rudi,

This is where i am.Let me know what i can do.

cd "C:\Program Files\cognos\c8\bin"

####Any Idea about the below command Transformer just opens and vanishes.I dont see anything written on the logs too.######

cogtr -n2 -c -p -s -m"C:\Documents and Settings\ashokm\Desktop\Informatics Support\DentalScorecards.pyj"

#########Below is the path for the mdc file set in the transformer model#########

copy "c:\documents and settings\ashokm\desktop\informatics support\dentalscorecards.mdc"


"F:\"

rename F:\dentalscorecards.mdc table7powercube%date:~10,4%%date:~4,2%%date:~7,2%.mdc

I want to do some thing like this but building the cube command doesnt work and its a show stopper.Please advice

[amannepalli]

Rudi,

Thank you very much it worked.

[RudiHendrix]

Hi,

I checked the code that I used myself. At first we had the following version:
d:
cd d:\prog\cog\cognos8\transformer\bin
del "D:\Data\COG\Cubes\Facturering kubus.mdc"
cogtr -n2 -c -p -s -m"D:\Data\COG\Cubes\TerraNova Billing Cube 1.5.pyj"

So, what I do is:
-set the right drive
-set the right directory (that would be the directory where Cognos Transformer is installed)
-delete the previous version of the cube
-rebuild the cube (using the full path and filename of the pyj file.)

However, after a password change something went wrong and the easiest solution was to include the username and password in the prompt. Obviously I masked the username and password here :)
The "login" mentioned in the following prompt is the login that is created in Transformer while developing the cube.

d:
cd d:\prog\cog\cognos8\transformer\bin
del "D:\Data\COG\Cubes\Facturering kubus.mdc"
cogtr -n2 -c -p -s -l[login]=[domain]\[username]/[password] -m"D:\Data\COG\Cubes\TerraNova Billing Cube 1.5.pyj"


So basically we're doing the same thing.

So, you say there is nothing to be found in the log files. Completely no entries or nothing that indicates the issue. If you're looking at a blank log file you're looking at the wrong one :) It sounds very childish, but this is the case. Please use the Windows search function to locate the right one.

[RudiHendrix]

Rudi,

Thank you very much it worked.

I think our posts just crossed :)