Cognos Configuration or Connection Error 2

[MFitzgerald]

Hello
I have installed Cognos 8 ReportNet Server locally on my machine, running XP.
This was successful.

In Cognos configuration I set the default gateway URI to

http://<<MACHINE

NAME>>:80/cognos/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi (Cognos being the virtual directory Ive created in IIS to point to cognos/c8)

When I Direct my browser to

http://<<MACHINE

NAME>>:80/cognos/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi I get the cognos connection page, but without any images, buttons etc.
I can navigate between the 'public folders' and 'my folders' and sort the contents etc but with no images or buttons and the links to report & query studio do nothing but give an error.

Can anyone add something to guide me ?
Am I pointing to the correct location ?

Any help is very much appreciated.
Martin

 

[pmcghiey]

I believe the virtual directory should be cognos8 and not just cognos. You can always right click on the image and see the url that it is trying to use.

 

[MFitzgerald]

Hi pmcghiey, thanks for your response.

Do you mean that the 'Alias' of the virtual directory needs to be cognos8 or that the path of the virtual directory should go down to program files/cognos/c8 ? (there is no actual cognos8 folder from the installation, just c8).

The path shown when I check the properties on my missing images/buttons is strange.
The actual location of the files are cognos/c8/webcontent/skins etc etc

If I have the virtual Directory 'cognos8' set to program files/cognos/c8/cgi-bin it looks for the images under cognos8/skins/etc, thus missing out on the webcontent folder which is at the same level as the cgi-bin folder.

If I set the virtual Directory 'cognos8' set to program files/cognos/c8 (one level higher) it still looks for the images under cognos8/skins/etc again missing out on the webcontent folder.

If I set the virtual Directory 'cognos8' set to program files/cognos (another one level higher) it still looks for the images under cognos8/skins/etc again missing out on the webcontent folder.

It seems to want the cognos.cgi file to be under the cognos/c8/webcontent folder but this is not where it is located from the installation, and I don't think it is a good idea to start moving the folder structure.

Is it possibly something I am missing in IIS ?
Any tips ?

Many thanks again, -Martin

 

[CognosCons]

Hi Martin

You should make three Virtual Directories on your IIS, each pointing to different locations within the Cognos installation location.

cognos -> ...\Cognos\c8\webcontent (e.g. C:\Program Files\\Cognos\c8\webcontent)
cgi-bin -> ...\Cognos\c8\cgi-bin
help -> ..\Cognos\c8\webcontent\documentation

The cgi-bin and help virtual directories shuold be created within the cognos virtual directory.

The cgi-bin directory should have execute rights.

Regards,

Søren

 

[MFitzgerald]

Hello CognosCons,

Many thanks for your response.

I had already used another method to get around this (moved the contents of the webcontent folder up one level).

Your solution obviously is more accurate and I will apply this when I reinstall the software again.

 

[misscognos]

your problem is that you do not have the required permissions on your web server..

don't move stuff around.. leave it the way it is shipped.

IIS:

virtual directory called whatever you want under default website. this should point to webcontent folder. it needs "read" permissions in iis.

right click virtual direcotry created above and make a new virtual directory INSIDE it called cgi-bin. it needs read, run scripts, and one more.. can't remember what

right click virutal directory in STEP ONE and create virtual dir called help, point it to webcontent/documentation. needs read permission.

in case you are using iis 6, you need to set up the web extensions correctly.

also make sure you are logging in as an administrator and getting the same behaviour.

re-iterate: do not move stuff around within the directories. cognos has some sort of trick to move the content of webcontent into the dispatcher folder.. then you don't need a webserver at all.. not really recommended, but this is what you might have been thinking. if you have done something else recommend fixign it or even re-installing if you're not too far into things.