Upfront NewsBox Won't Delete!

[mjcotter]

I log into Upfront as Administrator and go to the Personal NewsBox folder. There is a user's NewsBox that still shows up, but the user doesn't exist anymore. The user has been deleted from Access Manager. When I click on the user's NewsBox, I get the following error:

Page generation error while preparing a page based on template: upfront_inframe.utml.
Page Generation information message:
The object of type (NewsBox) with ID (80846ad8e7a011d8a453a8c26f11d2f5) cannot be found. It may have been deleted.

How can I delete this NewsBox??? I tried highlighting it and clicking on EDIT-DELETE from the drop-down items. Also, when I click on Actions or Properties, I get the above error.

Thanks!

 

[GJParker]

Unfortunately you should have deleted the newsbox before deleting the user in Access Manager, You coul dtry recreating the user in AM and then deleting the newsbox (not sure if this will work though as AM will probably create the user with a different ID. If you can't delete the item you could always just hide it.

HTH

Gary Parker
MIS Data Analyst
Manchester, England

 

[mjcotter]

In theory, Cognos provides a tool within the Upfront server called the "User Cleanup" utility which helps cleanup and remove users that have been deleted from AM and still exist in Upfront. I've run this utility and it comes up clean.

Unfortunately, I can't hide the item either, as I cannot access the Properties. It gives me the error detailed in my original post.

I can't live with the item b/c it is stopping me from being able to pack Upfront, so that I can deploy to another server.

There must be a way to get into the Upfront datastore and find and delete this problem.

 

[mjcotter]

Oh, and you're right... I can't just recreate the user in AM and then delete the NewsBox. If I recreate the user, it will get recreated with a new ID and will create a new NewsBox when that new user logs in.

 

[GJParker]

There are some commands in the Upfront Developer guide which allow automation of upfront, I've never really worked with them but you could give them a try

<DeleteNewsBoxShortcut>
<Id>17de59f0c3f611d5a893c30130af4a82</Id>
</DeleteNewsBoxShortcut>

HTH

Gary Parker
MIS Data Analyst
Manchester, England

 

[mjcotter]

Thanks, Gary! I've checked the developer guide and have tried many of these xml commands. Nothing seems to work! I've had a support case open with Cognos since the end of Feb. and haven't gotten any results either. The matter has become more urgent b/c it is affecting Production now. I escalated the case yesterday. This NewsBox prevents me from using Deployment Manager and from being able to successfully pack using upfpack. If Cognos is ever able to provide me an answer on how to delete this, then I will be sure to post it in hopes that it will help somebody else someday.

 

[DoubleD]

We ran into some problems at one point with not being able to delete some reports. We got some xml from cognos, that when pasted into the address bar of IE, removed the reports. I'm guessing this might work with a newsbox. I'll try to track down that xml for you.

I am what I am based on the decisions I have made.

DoubleD

 

[scottsdale2k]

If your requirement is to move the complete upfront setup with all the newsbox to a new server instead of using upfront package command, can you try upfront backup and restore command. I have use this command to restore the upfront newsbox and thought this could be a possible workaround but not sure. Please try and let us know the result.

Thanks,
Magesh.

 

[mjcotter]

Hi Magesh,

You're right - my final goal is to move my complete Upfront environment from 1 server to another. However, I will be moving from a server with Cognos 7.1 installed to a new server with Cognos 7.3 installed.

I don't believe I can use the Backup and Recovery Guide steps b/c of the assumptions on Page 7 of the Backup and Recovery Guide. Point 3 says "you will not change the directory locations when you restore Cognos products". Cognos 7.1 is installed to subdirectory CER3 while Cognos 7.3 is installed to subdirectory CER4.

Bottomline is I really need to figure out a way to delete this NewsBox. I've experimented with the UPFPACK command and b/c of this NewsBox, the package file is created in corrupt form.

If I ever arrive at an answer either via my experimenting or from Cognos, then I will post the answer.

Wish me luck!