Oracle Analytics Server Known Issues

Learn now about the issues you may encounter when using Oracle Analytics Server, and how to work around them.

Topics

These issues pertain to all areas of Oracle Analytics Server and Oracle Analytics Publisher, such as installation, migration, analyses and dashboards, semantic model development, and system administration.

Documentation Accessibility

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Access to Oracle Support

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General Issues and Workarounds

Some features and functions don’t work as expected.

Topics:

Upgrade from the Previous Version of Oracle Analytics Server Fails

After you apply the latest Critical Patch Update (CPU) to Oracle Fusion Middleware, if you try to upgrade from Oracle Analytics Server 2023 to Oracle Analytics Server 2024, the Oracle Analytics Server upgrade fails.

To work around this issue, apply the patch number 25297159 to Oracle Analytics Server 2024 Oracle Home.

Known Issues with Oracle Essbase Data Sources

The Oracle Essbase data sources have a number of known issues.

  • Searching for a specific column within an Oracle Essbase data source displays a "No Matches Found" message.

  • The Advanced Analytics functions don't work for Oracle Essbase data sources.

  • Time-based columns are sometimes not imported correctly. A column displaying a date in text can’t be converted to a column of date data type because of format mismatch.

  • Oracle Essbase data sources don’t work in data flows.

  • When working in a workbook, you can’t use match columns to join an Oracle Essbase data source to any other data source included in the workbook.

  • When you import an Oracle Essbase data source, you can’t prepare the data, and you can’t edit the data after import. For example, you can't change a column’s data type or aggregation.

Known Issues with MongoDB Connections and Data Sources

The MongoDB database connection type and MongoDB data sources have a number of known issues.

  • Schema map from MongoDB not refreshed — When you create a connection to a MongoDB data source, the underlying driver automatically creates a normalized schema for the MongoDB database. If collections are added to the schema in the MongoDB database, the driver can't find these additional collections. This issue has no workaround.

Null Values in XLSX File Set to String

If you're adding an XLSX file as a data source and if the spreadsheet’s null values are expressed as hyphens, then Oracle Analytics treats the null values as strings irrespective of the other values in the column.

To work around this issue, remove the hyphens from the column and try to import the XLSX file again.

Query Results for Columns of String Values Might Differ

You might notice that queries for columns of type String return differing results. This situation can occur if String columns are matched with columns in the subject areas of the semantic model that have CHAR data types. Trailing spaces are treated differently between VARCHAR and CHAR data types in many SQL functions. This issue has no workaround.

Microsoft Internet Explorer Is No Longer Supported

If you use Internet Explorer 11, then you'll experience significant performance issues.

Oracle no longer supports Internet Explorer and strongly recommends that you use a modern browser. Refer to the Microsoft Support website for information about the latest Microsoft browsers.

Custom Formats in Analyses Not Available

In Oracle Analytics Server, if you open an analysis that contains a custom format that was created in the Analysis Editor, you see an error message. You might've applied a custom format in the Analysis Editor using the Custom Numeric Format option on the Data Format tab in the Column Properties dialog.

To work around this issue, edit the analysis in the Analysis Editor and remove the custom formatting, or remove the item in the analysis that contains the custom format. Then open the analysis again.

Concurrent Restore Operations Not Recommended

Any user with administrator permissions can restore a snapshot. Oracle Analytics Server doesn't prevent multiple users from starting concurrent restore operations, but this often causes snapshot restore failures.

To avoid such issues, Oracle recommends that you coordinate restore operations with other administrators and wait for one restore operation to finish before starting another one.

Exported BAR Files Don't Include Data Files

When you back up an instance into an Oracle Business Intelligence application archive (BAR) file, data files that you uploaded aren't included in the BAR file.

When you import the BAR file into a target system, only the metadata for the data files is imported, rather than the data files themselves.

To work around this issue, when you restore a snapshot taken from a different environment, you must upload the data associated with your file-based data sets to the target environment.

Authorization Failures in Horizontally Scaled-Out Deployments

If users experience random authorization failures, check your deployment.

If the deployment is horizontally scaled-out and manages user populations in the LDAP Server of the Oracle WebLogic Server as the main identity provider, use the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console to create users and groups. Avoid using the User Administration page on the Oracle Analytics Console for this task. An issue with the Administration page causes users added through this component to not be reflected in both nodes of the system, resulting in random authorization failures.

Saving a Data Flow Using the Save As Option

The Save As option doesn't work if you try to save a data flow with a name that already exists (that is, the existing data flow isn't overwritten).

To work around this issue, when you use the Save As option, specify a data flow name that doesn't already exist, or first delete the existing data flow that has the name you want to use.

Issues with Oracle Analytics Server Model Administration Tool

This section describes issues and workarounds for Oracle Analytics Server Model Administration Tool

Topics:

User Assistance for the Model Administration Tool

If you want user assistance for the Model Administration Tool, go to the Oracle Help Center page. Don't use the context-sensitive help links available in the tool; this content is out-of-date.

See: Oracle Analytics Server page.

Issues When Creating or Restoring Large Snapshots

When you try to create or restore very large snapshots (those with a size of 5GB or larger), you might see an error message similar to the following one:

Plugin:com.oracle.bi.contentstorage.metadatalcm.ContentStorageMetadataPlugin: commitImport Operation:importBAR StatusCode:Operation Failed

This error occurs when the system times out during the creation or restore process. If the problem persists, contact Oracle Support.

Issue with Time Series Functions and Double Data Type Time Dimension Keys

You might notice an internal error message when you work with time series functions in analyses. The error occurs because time dimension keys are set to a data type of Double in the Model Administration Tool.

To work around this issue, change the data type of the time dimension keys to INT in the Model Administration Tool. Or go to the database properties and disable the TIME_SERIES_TODATE_SUPPORTED database feature.

Virus Scanner Settings Not Taking Effect

You might find that settings that you make for the virus scanner in the Console don't take effect.

To work around this issue, reapply your system settings:

  1. Click Console, and then click System Settings.
  2. Click Apply.

Wait a few moments for the changes to refresh through the system.

Error Adding Table With Mixed-Case Name or Column Names to a Dataset

Oracle Analytics displays the "Create Dataset Table Failed" error message when you add a database table with a name that uses mixed-case or a table that contains column names with mixed-case to a dataset.

Examples of mixed-case names include Sales, Products, Cust_ID, or Quantity_Sold.

To work around this issue, create a dataset and in the Dataset editor, go to the Connections pane in the Data Panel, and drag and drop the Manual Query option to the Join Diagram. Write the SQL statement, making sure to:
  • Double quote all table and column name identifiers that use mixed case.
  • Alias the mixed case table column name identifiers with uppercase.

For example: select "EfG_Field" as EFG_FIELD, "HiJ_Field" as HIJ_FIELD from "AbCd"

See Add a Table to a Dataset Using a SQL Statement.

Integration with or Migration from Oracle BI Discoverer Isn't Supported

You can't integrate with or migrate from Oracle BI Discoverer.

You can ignore any mentions of such integration or migration in the documentation set. For example, Chapter 8, Using Discoverer Data in Applications, in Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition isn't applicable for Oracle Analytics Server .

Cygwin to Invoke Scripts Isn't Supported

You can't use Cygwin to invoke scripts for starting and stopping services.

Connection Externalization Properties in System Settings Aren't Applicable

The connection externalization properties that display on the System Settings page aren't applicable in Oracle Analytics Server:

  • Connection Externalization Enabled
  • Connection Externalization Polling Interval

This issue has no workaround.

Error When Opening a Semantic Model (.rpd) File Containing Multibyte Characters

You might see an error message when you use Model Administration Tool to open a semantic model (.rpd) file whose path name includes multibyte characters (such as Chinese or Japanese).

To work around this issue, rename folders in the path to remove the multibyte characters from the name.

Order of a Subject Area's Table Listing in Semantic Modeler

In Semantic Modeler, the Presentation Layer pane displays a subject area's tables in alphabetical order rather than in the order the tables are listed in the Subject Area editor's Tables tab.

To work around this issue, use the Subject Area editor's Tables tab to view and change the order of the tables.

Analyses and Dashboards Issues and Workarounds

This section describes issues and workarounds for analyses and dashboards.

Topics

Treemap View Fails to Download in PDF, Excel, or Powerpoint Format

If an analysis includes a treemap view, you can’t properly export the results to Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft Powerpoint unless Oracle Analytics Server was installed with the correct version of the Java Development Kit (JDK).

To work around this issue, install JDK 1.8.0.211 on the Oracle BI Server machine. The JDK version must be 8u60 Build b10 or later. You must install JDK before you install Oracle Analytics Server.

Archiving and Unarchiving Dashboards Loses Links for Analyses

When you archive a dashboard and unarchive it on another server, you might notice that some or all links below analyses on that dashboard are missing.

To work around this issue, ensure that the catalog folders and objects on the destination server match the structure on the original server.

Prompt Value Reset to All Column Values

You can create prompts and make every prompt dependent on all other prompts.

When you then select a value in a prompt, the query for each prompt is recreated. You might find that the previously selected value of some prompts is reset to "All Column Values," and the query returns no results. To work around this issue, don't make all prompts dependent on each other.

HASH GROUP BY Operation Isn’t Supported in SQL Expressions

The prompt values are incorrect when you use the HASH GROUP BY operation in SQL expressions for prompts.

To work around this issue, use ORDER BY instead of the HASH GROUP BY operation in SQL expressions.

Oracle Analytics Publisher Issues and Workarounds

This section describes issues and workarounds for Oracle Analytics Publisher.

Topics

Oracle Analytics Publisher Displays PDF File Error Message when Printing with ScheduleService Web Service

When you use the ScheduleService web service in Oracle Analytics Publisher to print a document as PDF, you might see an error message such as Document is not a PDF File.

This issue occurs only if you've configured the PDFtoPostScript filter to print the file to a Postscript printer. After converting a PDF file into a Postscript file, Oracle Analytics Publisher doesn't change the content type from application-pdf to application/octet-stream in the web service.

To work around this issue, set the contentType to application/octet-stream in the DeliveryRequest parameter of the web service.

Issue Downloading Publisher Reports as PDF in Chrome Browsers

You might be unable to download Publisher reports as PDF in Chrome browsers due to the way that the PDF plug-in handles embedded content in iframes.

To work around this issue, you have the following options:

  • Click Print to download a report as PDF.
  • Display the report in another browser such as Firefox and download it from there.

Oracle Business Intelligence Documentation Errata

This section describes issues and workarounds for documentation.

Topics

Online Help for Installation and Configuration

If you click Help while in the Installer and Configuration Assistant for Oracle Analytics Server, you see topics that mention Oracle Business Intelligence. Most mentions of Oracle Business Intelligence should be reworded as Oracle Analytics Server.

As you work with the Configuration Assistant for Oracle Analytics Server, you can click Help to obtain more information about each screen. The Help system hasn't been updated, and some details aren't applicable for Oracle Analytics Server. The topic for the Database Details step mentions the IBM DB2 Database, which isn't supported as a Repository Creation Utility (RCU) database with Oracle Analytics Server.

Some Documentation for Oracle Analytics Publisher and Oracle Analytics Server Is No Longer Being Updated

This issue addresses documentation for Oracle Analytics Publisher and Oracle Analytics Server that's no longer updated.

The following documentation is no longer being updated within the guides themselves. See this and future Release Notes for updates to these documents:

Oracle Fusion Middleware Licensing Information User Manual

The following issue applies to the Fusion Middleware Licensing Information User Manual.

All the information in the Oracle Business Intelligence section of the Fusion Middleware Licensing Information User Manual remains as-is except for the following name changes of the indicated products:

Old Name New Name

Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Extended Edition

Oracle Analytics Server

Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher

Oracle Analytics Publisher

Oracle Business Intelligence Server Enterprise Edition

Oracle Analytics Server Enterprise Edition

Oracle Business Intelligence Standard Edition One

Oracle Analytics Standard Edition One

Oracle Business Intelligence Server Administrator

Oracle Analytics Server Administrator

Oracle Business Intelligence Interactive Dashboards

Oracle Analytics Interactive Dashboards

Oracle Business Intelligence Answers

Oracle Analytics Answers

Oracle Business Intelligence Delivers

Oracle Analytics Delivers

Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Extended Edition for Oracle Applications

Oracle Analytics Server for Oracle Applications

Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher for Oracle Applications

Oracle Analytics Publisher for Oracle Applications

Oracle BI Administration Tool Documentation

The following issues address documentation for Oracle BI Administration Tool

Online Help for Model Administration Tool Is No Longer Updated

The Model Administration Tool online help is no longer being updated.

Refer to Before You Begin in Managing Metadata Repositories for Oracle Analytics Server for current information about current functionality in the Model Administration Tool, and the Release Notes for documentation updates.

Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition

The following issues address Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.

Embed Oracle Analytics Server in Oracle's Siebel CRM

You can embed Oracle Analytics Server in Oracle's Siebel CRM

In Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Ch 10 Embedding Oracle BI EE in Oracle's Siebel CRM describes how to embed Oracle BI EE in Oracle's Siebel CRM. You can use the same instructions to embed Oracle Analytics Server in Oracle's Siebel CRM.

Documentation Is Incorrect About Which WSDL Version to Use

In Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Chapter 1 Introduction to Oracle Business Intelligence Web Services, the What are the Oracle Business Intelligence Session-Based Web Services? section requires updates.

The last paragraph suggests that depending on your client version, you access the WSDL document using one of the following Oracle BI EE web services URLs:

http://host:port/analytics-ws/saw.dll/wsdl/v6

http://host:port/analytics-ws/saw.dll/wsdl/v7

This paragraph shouldn't mention v6 or v7, but should state that for Oracle BI EE, if you want to develop new code or recompile existing code, you should use version 12 (or later) of the Oracle BI EE web services URL. For example:

http://host:port/analytics-ws/saw.dll/wsdl/v12

Documentation Mentions of Catalog Groups Are No Longer Applicable

Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition and Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition mention catalog groups. The mentions of catalog groups in these guides are no longer applicable.

In particular, the following methods are deprecated :
Method Section Purpose Deprecated Result
getGroups() 3.13.6 of Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Gets a list of catalog groups that are members of the account (for example, user or group). Returns a response such as "getGroups operation is not supported/deprecated".
getMembers() 3.13.7 of Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Gets direct members of the catalog group. Returns a response such as "getMembers operation is not supported/deprecated".
Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Requires Updates

This section addresses updates to portions of Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, which is no longer being updated.

Section 5.3 - Configuring the Action Framework

The statement preceding Table 5.3 currently states:

The Oracle BI EE installation contains a configuration file named ActionFrameworkConfig.xml. You manually edit this configuration file to specify how you want the Action Framework to behave. This configuration file is located by default in the following location:<Oracle Middleware Home>\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\config\fmwconfig\biinstances\coreapplication

In Oracle Analytics Server, you use scripts to configure the Action Framework. See Configure for Actions with the Action Framework.

Section - 9.2.3 Updating instanceconfig.xml

Step 2 of this procedure currently states that the instanceconfig.xml file is here:

ORACLE_INSTANCE/config/OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent/coreapplication_o bipsn.

In Oracle Analytics Server, use the System Settings page (in Console) to set some of the most common system settings. See Configure Advanced System Settings in the Console.

Section - 9.3.6 Setting Up a Profile

Step 5 of this procedure currently states:

5. On the resulting screen, under Responsibility, enter the Oracle BI EE URL. For example: 
http://my_server.domain.com:port/analytics

This is an error. The /analytics portion of this path should be left out.

Step 5 of this procedure should state:

5. On the resulting screen, under Responsibility, enter the Oracle BI EE URL. For example: 
http://my_server.domain.com:port

Section 9.3.7 - Navigating from E-Business Suite to Oracle Business Intelligence

Step 4 of this procedure currently states:

4. In the Menu field, select the menu that you created in Section 9.3.3, Creating a Menu That Invokes the Form Function (for example, OBIEE).

The Form Function is invoked that links to Oracle BI EE.

Step 4 of this procedure should state:

4. In the Menu field, select the menu that you created in Section 9.3.3, Creating a Menu That Invokes the Form Function (for example, OBIEE).

This launches Oracle BI EE. 

Updating authenticationschemas.xml Needs Additional Statement

In Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Chapter 10 Integrating with Oracle E-Business Suite Security, the Updating authenticationschemas.xml section is incorrect for Oracle BI EE.

The following statement must be added between Step 4 and Step 5:

Locate the sub-element RequestVariable source="constant" and change the value of the nameInSource attribute from ssi to the name of the service instance created during domain configuration. If not chosen explicitly, the default value is ssi. For example: 

<RequestVariable source="constant" type="auth" nameInSource="ssi" biVariableName="NQ_SESSION.SERVICEINSTANCEKEY" />

If the entry doesn't already exist, then add a new entry under:

<AuthenticationSchema name="EBS-ICX">
Documentation About Setting up E-Business Suite Authentication

In Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, Chapter 10 Integrating with Oracle E-Business Suite, the Setting Up Authentication section is inaccurate.

Using session variables in initialization blocks for authentication in the E-Business Suite environment integrated with Oracle Business Intelligence, lightweight single sign-on (SSO) doesn't work. Lightweight SSO is enabled by default. See Lightweight SSO and Legacy Authentication Options in Managing Security for Oracle Analytics Server.

You must disable lightweight SSO to continue to use session variables in initialization blocks for authentication. You should disable lightweight SSO using the disableBISingleSignOn command. See Enable and Disable SSO Authentication Using WLST Commands in Managing Security for Oracle Analytics Server.

If you must use SSO, there are other options available.

Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition

The following issues address Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.

Documentation Mentions of Catalog Groups Are No Longer Applicable

Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition and Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition mention catalog groups. The mentions of catalog groups in these guides are no longer applicable.

In particular, the following methods are deprecated :
Method Section Purpose Deprecated Result
getGroups() 3.13.6 of Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Gets a list of catalog groups that are members of the account (for example, user or group). Returns a response such as "getGroups operation is not supported/deprecated".
getMembers() 3.13.7 of Integrator's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Gets direct members of the catalog group. Returns a response such as "getMembers operation is not supported/deprecated".
Documentation About Impersonation Requires Update

Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition, which is no longer being updated, requires an update.

Scheduling Jobs Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition isn't clear regarding passwords and impersonation. When impersonation is required, don’t provide a password.

XML Schema Reference for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition

The following issues address XML Schema Reference for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.

Clarification about RefObject Element

XML Schema Reference for Oracle Business Intelligence includes various examples of the RefObject element.

When including this element, ensure that you include both the id attribute and the qualifiedName attribute, even if the id attribute is absent from certain examples in the guide. If you omit the id attribute, then you might see a message that reads similar to could not resolve object error.