I was just thinking of writing a new post when I got a call from one of my friends who was trying to learn this niche tool and was stuck in the first phase. The Installation.
Before you begin reading it, let me clarify that this tutorial is for beginners and I'll be discussing only the steps I used to install the tool on my friend's machine. It's not a generic installation guide. For generic guide please follow the formal documentation of vendor. The configuration can be found at - http://apsdwh.vlaanderen.be/cognos/help/accessadm.pdf
Most of these large proprietary software are a bit difficult to install, and if you have purchased a pirated version of the software from a roadside seller, it might not be much useful to you cause, it's gonna take pretty much efforts and mind quenching before you could actually make it work. Even if you install the tool, the configuration will be even more difficult. The standard documentation of whole process is also not sufficient as there are so different steps and cofigurations that it's hard to trap each and every error.
So...I was not surprised when my friend said that he has searched all over the net and have not got much which could help him install the tool. Information is available in bits and pieces but you need to be real technical to get it and apply for your own use.
I thought why not write a post about basic installation of this nice tool. Here is how we did the install at his PC. The steps are pretty basic but when you'd do them your own without knowing anything, bet you'd not be able to know that the process could be so easy.
The problem-
You install the analyst and it says to configure. It asks the
1. Default authentication source (one of..
- Default Directory Server
- Default LAE file
2. CSA (configuration) file
You'd search and try to find these files but to no avail.
Installation - The Simple Solution-
1. Run the setup of Analyst and install it, it will get installed with some errors.
2. Don't worry when error come ;-)
3. Configuration- CSA File-
Open the Access Manager - Administration from Start > Program Files > Cognos Enterprise Planning Series ** Version ** > Tools
Select from File Menu > Save As
Give location and name to csa file and click Save.
4. LAE File -
- Now right click on Local Authentication Export Files tree node in Access Manager - Administrator
- Select 'Add LAE File'
- Give a logical name and file name and press OK.
- Give namespace name for default use. Fill other information if you want.
- After this close the Administrator.
5. Launch the Configuration wizard from
Start > Program Files > Cognos Enterprise Planning Series ** Version ** > Tools > Access Manager - Configuration Wizard
- Click Next
- Select 'Automated....' radio button and click Next.
- On the next screen click on Add and give the location of your csa file that we just created, then click Next
- Select 'Local Authentication Export Settings file (LAE) configuration' and click Next
- Click 'Browse' and select your file from its location.
- Select the namespace that you gave when creating the file. It will be default namespace.
- In the next screen select 'Local Authentication Export File (LAE)' from the two radio buttons. Click Next
- Select 'Accept the settings' and click Finish.
Wasn't that difficult...was it?
Open your Analyst from
Start > Program Files > Cognos Enterprise Planning Series ** Version ** > Cognos Planning - Analyst
It should launch using the basic signon.
Enjoy!!
