Log Files paths in OBIEE 11g ..Imp to know !!

Log files store all important information required to troubleshoot issues. Best way in OBIEE 11g, is to get them from Enterprise Manager Console.But we can still see these files in OBIEE install directory.

• Enterprise Manager Console

Log on to EM Console (http://localhost:7001/em) . Once you logged on, in the left pane navigate to Farm_bifoundation_domain –> Business Intelligence–>coreapplications–>Diagnostics–>Log Messages
Here you can see the Most Recent Errors and Most Recent Warnings.

Available files:
• Presentation Services Log
• Server Log
• Scheduler Log
• Cluster Controller Log and many more

• Log files in OBIEE Install directory

We can find all log files for OBIEE Components in OBIEE install directory under OBIEE_HOME/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs 

These are the different type of log files:

Presentation Server log files
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs/OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent/coreapplication_obips1

BI Server log files
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs/OracleBIServerComponent/coreapplication_obis1

Scheduler log
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logsOracleBISchedulerComponent/coreapplication_obisch1

Cluster Controller log
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs/OracleBIClusterControllerComponent\coreapplication_obiccs1

ODBC log
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs/OracleBIODBCComponent/coreapplication_obips1

OPMN log
/instances/instance1/diagnostics/logs/OPMN/opmn

Web logic Server Log Locations: You can also find out server related logs at below locations:

BI Managed Server:

OBIEE_HOME\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\servers\bi_server1\logs


Admin Server:

OBIEE_HOME\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\servers\AdminServer\logs

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Other Important file paths:

Catalog Path

Drive:\Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance1\bifoundation\OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent\coreapplication_obips1\catalog

Repository Path

D:\Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance1\bifoundation\OracleBIServerComponent\coreapplication_obis1\repository

Instanceconfig.xml ----> file path

D:\Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance1\config\OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent\coreapplication_obips1

NQSConfig.INI file path :

D:\Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance1\config\OracleBIServerComponent\coreapplication_obis1

Error : access denied for user to path /users/weblogic/_portal/dashboard layout error

Hi
Last week, i faced a issue when i uploaded new RPD /Catalog on BI server. Initially Presentation Services were not coming up.Once it started and i logged in using weblogic user, i got an error :

access denied for user to path /users/weblogicand
access denied for user to path /users/weblogic/_portal/dashboard layout error


I searched many articles where they mentioned about GUID refresh,which seemed to be a long and cumbersome process.
I tried to analyse the issue and found that it was caused due to "USERS" folder and "Users.atr" file present inside the Catalog folder. I tried something which to my surprise, worked out. So thought to share it with my readers here.

original catalog (OFS) path: \Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance2\bifoundation\OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent\coreapplication_obips1\catalog\OFS\root\users

NEw Catalog (OBA) Path: \Oracle\Middleware\instances\instance2\bifoundation\OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent\coreapplication_obips1\catalog\OBA\root\users

1. delete the <user> folder and <user>.atr from OBA (path defined above)
2. Copy <user> folder and <user>.atr file from OFS original Catalogs and paste it here in OBA catalog path
2. Restart the BI services
3. Login using the user


If it still doesnt work for you then you can try two other methods:

1)  RPD Users deletion
Open the rpd offline before deployment, Goto Manage -> Identity->users .Check if any users are there in the rpd, if so remove them. Now deploy your rpd again.

2) Refresh GUIDs

Its always a best practice to refresh GUIDs, when uploading new rpd/catalog. If the same user name exists in both directory servers (original and new), the original user GUID may conflict with the user GUID contained in new server.A refresh forces the system to reference the user GUID contained in the new directory server.

Follow the below for Refreshing GUIDs:

1. Get the RPD&Catalog to target Machine. Make sure the BI Servers are down
2. Add/Update the below in instanceconfig.xml  (ORACLE_INSTANCE/config/OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent/
coreapplication_obips)

<Catalog>
<UpgradeAndExit>false</UpgradeAndExit>
<UpdateAccountGUIDs>UpdateAndExit</UpdateAccountGUIDs>
 </Catalog>

3. Add the below in NQSConfig file  (ORACLE_INSTANCE/config/OracleBIServerComponent/coreapplication_obisn) 
FMW_UPDATE_ROLE_AND_USER_REF_GUIDS = YES;
4. Save both files
5. Open FMW (Entrerprise Manager) and load new RPD and Catalog. Click Apply and Click Activate Changes. Don’t restart from EM
6. Go to Command line and using opmnctl command to restart the servers
->opmnctl startall
Wait for sometime. (The Presentation server will be stopped automatically)
Now stop all the services using below command
->opmnctl stopall
7. Once the servers are down, UNDO the changes done in both config files.
reset the FMW_UPDATE_ROLE_AND_USER_REF_GUIDS to NO
and
 instead of making “UpdateAccountGUIDs” to “none” , you should comment the whole tag to improve BI presentation services restart time
8.Start the servers again and try login to Answers.