Title: What to expect in a upgrade from Cognos ReportNet or Cognos 8

Created: Jul 20, 2006

Applies To: Cognos 8 BI Cognos Connection 8!"
Cognos 8 BI Cognos #ie$er 8!"
Cognos 8 BI Install and Config 8!"
Cognos 8 BI Report %tudio 8!"
Cognos 8 %oft$are &e'! (it 8!"
Cognos ReportNet "!")R2
Cognos ReportNet "!")R*
&escription+
,his (B document descri-es $hat a client should consider $hen planning an upgrade of existing
reports to Cognos 8! It descri-es the follo$ing+
.reas that re/uire special attention to re'alidate after an upgrade! %ome customi0ations ma1
not -e carried for$ard as expected from one release to the next!
2eature changes introduced -ecause of client feed-ac3 that ma1 change the -eha'ior of
existing reports! ,hese should -e e'aluated on a case-1case -asis since it depends upon
the nature of the change and ho$ the client uses the feature! )ost clients $ill $elcome these
changes and some ma1 -e unaffected -1 the changes!
4ou should use this (B under follo$ing upgrade situations!
"! upgrading from Cognos ReportNet "!" )R", )R2 and )R* to Cognos 8!" )R" and )R2
2! upgrading from Cognos 8!" )R" to Cognos 8!" )R2

2or an o'er'ie$ of 3no$n product issues in the upgraded 'ersion, search for the Cognos 8 Readme
a'aila-le
on the Cognos support $e- site under the &ocumentation lin3!
General
"! %ort 5rder
What to
expect
Reports that do not ha'e a sort order imposed $ithin the reports
or $ithin the underl1ing model ma1 ha'e data appear in a
different order after the upgrade! ,he actual data returned
should -e unaffected!

Reports that include a sort order $ill retain that order after the
upgrade!
When to
consider it
6pon e'er1 upgrade to a ne$er 'ersion
Wh1 6nless explicitl1 ordered, the resulting data order sent -1 the
data-ase is ar-itrar1! .n1 small change in the /uer1 7e!g! to
optimi0e8 ma1 affect the order of returned data!
What should
1ou do
If the sort order is important, modif1 the report or the model to
define the re/uired sort order! ,hereafter, those reports $ill
consistentl1 adhere to the imposed sort order after e'er1
upgrade!


2. Customized database .ini files
What to
expect
.fter an upgrade, the installed cogdm9!ini files $ill -e the outof
the-ox supported 'ersions! )odifications to settings in the pre
upgrade files are not carried for$ard!

Where there ha'e -een modifications in the preupgrade
en'ironment, upgraded reports that depend on the modified files
ma1 not run or -eha'e as -efore $ith the outofthe -ox !ini
files nor if the modifications are carried for$ard to the upgraded
en'ironment!
When to
consider it
6pon e'er1 upgrade to a ne$er 'ersion
Wh1 Cognos ensures constant -eha'ior -et$een releases of the
supported data-ase configurations! :o$e'er, the -eha'ior of
indi'idual undocumented cogdm9!ini settings ma1 change
-et$een releases! .s such, Cognos cannot offer unconditional
support for client directed modifications!
What should
1ou do
If a supported configuration does not meet 1our needs, the
options are+
Register an enhancement re/uest to add support to 1our
specific configuration!
If the settings are modified in the upgraded
en'ironment, the client is responsi-le for the maintaining the
modifications and ensuring the dependent reports continue to
meet their re/uirements! Clients should 'alidate dependent
reports in the upgraded en'ironment!
Re'ie$ the Cognos support polic1 regarding unsupported
en'ironments posted on the Cognos $e- site!
ReportStudio
*! ;"6;2; <m-edded Ja'a%cript customi0ations
What to
expect
Reports containing Ja'a%cript that reference undocumented
:,)= o->ects ma1 not run as expected after an upgrade!
When to
consider it
6pon e'er1 upgrade to a ne$er 'ersion
Wh1 Cognos has no control o'er Ja'a%cript execution!
6ndocumented features in the Cognos application ma1 change
-et$een releases $ithout notice!
What should
1ou do
Re'alidate reports after upgraded! 2or affected reports, recode
or remo'e the Ja'a%cript as necessar1!
?! ;2""6; Reports $ith in'alid report la1out expressions fail execution
What to
expect
%ome reports that run $ithout error in CRN $ill signal la1out
errors in Cognos 8! <xamples are @)etadata 5->ects are
missing@ and @,est Results Windo$ Contains No &ata@
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1
ReportNet suppressed the errors $hile Cognos 8 does not!
,his change $as made -ecause users found suppressing the
errors made reports difficult to author and de-ug!
What should
1ou do
Correct or remo'e the report la1out expressions that are
producing the errors!
;! 6pgraded Reports &efault 2ormat %election
What to
expect
.fter an upgrade to Cognos 8, Report %tudio reports upgraded
from Cognos ReportNet $ill inherit the ReportNet default
formatting! :o$e'er, ne$ reports authored in Cognos 8 adopt
the ne$ Cognos 8 format -1 default!
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1
Cognos 8 has a ne$ loo3! Cognos 8 maintains separate
format st1lesheets for reports created in Cognos 8 and for
reports upgraded from ReportNet "!x! ReportNet reports
upgraded to Cognos 8 maintain the ReportNet loo3 -1 default!
What should
1ou do
If 1ou $ish to use a consistent format st1le in Report %tudio
reports, 1ou can align to the Cognos 8 st1le or retain the
ReportNet st1le!
,o do so, in each report 1ou must edit the ReportNet "!x st1les
propert1 in the A2ileAReport properties menu option selecting or
deselect the 6se "!x report st1les option as appropriate!
6! Custom Report 2ormat %t1lesheet )odifications B
ReportNet to Cognos 8
What to
expect
If 1ou ha'e modified the default report st1lesheet
7defaultCla1out!css8 in ReportNet to s1stematicall1 change the
format of all reports, the upgraded reports $ill not inherit these
changes!
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1
,o optimi0e the rendered :,)=, Cognos 8 has reduced the
length of class names in the st1lesheets! Cognos 8 has a
st1lesheet for reports created $ithin Cognos 8 and a st1lesheet
for reports upgraded from ReportNet to maintain the default
ReportNet format!
,he upgrade process from ReportNet "!x assigns the
ReportNet "!x st1lesheet to all upgraded reports!
What should
1ou do
If 1ou $ish to retain loo3 and feel as defined in ReportNet, 1ou
must modif1 the Cognos 8 -ase st1lesheets! ,he st1le sheets
Cognos 8 uses are+
globalreportstyles.css is used to pro'ide default report
formatting using the ne$ Cognos 8 st1les!
globalreportstyles_1.css is used to pro'ide ReportNet "!x
compati-le default report st1les! It maintains the same
-eha'ior as ReportNet "!x, -ut the si0e of the class name has
-een reduced!
,here are 2 copies of each file and are used $hen rendering
reports in the -ro$ser and $hen rendering D&2 documents and
charts! ,hese are installed on the $e- ser'er
7!!Ec8E$e-contentEschemas8 and on the Cognos 8 ser'er
7!!Ec8E-in8!
<ach cop1 should -e 3ept in s1nc to ensure consistent results!
In a distri-uted en'ironment $ith multiple $e- ser'ers
7ReportNet gate$a1s8 or ReportNet ser'er, 1ou must ensure
that the modified st1le sheet is copied to all ser'er
en'ironments!
F! ;22*2G D&2 =a1out Changes on 6pgrade
What to
expect
%ome reports rendered in D&2 ma1 appear to ha'e different
column or data $ord $rapping of font si0e
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1
%ignificant user feed-ac3 re/uesting to ha'e D&2 rendering
-eha'e closer in -eha'ior to :,)= rendering
What should
1ou do
Where strict D&2 la1out is re/uired, re'ie$ D&2 output from
upgraded reports to ensure that the1 still render accepta-l1!
Where the resultant la1out does not meet the needs, 2 options
are +
modif1 the default font in the st1lesheet affecting all
upgraded reports! glo-alreportst1lesC"!css is used -1
default for reports upgraded from ReportNet "!x to ensure
the1 use the same st1les the1 ha'e used all along!
modif1 each affected report!
8! Custom Report 2ormat %t1lesheet )odifications B
Cognos 8 to Cognos 8
What to
expect
If 1ou ha'e modified the default report st1lesheets in Cognos
8!" )R" to pro'ide a standard loo3 and feel to all reports, the
formats $ill -e restored to the Cognos 8 standard after
upgrading to )R2!
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos 8!" )R" to Cognos 8!" )Rx
Wh1
,hese customi0ations are not transferred automaticall1
What should
1ou do
2rom 1our -ac3up cop1 of 1our Cognos 8!" )R" installation,
cop1 the current st1lesheets 7glo-alreportst1les!css and
glo-alreportst1lesC"!css8 to the upgraded Cognos 8 ser'ers in
the follo$ing locations on the $e- ser'er
7!!Ec8E$e-contentEschemas8 and on the Cognos 8 ser'er
7!!Ec8E-in8!
<ach cop1 should -e 3ept in s1nc to ensure consistent results!
In a distri-uted en'ironment $ith multiple $e- ser'ers
7ReportNet gate$a1s8 or ReportNet ser'er, 1ou must ensure
that the modified st1le sheet is copied to all ser'er
en'ironments!
CognosConnection
G! 6R=s Ja'a%cript in Cognos Connection
What to
expect
onl1 $ell formed :,,D 6R=s are permittedH Ja'a%cript
em-edded in 6R=s $ill not $or3
When to
consider it
6pgrade from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1 remo'ed for securit1 reason to pre'ent malicious I%%
What should
1ou do
Remo'e the Ja'ascript in the 6R=!
Where Ja'a%cript $as used to force a ne$ -ro$ser $indo$ an
alternati'e is to in'o3e through @)1 Dages@! 4ou can place the
@Cognos Na'igator@ on a @)1 Dage@! ,he @Cognos Na'igator@
has different default actions to ta3e $hen an o->ect is clic3ed on!
5ne action is to ha'e the o->ect open in a ne$ $indo$! ,his
means that all o->ects, including 6R=s, $ill open in a ne$ $indo$
$hen clic3ed on


SDK

"0! %&( applications
What to
expect
If 1ou ha'e %&( applications that $ere de'eloped in ReportNet,
the1 must -e recompiled to run in the Cognos 8 en'ironment and
$ill re/uire minor modifications!
When to
consider it
6pgrading from Cognos ReportNet to Cognos 8
Wh1 Cognos 8 has made changes in some dependencies, made
impro'ements to the %&( and has deprecated some calls!
What should
1ou do
Re'ie$ the follo$ing documents+
Cognos 8 %&( &e'eloper Juide see section titled
@6pgrading ReportNet %&( .pplications@!
6pgrading %&( .pplications to Cognos 8 Dro'en Dractice
7a'aila-le at http+AA$$$!cognos!comAtechtal3insiderA! %elect
lin3 to Cognos Dro'en Dractices then lin3 to &e'elopment8
Related documents+
"! 2rame$or3 )anager Juidelines for )odeling )etadata! 5f special note is @6pgrading a Best
Dractices )odel from ReportNet "!x@
(e1$ords+
6pgrade Cognos8 ReportNet