I am currently in the process of upgrading a clone of our Test environment from 7.6.1 to 7.6.9. The clone's version of Tomcat was upgraded to 6.0.20 and its version of Java JRE was upgraded to 1.6.0_14. I downloaded version 2.0 of the Microsoft SQL Server JDBC Driver, and I am able to use it to connect to the repository.

Everything seems to be working great except for Report Caster itself. It always starts in "console only mode", and tells me there may be additional configuration necessary for it to connect to the repository (duh). At first, there was a "Connection refused: connect" error in the log, but it turns out I was using an old version of the JDBC driver at the time, and so I upgraded. This error has since disappeared.

I have modified the web.xml for the /rcaster76 application directory, and all machine names in the configuration have been changed as necessary. However, Report Caster still refuses to start up properly. There are no errors that I can see in the log file (and I have wiped it each time I start Report Caster during this experiment to make sure that I'm not being blinded by miles of text).

So... the repository itself can be connected to via other means (DB Visualizer is the program I used to test the JDBC driver), but not through its expected method. Has anyone else encountered errors like this in an upgrade to 7.6.9 (or earlier versions), and if so, what have you done to correct it?

I have updated the Classpath everywhere I could find (including in the Windows registry key for Report Caster) and it still refuses to connect. The connection string, user name, password, JDBC driver, repository DB, Tomcat, and WebFOCUS client have all tested just fine.

Any help or suggestions that anyone can offer would be GREATLY appreciated, as I'm starting to tear my hair out over this.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tmboyd,

For issues like this, I would first open a case with tech support. This is precisely the type of issue that they help resolve. Then if you should happen (gasp!) to have a long delay in getting your issue resolved with them, you can pursue it on the forum to see if others have hit that issue, but been able to resolve it themselves.

We have recently begun an upgrade to 7.6.9 using the new Tomcat and Java versions you use. (My understanding that the FULL JDK is required, not just the JRE. This is mentioned a couple of places in the install guide.)

I know we had some initial problems with the DB2 adapter similar to what you're having with your SQL adapter (it seems to work ok with other apps but wouldn't connect from RC.) I'll have to check with our admin (who happens to be out the next few days) to see what his resolution was.

I will indeed open a case with tech support eventually, but I was hoping for a "We've seen that and this is what we did" reply sooner. A bit more information... when I tried to test the Report Caster configuration, this is what happened (server name has been intentionally replaced in the output, and I realize the directory name has "761" in it... I did not do the original installation):

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>call .\classpath.bat

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set CMD_LINE_ARGS=

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>rem set CMD_LINE_ARGS=MASTER -f

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>rem set CMD_LINE_ARGS=FAILOVER

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set DSINSTALL=C:\ibi\ReportCaster761

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set DSINSTALL_PROD=C:\ibi\ReportCaster761

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set DSHOST=[our server name]

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set DSPORT=8200

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>set CLASSPATH=C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server J
DBC Driver 2.0\sqljdbc_2.0\enu\sqljdbc4.jar;C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\lib\reportcas
ter.jar;

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>java -cp "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server JDBC
Driver 2.0\sqljdbc_2.0\enu\sqljdbc4.jar;C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\lib\reportcaster.
jar;" ibi.broker.SCHConfigUtil C:\ibi\ReportCaster761 test
Error opening log file
java.lang.NullPointerException
at ibi.broker.SCHConfigUtil.test(SCHConfigUtil.java:625)
at ibi.broker.SCHConfigUtil.main(SCHConfigUtil.java:150)

C:\ibi\ReportCaster761\bin>pause
Press any key to continue . . .


...


Though this may be due to the fact that I wiped the log files. (Edit: Nope. I let it build them by recycling Report Caster, and the Test function still gives me the same error.)

First thing to do is to verify that the version of java that is active is the one you think it is,
at a command prompt java –version will show you what is active.
If necessary adjust the PATH environmental variable.

Next check that tomcat is using the correct version of the java JVM and JDBC drivers.
In regedt32 go to reg entry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Apache Software Foundation

Check you have the correct JVM and also that the CLASSPATH contains the correct JDBC entry.

Then under reg. key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Information Builders\ReportCaster

Make sure that CLASSPATH contains the correct JDBC entry in the CLASSPATH

You say that this is a second installation on the same machine.
In that case “set DSPORT=8200” is a suspicious configuration port as that is the default.
It will only be available if the first instance of caster is not started.

If the first instance is active stop it and try starting the new one again. If it works change the port for the new instance.

In most of the above instances you will need to stop tomcat , delete the rcaster folder under the work\Catalina\localhost folder then restart tomcat.

If changing registry entries or environment variables a machine restart will also be needed.

Also make sure that you check the tomcat logs as they might give a bit more detail of the startup errors.

I had already gone through the registry and changed all of the CLASSPATHs to point at 1.6.0. Tomcat was configured to point to 1.6.0 upon installation of 6.0.20. There is no "second installation" -- this is an upgrade. (7.6.1 -> 7.6.9)

From Tomcat's localhost.log:

INFO: Initializing Spring FrameworkServlet 'h'
Jul 2, 2009 3:09:50 PM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: initializer.getConfError(): Configuration and Initialization Error: Distribution Server in Console Mode.
Jul 2, 2009 3:09:50 PM org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationContext log
INFO: initializer.getConfError(): Configuration and Initialization Error: Distribution Server in Console Mode.

There was nothing in catalina.log worth noting.

From RCaster's service.log:

Able to open jre key
Retrieved current version
jreCurrentVer=1.6
Building current version key
SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\1.6
returncode is 0
Able to open current version key
JavaHome
returncode is 0
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6
javahome=C:\Program Files\Java\jre6
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6//bin//
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6//bin//
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6//bin//java.exe
Able to open caster root key
needservice=0
classpath= -cp ".\lib\reportcaster.jar;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server JDBC Driver 2.0\sqljdbc_2.0\enu\sqljdbc4.jar;"

And once again, I'm getting this error in the service.log:

Mon Jul 06 08:41:26 CDT 2009: Connection refused: connect

Even though I can connect to the CasterDB on my local SQLExpress instance using the exact same connection string, username, and password.

I'm going to put in a ticket, as everywhere I have looked--and everywhere it has been suggested I look--I see nothing amiss.

As it turns out, there was a new table for the repository introduced in 7.6.7 (called BOTWATCH) that did not exist. This was the source of the vague "Connection refused: connect" error. Using the Create Repository Tables utility, the tech in charge of my case was able to correct the discrepancy between versions. After that, everything else fell into place.

*mops brow*