Unable to update a cell value

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Wim Gielis
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Unable to update a cell value

Post by Wim Gielis »

Hello,

Preparing an article for my website, I assemble a list of possible causes why a regular TM1 client cannot update a certain cube cell. The idea is to come up with a list where a TM1 administrator should look. Also, applying an order of importance in the list could be useful but let's first focus on the list and make it exhaustive. Let's not write a book on it but condense the list such that based on this, one can look up information in the manuals or the World Wide Web.

I identified 13 main areas. In case anyone sees in my initial list:
- errors
- missing items
- room for improvement

please indicate so. Thanks.



Of course assuming the client is part of 1 or more security groups.

Rules:
- the cell is calculated by rules

Security:
- no access at cube level (look for appropriate rights in cube }CubeSecurity)
- no access at dimension level (look for appropriate rights in cube }DimensionSecurity)
- no access at element level (look for appropriate rights in cube }ElementSecurity_DIMENSION)
- no access at cell level (look for appropriate rights in cube }CellSecurity_CUBE). Note: cell security does not need to involve all dimensions of the original data cube. In addition, have a look at the cube }CubeSecurityProperties to know whether the most restrive rights apply or not.

ReadOnly user:
- a user can be marked as ReadOnly (look for the property ReadOnlyUser in the cube }ClientProperties)

Holds:
- a hold was placed on certain cells (look for H (leaf level) or C (consolidated level) in cube }Hold_USERNAME_}}_CUBE). Holds will vanish when the user logs out but the property ALLOW_PERSISTENT_HOLDS in the cube }CubeProperties can undo this behaviour.

Locks:
- a cube can be locked (look for the property LOCK in the cube }CubeProperties, the cell should contain the user name that locked the cube)
[- a dimension can be locked (look for the property LOCK in the cube }DimensionProperties, the cell should contain the user name that locked the dimension) - listed for completeness although this does not have an impact on updating cube cells]
- an element can be locked (look for the property LOCK in the cube }ElementProperties_DIMENSION, the cell should contain the user name that locked the element)

Reservation:
- a cube or element can be reserved but I don't seem to be able to find a trace of this in TM1 control cubes. Does anyone know this ?

Spreadsheets/websheets:
- you want to do input in an Excel spreadsheet with DBRW or DBR and certain cells are locked and the sheet is protected
- you use TM1Web and you want to do input in a websheet with DBRW or DBR but in the websheet properties the property "Allow Cell Write Back from Web" is unchecked (look at the properties of the websheet with a right-mouse button click)

TM1p.ini parameters for the affected user:
- The user's configuration file for TM1 can contain the following properties: DisableWritebackOnTM1Formula, DisableWritebackOnDisconnect

Application related Control Objects (Workflow and approval hierarchy):
- check for cubes starting with }tp_

Security overlay:
- Given the existing security regarding cubes/dimensions/elements/cells, security can be overwritten by an overlay (look for the cube }SecurityOverlayGlobal_CUBE). Note: security overlay does not need to involve all dimensions of the original data cube.

Data reservation:
- a data reservation was applied (look for the property DATARESERVATIONMODE in the cube }CubeProperties, the cell can contain several values: "OFF", "REQUIRED", "REQUIREDSHARED", "ALLOWED", "")

Capabilities (including data spreading):
- a capability was used (look for the values of several properties in the cube }Capabilities, the cell can contain several values: "GRANT", "DENY", ""). Available properties: "Allow Spreading", "Consolidation TypeIn Spreading", "ManageDataReservation", "DataReservationOverride", "UseSandbox", "UsePersonalWorkspaceWritebackMode", "RunServerExplorer", "Allow Export as Text")

Excel/Cube viewer:
- you use Excel or the Cube viewer in Architect/Perspectives and want to overwrite a value at consolidated level to which you have security access but the input is refused (solution: use data spreading or enter a “p” followed by the new cell value)
Best regards,

Wim Gielis

IBM Champion 2024
Excel Most Valuable Professional, 2011-2014
https://www.wimgielis.com ==> 121 TM1 articles and a lot of custom code
Newest blog article: Deleting elements quickly
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