PAX: TM1IOData Source still uses PMHUB for CognosOfficeAutomationObject.ExecuteFunction to run a TI

[John Hammond]

One of the attractions of PAX is that the new TM1IOData source mainly bypasses the Application Server and talks to TM1 directly bar high level functions that are handled by WorkSpace. We found the previous incarnation of the application server, PMHUB, to not match the stability of good old fashioned TM1.

Looking at the trace you can see this - in PAX the calls all seem to be to the URL. <WorkSpace Machine>/tm1

The example below shows the URL generated when we ran _testprocess from PAX using the right hand pane listing with Processes enabled. It ran successfully.

"http://<WorkSpace Machine>/tm1/<TM1 Instance Name>/api/v1/Processes('_testprocess')/tm1%2EExecuteWithReturn?", "Headers" : { "content-security-policy" : "frame-ancestors 'self'", "x-frame-options" : "SAMEORIGIN", "strict-transport-security" : "max-age=15552000; includeSubDomains", "x-content-type-options" : "nosniff", "x-xss-protection" : "1; mode=block", "odata-version" : "4.0", "preference-applied" : "respond-async", "content-length" : "0", "cache-control" : "no-cache", "content-type" : "text/plain", "date" : "Tue, 12 Nov 2019 11:54:31 GMT", "location" : "../_async('BA2FWFAAxOo-zKae0RQaFFVo0odC9A')", "set-cookie" : "TM1SessionId_<TM1 Instance Name>=[G4ZLb7SQ1zgIiilHGUskUA].[RDHMgatKgXG7O6OaKvVP7cDK9m4=]; Path=/", "server" : "Apache"}} } },

However when we run this from VBA which is the typical way to run a process in CAFE and still supported in PAX

CognosOfficeAutomationObject.ExecuteFunction "http://<WorkSpace Machine>/", "<TM1 Instance Name>", "_testprocess", "0,Hello"



It fails and Generates an error log that shows the url used was the old style pmhub call: http://<WorkSpace Machine>/pmhub/pm/tm1/api/

Path: http://<WorkSpace Machine>/pmhub/pm/tm1/api/<TM1 Instance Name>/v1%2E1/processes/_test%20action%20button/parameters?process=%5B%22name%22,%22datasource%22,%22parameters%22%5D&parameter=%5B%22name%22,%22value%22,%22type%22,%22prompt%22%5D&_includeControlObjects=true
Method: GET
Accepts: application/json
Error: Cannot access Server named "<TM1 Instance Name>" (via host "<TM1 Admin Machine>")
Response: { "errorCode" : "SystemServerNotFound", "errorMessage" : "Cannot access Server named \"<TM1 Instance Name>\" (via host \"<TM1 Admin Machine>\")"}

My question would be:

Is this intentional (ie IBM are going to continue to use PMHUB for certain operations) or has IBM neglected to convert this function to talk directly with TM1?

Now we are comparatively late converters to PAX, but have used CAFE extensively and most of our templates consist of reports with Active-X buttons calling VBA to refresh data via a TI. I would assume this would be a typical use of PAX/CAFE, so another question arises: why aren't other sites experiencing the same problems.

As always, any responses are most appreciated.

[Steve Rowe]

Hi John,
Two questions I guess, neither of which I can answer...

Why is the call failing?
Is the call failing because you have turned PMHub off on the server?
Are the parameters correct, if it was working in Café but not Pafe then I would guess so but it might not be safe assumption.
I do remember we had a lot of trouble getting this call working until it "suddenly" started working and I never got a good explanation from my colleague what they had done to get it working. Are you n the latest Pafe? I guess it is pretty recent if you are hubless.
I don't think that we have retested since moving to the hubless connections.

Why is it using the route through PMHub to make the call?
Your guess is as good as mine as to if this is by accident or design and if there are plans to make all calls via OData. My guess would that it has been forgotten since these API calls are a legacy from Café and may not have been updated.

All sounds a bit messy...I'll try and find some time to do some testing but it won't be soon...

[Drg]

Hi all.
If I understand the essence of the discussion correctly (correct me).
Then I dare to please you that PAX can work with old CAFE forms that use url pmhub in their paramters. So with new forms in the parameters of which the URL of the PAW server is indicated.
Therefore, I think this is a temporary solution until IBM can not be from PMPSVC