CAFE (10.2.2) with TM1 Formula issues

[kangkc]

FP3/4 of CAFE 10.2.2 actually added much more support for TM1 formulas and thought this will be good time to test migrating some of the classic slice reports with CAFE.
Found a few restrictions (or issues?):

1. DBRW will not allow a direct value input into cell, it will wipe out the formula, unlike Perspective. May have to convert input templates using DBS then.

2. Seems like I can't directly enter any new Perspective formula. Copy from existing formula and modify seems to work fine. As soon as I enter a Perspective formula in a new cell, it breaks the slice and keep prompting for login. Even after saving and re-opening doesn't seems to work. This is a strange issue as a brand new slice from Perspective seems to work though. The bypass is not to enter any new formula but copy from existing and modify. I suspect this has to do with the fact that CAFE uses REST and it's not doing cell by cell.

Anyone else has encountered the above issues ?

[mvaspal]

Hi
I tested with 10.2.2 FP4 in Excel 2013 now and both worked for me well.

[bradohare]

hi kangkc,

For item 1, if you want the DBRW formulas to persist when you type data in them:

1. Goto the C:\Users\<userID>\AppData\Local\Cognos\Office Connection directory and open up the CognosOfficeReportingSettings.xml file
2. Change the line "<setting name="AllowFormulaWriteBack">False</setting>" to "<setting name="AllowFormulaWriteBack">True</setting>"
3. Close and re-open Excel and you should be good to go.

brad

[RJ!]

For Point 1, why not use CAFE's native write back and use the submit button?

I'm not really seeing the need for DBRW formula other than to get stuborn DBRA functions to work.

[kangkc]

hi kangkc,

For item 1, if you want the DBRW formulas to persist when you type data in them:

1. Goto the C:\Users\<userID>\AppData\Local\Cognos\Office Connection directory and open up the CognosOfficeReportingSettings.xml file
2. Change the line "<setting name="AllowFormulaWriteBack">False</setting>" to "<setting name="AllowFormulaWriteBack">True</setting>"
3. Close and re-open Excel and you should be good to go.

brad

Great. That's works well. Should have read the CAFE guide as it is documented there. Thanks for the help.

For Point 1, why not use CAFE's native write back and use the submit button?

I'm not really seeing the need for DBRW formula other than to get stuborn DBRA functions to work.

I think if you have tones of workbooks with DB formula to convert. This will be the last thing we have in mind. Thanks anyway.

[RJ!]

I think if you have tones of workbooks with DB formula to convert. This will be the last thing we have in mind. Thanks anyway.

If you convert to a FlexView, you'd only need to copy-paste to replicate the workbook form...
Though if more than 10-20 workbooks, would be quite tedious!