10.1 strange behavior of web connection to instances

[maps]

Dear all,

there is a strange behavior in TM1 web 10.1 in comparison with 9.5.2. We are running 3 tm1 services on one machine (tm1 version 9.5.2). Let's call the tm1 services tm1_a, tm1_b and tm1_c. Our users access the application all via web. To prevent always to change the Tm1 service name in the web sheets (e.g. tm1_a:cube to tm1_b:cube) we implemented the following logic.

Each sheet has a config range on the top. First column Servernames; Second column to check to which server the user is connected to.
Column A| Column B
tm1_a | =TM1USER(tm1_a)
tm1_b | =TM1USER(tm1_b)
tm1_c | =TM1USER(tm1_c)

The user loggs in via web (selected a server in the drop down list). In the confic section we used the TM1USER function to check to which server the user is connected to. Based on the result we select the active server instance. Active server should only be the one which the user has selected in the login screen (web). Worked perfectly in 9.5.2.

Result in web for 9.5.2 for a user connected to tm1_b was:
Column A| Column B
tm1_a| ""
tm1_b| username //means user is connected to tm1_b
tm1_c| ""

Now we tested this in 10.1 one. But seems like the logic has changed.

Column A| Column B
tm1_a| username
tm1_b| username
tm1_c| #ERR!

Instead of an empty string #ERR shows up! The strange thing is that even though the user has selected in web tm1_b as server tm1_a AND tm1_b seems to be connected (for both the username shows up).

Description of TM1User function for 9.5.2 and 10.1 (it's the same for both):
"If the current TM1 user is not connected to a server, or if the specified server is not running, TM1User returns an empty string."

I tested the logic and seems like it's connecting in the alphabetical order of the server names means:
When I select in web (dropdown) tm1_a it's only connecting to tm1_a. If I select tm1_b it's connecting to tm1_a and tm1_b. If I select tm1_c it's connecting to tm1_a, tm1_b, tm1_c. So our old logic doesn't work anymore in web.

This behavior is strange to me. Any idea what the reason could be?

[jstrygner]

Looks like a bug, especially if on 9.5.2 it worked correctly.
I need to admit this #ERR! result is also surprising for me. I would expect empty string. Anyway I think my below suggestions maybe will help in investigation.

I assume your TM1USER formulas are located in hidden rows and/or columns of the websheet (what would be 100% justified).
Depending on different TM1 versions sometimes TM1 formulas do not get refreshed while being located in hidden cells in TM1Web only (they do refresh correctly if used in Perspectives).

Of course to upload TM1 application to tm1_a server you need to be connected to it, but please try to recalculate the sheet while not being connected to any of tm1_a, tm1_b and tm1_c servers. After you refresh the sheet in TM1 Perspectives (non of the TM1USER functions will retrieve a non-empty value) please log in to desired server and without any recalculation try to upload the file to the desired application item.

Will that make it work as expected in TM1Web?

I personally used TM1 10.1.1 HF5 and TM1 10.1.1.FP1 with the TM1USER function to do exactly what you do (in my case this is to play around between Dev/Test/Prod environments) and had no issues like yours but maybe you have different TM1 10 version or different other sofware/OS versions.

In case my above guess does not work:
1. Could you please provide information if this is TM1Web only issue or in TM1 Perspectives you will get the same unexpected behavior?
2. Will anything change in TM1Web if you test the websheet with unhidden TM1USER cells (assuming currently those are hidden)?

[maps]

Thanks for your answer. The issue only appears in web. In Perspectives everything works like expected. I tested the functionality always unhidden. So it can't be related to that. I saved the sheet now when I was not connected to any server but this also didn't change anything.

[PlanningDev]

We experienced the same issue. Not sure if it is checking the user against all servers through the admin server vs the one that was logged into through the web but we had to modify our websheets to not use this technique anymore because of it.

[tm1_bloke]

It's not a bug but expected behavior and been there in 9.5 already:
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/ctm1/ ... _N500.html

[jstrygner]

I need to say I was not aware of it, thanks for posting, tm1_bloke.

My Dev/Test/Prod servers are registered under different TM1 Admin Server boxes, so I had the same effects as in Perspectives.

So I understand in maps case on tm1_c server there will be a different password for this user than on tm1_a and tm1_b servers and that is why this #ERR! occurs.

[moby91]

Now we tested this in 10.1 one. But seems like the logic has changed.

Column A| Column B
tm1_a| username
tm1_b| username
tm1_c| #ERR!

Instead of an empty string #ERR shows up! The strange thing is that even though the user has selected in web tm1_b as server tm1_a AND tm1_b seems to be connected (for both the username shows up).

Description of TM1User function for 9.5.2 and 10.1 (it's the same for both):
"If the current TM1 user is not connected to a server, or if the specified server is not running, TM1User returns an empty string."

I tested the logic and seems like it's connecting in the alphabetical order of the server names means:
When I select in web (dropdown) tm1_a it's only connecting to tm1_a. If I select tm1_b it's connecting to tm1_a and tm1_b. If I select tm1_c it's connecting to tm1_a, tm1_b, tm1_c. So our old logic doesn't work anymore in web.

This behavior is strange to me. Any idea what the reason could be?

Check the software defect logged as APAR PM89791 ->

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.w ... wg1PM89791
PM89791: ACCESSING MULTIPLE TM1 SERVER INSTANCES FROM TM1 WEB DOES NOT WORK AS DOCUMENTED