FAQs

1. I have processed my OLAP cubes but my web parts still shows old data - What is wrong?

To increase performance DSP Web Part uses the cache on the SharePoint Server. Until the cache is flushed (default 120 minutes) the data currently in the cache is presented. For changing the interval for flushing the cache see Caching. To immediately provoke flushing the cache do a iisreset on the server running WSS.

2. I can use the wizard and do preview but the published web part has an error message “Database does not exist” - What is wrong?

You most likely are running a two server scenario with WSS and Analysis Services running on different Servers. The reason for the problem is that the DSP Web Part Server on the WSS Server (feeding the Web Part with data when rendered) do not have access to the OLAP cubes. Please refer to the Server Configuration section for how to resolve this.

3. I have installed your product on my WSS server and on my client - How do I build my first web part?

Browse to your SharePoint page where you want to add the web part and then follow instructions in Add web part. See How to use web parts for an example of a web part page with configured web parts.

4. I have published a “Data BI Web Part” and a “Filter BI Web Part” on my page - How do I connect them?

Set the dashboard in design mode
On either of the BI Web Parts - On the drop down menu select Connections - Provide/Consume filter from/to - Select the other Web Part.

See How to connect web parts for more information.

5. When do I need to install the client part on the clients?
To achieve one of the following three functionality:

Send a DSP Web Part as an email.
Launch the Analysis Client from the Web Part (by clicking on detail link).
Copy a web part.
To use the Web Part Wizard used to Add/Configure/Change DSP Web Parts.

6. Which are the known bugs that are corrected in version 4.3?

Pie series legend figures not correctly when mixed negative and positive values.
Problem launching Analysis Client when using a server side defined connection with WPServer property specified.
Line chart does not handle NULL values correctly.
Wrong member launched if exclude used for member selection.
Labels and radio buttons appear strange in some XP.
Remove case sensitive for place holders.
Replacement if Detail Link filter tokens don’t work on mixed ( and ] tokens.
OWC 2000 wrapper fails when member names includes period character.
Error when selecting member including ' character in Filter Selector.
Default member do not work when mapping to member with comma included in member value.

7. What version should I use for PTS (Pivot Table Services)?

The recommended version is the latest service pack for Microsoft Analysis Server . The installation of DSP requires PTS SP3 (SQL Analysis Server 2000) or higher or Analysis Services 9.0 OLE DB Provider (SQL Analysis Server 2005) or Analysis Services 10.0 OLE DB Provider (SQL Analysis Server 2008).

The version on the client (Sharepoint Server) must match the version used on the Analysis Server.

Please visit Microsoft's SQL Server Home page http://www.microsoft.com/sql to find information of latest service pack for SQL Server.
Click here for more info

8. How can we configure the server components to work in a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) environment?

First you need to make sure that your Web Server/SharePoint machine is able to connect and communicate with your Analysis Server. The connection from the SharePoint machine to the Analysis Server is done as any OLAP client with the same possibilities/limitations regarding security/authentication.

The connection to Analysis Server could either be over HTTP or standard TCP. Your firewalls needs to be configured to allow traffic through ports used by Analysis Services. TCP Ports Used by OLAP Services when Connecting Through a Firewall

If you use HTTP connection make sure that the SharePoint machine can access the Analysis Server without any need for prompt of user/password, using Integrated Security.

Server Model:

9. Why do I get this error when I try to launch Analysis Client? “Failed to load control 'uscPivot'. Your version may be outdated…” ?

The reason is probably because specified default client is not installed on the machine. Solution:
Change default client. Start Analysis Wizard. Select Next, Next and Finish. Then select Tools - Options menu. In the Options dialog select a new Default Analysis Client. If you have more then one client installed and want to be prompted for with one to use then select None.

10. How do I achieve color coding on my measures in the table?

By using ForeColor property on a calculated measure member/s together with Use Provider Cell Format Properties. See Use of cell format properties for an example how configure.

11. Is it possible to configure the table web part to have members from more then one dimension displayed as header?

Yes, by using calculated measures that joins dimension members.
This example shows how to join a Time member together with a Measure on column headers.
Name: 2004<br>Actual
Expression: ([Measures].[Actual], [Time].[All Time].[2004)
Name: 2004<br>Budget
Expression: ([Measures].[Budget], [Time].[All Time].[2004)

12. Is it possible to show/hide different web parts based on the user who is logged into SharePoint?

One way to achieve this is via the audience targeting function. Basically you create different audiences and then use membership in an audience as a criteria for targeting content on a particular page. For example, you could have audiences defined for Developers, Sales, and Management, and then have content (such as links, portal listings, web parts, etc.) appear on that page specific to their respective roles. All web parts and info are actually on the page, but audience targeting mitigates who see what.

Another way to do this might be to leverage SPS My Site functionality to put specific web parts on individual personal pages (called My Sites).

Both of these methods require SharePoint Portal Server. If using only WSS, there are two views of Web parts - shared and personal. A shared view is a version of a web part that can be viewed by all users. A personal view is created when a user changes the view to personal. The user can then make changes to one or more properties of the web part that are only for that user to see. The architecture of web parts allows users to save their changes and allows WSS to keep track of each personal version of a Web Part.

13. I am having trouble with the filter webpart. It creates OK, but when I try to select an item in the drop down list, I can't do it. What is wrong?

It’s most likely scripting not working properly in Internet Explorer. Make sure that Active Scripting is enabled on your browser and if browsing your web part page from your SharePoint server you have to remove Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration (default on when installing Windows Server 2003).

To remove Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration go to Control Panel – Add Remove Program – Add/Remove Windows Components and then remove Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration.

Or access you web part page from a separate client.

14. How do you set the chart legend to sort in descending order based on the size/percentage of the slice of the pie?

You can use the Order MDX function as an expression for the dimension used for slices (i.e. placed on category axis)
Syntax
Order(«Set», {«String Expression» | «Numeric Expression»}
[, ASC | DESC | BASC | BDESC])

Example

Order([Product].[Product Family].Members, [Measure].[Sales], DESC)

15. When attempting to install on the Sharepoint server we are getting an error that says that error in connecting to the Configuration Database. Why?

Error message:
Cannot connect to the configuration database. “The deployment of the DSP Web Part assembly using stsadm.exe failed. For details see above. -2130246315 Press any key to continue . . .”

Reason:
The reason for this error message is probably because that the account used when running the installation don't have access to install/update the SharePoint configuration database.

Solution:
Use an account that have permission to install/update web parts to SharePoint. (For example local or domain administrator)

16. I have added a new extended virtual server to my SharePoint installation, what do I have to do to make the BI web parts work on this new virtual server?

You have to run install.bat (..\program files\dsp analysis client\web part) to install the web part package to the new extended server.
See also web.config on how to configure application settings.

17. I have installed MS Office 2007 and can not find any components to use for drill down. What to do?

MS Office Web Components (OWC) will not be shipped with the 2007 Office System. The 2003 OWC is really the last revision to this area. At the moment the best recommendation we could give is that you install the latest revision to OWC that is hosted on the Microsoft download center, as opposed to using the one that comes with Office 2003. The current URL for this http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7287252c-402e-4f72-97a5-e0fd290d4b76.

To make it compatible with Office 2007 you shall also install Microsoft Office 2003 Web Components Service Pack 1 (SP1) for the 2007 Microsoft Office System: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C815DFFA-D5F3-4B71-BF46-13721BD44682&displaylang=en

18. The cache does not update according to the settings in web.config. What to do?

There is a bug that under some specific circumstances (two server scenarios) causes this problem. The bug is corrected in DSP 4.3 SP1 Build 19 and it is also possible to get a hot fix where the bug is corrected. Send an email to support@dspanel.com to get the hot fix.

19. After I configured my SharePoint (SPS 2.0 or WSS 2.0) to use the .Net 2.0 framework I am getting errors in my web parts. What to do?

Change the value of level in the trust part of web.config to “Full”.

<system.web>
<trust level="Full" originUrl="" />
</system.web>

Follow the link for more information: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/tkscy493(VS.80).aspx

20. When clicking the Export to Excel button (from OWC 2003 to Excel 2007) I get an error. What to do?

If you are using OWC 2003 in combination with Excel 2007 you need Microsoft Office 2003 Web Components Service Pack 1 (SP1) for the 2007 Microsoft Office System: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C815DFFA-D5F3-4B71-BF46-13721BD44682&displaylang=en and at least version 4.6.6 of DSP Portal Edition installed. See FAQ 17.

See online help for latest updates on FAQs.