I have a real problem with my reports here. The thing is that reports slow down and become unusable after each change to universe.
That is
I create a universe, import it to repository
Create reports based on the universe, save reports somehow, it doesn’t matter where: I tried both to repository and to file system. Reports work perfectly fast
Modify universe
Open my reports, try to refresh data, and see a sand glass cursor and “Updating data” in the status bar . it looks like the message is displayed once for each provider in report.
This is an additional really strange activity to actually retrieving data from DB. And sometimes it takes VERY long in relation to retrieving data from DB, up to several minutes.
It can be easily seen if there is a prompt in report. Before changes to universe prompts are displayed immediately once I hit “refresh data”. But after changes to universe when I hit “refresh data”, first I see “Updating data” and wait several minutes, and than only prompts show up.
This strange activity is performed not only for the first time when I open report after changes to universe. As I click “refresh data” again I get those strange additional “updating data” again. Reports are broken forever if I don’t perform some tricks…
I’ve found a workaround to cure my reports after changes to universe. I have to walk through all data providers in all reports and modify them, that is, for example remove and then add one and the same condition. Reports become fast again after those manipulations. But, you know, I have dozens of reports here and my universe is going to change often and I do not want to cure them again and again every time, because each time it can take a whole day of routine
The problem can be easily reproduced on eFashion universe as you make it editable and put into repository. I’ve attached an example of report on this universe that also becomes slow after any changes to universe…
Finally, Ive read this post https://bobj-board.org/t/16858 and behavior described there is exactly what I get with my reports, but solution provided doesnt help me
As you suggested I tried to move repository to another system, that is I made a backup of the repository database (which is stored in MS SQL Server 2000) and moved it to another server. The repository contained both universe and some published to it reports (in corporate documents). Some of reports were updated after the last universe change and were fast, others were not updated and were slow.
After restoring repository DB on another server in a different LAN and modifying connections to Universe and Documents storage, and connection to the database to be analyzed I tried to use my reports. And nothing realy changed. Reports that were up-to-date with universe were fast again, and slow ones were slow.
So it looks like it’s not a network problem, and it’s not an environment problem. Although you could mean smth different to what I tried. Please explain then.
I’ve searched thru the forum again and found this in a article about moving reports between repositories. You know, I have to do the same with my reports to make them work properly - open each data provider ans save it. “save and close” takes very long too. But I do not move reports anywhere, I just change my universe.
After moving the updated universe to production first (if needed), open each document in production, open each data provider and click “save and close,” before finally saving the document and publishing to corporate documents. The “save and close” is the only we have found to guarantee that the connection information is updated properly.
I’m new to BO, maybe it’s the way it should be. Is it usual behavior with BO that after changes to universe data providers become that slow and I have to re-save them?
A) You said you can replicate this with the e-fashion universe so universe size does not seem to matter.
B) Which version of Business Objects are you using?
I encountered the same problem with Business Objects ver 5.1.7 (AIX IBM DB2 repository). The only work around being re-generating the SQL of all data providers and re-publishing the documents in question. I do not know if this occurs with other newer versions of Business Objects as well. Note: This work around did not work when Supervisor universe Overrides/Overloads were set.
My suggestion is to call support. I have heard a rumor of a problem (that I cannot duplicate) that causes a universe to be reimported every time a report that is older than the universe is accessed.
It should be possible to prove this theory right or wrong by watching the dates on the files in the universe directory (under the node) on the server.
We’ve also seen some things where the date stored with the universe is wrong. Perhaps simply re-exporting the universe will solve the problem for you.
Thanks a lot for your replies, I really appreciate it.
Andreas,
A) Yes, actually I messed together two different problems.
The first one is that after changes to universe, each time I click refresh, BO is doing smth strange. My guess is that BO is re-generating SQL query, or smth like that.
For me BO should make it once as it finds out that the universe is updated and should save results somewhere. Instead of it I must walk through all DPs in a doc to make BO memorize new updated information about universe. This problem I can reproduce with eFashion and my universe, since I see “Updating data” for reports from both universes, and the universe size here really doesn’t matter. The only difference is that for report on eFashion (presented in attachment) it takes about a couple of seconds to update some info, or re-generate query , while on my universe it takes about a couple of MINUTES
And here comes the second problem:
Why does it take so long to “Save and close” a data provider built with this universe?
What exactly makes it that slow? The number of contexts, or the number of joins, what should I look at first to check if I really need it and whether I can remove it?
B) I use BO 6.5.1 (MS SQL Server 2000 repository), and encounter the problems with Full Client.
Steve Krandel,
Yes, I’ll certainly contact tech support, but I’m sort of new to BO and want to know whether this is really a problem or I’m just doing smth obvious in a really wrong way.
I’ve checked the modification date of a universe file in C:\Documents and Settings\urazlin\Application Data\Business Objects\Business Objects 6.0\universes\hyperion01\universe, and it looks like it is NOT updated after I click refresh in report. So it looks like the universe is NOT re-exported each time, and everything is OK with it…
Yes, obviously your reports would be slow, because your universe have
2649 joins
even if you do a slight modification, BO will rewrite the SQL, it will check all the joins, contexts etc…
I don’t know the limitations of BO, Can you break the universe by subject area and create another small universe with less # of joins and tables, and try to create the same report from this universe, this is what coming to my mind.
The contexts are the issue. It has to go through many interations to determine how to generate the SQL.
I have to give an opinion here. I am a big fan of contexts, but if you have 463 contexts, then you also have 463 fact tables. I find it hard to believe that there are 463 facts that really have to exist in the same universe. I’m guessing you really should have more universes.
see a sand glass cursor and “Updating data” in the status bar 
(BOB member since 2005-09-30)
(BOB member since 2004-06-06)
(BOB member since 2002-06-20)
, while on my universe it takes about a couple of MINUTES 
(BOB member since 2005-03-10)