Question Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh? in Technology Q&A

How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Tue, 24 May 2016 20:06:25 GMT

I am trying to figure out the best way to clear my repository on my test 4.2 server and start from scratch.

I've migrated a bunch of content from our 4.1 system, but I want to remove all of that and start fresh again.

I do not want to lose CMC configurations (FRS directories, custom request ports, etc), I just want to drop all of the reports/dashboards, etc.

I do not want to drop the built in samples, if possible.

I don't want to delete the FRS directory straight away because I understand that there are system files in there that should not be deleted, and are created by default as part of the install.

Has anyone attempted this and/or have scripts for the CMS database, and then maybe subsequently run a REPOSCAN to clean up the FRS?

Thank you for your input.

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

DellSC — Tue, 24 May 2016 20:58:48 GMT

In the CMC, go to Folders and delete each of the folders that contains the reports you want to delete. Keep the default folders that are installed with BO, including the samples.

-Dell

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:07:15 GMT

Sorry, I should have been clear with my requirement - additional requirement is looking for an option other than manually deleting everything from the CMC...

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

DellSC — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:11:31 GMT

There is no other option unless you want to write code using the SDK.

-Dell

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:14:19 GMT

There's no option to delete directly from the CMS repository, and then run the repo scan with the repair switch to delete the orphans from the FRS?

Or no option to drop the entire CMS database and let the platform recreate it? And then run the repo scan with the repair switch?

I suppose a complete reinstall is also another option I just thought of.

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

Former Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:18:36 GMT

Best bet is start clean, if you are not concerned about servers and other configurations apart from Reports/users.

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

CdnConnection — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:14:36 GMT

Brian,

If you want to re-create the CMS and start fresh:

Remove All Users / Groups
Remove All Objects
See below steps
- STOP the CMS
- Double-Click the SIA, go to Configuration TAB
- Select Specify
- Select <Recreate the current data source>
- You may need to run the REPOSCAN after

Regards,

Ajay

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

Former Member — Wed, 25 May 2016 11:57:23 GMT

Hi,

This isn't the "full" solution since the main problem with this is that you are completely resetting the CMS - which includes deleting all the server and their configuration option. It's not too hard to redo just a few servers, but if you've done a lot of different optimizations and tuning, then you'll lose that.

However you should be able to first export the servers and their configuration, then wipe the CMS with the above process, and then re-import the server configuration. The server export/import can be done from the CCM.

I don't have a BI system to be able to provide screenshots or show the process, but it's certainly possible to do. When you export I believe you get a BIAR file (not compatible with PMVM) and you simply re-import that BIAR file to get your settings back.

-P

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Wed, 25 May 2016 18:19:20 GMT

AJ - thanks for your time and feedback.

When you say remove all Users / Groups and Objects...

You are also indicating the only way to do this is to go into CMC, and go into each of the applications, ie:

Authentication (for AD groups),
Calendars
Categories
Connections
Events
Folders
Instance Manager (this is a lot of deleting, one page at a time)?
Monitoring (any custom watches I have created since setting up this environment)?
OLAP Connections
Personal Categories
Universes
Users and Groups

Or, can I go into Folders \ All Objects, and will that cover all of the above?

If so, how do I limit Folders \ All Objects to only user created content?

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Wed, 25 May 2016 19:32:27 GMT

Great idea, thank you. Yes, I will definitely want to retain all configurations. I only want to drop all the content. Thanks for this!

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Wed, 25 May 2016 19:37:43 GMT

I've tried these steps, but it failed:

Failed to recreate the database. Reason: Attempt to set up sub-directory for namespaced default object files failed.

Error: Failed to copy the file in file system operation.

Please check access rights.

Reason given: The system cannot find the path specified.

FWB 00072

FWB 00090

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

CdnConnection — Wed, 25 May 2016 19:38:07 GMT

Brain,

It's like doing a NEW install of BI 4.x, it does factory restore of ALL objects. All you customization is completely lost, it's like a fresh start.

If you have some important objects, it's best to create a LCMBIAR file using Promotion Manager prior to doing factory restore of your CMS.

Thanks Kindly,

Ajay

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Wed, 25 May 2016 19:51:13 GMT

I just want to delete all of the user reports and user created universes and their dependencies.

I don't want to do a factory reset and lose all of my configurations of the APS servers, the customized monitoring expressions, etc.

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

CdnConnection — Wed, 25 May 2016 20:18:58 GMT

Brian,

Then you still have THREE options:

1. Back-up what YOU DO NOT want to delete to a LCMBIAR file. Do factory restore of CMS and then restore from LCMBIAR file.

2. You would need to write custom JAVA code to do BULK delete objects

3. Old fashion manual delete content

How many Objects do you need to back-up ?

What version of BI 4.x are you running ?

Thanks Kindly,

Ajay

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Wed, 25 May 2016 20:25:14 GMT

BI 4.2

I don't know all of the system objects that need to be backed up, if I knew them all that were pertinent then I would be glad to create an LCMBIAR file of them.

Plus, I don't believe I can create a backup of monitoring probes and watch lists through Promotion Management?

It sounds like manually deleting all of the user created content is the only way.

With the error that I got that I pasted above, I am now no longer able to log into CMC, so there appears to be an issue with recreating the CMS database successfully in 4.2

I've opened a support incident with SAP.

Re: How to clear an entire repository, deleting all user built reports, folders, etc and start fresh?

omacoder — Thu, 26 May 2016 18:52:04 GMT

I had to apply solution in Note 2221622, then I was able to recreate the data source.

SAP Support also suggested a much easier method, just to delete all of the tables in the CMS database and let the SIA rebuild them and reinitialize them.