BOBJ 4.2 SP4 Upgrade CMC Error: NullPointerException: null object loaded from local variable 'enc'

[#1]

Hello,

Seeing that BOBJ 4.2 SP4 was available on the Downloads site, I wanted to try out the new launchpad and other features, so I attempted to upgrade my recently patched 4.2 SP3 Patch 6 single server environment.

When I started the upgrade, it warned me that fixes would be removed if I continued the install. So I assumed SP3 Patch 6 has fixes SP4 base does not. I then uninstalled Patch 6 and installed SP4. At the end of the install it completed with warnings which I have seen similar before, it had trouble stopping the SIA and failed to deploy some DFO files.

I checked the packagestemp folder and found 3 DFO files (

BusinessObjects_Relation_DSL_Universe_DataSecurityOptions_dfo,

BusinessObjects_ICC_InformationControlCenter_dfo and

BusinessObjects_RecycleBinApplication_dfo). I moved them and their corresponding pin files into the XI 4.0\Packages folder to be processed, but they did not, so I assume the versions in the CMS DB are greater than the ones in the DFO. Probably left over from Patch 6 install.

I then tried to access the CMC and I get the following error:

HTTP Status 500 – Internal Server Error
Type Status Report

Message javax.servlet.ServletException: java.lang.Error: java.lang.NullPointerException: while trying to invoke the method java.lang.String.toCharArray() of a null object loaded from local variable 'enc'

Description The server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request.

Apache Tomcat/8.5.13

in addition the BOE/BI launchpad logon screen DOES render; however, it will not take credentials. You enter valid credentials and click Log On and it just refreshes the logon screen, no errors, just a page refresh.

Looking at SAP Notes for similar issues, I tried to clear the work directory which didn't clear the error, then tried to re-deploy the web apps and finally clear the work directory again after deployment and none of those steps cleared the error.

I figure it has something to do with either a corrupted deployment, or left-over files from Patch install interfering with SP4 install. but I am guessing. Has anyone who has tried SP4 run into this?

Thanks,

Nathan

[denis_konovalov]

Had the same issue on my upgrade from Sp3 P6 to Sp4. But I also had Explorer.
After upgrading explorer, clearing tomcat cache, IE cache and rebooting - everything started to work.

One note - SP4 doesn't have fixes from Sp3 P6, so we do not recommend installing Sp4 on top of SP3 P6.
Another, use machine name or FQDN in the URL's.

[NTruhan]

Yea this install did have Explorer as well, but I downgraded both from Patch 6 to SP3 base then up to SP4 and still go the error. It was a test environment, did not try to upgrade prod yet, so just going to re-do SP3 Patch 6 on test to match the rest of the environment.