Exception Tracing

Deltek provides two ways to capture exception details:

If you receive an error as part of a change request or accessing the Cobra Web Service but no process log is created, there may have been a problem connecting to or executing the Cobra Web Service. Stop and restart the Cobra Web Service and then log into PM Compass and use System Settings » Verify Components to confirm that the Cobra Web Service is operating correctly. If this did not solve the problem, you can enable the CobraTraces.svclog to capture exception details.

Use the CobraTraces.svclog file to Capture Exception Details

Writing trace files may lock resources exclusively and may cause severe performance issues. Tracing should only be used to recreate an issue and should then be turned off. See steps further down to turn tracing off.

To turn on tracing and send the resulting trace log to Deltek Customer Care:

  1. On the PM Compass Application Server, open Windows Services and look for the Cobra Web Services service.

  2. Stop the service.

  3. Note the location of the executable under "path to executable" and open that directory in Windows Explorer.

  4. Create a copy of Cobra.WebService.Host.exe.config. You will need this in step 11.

  5. Open Cobra.WebService.Host.exe.config using Notepad.

  6. Place your cursor at the end of the very first line (which is <configuration>) and press Enter to create a new line.

  7. Paste the lines below into the file and save the file. Make sure that the referenced directory in the text (highlighted below) exists on the server.

    8. <system.diagnostics>

    <sources>

    <source name="System.ServiceModel"

    switchValue="Information, ActivityTracing"

    propagateActivity="true">

    <listeners>

    <add name="traceListener"

    type="System.Diagnostics.XmlWriterTraceListener"

    initializeData="E:\temp\CobraTraces.svclog" />

    </listeners>

    </source>

    </sources>

    </system.diagnostics>

  8. Start Cobra Web Services.

  9. Reproduce the error.

  10. Stop Cobra Web Services.

  11. Replace the edited Cobra.WebService.Host.exe.config file with the copied file from step.

  12. Start Cobra Web Services again.

  13. Retrieve the CobraTraces.svclog file from the location in the above pasted text (step 7) and send it to Deltek Customer Care.

To turn off tracing after sending the resulting trace log to Deltek Customer Care:

  1. On the PM Compass Application Server, open Windows Services and look for the Cobra Web Services service.

  2. Stop the service.

  3. Note the location of the Executable under "path to executable" and open that directory in Windows Explorer.

  4. Replace the edited Cobra.WebService.Host.exe.config file with the copied version of the original.

  5. If you don't have the original copy, perform the following steps:

    6. a.     Open Cobra.WebService.Host.exe.config using Notepad.

    b.     Look for the entries that are the same as the text below (they should be at the beginning of the file).

    c.     Place your cursor at the start of the line beginning with the first line below and select the contents that is the same as the lines below:

    <system.diagnostics>

    <sources>

    <source name="System.ServiceModel"

    switchValue="Information, ActivityTracing"

    propagateActivity="true">

    <listeners>

    <add name="traceListener"

    type="System.Diagnostics.XmlWriterTraceListener"

    initializeData="E:\temp\CobraTraces.svclog" />

    </listeners>

    </source>

    </sources>

    </system.diagnostics>

    d.     Delete the selection.

    e.     Save the file.

  6. Start Cobra Web Services.

For more information, see the Microsoft article titled, Configuring Tracing.

Use the IdeaBlade.ibconfig file to Capture Exception Details

For troubleshooting integration, Deltek has provided the capability to enable a trace flag to capture exception details. You can use this to troubleshoot a Web Services crash, verify Cobra Web Services components (using the PM Compass Verify Components feature), and to trace certain SQL calls.

You can use this to troubleshoot a Web Services crash, verify Cobra Web Services components (using the PM Compass Verify Components feature), and to trace certain SQL calls.

To view the current trace location and correct it if needed:

  1. Stop the Cobra Web Service in Windows Services (Control Panel » Administrative Tools » Services).

  2. Navigate to the CobraEngine folder located in the Deltek PM Compass installation folder.

  3. Make a backup of the IdeaBlade.ibconfig file (save it to a different folder).

  4. Launch Notepad as an Administrator.

  5. Using Notepad, navigate to the IdeaBlade.ibconfig.file and open it.

  6. In the <logging> section, delete the two <namespaceRejectFilter> lines.

  7. In the <logFile> section, enter “C:\<local server folder>\DebugLog.xml.” For example: <logFile>C:\temp\DebugLog.xml</logFile>.

  8. Save and close the file.

  9. Restart Cobra Web Service.

  10. After recreating the issue, send the file to Deltek Support and restore the original file.