Troubleshooting: Cobra Web Service Fails

The following troubleshooting topics are included on this page:

• Cobra Web Service Fails When You Verify Components

• Cobra Web Service Fails with a Framework Exception Error

Accessing the Cobra Web Service Fails When You Verify Components

The Cobra Web Service will fail if:

• It  is not running.

• The Cobra Web Service URL is incorrect.

• It is unable to connect to the DSN.

Check if the Cobra Web Service is running. If it isn't, start it to see if that solves the problem. If it does not solve the problem, check the following:

• Review the Cobra Web Services settings: For information and steps, see the topic titled Configure/Edit the Cobra Web Services in the PM Compass Installation Guide.

If you plan to manually configure Cobra web services to run from a dedicated machine, refer to the Cobra Installation Guide for steps for information about installing a dedicated machine with Cobra Web Services.

• Confirm that the DSN setting is configured correctly: For information and steps, see the topic titled Add or Change Cobra Data Source Names (DSN) in the PM Compass Installation Guide.

• Confirm that the Cobra database username is all in uppercase:  Login to Web Link. On the General tab, confirm that the Database Username field entry is all in uppercase characters.

For more information, see Cobra Web Services Integration in the PM Compass Installation Guide.

Cobra Web Service Fails with a Framework Exception Error

The call to web service returns the following framework exception:

The server was unable to process the request due to an internal error. For more information about the error, either turn on IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults (either from ServiceBehaviorAttribute or from the <serviceDebug> configuration behavior) on the server in order to send the exception information back to the client, or turn on tracing as per the Microsoft .NET Framework SDK documentation and inspect the server trace logs.

There are not enough details to discern the error.

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

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.

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.

<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 4.

12. Start Cobra Web Service 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 Service 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:

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 Service.

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

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