OBIEE 12c Installation Error: Could not extract the archive since it is corrupted

This is a quick post for those trying to install OBIEE12c.

After unzipping the installation files you would probably see this in your directory:

After executing the .exe file you get the following error message:

"Could not extract the archive since it is corrupted. Error code=1"

Resolution: One workaround to this issue is simply unzipping the .exe file using 7-zip

 Now the installation directory should look like this:

Go ahead and perform OBIEE12c installation from this directory:

Disk1>"c:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_65\bin\java.exe" -jar install/modules/ora-launcher.jar

(Note: This assumes you already installed JDK 1.8.0.65 - part of the OBIEE12c installation)

OBIA 11.1.1.9.1 New content

This is information provided from oracle community: 

This new release of Oracle Business Intelligence Applications adds:

1. New support for Oracle Cloud Application Sources to enable Hybrid Analytics from on-premise and cloud Applications
2. Expanded functional content coverage across existing Oracle BI Applications

New Oracle Cloud Application Sources for Hybrid Analytics
With the continued move to the Cloud, Oracle BI Applications has introduced support for the following Oracle Application Cloud sources: Oracle Sales Cloud, Oracle HCM Cloud, Oracle Financial Cloud, Oracle Procurement Cloud, and Oracle Project Cloud.

Oracle Financial Analytics provides a new Essbase GL Balances model for improved EBS Financial Service Generator (FSG) Reporting and Hierarchy navigation, including support of ragged hierarchies for GL segment dimensions.

Oracle Project Analytics expands project-based insight with new Construction in Process (CIP) support, providing visibility for Project Stakeholders into in-progress costs, expensed costs since project inception and across organizations.

Oracle Procurement and Spend Analytics delivers new capabilities for Fusion Procurement, including Supply Chain Financial orchestration, negotiation and award approvals, and Buyer assignment controls.

Oracle Supply Chain & Order Management Analytics introduces new Inventory module support for PeopleSoft, including visibility into inventory balances, aging, transactions and valuation.

Oracle Student Information Analytics provides new subject area coverage for Student Financials Billing Summary and Transactions, with visibility to billing and transaction information by student or external organization.

Oracle Human Resources Analytics expands analysis on HR programs and workforce performance for Fusion HCM with support of Talent Management Analysis.
Oracle Sales Analytics introduces new subject areas for Activity Analytics, with support for Activity contact, resource and sales subject areas from Fusion Sales."

References:
- My original post: http://bichaos.blogspot.com/2015/03/obia-111191-just-released.html
- The Oracle Release Notes: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53672_01/index.htm
- The original source of info: (Ref: https://community.oracle.com/thread/3687367)

OBIA 11.1.1.9.1 just released !

Oracle has released today (March 10th, 2015) a new version of Oracle Business Intelligence Applications
OBIA 11.1.1.9.1.( Part Number : B81628-01 M).
More to come as we check for the new features or bug fixes in this release.

Here the link to the Release Notes: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53672_01/index.htm
and the new content : http://bichaos.blogspot.com/2015/03/obia-111191-new-content.html

Oracle BI Applications - OBIA Performance Guidelines 11g

This is just a quick note for those looking for recommendations on hardware and database sizing plus performance guidelines for OBIA 11g implementations.

Oracle has already made public a Note ID: 1963225.1 about this.

More to come as we digest this new oracle document on this topic.

SQL Developer : Unable to create an instance of the Java Virtual Machine

Have you ever got this error message with SQL Developer ?

"... Unable to create an instance of the Java Virtual Machine ..."

It usually appears the first time you try to launch "SQL Developer" ( I have also found others get similar message with JDeveloper). The error is related to the memory allocated for the  JVM associated with the program we are trying to launch.

There are two SQLDeveloper parameter settings for this purpose :

Add32VMOption  -Xms  and
Add32VMOption  -Xmx

Which can be set in the file product.conf located at (in windows):

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\sqldeveloper\1.0.0.0.0

So, in my case all I had to do is apply the following changes in this file:

# SetJavaHome C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_45 (not required but wanted to use latest JDK)
SetJavaHome C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_51


# AddVMOption -Xms128m
AddVMOption -Xms256m

# AddVMOption -Xms800m
AddVMOption -Xmx512m

You finally get :

BI Pubisher 11g with Gmail

About the title:
I know, actually the title should have been something like: "Configuring Gmail as Delivery Channel Mail Server for BI Publisher 11g".

Available in 11g but could be backport to 10g:
It is about a new feature in BI Publisher only available in 11g unless you request a back port to 10g - Which I understand is also possible but has to be requested as Enhancement Request through Oracle
 Support and then Shinji's team will make it possible.

Benefit:
Well, now having this available in BI Publisher 11g it is possible to configure our Gmail email account to send or deliver BI Publisher reports. This is useful for some companies which rely in such email providers and prior to BIP11g this was not possible. Also, it is useful for developers to test email delivery channel with no need to use a local company's Email Server.
Actually, this is also supposed to work for TLS (Transport Layer Security) configuration. Suffixes for me to explain here that this is the successor of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and thus improves the network communications and reduces the risk of eavesdropping and tampering. More on TLS here.
But unfortunately, at the time of this note this feature does not seem to be working. If you get it to work I would be pleased to hear about it.

Use: To take advantage of this new feature simply enter the following values:
Port : 465
Encryption: SSL

BI Publisher 10g on Weblogic 10.3.4 : Common Error

If you are trying to use BI Publisher 10g on Weblogic Server 10.3.4 it is very likely you have missed one important step in your installation.

In the Release Notes (search for "BI Publisher Deployments to WebLogic 10.3 Require Additional Setting at Startup")
It clearly explains that we have to update the Weblogic Startup script to make WLS aware of the toplink libraries (which in the case of OC4J it is already included) for the scheduler to work:

Locate the startup script as follows:

/weblogic_home/user_projects/domains/base_domain/bin/startWebLogic.sh

Add the following setting:

-Dtoplink.xml.platform=oracle.toplink.platform.xml.jaxp.JAXPPlatform 

As in the picture

This setting is required to enable BI Publisher to find the TopLink JAR files to create the Scheduler tables.