DLG_VARIABLE error while running BEx report in SAP Portal

While running BEx BE report in SAP portal environment I came across below error:

          Error in rendering root for dialog “DLG_VARIABLE”

The report runs fine while running it outside the portal in BEx Analyzer, Analysis for MS Office or via t-code RSRT. There are below SAP Notes available that fix this issue. However these SAP Notes are only relevant for SAP BW 7.5 SP06 version.

2465736 - Error: Error in rendering root for dialog “DLG_VARIABLE”

2357717 - Cannot convert field VALUE_NUMBER of type DECF34 to double

As in my case BW version was 7.4 so the Notes are not applicable. Root cause within one of BEx variables type of user exit used in the query which populated wrong value. 

Maintenance of user’s favorites in SAP NetWeaver Portal

SAP NetWeaver Portal is very common environment for accessing of BW Queries. Users have just one single point of access to the queries. It is very common for BW or Portal administrator to manage user’s favorites in Portal. Users have requirements to copy favorites from one user to other or to delete some reports from the user’s favorites. Here’s is how to perform such a tasks.

Copying of the favorites:

Login into the SAP NetWeaver Portal and then navigate into following path:

portal -> Content Administration -> KM Content -> root folder -> userhome

Now select the user which favorites are to be copied; go inside its folder and via context menu choose COPY:

Go to userhome -> and select the user to whom you want to copy the favorites to -> Click on favorites -> and then “OK”

Delete reports from the user’s favorites:

Similarly go into the folder of the user under path similar as above and via context menu delete the particular item which corresponds to the report that is supposed to be removed form user’s favorites.

Few words on table RSPOR_T_PORTAL – Portals connected to BW

This blog is originally posted on SCN:

Few words on table RSPOR_T_PORTAL – Portals connectedto BW

This table is very important from portal access to BW system point of view. It stores the configuration information about connected portals. There may be several portals connected into one BW system. One of them must be marked as default one. There is information about logical destination of portal, its system name, prefixes of URL/Metadata Repository, etc. Table has other information when it comes to configuration of Report to report interface (RRI), Adobe Document Services (ADS), SAP Export Library, fonts and portal platform.

Customizing of the table is available via IMG path: SAP Reference IMG -> SAP NetWeaver -> SAP Business Information Warehouse -> Reporting-relevant Settings -> BEx Web -> Integration into the SAP Enterprise Portal -> Maintaining Portal-Server Settings for EP 6.0. In newer versions of BW 7.x this customizing entry is disabled and directly ABAP report RSPOR_SETUP shall be used as specified in customizing note “Settings for Integration with SAP EP 6.0” in TA SPRO.

Important Fields:

RFCDEST                    Logical Destination - RFC Destination to connect the portal from BW and vice versa. It is maintained in TA SM59. Format of the field can look like e.g.: __

SYSTEM_NAME         System Name in Portal System Landscape – Value for BW is usually „SAP_BW“

DEFAULT_PORTAL   Indicates Whether Entry Points to Standard Portal. Only one of several connected portals can be default. This is important for RRI functionality. Parameter RSPOR_DEFAULT_PORTAL needs to be added to user master record. See SAP Note 1818322 - RSPOR_T_PORTAL configuration in the context RRI

URL_PREFIX                         URL Prefix for Portal URLs – it is needed for the input help in BEx Information Broadcasting. BEx report uses URL prefix for iViews. Value usually is: http(s)://hostname:

KM_RM_PREFIX                   Prefix for BW Metadata Repository Manager (RM) – so called RM prefix for BW metadata.  It determines path in Knowledge Management (KM) used by BW metadata while accessing repository manager. Usage of the field is used e.g. when broadcasting: links to BEx objects in the portal are generated. Value usually is: /bw_metadata

CM_RM_PREF_META           Prefix for BI CM Repository for Metadata – IF documents for metadata are migrated to the portal KM (to a BI CM repository) the prefix is used. By this prefix BW checks if whether/where the documents were migrated. Value usually is: /bi_documents.

CM_RM_PREF_MAST           Prefix for BI CM Repository for Master Data – Same as above. But prefix is for master data.

CM_RM_PREF_TRAN           Prefix of BI CM Repository InfoProv. Data - Same as above. But prefix is for transactional data – data stored in InfoProviders.

SAP_EXPORT_LIB               Use SAP Export Library (PDF) – If you want to use BI Export Library for exporting of BW report’s output into the different format like PDF. In that case put X as value.

FONT_PATH                          Directory of Fonts – path to fonts if you are using BI Export Library. See field above. Also see SAP Note 1166921 - Default font not used when font path empty

ADS_HTTPS                          Use HTTPS for Adobe Document Services (PDF). In case of issues see SAP Note 1112378 - USE_HTTPS_FOR_ADS=X is not evaluated.

PORTFOLIO_PATH   Directory for "My Portfolio" - in BEx Web, value must include string "" -> see Note 1830507 - Directory of My portfolio field in rspor_t_portal table

DEFAULT_FONT        Standard Font –While using the BI Export Library this specifies default font to be used by the library.

PLATFORM              Runtime Platform – Either your portal is based on NetWeaver or BusinessObjects Enterprise. Values NW for NetWeaver or BOE for the other one.