CA Clarity technical Administration

CA Clarity Administration stuff


Common network ports: 
Clarity app
http 80, 1024, ..
https 8043

Reporting(BO) 
http 8080

Clarity NSA
http 8090
https 8093

Configuration from NSA
BO config: Servers, Properties, reporting
DB config: Servers, Properties, Database
Java app config: Servers, Properties, Application
Logs: Servers, Logs


Version Upgrade
Check  "Data Model Changes" in "CAClarityPPM_ChangeImpactandUpgrade_Guide_ENU.pdf" file in order to be aware of changes in tables.


Queries and  Oracle databases
SQLTools
DBVisualizer

XOG compatibility

Clarity v.12.1 SP1
i.e. XOG 10.50.0.125
Clarity v.13
i.e. XOG 14.0.0.162

Testing XOG from Clarity web
 v12.

……/niku/app?action=xog.client

 v13.

……/niku/nu#action:xog.client

Server info
 ../niku/monitor.jsp
i.e info:
DB_LOGIN=1 LOGIN_SUCCESS=1 LOGIN_TIME_MS=19 NJS_HEARTBEAT_S=52 PE_HEARTBEAT_S=289 LAST_TIMESLICE_S=24 IS_TS_ROLLOVER_DATE=0

../niku/BOServerStatus.jsp
Info about Servers Status, General metrics, Queue metrics

Flush Caches

Flushing caches

v13
../niku/nu#action:security.caches
v12
../niku/nu?action=security.caches


System Locks

v13
../niku/nu#action:security.locks
v12
../niku/app?action=security.locks



 See Server Security Logs
.../niku/nu#action:security.logs

Log filenames and messages:


 bg-ca.log 

Contains info about errors in scheduled reports and Jobs


i.e
....
ERROR 2013-05-24 18:30:03,137 [Dispatch pool-4-thread-2 : bg@serverappxxx.domain.com (tenant=clarity)] niku.njs (clarity:username:9333263__C1AA4D20-121B-43DE-B006-74E7A3366435:schedule_job_Autoschedule Project) Error executing job: 5041627
com.niku.union.utility.MessageKeyException: PRJ-SE04: Could not execute autoschedule job (5041647): Unparseable date: "21/05/2013"
    at com.niku.projmgr.autoschedule.jobs.AutoschedulerJob.scheduledEventFired(AutoschedulerJob.java:91)
    at com.niku.njs.Dispatcher$BGTask.run(Dispatcher.java:292)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
   

nsa-system.log
...
Wrapper Started as Daemon
Clarity 13.1.0.0248 initializing...
GMS: address=appservernamexxx-xxxxx, cluster=CLRTY-SA, physical address=x.x.x.x:ppppp
Clarity 13.1.0.0248 ready.
INFO: Server startup in 52214 ms
TERM trapped.  Shutting down.
Wrapper Stopped
....
nsa-ca.log
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Clarity 13.1.0.0248 initializing...
..
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Initializing: tower...
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Initializing: monitor...
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Initializing: nsa...
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Initializing: wmd-init...
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Clarity 13.1.0.0248 ready.
...
config.TenantConfigurationManager (none:none:none:none) Properties/Database: id: clarity
...
niku.union (none:none:none:none) Destroying: tower...

admin.log
 ...
[echo] CA Clarity Accelerator: Program Management Office installation was successful and is complete.
[echo] Check the install.log for errors that might not have been handled.
[echo] Package Installation Successful - 08-April-2013 21:00:01
...
[exec] Content Pack csp version 13.0.1.0102 has been deployed
[exec] DBTools Log - Mon Apr 08 22:28:02 CEST 2013
[echo] Clarity Solution Pack installation was successful and is complete.
[echo] Check the install.log for errors that might not have been handled.
...
(admin)     Following object(s) are invalid:

app-ca.log (application errors)
...
ERROR yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss,mmm [http-bio-14001-exec-xxx] grid.EditListRowServiceImpl (clarity:username:sesionid:GetListContextByRow) Fatal error getting row metadata for project [projectid]
ERROR yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss,mmm [http-bio-14001-exec-xxx] out.service (clarity:username:sesionid:GetListContextByRow) A RuntimeException encountered in Service. Converting to OSFApplicationException.
java.lang.RuntimeException: org.json.JSONException: JSONObject["column"] not found.

WARN  yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss,mmm [http-bio-14001-exec-xxx] web.WebSession (clarity:username:xxxxxxxx__SESSION_ID:odf.filter) A request has been denied as a potential CSRF attack. Request Information-
USER_ID=xxxxxxx
SESSION_ID=xxxxxxxxx
CLIENT_IP_ADDRESS=x.x.x.x
XFF_ADDRESSES=null

app-access-yyyy-mm-dd.log
(from Apache Tomcat)

serverip|[dd/mm/yyyy:hh:mm:ss +0200]|GET /address/file HTTP/1.1|aaa|bbb|cc|token

session id token: i.e. userdid__xxxxaxxe:xxxbaexxxax:-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Userid is before the double underscore (__).
Finally, you can locate that user by selecting into the cmn_sessions table.


IP address of requestor
DateTime of the completed request
URL request
HTTP Status Code
Bytes sent back to the client (excluding the header)
Elapsed time of the request (in ms, can be subtracted from the DateTime to get the request startTime)
Clarity sessionId cookie (a distinct way to group requests, can be tied back to the sessions tables in Clarity to find the user)

- no results return to client for this field
aaa=code that the server sends back to the client
2xx= Successful
200= OK
3xx= Redirection
4xx= Error caused by the client
5xx= Error caused by the server

bbb= size of the object returned to the client, not including the response headers.
cc= elapsed time of the request

x.x.x.x|[dd/MM/yyyy:hh:mm:ss +0200]|GET /niku/ui/uitk/gwt/com.ca.clarity.Gantt/Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.cache.html HTTP/1.1|200|325759|1803|-
x.x.x.x|[dd/MM/yyyy:hh:mm:ss +0200]|GET /niku/wsdl HTTP/1.0|200|321|1|-

Debug Mode

v12.
https://servername.com/niku/app?action=xxxxxxxxxx&debug=1
XML output


XML Open Gateway (XOG)
web service interface that you can use to:
  *Import data
  *Export data
  *Move configuration data from one system to another
to read data from or write data to CA Clarity using XML and web services
GEL tags that can be used with XML for more advanced custom integration tasks
CA Clarity web services use XML messages that follow the SOAP standard.

CA Clarity / Openworkbench / Ms Project

Clarity and Opera

Browser compatibility

***Clarity PPM12/13
Web working on Firefox3/10/Opera

Firefox and Clarity

Firefox Toolbox for Clarity     

Firefox portable 3.6.28
+Addons (specific versions for FF3)
chickenfoot107.xpi
colorfultabs-4.6.5-fx+sm.xpi
web_developer-1.2.2-fx+sm.xpi
tabrenamizer-0.9.6-fx.xpi   (*)

tabrenamizer: rules for tab names

(*) Note: web addresses change between Clarity v12 and 13.
It is a pity that "tabrenamizer" doesn't support wildcards  :(

Chickenfoot Scripting for Clarity


Use CF foot methods and Javascript to automate tasks


Web differences between v12/v13
First line v12, second line v13

Web addresses
../niku/app?action=projmgr   (v12)
../niku/nu#action:projmgr (v13)
Elements
 button= "Class"="sectionBarBtn"
 button= "Class" ="ppm_button"



Default script folder:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\104679cl.default\chickenfoot
FirefoxPortableLegacy36\Data\profile\chickenfoot



--------------
Project Professional 2010 v14.0.6+CA Clarity PPM Microsoft Project interface

C:\Users\myuser\AppData\Local\Temp
~DF32E99829250D82AE.TMP

files related to Clarity/MSproject

When project is Saved to Clarity the mpp file is uploaded and stored in Clarity server
(PRDOCUMENT table  as BLOB information)

 Plugin for Ms Project files and folders

C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface
C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect
file .VSTO
(Visual Studio Tools for Office) Visual Studio add-in (project templates)

MSPAdd2K.mpp
C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM MSPInterface\data

to know which  version of Schedule connect is installed:
 java -cp "C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\lib\version.jar" com.niku.tools.VersionNumber

i.e output : Niku 13.0.1 Build 0102
                  Niku 12.1.2 Build 1260



HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Niku\Schedulers\MPPLookup
info about last open projects and local path with mpp file

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Niku\Schedulers
database connection data (host, login, port...






-------
Openworkbench Advanced

***Openworkbench 1.1.6
Requires Java version 1.5 or later

***Openworkbench 2.0
Requires Java 1.7?
-------------



 SCHEDLINK

This software is an  interface between web browser and OpenWorkbench, so if our web browser cannot open project in OWB, you have to associate  MIME type to SCHEDLINK. 






SchedLink.exe" sched.nikusl  (by default Silent mode)
SchedLink.exe" /s /d  (setup with output)

Old path
"C:\Program Files\Clarity\Schedule Connect\bin\SchedLink.exe" sched.nikusl /d

New path
"C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Clarity\CA Clarity PPM Schedule Connect\bin\SchedLink.exe" sched.nikusl /d

/s (setup in silent mode)
it just associate  NIKUSL object to Schedlink (Internet  Explorer)
(Registry: HKCR\MIME\Database\Content Type\application/nikuscheduler\Extension=.nikusl)

/d show output log to c:\SchedLink.log


 Openworkbench/MSP conection file (sched.nikusl)


A project is associated to a specific Scheduler by attribute "Scheduler Format"(Eng) or "Formato del programador" (Spa) (ID: prformat)

Available from UI, Schedule, Tracking

Depending of scheduler associated to a project, downloaded sched/sched.nikusl file will have one of following values:

sched = npWorkbench
sched = msp



Example of MSP (sched.nikusl) received from Clarity.
file = Projname
repo = NIKU
app = null
session = 7594029__D65BAB9D-5B2D-48DC-B282-9CC65AE806D5
projectId = 6037252
driver = HTTP
url = https://myserver.myclarity.es/niku
sslLoginURL = null
sslHandling = SSL_FULL
userName = username
readWrite = false
sched = msp

Example of OWB file received from Clarity.

file = conection_test
repo = NIKU
app = null
session = 35022901__-b554f40:124971fe3a2:-78d61258623780532
projectId = 5203045
driver = HTTP
url = http://my.clarityserver.company.com:8080/niku
sslLoginURL = null
sslHandling = SSL_NONE
userName = username
readWrite = true
sched = npWorkbench

Flowcharts, Mind maps, UML (Soft)

conceptDraw! flowchart

DIAGRAMS

Concept Draw Pro(Win, MacOS)
A good alternative to Ms Visio, advantages over Visio are
multiplatform and portable version for Windows.
Flowcharts, UML, Mockup resources, OS interface components, etc..
Import:Visio XML, Powerpoint
Export: CDD, CDX(xml from conceptdraw), Visio XML, SVG, SWF
MacOs version available for PPC and Intel CPU
Version 9.2.5 included in ConceptDraw Office 2

Conceptdraw 9.2.5, mockup

Omnigraffle (MacOS)
Nice and easy diagramming software

Available for PPC and Intel CPU

Visio (Win)
A well know software but only available for Windows.


LibreOffice Draw (multiplatform)

LibreOffice Draw

It has a big name after it, is opensource and is portable. However,  in terms of usability and features is quite bad.

Import: SXD, STF,CDR,PUB,SVG,SVGZ, VDX,VSD, VSDM, VSDX
Export:ODG(ODF Drawing), FODG(Flat XML ODF Drawing)

MINDMAPS

-Freemind (Java multiplatform)(GPL)(abandoned but forked by freeplane)
Tested versions: 0.8, 1.0.1
Very stable and working correctly in MacOS.

-FreePlane (multiplatform)(GPL)

freeplan screenshot

Tested versions: 1.2.42b, 1.2.1, 1.3.12
(Win install/portable, Mac, Linux,..)
Export to: html, graphics,...
Fork of Freemind, and compatible with it. Many options but not a very clear interface

Note, a new node cannot be inserted from right button or toolbar but from
"Insert" key, or Edit, New node, New child node

Interesting features:
Outline view: View, View settings, Outline view



-X-Mind (Portable version, multiplatform, opensource?) 

at least version 3.5  is still available as opensource. 

However, Pro features as export requires a license.
Win, MacOS....

-edDraw MindMaster (commercial,freeware)

Import from most formats(freeMind,XMind,Mindmanager,EDraw...), export to many formats (HTML,PDF, MindManager,SVG...)

 

Pro features require license or watermark will be included.

-MindManager (commercial,trial)

Import from most formats(freeMind,XMind...), export to few formats (HTML(app),Word)

After 30 days Pro features require a license.

-VUE

Links:
http://www.mind-mapping.org/



UML

UML Violet
Very easy Java app which implements the following diagrams

• use-case diagram
• class diagram

• 

  Violet(Java) screenshot

  activity diagram
• sequence diagram
• state diagram
• object diagram
  
  
  
  

Project Management Software

At the moment Microsoft Project is covering big portion of the total of users of PM programs, but one of the common lacks of Microsoft is to forget about architectures or operative systems different than Windows.


--PalmOS--
*Natara Project@Hand 2



Can import/export to Ms Project only if you install a software in your windows desktop and sync, the palm device. On the other hand you can use as stand alone app.


--MacOSX--
*OpenProj 1.4



Works stable and include the basic features, translated to some languages, many data fields, few customizable, interface could be better, Net plan view is a crap, and


Save as: .pod(default), Project2003 XML, Project .mpp, .mpx
Open XML, Ms.Project, Gnome Planner
Doesn't support project 2010 files
(Opensource and Multi-platform)


!! Notes on MacOS:
-Some features requires right button click therefore you have to use a normal mouse or press apple+alt+click instead of standard ctrl-mousebutton
-Change Date format (mm/dd/yyyy) to (dd/mm/yyyy)
edit /Applications/OpenProj.app/Contents/Info.plist
-Xms128m -Xmx768m -Duser.region=GB
-Change Interface language, add "-Duser.language=en" inside the tag
-If you are creating a new relation of dependency and you have an error, check your task and if your task has a successor then remove this relation, define predecessor dependency, and now you can create the removed relation again.





*Merlin 2.7.7
Nice and usable interface, good Net plan view, many data fields.

Open Project files (.mpp, .mpx), Project XML
Many option to save/export, merlin2, project, CSV, FreeMind, Image, OmniOutliner, HTML,iCal
Commercial

!! Notes:
Be careful if you import Ms project files, and check/ask about some correct dates because Merlin use some data fields in differente way than Ms. Project and the dates could change.


*OmniPlan 1.7
Basic project management software with few data fields.
Open Ms.Project files XML and mpp (fails opening .xml files saved with Merlin or Openproj)
Many option to export, project .mpx .XML, CSV, Image, OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, HTML,iCal
Commercial

!! Notes:
This software doesn't have a PERT or Net view, fails to open some files, and sometimes when you export. Maybe in a future could be an alternative to Merlin but not now.


--Windows--
*Openworkbench 1.1.6
Powerful software, specially for PM power user, customizable views including many data fields, best alternative to Ms. Project.

Used for a long time, works stable moreover can be used as a standalone app or to connect to CA Clarity PPM Servers.
Only for Windows(requires Java)

!!Note: For Ms. project users, the planification is done using the effort (hours) of resource assigned to task.

*Ms. Project 2007
The most popular PM software, you must configure the view to show baseline bars in the Gantt, could be easier like in the alternatives.

Save as: Project .mpp, .xls, .csv, xml
Open XML, Ms.Project *

*Like is common in Microsoft, lacks of compatibility with other formats


*ConceptDraw PROJECT
Default format: cdpz(conceptdraw project), cdpx (xml)

Save as: Ms Project XML, mmap(MindManager)
Open: Ms Project( xml, mpp, mpt, mpx), mmap(MindManager)
Multiplatform. Mac, Windows
version 6.3.0 included in ConceptDraw Office 2

conceptProject gantt screenshot