Overview

When working with SAS Visual Analytics reports, you might encounter the following error:

Unknown metadata object type: 'Report.BI'

This error could occur when you attempt to save or open report in SAS Visual Analytics Designer, or when you attempt to export or import a report from SAS^® Management Console. For example, here is the full error that you might see if there is a problem saving the report:

[FaultEvent fault=[RPC Fault faultString="java.lang.RuntimeException :
Report could not be saved. Cause: Error saving report caused by:
Unknown metadata object type: 'Report.BI' (Reason : Operation Failed),
Exception: Error saving report caused by: Unknown metadata object type:
'Report.BI' (Reason : Operation Failed)" faultCode="Server.Processing"
faultDetail="null"] messageId="D88B0EE8-090C-2ED4-DEC8-CAAD489100BB"
type="fault" bubbles=false cancelable=true eventPhase=2]
 

There are several possible causes for this problem. This SAS Note describes each of the known causes:

Communication problems

One reason this error can occur is if there is a communication problem between SAS Visual Analytics and the SAS® Content Server. Here are four ways to troubleshoot the issue:

• Validate the SAS Content Server. If the SAS Content Server fails to validate, restart the web application server in SASServer1_1. If the server still does not validate, contact SAS^® Technical Support.
  
  Note:  For information about validating the SAS Content Server, see the topic "Validate the SAS Content Server" in the SAS Intelligence Platform: System Administration Guide. You can find a link to the guide on the SAS^® Intelligence Platform Product Documentation page. Click the tab for your release of SAS^®, and then look under "Administration Documentation."
  
  
• Verify that WebDAV location information specified for SAS Folders is correct.

1. 1. Log on to SAS^® Management Console as an administrator.
   2. Click the Folders tab.
   3. Right-click SAS Folders and select Properties.
   4. In the SAS Folders Properties dialog box, click the Content Mapping tab.
   5. Verify that the URL contains a valid host name and port. Also verify that the Server is pointing to the correct content server.
   6. As a test, copy and paste the URL into a browser. If everything is functioning properly, you should be prompted for credentials. After entering credentials, you should be able to navigate to the metadata files.
      
      

• Verify that the SAS Trusted User has explicit (white background) ReadMetadata permission on the Report Repository Content Mapping text store.

1. 1. Log on to SAS Management Console as an administrator.
   2. Click the Plug-ins tab.
   3. Under the Authorization Manager plug-in, select Resource Management ► By Type ► Text Store.
   4. Expand Text Store, right-click on Report Repository Content Mapping, and select Properties.
   5. Click the Authorization tab. The SAS Trusted User should be listed on this tab, and the account should have explicitly granted ReadMetadata permission.
   6. If you make changes, restart all web application servers.

 

• Restart the web application server.

 

Incorrectly set metadata permissions

Another possible reason for this error is that the SAS Trusted User or the SAS System Services group has been denied ReadMetadata access to the SAS Folders structure in metadata. Make sure that the SAS Trusted User and the SAS System Services group are granted ReadMetadata permission on the folders that contain your reports.

Missing SAS Visual Analytics components on the SAS^® Metadata Server

Another possible reason for this error is that SAS Visual Analytics Configuration Data is missing from the SAS Metadata Server.  This component must be installed and configured.  To determine whether you are missing this component, review the DeploymentSummary.html file from the computer that hosts the SAS Metadata Server. This file is in a location that is similar to <sas-configuration-dir>\Lev1\Documents\.

Missing SAS Visual Analytics components on the middle-tier server

This problem can also occur if SAS Visual Analytics Extensions for Services is missing or not configured on the middle-tier server. Specifically, the component is missing from the server that hosts the SASServer1_1 web application server and SAS^® Web Infrastructure Platform Services. This component must be installed and configured.  

To determine whether you are missing this component, review the DeploymentSummary.html file from the computer that hosts the middle-tier server. This file is in a location that is similar to <sas-configuration-dir>\Lev1\Documents\.