OBIEE : Browser and

Operating System
Compatibility
Including Known Issues and Solutions
Contents
PREFACE ................................................................................................................................ 2
SUPPORTED BROWSERS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS............................................................... 3
SUMMARY OF KNOWN BROWSER/OS ISSUES: ....................................................................... 4
ISSUE 1: INTERNET EXPLORER ROLL BACK .............................................................................. 5
ISSUE 2: FIREFOX PATCH ........................................................................................................ 9
ISSUE 3: ADOBE FLASH REQUIRED ........................................................................................ 13
ISSUE 4: ROLLBACK TO FIREFOX VERSION 15 ........................................................................ 16

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 1 October 25, 2012

 Preface:
OBIEE is a robust web based reporting tool that uses the power of Adobe Flash, and is supported by
many different browsers and operating systems.
If you experience any difficulties, you may need to adjust your browser’s version or configuration.
For example:

• Currently, to use Internet Explorer you must have version 8, not 9.

You may have upgraded to 9 when you did a Microsoft update, and if so, you will need to roll
back to version 8.

• To use Firefox you cannot use version 16.

• To view animated graphs you may need to add Adobe Flash components that you currently do
not have on your computer.

The purpose of this document is to inform the UDW+ OBIEE user community of any known compatibility
issues and to offer solutions or workarounds to the problems.

The Decision Support Group will continue ongoing testing of various browsers and operating systems
and how they respond to OBIEE. As users of the system, we would greatly appreciate you documenting
any browser/OS related issues. This document will be a collaborative and continued ‘work in progress’.

If you are experiencing difficulties or have questions, please contact The Decision Support Group.

Email: askDSG@nyu.edu

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 2 October 25, 2012

 Supported Browsers and Operating Systems
Oracle has documented the following as being supported ‘browsers’ and ‘operating systems’ for OBIEE
11.1.1.5.

OPERATING SYSTEMS:

Apple Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6 4

Microsoft Windows XP SP2

Microsoft Windows 2003 Server SP2

Microsoft Windows Vista

Microsoft Windows 7

Microsoft Windows 2008 Server

BROWSERS:

Firefox (any version up to version 15)

Internet Explorer 7; 8 (NOTE: IE 9 is stated as being supported, but there are known issues. It is currently
recommended not to use IE9)

Safari (desktop) 3.2; 4.x; 5.x

Safari (iOS) 4.3

Chrome 1+

OTHER TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Adobe Flash Active X and Plugin are required. (Currently, Adobe Flash Player version 11.4 is
recommended)
To determine your version of Flash, you can go to a website like http://flashplayerversion.info/
or http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/find-version-flash-player.html
• Adobe reader is required. (Currently, version 10.1.3 is recommended)
• Microsoft Excel is required.

BEST OPTIONS: As of August 30, the current ‘Best Options’ for OBIEE are: Firefox (Currently version 15)
and Windows 7

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 3 October 25, 2012

 Summary of Known Browser/OS Issues:

Browser and OS Description Possible Solution(if available) Documented Documented

version Workaround On: By:
FireFox any Windows 7 I cannot create a Install Adobe Go to April 4, 2012 Lk857
version Professional chart. Says Adobe is http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer.html
not installed. Click the Download the Adobe Flash player.
link provided and it Go to your control PanelProgramsPrograms and
does not work features. Ensure you get the ‘Active X’ and the ‘Plugin’

The ActiveX is for Internet Explorer, and the plugin is

for all other browsers (Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc.).
Google Chrome does not require Flash Player to be
installed, as it is preinstalled in Chrome.
Note: You can also download each Adobe item from:
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribu
tion3.html
IE 9 Windows 7 I cannot log in to Use Fire Fox Use a different browser, or roll IE9 back to IE 8. April 1, 2012 LK857
Professional OBIEE. No error To roll back to IE8:
message…just a Go to StartControl PanelProgramsPrograms
continuous prompt to and Features Uninstall a Program.
log in Uninstall IE9. Your browser will automatically go back
to IE8. Restart OBIEE
(Screenshots of process are available. Call Lisa if you
need them.)
FireFox v11 Windows 7 Cannot see ‘ALL’ Use IE8 Apply FireFox patch explained in this blog: April 4, 2012 Lk857
Professional Subject Areas under http://obiee101.blogspot.com/2012/02/obiee11g-
“NewAnalysis” firefox-10-problems.html
I see some…but not (Screenshots of process are available. Call Lisa if you
all. need them.)

Windows 7 I can not get the OBIEE Use IE8 Apply FireFox patch explained in this blog: April 16, Lk857
Professional log in screen to load. It http://obiee101.blogspot.com/2012/02/obiee11g- 2012
FireFox v11 says my browser is not firefox-10-problems.html
supported by Oracle’s (Screenshots of process are available. Call Lisa if you
BI presentation need them.)
Services.
Windows 7 When I try to access Click on ‘I understand the risks’; Click on ‘Add August 30, Lk857
Professional OBIEE, I get prompted Exception’ 2012
FireFox 15 that the connection is
untrusted.

Windows 7 The spinning globe Upgrade your version of flash (Need both the Active X August 30, Lk857
Professional does not show up and and the Plug in. See 1st note above) 2012
Firefox 15 wants me to choose
how to open it or save
it
Firefox Windows or table prompt drop- Roll back to This is a known issue with Firefox v 16. You must roll October 16, Lk857
version 16 Mac downs no longer work firefox v15 back to v15 or use a different browser. To roll back to 2012
version 15 go to the following URL:
https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/relea
ses/15.0/
Choose Click on Win 32/
Choose En-US/
Choose Firefox setup 15.0.exe
Save the program
Run the file ‘Firefox Setup 15.0.exe’
Follow Setup Wizard prompts
Google Windows 7 I cannot determine Use Firefox or This is a known issue with Chrome and the only fix, August 30, Lk857
Chrome Professional the legend or the axis IE8 currently, is to use a different browser. 2012
labels in my graphs

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 4 October 25, 2012

 Issue 1: Internet Explorer Roll Back
ISSUE: My computer automatically updated my Internet Explorer browser to version 9
OR

ISSUE: I get to the OBIEE log in page but I can not log in. No error messages are thrown. It just keeps
asking me to log in over and over.

FIX: You have to remove IE 9 and roll your browser back to IE 8.

Internet Explorer 8 is a built-in feature of Windows 7 and Vista. Therefore, once you uninstall the
update of Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer will roll back to version 8.

1. Click on your Start Button

2. Choose the Control Panel

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 5 October 25, 2012

 3. Choose Programs (or Programs and Features)

4. Click on ‘View Installed Updates’ in the top left of the screen.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 6 October 25, 2012

 5. Scroll down the list of installed updates. In the Microsoft Windows section find Windows
Internet Explorer 9 .
a. Select this item and click on Uninstall
b. When prompted to confirm click on Yes
c. Restart your computer

PLEASE REMEMBER: Your computer will automatically upgrade your browser the next time
a windows update is performed unless you do the following:
1. To stop any future IE updates:
a. Click on your Start Button
b. Click on ‘All Programs’
c. Scroll until you find ‘Windows Update’. Click on it. A screen similar to the one below will
appear.

d. Click on Check for updates on the left

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 7 October 25, 2012

 2. When updates are ready, you will see the number of updates in the center of the screen

a. Click on the ‘Important Updates’ link in the center of the screen.

b. Deselect the option for installing Windows Internet Explorer 9 for Windows 7
c. Right click on Windows Internet Explorer 9 for Windows 7
d. Select Hide update

e. Click on OK

That’s it!
You will not be prompted to upgrade your IE browser from version 8 to version 9 any longer. At a later
time, you may come back to this window and choose the option, on the left, to ‘Restore Hidden Updates’.
This will allow you to ‘unhide’ IE9 and ultimately reactivate the IE 9 updates.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 8 October 25, 2012

 Issue 2: Firefox Patch
ISSUE: I am using FIREFOX BROSWER version 11 and can not see all my subject areas when I try to
create a new analysis. (Security is not the issue)

OR

ISSUE: I am using FIREFOX BROWSER version 11 and can not get the OBIEE log in screen to load
properly.

FIX: You need to upgrade firefox to version 15 or apply a patch to your firefox
browser.
1. Confirm the version of firefox installed:
a. Open Firefox
b. Go to the orange ‘Firefox’ drop down on thetop left side of browser window.
c. Choose ‘Help’
d. Choose About Firefox

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 9 October 25, 2012

 e. You will see a screen similar to the following where you will see the version installed:

f. If you are using version 11 you will need to apply the firefox patch.
Note: For those interested, this patch was originally found at:
http://obiee101.blogspot.com/2012/02/obiee11g-firefox-10-problems.html
Note: another helpful site is:https://blogs.oracle.com/proactivesupportEPM/entry/firefox_10_and_obiee)

g. If you are not using version 11 Firefox, please call the DSG for further assistance.

2. The Fix:
a. Open a Firefox window
b. Type the following into the Firefox address bar:

about:config

c. Click ‘I’ll be careful, I promise!’ when prompted.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 10 October 25, 2012

 d. Your screen will now look similar to the following

e. Right click anywhere on the page and choose:

i. NewString

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 11 October 25, 2012

 f. In the prompt box , name the new string value:

General.useragent.override

g. Click OK
h. Enter the following in the next prompt box for the string value:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; Windows NT 6.1; rv:10.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/9.0

i. Click OK
j. Close Firefox windows
k. Open Firefox
l. Open OBIEE (to refresh OBIEE log in screen)

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 12 October 25, 2012

 Issue 3: Adobe Flash Required
ISSUE: Can’t see or create charts on my dashboards

OR

ISSUE: Unable to install Adobe Flash by following prompts on the OBIEE chart screen.

FIX: Go to Adobe’s website and down load the latest version of Flash.
Please note: I had Adobe Flash Active X installed on my PC; however, I did not have the Adobe Flash
Plug-in installed. You need both. You can check to see if you have both by going to:

a. StartControl PanelProgramsPrograms and features.

b. Look for ‘Adobe’ items that are installed

1. Go to Adobe’s web site

2. Click on the link to ‘Download Adobe Flash Player’

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 13 October 25, 2012

 3. Deselect the checkbox for the free Google toolbar and click ‘Download now’.

4. When prompted click ‘RUN’

5. Choose ‘Run’ to the security warning

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 14 October 25, 2012

 6. If prompted to allow Adobe to make changes to the computer, click ‘Yes’.

7. Adobe has completed the installation. Click Finish

8. Your charts should now display properly. You may need to refresh your browser screen.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 15 October 25, 2012

 Issue 4: Rollback to Firefox version 15

ISSUE: Can’t see table prompt drop down boxes.

FIX: You need to rollback Firefox browser to version 15 .

1. The Fix:
a. Open a Firefox window
b. Go to the following URL: https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/15.0/
The following screen will appear:

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 16 October 25, 2012

 c. Choose the correct folder to open:
i. PC users : Choose ‘win32/’

ii. Mac Users: choose ‘mac/’

d. Choose ‘en-US/’

e. Choose the correct file to run:

i. PC users: Choose ‘Firefox Setup 15.0 .exe’

ii. Mac Users: Choose ‘Firefox 15.0 .dmg’

f. Save the file to your computer

g. Once the file has been saved, browse to that location on your computer and open the
file that you downloaded.

Please Note: The steps on the proceeding pages are documented for PC users only. Mac
users should follow the same basic procedure, but the screenshots may look slightly
different.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 17 October 25, 2012

 h. Choose ‘RUN’.

i. The file will extract itself and the Wizard will open. Choose ‘Next’.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 18 October 25, 2012

 j. Choose ‘Standard’ and click ‘Next’

k. A window will appear showing you where the file will be installed and a checkbox will be
available to set Firefox as your default browser. (Check or uncheck this at your
discretion). Click ‘Upgrade’.

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 19 October 25, 2012

 l. Firefox version 15 will be installed and a completion window will appear. Check or
uncheck the box to ‘Launch Firefox now’ at your discretion. Click ‘Finish’.

PLEASE REMEMBER: Your computer will automatically upgrade your Firefox browser the
next time a windows update is performed unless you do the following:
1. To stop any future Firefox updates:
a. Open Firefox
b. Go to the orange ‘Firefox’ drop down on thetop left side of browser window.
c. Choose ‘Help’
d. Choose OptionsOptions

dsd

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 20 October 25, 2012

 e. Go to the ‘Advanced’ Option at the top of the screen.

f. Choose the ‘Update’ tab.

g. Select the option: ‘Check for updates, but let me choose whether to install them’

h. Click ‘Ok’ at the bottom of the window!

That’s it!! You have successfully completed the task!!

Browser and OS Issues v5 Page 21 October 25, 2012