Troubleshooting the Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Web Client - Part 4
Part 4 - Tools for Troubleshooting Web Client issues: the Web Client Diagnostic tool
In Part 2 and Part 3 of this series, I talked about resolving Web Client implementation (installation if you will) and functional issues, respectively, along with some specific information that must be compiled to aid in the troubleshooting process.
No troubleshooting process would be complete should we not have the appropriate set of tools to aid in capturing some of this data. Let's start with the one tool you are most likely to use when opening a support case with Microsoft: the Web Client Diagnostic tool - in reality, is more like a set of diagnostics than _a_ diagnostic in particular.
The Web Client Diagnostic tool can be accessed once you create a support case and after the creation of an MS Solve case (also known as a Microsoft Fix It center case). The tool must be executed on both web server(s) and session host(s). The tool will collect important data that will allow Microsoft Dynamics GP Support to resolve your case. If you do not receive an invitation to execute the Web Client Diagnostic tool, you are encouraged to ask the Support Engineer on your case to send said invitation.
As you become more and more familiar with Web Client support cases, the above message is quite important. If this is missed after creating the case, the support engineer taking your case has no way to provide the Fix It URL shown above back to you.
The support engineer taking your case will need to generate a new link for you to use and pull the diagnostic information. The URL in the message is what you should copy off to either your email or another editor for safe keeping. Once that is done, you can access both web server(s) and session host(s) machine(s) and then paste the URL into the Web browser and following the guidance provided.
This is the default page that will be presented after pasting the URL into the browser once the Diagnostic Web site is launched. Once the Web page is opened, click on the “Run” and the diagnostic package will be downloaded to the local machine.
Once fully downloaded, you will then again be prompted to Run (or Don’t Run) the diagnostic. At the point is where the Diagnostic starts running through its wizard based UI.
Accept the terms and condition to actually allow Microsoft to gather Web Client specific data points.
Once accepted, all the diagnostic components are downloaded to the server you are running it on.
Once downloaded, select This Computer as your option and choose Next. The option of A different computer is currently not working as intended.
The Diagnostic tool will then create an multi-task execution package of all the steps to be completed for data collection.
Next the Diagnostic will begin its first data collection process, focused on Web Client configuration and setup data, once you select on the Start button.
Once the installation and configuration data is collected, the Diagnostic tool will perform data collection on the Web Server (running Session Central Service) and Session Host machines. This screen allows you to click on a hyperlink to obtain further information on the information to be collected.
Click Next to begin the data collection process on Session Central and Session Host.
After gathering all of the information requested, the Diagnostic then packages the data up for submission to the Diagnostic web site. That submission will occur once you select the Next button. The Diagnostic tool will compile a number of screenshots, a list of Internet Explorer add-ons, performance data, machine configuration data, certificates and port binding information, URL reservation, and much more. Some of this information is collected using command line programs which I will talk about in a future installment.
You can then save a copy of the diagnostic data prior to submitting it to Microsoft. This data is packaged in a cabinet file (.cab) for ease of submission and compression. Click the Send button to initiate the submission of the cab file.
Once the file has been submitted, then the process is complete. The file is then attached to the original support request, via the Microsoft Service Request (SR) number created by the Fix It.
Tomorrow I will talk about Fiddler and how they can be used throughout the troubleshooting process.
Until next post!
MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
IntellPartners, LLC
http://www.IntellPartners.com/
In Part 2 and Part 3 of this series, I talked about resolving Web Client implementation (installation if you will) and functional issues, respectively, along with some specific information that must be compiled to aid in the troubleshooting process.
No troubleshooting process would be complete should we not have the appropriate set of tools to aid in capturing some of this data. Let's start with the one tool you are most likely to use when opening a support case with Microsoft: the Web Client Diagnostic tool - in reality, is more like a set of diagnostics than _a_ diagnostic in particular.
The Web Client Diagnostic tool can be accessed once you create a support case and after the creation of an MS Solve case (also known as a Microsoft Fix It center case). The tool must be executed on both web server(s) and session host(s). The tool will collect important data that will allow Microsoft Dynamics GP Support to resolve your case. If you do not receive an invitation to execute the Web Client Diagnostic tool, you are encouraged to ask the Support Engineer on your case to send said invitation.
 |
| Support Case submitted |
The support engineer taking your case will need to generate a new link for you to use and pull the diagnostic information. The URL in the message is what you should copy off to either your email or another editor for safe keeping. Once that is done, you can access both web server(s) and session host(s) machine(s) and then paste the URL into the Web browser and following the guidance provided.
 |
| Automated Troubleshooting Services window |
This is the default page that will be presented after pasting the URL into the browser once the Diagnostic Web site is launched. Once the Web page is opened, click on the “Run” and the diagnostic package will be downloaded to the local machine.
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| Run the Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services app |
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| Info Screen and Online Privacy Statement |
Accept the terms and condition to actually allow Microsoft to gather Web Client specific data points.
 |
| Diagnostic Components download |
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| Select where to run the diagnostics |
Once downloaded, select This Computer as your option and choose Next. The option of A different computer is currently not working as intended.
 |
| The package is executed |
The Diagnostic tool will then create an multi-task execution package of all the steps to be completed for data collection.
 |
| Configuration and Setup information |
Next the Diagnostic will begin its first data collection process, focused on Web Client configuration and setup data, once you select on the Start button.
 |
| Session Central and Session Host machine tasks |
Once the installation and configuration data is collected, the Diagnostic tool will perform data collection on the Web Server (running Session Central Service) and Session Host machines. This screen allows you to click on a hyperlink to obtain further information on the information to be collected.
 |
| Session Central and Session Host data collection executing |
 |
| Diagnostic Results |
After gathering all of the information requested, the Diagnostic then packages the data up for submission to the Diagnostic web site. That submission will occur once you select the Next button. The Diagnostic tool will compile a number of screenshots, a list of Internet Explorer add-ons, performance data, machine configuration data, certificates and port binding information, URL reservation, and much more. Some of this information is collected using command line programs which I will talk about in a future installment.
 |
| Send diagnostic data to Microsoft |
 |
| File sent |
Once the file has been submitted, then the process is complete. The file is then attached to the original support request, via the Microsoft Service Request (SR) number created by the Fix It.
Tomorrow I will talk about Fiddler and how they can be used throughout the troubleshooting process.
Until next post!
MG.-
Mariano Gomez, MVP
IntellPartners, LLC
http://www.IntellPartners.com/
Comments
Do you know if that tool can be executed without opening a support case with MS ? I was able to fully setup the Web client for 2015, but run into issues after the login with cryptic error messages :-( like "A server side exception of type "ArgumentException" has occurred"...
The tool so far can only be obtained by opening a free support case. It makes sense that the tool is tied to a support case, since ultimately whatever it finds will end up at Microsoft anyways.
I don't know any other way, but if you find out otherwise, I would love to hear from you.
MG.-