Ok, I'm tasked with loading Business Objects and Cognos so others here can review each.
Cognos was quick and easy, but I'm now 48 hours in, trying to install a Business Objects trial and must be doing something stupidly wrong.
We've registered, easy. We even received our email with the product key, easy.
We were then brought to a download page where we downloaded 5 files which the download page said were required:
Server
51046778_part1.exe
51046778_part2.rar
51046778_part3.rar
51046778_part4.rar
Client
51046777_1.zip
For this evaluation stage, we're simply going to install Business Objects on a simple stand alone Win-7-64 box.
We assume that one should install the server side first so that when we install the client side, then the client will have somewhere to connect to. Maybe that's a bad assumption...
So then we look on that download page to the documentation PDF which says to review a new PDF: SAP Business Objects Edge BI Master Guide.
So then we open the new PDF and it says for installation to review yet another new PDF: SAP Business Objects Business Intelligence Platform Installation Guide
Note: Later on, if BO wins over Cognos here, we can look at enterprise deployment, servers, system architecture, sizing, tuning and more but right now we're looking for simple basic functionality and UI comparisons between BO and Cognos...
So then we open the SAP Business Objects Business intelligence Platform Installation Guide...
It points us to a Setup.Exe... That name is familiar after 30 years in IT and Development so we're excited for a moment...
The problem is that we have no Setup.Exe - we cannot find a Setup.Exe.
Yes, we understand rar archives and self-extracting archives, however, we expand the server rar files and do not see a Setup.Exe anywhere...
Are we having a senior moment and should probably retire or are we missing something obvious?
Hoping some kind person might throw a bone or some rescue sauce our way...
It doesn't help to realize that probably 10,000 people have done this and had no problem, alas our ignorance...
BTW, of course we did try SAP Support which referred us to more PDF docs (although we explained the above, thank you) which kindly instruct us to start the installation from Setup.Exe...