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OIT Support Center - Help Desk: Banner 7 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Banner 7 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Purpose

This document gives a brief overview of common issues encountered when connecting and accessing Banner 7. For full details on the differences between Banner 6 and 7 or on how to navigate Banner 7, please sign up for Banner 7 Navigation Training. A current schedule can be found at http://www.alaska.edu/oit/training/.

FAQ

NOTE: The fully supported web browses are Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2 and 6 on Windows and Internet Explorer 5.2 on Mac OS. Other browsers may work, but if the browser has a problem, and Internet Explorer does not, then the solution is to use Internet Explorer. If Customer needs to have Windows or Internet Explorer, they need to contact their local IT support agency.

As of October 19, 2006, Internet Explorer 7 is NOT supported.

Questions

Connecting to Banner 7

  1. How do I access Banner 7?
  2. When logging in, do I have to enter in a Database?
  3. Customer attempts to connect to Banner 7 and never gets a response or receives various error messages of items not available, etc.
  4. The browser fails to properly display the Oracle Forms or Customer gets an error reporting the wrong version of JInitiator is installed.
  5. The correct version of JInitiator is installed but Customer continues to get either various error messages or forms do not display properly.
  6. Customer has downloaded and installed the current version of JInitiator but keeps getting a message to upgrade JInitiator version.
  7. Customer has the current version of JInitiator installed and cannot get the login display to access Banner 7.
  8. Customer gets a Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime or Debug error or Oracle Class Foundation Error Java Class Main Engine Not Found error.

Logging into Banner 7

  1. Customer attempts to login to Banner and receives the error message 'ORA-12560: TNS: Protocol Adaptor Error.'
  2. Customer attempts to login to Banner and receives the error message '*ERROR* Invalid version of GUAINIT.' After Customer clicks OK they receive another error message 'FRM-40735: ON-ROLLBACK trigger raised unhandled exception ORA-04067.'

Navigating/Using Banner 7

  1. Drop-down menus fail to function correctly.
  2. Customer is unable to see all the contents of the window with the window maximized, requiring them to scroll up, down, left, and right when using most forms.
  3. The F1 key does not work.
  4. Customer closed a grey Internet Explorer window and they were immediately logged out of Banner.
  5. Customer ran an Oracle Report from GJAPCTL and got a blank screen.
  6. Customer ran an Oracle Report from GJAPCTL and got an error, "REP-56055: Exceed max connections allowed: 20." or "REP-56055: Exceed max connections allowed: 40."
  7. Customer opens a form in Banner 7 and nothing happens except a blue cursor that moves back and forth on the lower right corner of the Banner form.
  8. Customer using a Mac reports that it is difficult to read the text in Banner 7, and that some of the text is cut off.
  9. Customer is unable to access the Banner Bookshelf.
  10. What are 'My Links'?
  11. What are 'Banner Broadcast Messages'?

Answers

Connecting to Banner 7

  1. How do I access Banner 7?
    • In Internet Explorer, enter the generic URL for Banner 7.
      Banner 7 Production - https://banner.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 Training - https://ban7trnx.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 PREP - https://ban7prep.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 LRGP - https://ban7lrgp.alaska.edu

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  2. When logging in, do I have to enter in a Database?
    • It is required to enter the database name when logging in. In Banner 6, this was not required for PROD and TRNX.
      Banner 7 Production - PROD
      Banner 7 Training - TRNX
      Banner 7 PREP - PREP
      Banner 7 LRGP – LRGP

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  3. Customer attempts to connect to Banner 7 and never gets a response or receives various error messages of items not available, etc.
    • Customer has popup blockers enabled. These need to be disabled or the Banner website added as an allowed site in the popup blocker's settings.
      See Internet Explorer – Modifying the Popup Blocker for Banner 7
    • Customer may not be an administrator of the computer and JInitiator needs to be installed. Customer will not be prompted to install the JInitiator if they do not have administrator access. If Customer does not have Administrator privileges, they need to contact their local IT support agency.

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  4. The browser fails to properly display the Oracle Forms or Customer gets an error reporting the wrong version of JInitiator is installed.
    • Customer needs to have Administrator privileges on computer and should remove the current version of JInitiator using Add or Remove Programs and then try the web page again to reinstall JInitiator. The installer should automatically download and install from the server. If Customer does not have Administrator privileges, they need to contact their local IT support agency.
      See Uninstalling Oracle JInitiator on Windows XP
      See Installing Oracle JInitiator for Banner 7

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  5. The correct version of JInitiator is installed but Customer continues to get either various error messages or forms do not display properly.
    • Customer can first try to delete the JAR cache and web cache and cookie files. If this doesn't work then most likely Customer has spyware on the computer and needs to have a spyware eradication program installed and run on computer. Contact the local IT support agency for recommended spyware removal tools.
      See Deleting JAR and cache/cookie files

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  6. Customer has downloaded and installed the current version of JInitiator but keeps getting a message to upgrade JInitiator version.
    • Customer has multiple copies of JInitiator installed on the computer and a previous version is being used as the default version. Customer needs to remove all previous versions of JInitiator installed on the computer (See Connecting to Banner 7, number 2).

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  7. Customer has the current version of JInitiator installed and cannot get the login display to access Banner 7.
    • Customer is trying to go to a specific web server. This is being blocked from outside of the Butrovich building. Customer will need to use the generic URL for Banner 7.
      Banner 7 Production - https://banner.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 Training - https://ban7trnx.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 PREP - https://ban7prep.alaska.edu
      Banner 7 LRGP - https://ban7lrgp.alaska.edu

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  8. Customer gets a Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime or Debug error or Oracle Class Foundation Error Java Class Main Engine Not Found error.
    • Explanation: Customer visited a website that starts up the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) , such as VistaPlus or NASA's J-Track 3D. When Customer attempts to access Banner 7, the JInitiator starts up and directly conflicts with the JRE, causing an error.
    • Solution: If Customer has visited a website that utilizes the JRE before navigating to Banner 7, then Customer needs to close all Internet Explorer windows to shutdown the JRE. Open Internet Explorer and navigate directly to Banner 7.
    • If Customer needs to access VistaPlus along side Banner 7, then they need to open Banner 7 in Internet Explorer and VistaPlus in an alternate browser (Mozilla/Firefox, Netscape).

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Logging into Banner 7

  1. Customer attempts to login to Banner and receives the error message 'ORA-12560: TNS: Protocol Adaptor Error.'
    • It is required to enter the database name when logging in. In Banner 6, this was not required for PROD and TRNX.
      Banner 7 Production - PROD
      Banner 7 Training - TRNX
      Banner 7 PREP - PREP
      Banner 7 LRGP – LRGP

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  2. Customer attempts to login to Banner and receives the error message '*ERROR* Invalid version of GUAINIT.' After Customer clicks OK they receive another error message 'FRM-40735: ON-ROLLBACK trigger raised unhandled exception ORA-04067.'
    • Customer has attempted to login to a Banner instance that does not match the URL. For example, Customer used the URL is https://ban7trn7.alaska.edu but entered PROD for the logon Database. Customer should cancel the login attempt and return to Banner using the correct URL for the logon Database (See Connecting to Banner 7, number 5).

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Navigating/Using Banner 7

  1. Drop-down menus fail to function correctly.
    • Make sure popup blockers are off.
    • If Customer has two monitors, drop-down menus will only work on the primary monitor.

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  2. Customer is unable to see all the contents of the window with the window maximized, requiring them to scroll up, down, left, and right when using most forms.
    • Monitor resolution settings need to be set at minimum of 1024 x 768.

    Back to Top

  3. The F1 key does not work.
    • The F1 key does not work in Banner 7.
      For a complete list of toolbar options and keyboard commands see Banner 7 Keystrokes.

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  4. Customer closed a grey Internet Explorer window and they were immediately logged out of Banner.
    • The Internet Explorer window, Oracle Application Server Forms Services, is running a Java Applet that opened the Banner 7 window, Oracle Developer Forms Runtime - Web. When the Internet Explorer window is closed, the Java Applet closes, and in the process closes the Banner 7 window.

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  5. Customer ran an Oracle Report from GJAPCTL and got a blank screen.
    • Either the report that was just submitted or a previous report has locked up and the queue is filling up. When the limit has been reached, the error listed in the next question will appear. This is a known issue with Oracle and our Technicians are currently working on a monitoring solution.

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  6. Customer ran an Oracle Report from GJAPCTL and got an error, "REP-56055: Exceed max connections allowed: 20." or "REP-56055: Exceed max connections allowed: 40."
    • Of the 32 reports that are run from GJAPCTL, FRR270B and FRR272R seem to be locking up, causing the queue to backup. This is a known issue with Oracle and our Technicians are currently working on a monitoring solution.

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  7. Customer opens a form in Banner 7 and nothing happens except a blue cursor that moves back and forth on the lower right corner of the Banner form.
    • SCT is aware of this issue and working on a fix. Our techs will work on implementing the fix when it is released. The issue effects users with Query-only access to the following:
      Forms Reports
      SRAQUIK SHRDEGS (possibly SHR9EGS)
      SOILCUR SARBDSN
      SAAQUIK  
      SRARECR  
      SAADCRV  
      SARDCBT  
      SAAADMS  
      SGASTDN  
      SFAREGS  
      SHADEGR  

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  8. Customer using a Mac reports that it is difficult to read the text in Banner 7, and that some of the text is cut off.
    • There is a known issue with Banner 7 and fonts rendering smaller on the Mac than on Windows. A couple other schools have noted this issue in their documentation (UC Santa Cruz, Fashion Institute of Technology) and that SCT and Oracle are aware of it. SCT talked with the OIT Help Desk and said that Apple and Oracle have been working together on a version of JInitiator that would work with Safari, in an effort to resolve a number of issues.

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  9. Customer is unable to access the Banner Bookshelf.
    • The Banner Bookshelf is no longer on the toolbar but is a link on the right side of the main menu.

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  10. What are 'My Links'?
    • There are 5 Personal Links available on the Banner main menu. You can set these to link to whatever you prefer – at your own risk. Problems with these links are the responsibility of the Customer.

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  11. What are 'Banner Broadcast Messages'?
    • The Broadcast feature of Banner 7 will be used to announce Banner outages.

    Back to Top

Last Updated: 10/27/2005

Banner Links

Banner 7 FAQ
Banner Printer FAQ
Adding a Banner Printer
Banner Printer Naming Standard
Banner Printer Codes
Banner Printer Department Codes
Cancel or Remove an Existing Print Job
Types of Banner Printers
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