Applies to: SmarterStats 3.x and higher

When you try to view the statistics for a site, you may receive one of the following error messages in the browser window:

• The statistics service is down at this time. In the meantime, you may use any of the functions in the Config area. Please contact support for assistance.
• The service has recorded an error. No data can currently be shown. Please contact Support.

This message can be shown in several different circumstances. Follow the steps below to identify the problem and what resolution needs to be taken. Resolutions appear together with the causes.

Problem 1 - Charting not working

If any data elements appear on the welcome page (like Total Bandwidth, etc), but the charts are missing, the problem lies in the charting component. Follow the instructions below to resolve the problem.  After each step, check to see if charts appear, and if so, you do not need to continue the steps.

Resolution

1. Ensure that the latest version of Microsoft DirectX is installed on the server. Microsoft's default implementation of OpenGL included on Windows 2000 and 2003 servers contains a bug that is only resolved with DirectX.
2. Check the NTFS permissions on the MRS\ChartImages and directory, and ensure that the ASPNET (IIS 5, Windows 2000) or NETWORK SERVICE (IIS 6, Windows 2003) user has permissions to write to the folder. 
3. If you got to this point with no success, your permissions may be locked down so tight that the charting component cannot function.  To grant access to the charting component, do the following:
   1. Download the GacUtil utility from here and extract it into MRS\bin directory.  Then go to a command prompt (by clicking on Start -> Run, and typing "cmd") and type the commands below: 
   2. C:
   3. cd "\program files\smartertools\smarterstats\mrs\bin"
   4. gacutil -i Nevron.DataManipulation.dll
   5. gacutil -i Nevron.Graphics2D.dll
   6. gacutil -i Nevron.GraphicsCore.dll
   7. gacutil -i Nevron.GraphicsGL.dll
   8. gacutil -i Nevron.NChartCore.dll 
   9. gacutil -i Nevron.NChartServer.dll
   10. gacutil -i Nevron.Standard.dll
   11. gacutil -i Nevron.UIControls.dll
   12. gacutil -i Nevron.Utility.dll
   13. exit

Problem 2 - Log path to IIS site incorrect or log format incorrect

The next most common problem is that the log file was entered incorrectly. 

Resolution:

To resolve this problem involves a few steps.

1. Open the IIS Manager from Control Panel -> Administrative Tools.  This must be done on the server itself.
2. Right-click on the specific web site itself and choose Properties
3. Go to the Web Site tab
4. Note down the Active Log Format
5. Click on properties next to the active log format box
6. Near the bottom of the General Properties tab, you'll find a box that says "Log file directory".  Note down      the contents of that box, as well as the Log file name below it.
7. The log file path is composed of the log file directory plus the first part of the log file name.  For example:
8. Log file directory: C:\WINDOWS\System32\LogFiles
9. Log file name: W3SVC165\exyymmdd.log
10. Full log path for SmarterStats: C:\WINDOWS\System32\LogFiles\W3SVC165
11. Log into SmarterStats as the administrator (Site ID=admin)
12. Click on the manage link next to the site and choose Site Setup
13. On the third page, ensure that the log path entered and the log file format are the same as what was shown in IIS
14. If not, correct them and finish the wizard to save the settings
15. If the log format changed, and the log file path did not change, and you still have all original logs, go to manage -> site info from the Manage Sites page and choose to re-import
16. If the log format did not change, the import process should be automatic.  You can see the status on the Site Info page.

Problem 3 - Other import error.

To identify an issue with importing when the previous two causes did not help, go to the Site Info page, and an error should be listed.

Possible work around

If all else fails, try giving the EVERYONE user full control to the SmarterStats\MRS directory.