OBIEE 11g: Exceeded configured maximum number of allowed input records

Oracle have limited various numbers of outputs for rows, columns, prompts, cells and pivots to default values. These values are ususally set high enough to never become an issue, but for really large reports you will bump up against an error message saying you have exceeded some maximum.

So what do you do?

Step 1

Edit the instanceconfig.xml file. Typically, this file is located in the following directory: <OBIEE11g_install>\instances\instance1\config\OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent\coreapplication_obips1
If you are running a load balanced environment please make sure all environments have the same settings (or share the same settings) or you'll be forever chasing down 'weird' customer experiences.

Step 2

There are parts of the instanceconfig.xml you cannot edit directly and those sections will be marked as only being updateable via Oracle Enterprise Manager. The parts we can edit I have marked in bold.

<Views>
<Pivot>
<!--This Configuration setting is managed by Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control-->
<DefaultRowsDisplayedInDelivery>75</DefaultRowsDisplayedInDelivery>
<!--This Configuration setting is managed by Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control-->
<DefaultRowsDisplayedInDownload>2500</DefaultRowsDisplayedInDownload>
<!--This Configuration setting is managed by Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control-->
<DisableAutoPreview>false</DisableAutoPreview>
<MaxCells>10000000</MaxCells>
<MaxVisibleColumns>1000</MaxVisibleColumns>
<MaxVisiblePages>1000</MaxVisiblePages>
<MaxVisibleRows>10000</MaxVisibleRows>
<MaxVisibleSections>25000</MaxVisibleSections>
<DefaultRowsDisplayed>128000</DefaultRowsDisplayed>
</Pivot>
<Table>
<!--This Configuration setting is managed by Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control-->
<DefaultRowsDisplayedInDelivery>75</DefaultRowsDisplayedInDelivery>
<!--This Configuration setting is managed by Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control-->
<DefaultRowsDisplayedInDownload>2500</DefaultRowsDisplayedInDownload>
<MaxVisiblePages>1000</MaxVisiblePages>
<MaxVisibleRows>10000</MaxVisibleRows>
<MaxVisibleSections>2000</MaxVisibleSections>
<DefaultRowsDisplayed>64000</DefaultRowsDisplayed>
<MaxCells>10000000</MaxCells>
</Table>
</Views>

Note that the value you choose for <MaxCells> should never be more than <MaxVisibleColumns> * <MaxVisibleRows>.

In the case above <MaxVisibleColumns>1000</MaxVisibleColumns> * <MaxVisibleRows>10000</MaxVisibleRows> = <MaxCells>10000000</MaxCells>

Please restart all presentation services to pick up the new settings.