A brief history of WebView2 and IBM Cognos Analytics client software
Framework Manager was the first client software to support Microsoft Edge WebView2 for authentication through a new feature flag, with Cognos Analytics v11.2.4 FP3 (in January 2024). Then came Transformer with Cognos Analytics v11.2.4 FP4 (in June 2024), and Cube Designer with Cognos Analytics v12.1.0.
A flag enables WebView2, which is turned on by default with:
- Framework Manager v12.1.0 (but it can be disabled).
- Cube Designer v12.1.0 (note: it cannot be disabled).
In Transformer, the flag is not enabled by default.
Should Microsoft Edge WebView2 be installed before installing IBM Cognos Analytics client software?
Yes, it is recommended.
How can I tell if Microsoft Edge WebView2 is installed?
For the following checks, the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key is used for a per-machine installation. The HKEY_CURRENT_USER key is used for per-user installations.
To check whether WebView2 is installed, run the following on Windows 64-bit:
reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Clients{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}" /v pv
or if you are running Windows 32-bit:
reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Clients{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5" /v pv
If WebView2 is installed, you will get output similar to: pv REG_SZ 150.0.4078.48
You should also run the following check (same command regardless of whether your Windows operating system is 32-bit or 64-bit):
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\Clients{F3017226-FE2A-4295-8BDF-00C3A9A7E4C5}" /v /pv
If the key does not exist, you will get the following output:
ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value.
At least one of the keys must be present, and its value must be set to a version greater than 0.0.0.0.
Sources:
What if I need to install Microsoft Edge WebView2?
You will need to download WebView2 from the following address:
https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2?form=MA13LH