The temporary directory "\" does not exist or cannot be accessed

why attempts to login to IBM® Rational® ClearCase® Web (CCWeb) or the ClearCase Remote Client (CCRC) where the Rational Web Platform (RWP) server is hosted on Microsoft® Windows® results in the error Unable to login user: invalid session / login information supplied. The temporary directory "\" does not exist or cannot be accessed. and provides instructions to resolve the problem.

Symptom

Scenario: RWP has been installed on a new Windows 2003 Server. Users which are a member of the local Windows Administrators group on the server can login to CCWeb or CCRC without problem. Users who are not local Administrators on the RWP server receive the following error when attempting to log in: Microsoft Internet Explorer Unable to login user: invalid session / login information supplied. The temporary directory "\" does not exist or cannot be accessed. [ OK ]

Cause

The default location for the temporary directory used for CCWeb or CCRC is determined by various environment variables set on the host.  In this example, CCWeb or CCRC is using use the root of the system drive on the RWP host as the temporary directory.  By default the system root directory on Windows will only allow members of the Administrators group to write to this location.

Resolving the problem

Option 1 Change the temporary path directory CCWeb or CCRC uses on the RWP server to a directory that is writeable to all required personnel. On the RWP server, copy the file ccweb.conf from the C:\Program Files\Rational\ClearCase\config\ccweb directory  to the C:\Program Files\Rational\ClearCase\var\configdirectory. Edit the ccweb.conf file with a text editor and specify the path to the temporary directory by changing the following line: # -tmpdir pathname Note: This entails deleting the # character and replacing the word pathname with an actual path on the Windows host to which all users have permission to write. As a test the line can be changed to: -tmpdir "C:\Program Files\Rational\ClearCase\var\ccweb" IMPORTANT: The quotes are required if the path has spaces.  Be sure to provide write access for all required personnel to the -tmpdir location defined on the RWP server. Note: Using a path that has incorrect syntax for -tmpdir will result in the following error when you login. Error 400 page cannot be found. Attempt to log in to CCWeb or CCRC. Option 2: Add all required personnel to the local administrator group on the RWP server.