Frequently asked questions

Most likely, the ZIP file is corrupted. If you downloaded the file from the internet, retry the download, or use a download manager to ensure that complete file is beeing downloaded. If you downlaoded the the file from VSE, make sure you download it in BINARY mode. If you are using FTP, make sure Unix mode is OFF.

In order to install and use the VSE Connetcors and samples, you need a Java runtime environment (JRE) or a Java developers kit (JDK) 1.5 or higher. You can download JDKs/JREs for various platforms from IBM developerWorks or Oracle. To verify if Java is installed on your workstation enter the following command in a command prompt or shell:

java -version

In case Java is installed, you should see something like this:

java version "1.6.0_07"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment, ...
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM 

If Java is not installed on your computer, you would see a message like

'java' is not recognized as an internal or
external command, operable program or batch file. 

Make sure, the current directory is contained in your local CLASSPATH environment variable. For example, enter:

The dot indicates the current directory.

 VSE Connector Server does not start 

Possible reasons are:

• TCP/IP for VSE is not running: Start TCP/IP for VSE.
• TCP/IP is using a system ID different from '00': The system ID of TCP/IP is specified in the TCP/IP startup job:
  //EXEC IPNET,PARM=' ID=nn,INIT=...
  You must specify the system ID in the startup job of the VSE Connector Server (see skeleton SKVCSSTJ in ICCF lib 59):
  // OPTION SYSPARM='nn'
• The wrong $EDCTCPV phase is used. This phase is shipped as a dummy phase as part of the LE runtime in PRD2.SCEEBASE. It is also shipped as part of TCP/IP for VSE (PRD1.BASE), which is the correct phase that should be accessed. Use the Librarian SEARCH command to search for such phases on your system and make sure (LIBDEFS) the right one gets loaded.

 Cannot connect to VSE Connector Server 

Possible reasons are:

• The VSE Connector Server is not started: Start VSE Connector Sevrer.
• TCP/IP is not started: Start TCP/IP.
• The port number does not match the one ther VSE Connector Server is listening. Default port number is 2893. Refer to configuration member SKVCSCFG in ICCF lib 59.
• The VSE Connector Server is started in SSL mode, but the client tries to connect in non-SSL mode. Refer to configuration member SKVCSCFG in ICCF lib 59.
• A firewall blocks the access to the VSE host. This can be either a parsonal firewall running on the PC or workstation, or a network firewall in the companies intranet.
  

 Problems with applets 

The following list shows some known problems when working with applets:

1. Symptom: Applet cannot be loaded. VSE console shows Librarian error messages.
   


   Possible reason: applet main class specified incorrect in applet-tag in index.html file. The applet tag should look like:

   <applet
  code=" mainclass"
  width=440 height=420
  archive="applet.jar">
</applet<

2. Symptom: Applet can be initialized and started, but it does not work after pressing the Connect button (e.g. catalog list is not displayed when using the VsamMappingApplet).

   Have a look at the Java console of your browser to see if there is a exception shown.

   We successfully tested the sample applets using the following combinations of operating systems and Web browsers:

   • Windows NT 4.0 with Netscape Navigator 4.61
   • Windows 98 with Netscape 4.72
   • OS/2 Warp 4 with Netscape 4.04 and 4.61
   • various Linux with a Netscape browser
3. Symptom: Applet fails to load. VSE console shows Librarian errors.
   


   Possible reasons:

   • JAR-files not  transferred in binary. If you were using FTP to transfer the applet related jar-files to your VSE host, check if Unix-mode was OFF. Some FTP clients force Unix-mode to be turned ON, which corrupts binary files (use the FTP command QUOTE SITE UNIX OFF).
   • Corrupted manifest information in applet jar-file. Extract the manifest file and check its contents. There should be one entry for each applet class.

 Performance is not statisfying, why? 

Accessing resource remotely is always slower than accessing resources locally. Performance is dependent on the following items:

• Network performance and attachment
• VSE/ESA system performance
• Client performance (Java)
• Type of requests executed
• amount of requests executed
• amount of data transferred

Please make sure you have installed the  most recent PTFs for the connector component. Some performance related problems may have been already fixed in the meantime.

 Which Java versions are supported? 

In order to install and use the VSE Connetcors and samples, you need a Java runtime environment (JRE) or a Java developers kit (JDK) 1.5 or higher. You can download JDKs/JREs for various platforms from IBM developerWorks or Oracle. To verify if Java is installed on your workstation enter the following command in a command prompt or shell:

java -version

In case Java is installed, you should see something like this:

java version "1.6.0_07"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment, ...
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM 

If Java is not installed on your computer, you would see a message like

'java' is not recognized as an internal or
external command, operable program or batch file. 

 Cannot logon to the VSE Connector Server 

Make sure you specify a vaild VS user id and password. The VSE user id must be defined for the VSE system. It is recommended to use a SYSA type user in order to have access to all resources.

The VSE Connector Server does a RACROUT VERIFY call to check the user id and password and to get the users ACEE. This implies that the Security Server (FB per default) must be up and running. Some people think that they do not neet the Security Server because they have SEC=NO, but that is not true! There must be at least the Basic Security Manager active, but it could be also a External Security Manager (e.g. CA TopSecret).

There is a configuration member IESUSERS.Z (Skeleton SKVCSUSR in ICCF Lib 59) which allows to restrict the access to the VSE Connector Server by IP address and/or user id.

Since APAR PQ60612 (VSEESA 2.6 only, APAR is already integrated in VSE/ESA 2.7) a new keyword SECURITY in main config member has been introduced to set the level of security:

• FULL - Full security.
• RESOURCE - Logon and resource, but no user type security.
• LOGON - Only logon security, no resource and user type.
• NO - no security, user can logon without a password.

Default is SECURITY= FULL.

If you are using CA TopSecret, please make sure that the user id you want to use for logon is defined as follows:

 

TSS LIST(SIE1) DATA(ALL)

ACCESSORID = ....     NAME = ...
TYPE       = CENTRAL  SIZE = ... BYTES
FACILITY   = *ALL*
CREATED    = 07/25/01 LAST MOD = ...
PROFILES   = PROFGEN  PRFIRMSY
LAST USED  = 10/05/01 11:23
             CPU(VSEA) FAC(BATCH)
-----------  SEGMENT CICS
OPCLASS    = 01
OPIDENT    = SYA
-----------  SEGMENT IESIS
IESFL1     = BAT,COD,VSAM
IESFL2     = BQA,ESC,COU,CMD,OLPD,XRM
IESINIT    = IESEADM
IESTYPE    = USERTYPE1,NEW,SELECT
-----------  ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITIES
RESOURCE   = *ALL*
   ACCESS  = ALL
ACID       = *ALL*
FACILITIES = *ALL*
LIST DATA  = *ALL*,PROFILES,PASSWORD,
             PWVIEW
MISC1      = *ALL*
MISC2      = *ALL*
MISC3      = SDT
MISC8      = LISTSTC,LISTRDT,REMASUSP,
             MCS,LISTSDT
MISC9      =
             
*ALL*       TSS0300I

LIST  FUNCTION SUCCESSFUL

 Cannot access the VSE console 

 How can I find out which APAR level is installed? 

To find out which APARs and PTFs are installed on he VSE system, please use MSHP to retrace the VSE history file.

To find out which APAR level of the VSE Connectors is installed on your PC, the following hints may help:

• If you download the VSE connector component from the internet, the downloaded ZIP file contains the APAR level in the filename (e.g. vsecon270-pq88809.zip).
• The VSEConnector.jar file contains a file named version.txt that contains the actual version and APAR level:
  
  VSE Java-based Connector
VSE Version: 4.2.0
Build Date: August 14 2009
Internal version: tag_42_pk93908

• Execute the following command, it will display the content of version.txt:
  
java -jar VSEConnector.jar

 What is the CLASSPATH and how can I se it? 

The CLASSPATH defines which directories and JAR files are to be searched when loading a ava class file. The CLASSPATH is very similar to the LIBDEF on VSE. A class file is a peace of executable Java code. The CLASSPATH is usually given in an environment variable. You can set the CLASPATH environment variable with the following command (Windows only) in a command prompt, or in a batch file:

A semicolon (;) separates different directories or JAR files. It is recommended to have a dot (current directory ) as first element in the classpath.

Or you can set the classpath system wide in the System applet in the Windows control panel. On the "Advanced"-tap press the Button "Environment Variables...".

 I get exception java.lang.NoClass DefFoundError: xxx, what does that mean? 

The Java exception "java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: xxx" is thrown whenever the Java runtime tries to load the class named "xxx", but could not find it in the CLASSPATH.

Check if the class name is typed correctly or if he CLASSPATH is set correctly. This exception could indicate that some JAR files are missing in the CLASSPATH. 

Applications that are using the VSE Connector Client classes must have the following 3 JAR files in the classpath:

• VSEConnector.jar
• ibmjsse.jar
• cci.jar
• ibmpkcs.jar

 I get message IESC1017E  SYNTAX ERROR IN CONFIG FILE 

Message IESC1017E  SYNTAX ERROR IN CONFIG FILE: member-name
(and also IESC1016E  SYNTAX ERROR IN PLUGIN CONFIG FILE: member-name)
normally occoures if a syntax error was detected in a config file.

In case CA-FLEE is active, a problem in FLEE can cause this error (they mix up the contents of the member). To solve this, FLEE must be started AFTER the Connector Server Partition.
Deactivating FLEE in the Server Partition does not help.

 Cannot access VSAM file 

• To access a VSAM file with the VSE Connector classes, you must specify the 44 char file-id of the VSAM catalog and the 44 char fiel-id of theVSAM cluster you want to access. If you specify the label name, it does not work. Also VSAM maps and views refer to the file-ids of VSAM clusters.
• An invalid label exists in the standard labels for the file or for the catalog. Please check the label area using LSERV.

 QWhere can I find more information about  VSE Connectors? 

 Which programming languages can I use with SOAP on VSE? 

 What is the different between a JDK and JRE? 

 Which programming languages can I use with XML parser on VSE? 

 Is IBM WebSphere required to use VSE Connectors?