Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting OLE DB/ODBC-compliant Providers and the MDAC Configuration
A computer that uses CONNX OLE DB or ODBC data must have MDAC version 2.1 or later (Microsoft Data Access Components). If the CONNX CDD Administrator does not display selections for providers when importing from OLE DB or generates an error when selecting an ODBC DSN, it is possible that MDAC is not present or has been damaged. In most cases, reinstalling MDAC will solve this problem. A connection error is generated by any machine attempting to use a CONNX data source without the required MDAC.
If an error is issued during OLE DB import procedures when you are attempting to select a provider, it is possible that you are working with a Windows 95 system (Win95B, also known as Win95-OSR) installed with Internet Explorer 3.0, DCOM95, and MDAC 2.1. A key feature called Data Links that is used to import OLE DB objects may be missing from the setup.
To correct this problem, install Internet Explorer version 4.01 or a later version, and then reinstall MDAC version 2.1 or later.
Existing CONNX data sources can continue to be used without upgrading a Win95B machine to Internet Explorer 4.01.
Troubleshooting RMS Data Files
CONNX CDD warning message appears: "Warning: Column #XXX has a offset+length greater than the record size." (where #XXX is the column number).
This warning message appears whenever there is a discrepancy between RMS data file record length and the CONNX Data Dictionary table record length created for the data file. In the warning message box, the column number is displayed showing where the discrepancy begins.
Important:
Any CONNX CDD table returning this warning will not yield correct results for any column beyond the column number specified in this warning message.
1. Files with variable record length:
A variable length record within an RMS file can be longer than the record length value displayed on the Table Properties tab in the CONNX Data Dictionary Manager window. Repetitive record segments (also known as arrays) are found within RMS file structures. Instead of a fixed number of repetitions, the number varies based on a counter field value stored within each record. Since the length of each record is calculated individually, the total record length can be different for each record in the RMS file.
Any RMS file containing repeating segments using counter fields should be imported into separate CDD tables to ensure offset accuracy.
2. Files with fixed record length:
The record imported or built in the CONNX Data Dictionary does not have the same record length as the actual RMS data file. To check the CONNX table record length, look at the record length value on the Table Properties tab in the CDD.
To check the record length of the actual RMS file, perform a full directory of this file on your VAX or Alpha server. (At the VMS prompt type DIR/FULL YOURFILE.DAT and look for the "record format" line on the directory listing).
3. RMS file has a fixed record length and the two record lengths agree:
Check the length of the CDD table against the record length in the tables properties tab. Add the Table Columns tab greatest offset value to its length to find the total record length for a fixed length record.
If any field(s) were redefined or entered manually into the CDD, check those offsets for accuracy. If a partial record was defined, then the offset added to the length should not exceed the record length on the Tables Properties tab.
SCT-Specific Troubleshooting
1. Where the data file is an SCT RMS file imported prior to CONNX version 8.6:
The import has been enhanced to exclude unusable non-rotated records during import procedures. In earlier versions of CONNX, the records were imported by default and available for writing queries. Examples of such CONNX tables include the AAFILE, RTFILE, FSFILE, and SAFILE tables.
Instead of building queries from the main table, choose just the segment of the table required for your query. For example, use the AAFILE_ROOT_SEG, AAFILE_BS, and AAFILE_AP for the AAFILE queries.
2. Where the "Exclude unusable non-rotated records" check box was not selected on the RMS SCT COBOL FD Files option in the Import CDD dialog box:
The CONNX Data Dictionary Manager import option SCT COBOL FD IMPORT check box does not import unusable non-rotated records. If this check box is not selected, the import may include tables that cannot be used for queries.
Troubleshooting VSAM Data Files
CONNX CDD warning message appears: "Warning: Column #XXX has a offset+length greater than the record size." (where #XXX is the column number).
This warning message appears whenever there is a discrepancy between VSAM data file record length and the CONNX Data Dictionary table record length created for the data file. In the warning message box, the column number is displayed showing where the discrepancy begins.
Important:
Any CONNX CDD table returning this warning will not yield correct results for any column beyond the column number specified in this warning message.
1. Files with variable record length:
A variable length record within a VSAM file can be longer than the record length value displayed on the Table Properties tab in the CONNX Data Dictionary Manager window. Repetitive record segments (also known as arrays) are found within VSAM file structures. Instead of a fixed number of repetitions, the number varies based on a counter field value stored within each record. Since the length of each record is calculated individually, the total record length can be different for each record in the VSAM file.
Any VSAM data file containing repeating segments using counter fields should be imported into separate CDD tables to ensure offset accuracy.
2. Files with fixed record length:
The record imported or built in the CONNX Data Dictionary does not have the same record length as the actual VSAM data file.
You can use the IBM IDCAMS utility to check the length of a VSAM file.
3. VSAM file has a fixed record length and the two record lengths agree:
You can verify that a VSAM file contains fixed length records by executing a LISTCAT command as in Step 2. The AVGLRECL and MAXLRECL values are equal for fixed-length VSAM files.