What was New in Version 9.9

This document describes the new functionality in EntireX 9.9, and also significant changes and enhancements provided in fixes to version 9.7. It covers the following topics:

Workbench Enhancements

  • DCOM Wrapper
    The DCOM Wrapper now supports Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 and 2013 in addition to the already supported Visual Studio versions.

  • Integration Server Wrapper
    The wrapper no longer creates the <IDL>_IS.properties file. Existing property files are ignored.

  • Enhanced Null Value Suppression
    A new button in the XML Mapping Editor Overview Page enables you to set the current null value suppression settings to all mappings. See Overview Page under Using the XML Mapping Editor.

    [Provided with fix for EntireX version 9.7.]

  • COBOL MPO Support
    The IDL Extractor for COBOL - together with the EntireX Adapter or EntireX RPC Servers - supports the concept of multiple possible output (MPO). This means that the output structure returned is decided by the COBOL server at runtime; the COBOL layout on output varies. For examples of such a COBOL server using the DFHCOMMAREA calling convention (the most commonly used interface type), see Set Multiple Possible Output (MPO) Structures. For other interface types, see COBOL Mapping Editor.

  • COBOL Server Using Fixed-length Table in Variable Manner
    The IDL Extractor for COBOL - together with the RPC Server for CICS, the EntireX Adapter with IMS Connect connections, or the RPC Server for IMS Connect - supports COBOL server programs that use the data length of their interface to process a variable number of array elements in a fixed-size COBOL table.

    Note:
    COBOL server programs use either the same data structure on input and output, or overlay the input data structure with a different output data structure. See COBOL Mapping Editor.

    [Provided with fix for EntireX version 9.7.]

Increased Platform Support

EntireX and EntireX Adapter 9.9 now run under SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for x86-64 (64-bit) version 12 in addition to version 11.

Support of Java 8

EntireX now supports Java 8. The following components are affected:

[Provided with fix for EntireX version 9.7.]

Java Wrapper

When generating Java RPC clients (Bean-compliant) with the Java Wrapper, the name generation rules have changed slightly to ensure greater consistency. This means a name used for more than one IDL group parameter with different content is always changed. See example below.

Sample IDL file:

LIBRARY 'example' is
      PROGRAM 'progA' is
         DEFINE DATA PARAMETER
            1 groupparm IN
               2 parm (A10)
         END-DEFINE

      PROGRAM 'progB' is
         DEFINE DATA PARAMETER
            1 groupparm OUT
               2 parm (I4)
         END-DEFINE

Generated Java sources with new generation rules:

  • Example.java

  • Progagroupparm.java

  • Progbgroupparm.java

Generated Java sources with old generation rules:

  • Example.java

  • Groupparm.java

  • Progbgroupparm.java

 or

  • Example.java

  • Groupparm.java

  • Progagroupparm.java

Start of instruction setTo migrate an application that needs to be regenerated

  • If you have to migrate an application that needs to be regenerated because of a change to the IDL file, figure out the affected class name and rename the generated Java class to the old name

    Or:
    Adapt your application to the new name.

IDL Extractor for WSDL

Prefix name assigning has been enhanced to ensure consistent generation of XML mapping files. If more than one prefix is associated with a URL, the last prefix (in alphabetical order) is used. For example, the WSDL contains following namespace definition: 

xml:sampleNamespace="http://sample.org"

and

xml:anotherNamespace="http://sample.org"

In this case, prefix sampleNamespace is used (comes after anotherNamespace in alphabetical order).

This has no influence on the namespace used in the XML/SOAP document. If your application has such a case and the receiving web service expects a specific prefix name (because it does not check the namespace), open the XML Mapping Editor and change the prefix on affected elements and attributes.

Encryption

For encrypted transport, instead of using the encryption/decryption mechanism provided by EntireX Security, we strongly recommend using the Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security protocol. See SSL/TLS and Certificates with EntireX.

SSL/TLS using AT-TLS on z/OS and ATLS on z/VSE

ATLS support has been added to EntireX version 9.6.0 for z/VSE. Prerequisites:

  • EntireX Broker 9.6.0 for z/VSE

  • EntireX Fix 11 for z/VSE

  • BSI stack 256pre13 or newer

Various documentation sections dealing with SSL/TLS support have been reworked:

  • for platform z/OS, sections have been added to set up AT-TLS (Application Transparent Transport Layer Security)

  • for platform z/VSE, sections have been added to set up ATLS (Automatic Transport Layer Security)

For more information see

Command Central

With the Software AG's Command Central you can configure, manage, and administer one or more installations of the webMethods product suite in your enterprise. EntireX supports Command Central for EntireX Broker instances running on Linux, UNIX or Windows. They must have been created with version EntireX 9.9 by

  • System Management Hub (SMH)

  • Command Central (CC)

  • command line (SMH, CC, or Broker command-line utility etbsrv)

You can start, stop and configure EntireX Broker instances from a single location, using the Command Central user interface or from a command line. Basic monitoring KPIs for EntireX Broker instances can be seen from the UI.

Software AG Command Central Help is available as a PDF guide on the Empower website/TechCommunities, and as online HTML help that you access from the product (Administrator > Help in the Command Central user interface).

EntireX Adapter Enhancements

  • Listeners Information
    A new information screen provides statistics about the listeners of the EntireX Adapter. See Listeners Information in the EntireX Adapter documentation.

  • License Handling
    License handling for EntireX Broker connections now better reflects the EntireX pricing model:

    • A license status line has been introduced for EntireX Broker connections (ACI connections or normal RPC connections).

    • A warning message is given in the case of a possible license coverage mismatch.

    See License Information.

  • COBOL MPO Support
    The EntireX Adapter - together with the IDL Extractor for COBOL - supports the concept of multiple possible output (MPO). See Workbench Enhancements.

  • COBOL Server Using Fixed-length Table in Variable Manner
    The EntireX Adapter with IMS Connect connections - together with the IDL Extractor for COBOL - supports the concept of a COBOL server using data length to process a variable number of array elements. See Workbench Enhancements.

  • Services for Creating Document Types, Flows and IDL Files
    Built-in services are available in the WmEntireX package that can be used to create document types, flows and IDL files from EntireX Adapter objects and/or IDL files. See Built-in Services for Creating Document Types, Flows and IDL Files

  • New Namespace of Service putDocDataToPipeline
    The namespace of this service changed from com.softwareag.entirex.wmadapter.Deployment to pub.wmentirex.listener. The service is still available using the old namespace.

  • New Advanced SSL/TLS Services for Direct RPC
    New services are available to change the enabled TLS protocols and cipher suites. See Built-in Services for Direct RPC.

  • EntireX Adapter Service pub.wmentirex.listener:generateIDLfromService
    The meaning of the parameter fileName has changed, see Using the Service pub.wmentirex.listener:generateIDLfromService.

EntireX RPC Server Enhancements

Brainstorm Ideas

Brainstorm is a one-stop portal for all Software AG customers to submit feature requests, vote on ideas that have been posted by other customers and get your voice heard. All product categories are moderated by product managers, and ideas get responded to and updated on a regular basis. The number in square brackets is the Brainstorm ID.

Documentation Enhancements

Other Changes and Enhancements

Compatibility with webMethods Suite Naming Conventions

The name of the UNIX start/stop script for the EntireX Broker Administration Service has changed to comply with webMethods suite naming conventions:

  • in directory etc/init.d: from sag<n>etbsrv to sag<n>exx99

  • in directory EntireX/bin: from sag<n>etbsrv to sagexx

    • where <n> is a sequential, installation-dependent number and
      99 is the EntireX version (major and minor version number)

See Startup Daemon 'etbsrv' under Post-installation Steps under UNIX

Running the RPC Server for XML/SOAP in the Software AG Runtime

After installation, the default RPC Server for XML/SOAP using Broker "localhost:1971" and server address "RPC/XMLSERVER/CALLNAT" is no longer started automatically. See Running the RPC Server for XML/SOAP in the Software AG Runtime.

Optimized Trace File Handling

Trace file handling has been enhanced to avoid a constantly growing ETB.LOG file. The trace is written to file ETB.LOG until TRACE-FILE-SIZE has been reached and a new file is opened. The number of files defined in MAX-TRACE-FILES is kept in addition to the current ETB.LOG file. See Trace File Handling under UNIX | Windows and also MAX-TRACE-FILES and TRACE-FILE-SIZE under Broker Attributes.

Application Monitoring Data Collector

The Application Monitoring Data Collector has been enhanced to provide a callback functionality for the processing of incoming events. See Callback User Exit.

Logging Exit for EntireX Scripting Commands

Since version 9.7, EntireX has provided a set of command-line scripts with which, for example, you can monitor your environment and check that all components (broker, RPC servers) are up and running. See Monitoring EntireX with Command-line Scripts. With this version, an optional logging exit is provided. This is called every time a component in the environment is checked; results can be written to a CSV file. You can use the sample script log_environment.bat as a template. See Logging Exit under Monitoring your Environment.

EntireX Mini Runtime

The functionality provided by the EntireX Mini Runtime of EntireX version 9.7 and below is now delivered as a separate component under Infrastructure > Libraries > EntireX Libraries in the Software AG Installer. See Software AG documentation Installing webMethods and Intelligent Business Operations Products. After installation you will find the files at the following locations:

UNIX <inst_root>/common/EntireX/lib
Windows 32-bit <inst_root>\common\EntireX\exx_32\bin
Windows 64-bit <inst_root>\common\EntireX\exx_32\bin (for the 32-bit versions) and
<inst_root>\common\EntireX\exx_64\bin (for the 64-bit versions)

Set Application Name with .NET Wrapper

For accounting purposes, a new property ApplicationName has been introduced for the .NET Wrapper. Set this property before calling one of the Logon methods if you want to replace the default application name. See ApplicationName under class Broker in the .NET Wrapper documentation.

[Provided with fix for EntireX version 9.7.]

OpenSSL Support

The OpenSSL Project has announced it will no longer support version 0.9.8 from December 31, 2015. EntireX now supports OpenSSL version 1.0.1. The default configuration is now: 

CIPHER‑SUITE=FIPS+kRSA:!ADH:!NULL:!EXP:!DES:!MD5:!PSK:!RC4:@STRENGTH

See SSL-specific broker attribute CIPHER-SUITE.

[Provided with fix for EntireX version 9.7.]

Preview of Date/DateTime Pattern in XML Mapping Editor

The Preferences page of the XML Mapping Editor now shows a preview for date and dateTime patterns entered. See Defining the XML Encoding and Time Pattern.

Enhanced Error Messages

Multiple error messages have been enhanced. See in particular Message Class 2001 - Software AG IDL Parser.