IC68803: SERVER GIVES BAD ERROR MESSAGES WHEN USER ACCESSES TABLES IN A UTF8 GLU DATABASE WHEN INSTANCE NOT BROUGHT UP WITH GL_USEGLU

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• First, a clarification on what is meant by a "UTF8 GLU"
  database:
  
  1) The database server instance is started with environment
  variable GL_USEGLU (export GL_USEGLU=1) set so that the GLU/ICU
  libraries are loaded at oninit startup.
  
  $ export GL_USEGLU=1
  $ oninit
  
  2) Create database called db_utf8_glu with DB_LOCALE set to
  en_us.utf8 .
  
  $ export DB_LOCALE=en_us.utf8
  $ dbaccess - -
  >  create database db_utf8_glu ;
  >  create table tab1(col1 int);
  >  insert into tab1 values (1);
  
  Can check that is_nls is set to 1 for db_utf8_glu  in
  sysmaster:sysdatabases.
  Can check that dbs_collate is set to en_US.57372 for db_utf8_glu
  in sysmaster:sysdbslocale.
  
  Here is the problem description.
  
  Unset GL_USEGLU and DB_LOCALE environment variables and bring
  the database server down.
  
  $ unset GL_USEGLU
  $ unset DB_LOCALE
  $ onmode -ky
  
  
  Now, bring the database server up (GL_USEGLU environment
  variable is not set):
  
  $ oninit
  
  Check that GL_USEGLU was *not* set during oninit start up:
  
  $ onstat -g env | grep USEGLU   ==> should return nothing
  
  Accessing database db_utf8_glu :
  
  At first, you will get 23197 error because you forgot to set
  your DB_LOCALE (clear message).
  
  23197: Database locale information mismatch.
  
  So, you set your DB_LOCALE.
  
  $ export DB_LOCALE=en_us.utf8
  
  $ dbaccess db_utf8_glu -
  
    211: Cannot read system catalog (sysprocedures).
  
    103: ISAM error:  illegal key descriptor (too many parts or
  too long).
  $
  
  You think that you need to set GL_USEGLU environment variable,
  so you set it.
  
  $ export GL_USEGLU=1
  $ dbaccess db_utf8_glu -
  
  Database selected.   <==== Now you can connect ... but ....
  
  > select * from tab1;
  
    211: Cannot read system catalog (systables).   <=== Same
  errors ...
  
    103: ISAM error:  illegal key descriptor (too many parts or
  too long).
  Error in line 1
  Near character position 18
  > $
  
  Problem is that the database server needs to be brought down and
  brought back up after making sure that GL_USEGLU environment
  variable is set in the database server environment.  However,
  that is not at all clear from the error messages being given.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All users                                                    *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * The description of error -211 does not cover instances when  *
  * a database connection fails for a server instance having     *
  * been started without GL_USEGLU set to 1 in the environment.  *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Upgrade to Informix Dynamic Server version 11.50.xC8.        *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Beginning with version 11.50.xC8, finderr -211 will display
  
  information purtaining to GL_USEGLU.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

• For download information, go to:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral
  

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  IBM IDS ENTRP E

• Fixed component ID

  5724L2304

Applicable component levels

• RB15 PSY

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