IT16432: TASKS STAY DISABLED WHEN SCHEDULER IS ONCE STARTED WITH $INFORMIXDIR/ETC/SYSADMIN/STOP FILE PRESENT

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• In versions earlier than 12.10.xC6 the existence of a file
  $INFORMIXDIR/etc/sysadmin/stop (the stop file) prevents the
  startup of the scheduler.
  
  In version 12.10.xC6 this behavior changed and even when this
  file exists the scheduler threads will be started. However, all
  tasks are disabled in this case. So the existence of the stop
  file basically prevents all tasks from being run. This has been
  introduced because the scheduler threads are getting the
  responsibility for more internal operations and without them
  some features may not be fully available.
  
  If you want to stop the scheduler threads from starting you can
  put the letters "off" (without the double quotes, into the stop
  file). This works starting with version 12.10.xC7.
  
  When the scheduler is started again without the stop file being
  present it is expected that the previously disabled tasks are
  enabled again.
  
  This is not the case, though. These tasks are still disabled.
  
  The mechanism used to disable the tasks is to set their
  respective tk_enable field to contain NULL (for all tasks that
  are enabled, i.e. have the value of 't' in this field
  tk_enable). Also it is supposed to set an additional flag 0x8000
  in the respective tk_attributes field.
  
  The latter seems to fail in this case and the missing flag in
  tk_attributes prevents the re-enabling of the tasks when the
  scheduler is started without the stop file being present.
  
  As the only situation in which the tk_enable field is set to
  NULL is the startup of the scheduler with the stop file you can
  identify the disabled tasks hereby. This statement
  
  update ph_task set tk_enable = 't' where tk_enable is NULL;
  
  can be used to re-enable the tasks again.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * Starting the scheduler with the stop file present            *
  * permanently disables the tasks.                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * See Error Description                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Update to IBM Informix Server 12.10.xC8 or later.            *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• Problem Fixed In IBM Informix Server 12.10.xC8 and later.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

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

  INFORMIX SERVER

• Fixed component ID

  5725A3900

Applicable component levels

• RC10 PSN

     UP