PI20048: VBSCRIPT HOOK MAY NOT REPORT ERROR WHEN INVALID ENTITY REFERENCED IN BUILDQUERY CQ API CALL

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• In IBM Rational ClearQuest (CQ) 7.1.1.x or 7.1.2.x, when
  invoking a VBscript CQ API call to BuildQuery (and possibly
  other API calls) with a reference to a record type (Entity Type)
  that does not exist, no error may be thrown to the screen, the
  hook may proceed without failure, and the record form will
  may proceed unhindered.
  
  An error should be visibly thrown indicating failure, the hook
  should fail, and the use of the action may be affected (fail).
  
  Steps to reproduce:
  1) Use the Out Of The Box SAMPL Defect Tracking database.
  2) Checkout the schema and add a field called "TestField" to
  Defect record type.
  3) Add a FIELD_VALIDATION hook for the TestField, with the
  following VBscript hook:
    MsgBox "Field validation hook started"
    set sessionObj = GetSession
    set queryDefOBj = sessionObj.BuildQuery("Customer2")
    MsgBox "Done"
    ' where "Customer2" is a record type that does not exist
  4) Save and checkin the schema or test work.
  5) Perform a submit action on the Defect record type.
  
  Result:
  You will see a first message box indicating start, no failure on
  the screen, then a second message box indicating completion.
  If you perform a CQ core trace, in 7.1.x you will see the
  following error (not thrown on the screen):
  [CQ 16.375, 522] API: call OAdSession(1EE9568)::BuildQuery
  ("Customer2")
  [CQ 16.375, 523] Throw
  [CQ 16.406, 524] API Throw
  [CQ 16.406, 525] VBasic:
  1EEF870::5::SmEntityExtension::OnScriptError:
  [CQ 16.406, 526] API: call OAdSession(1EE9568)::OnFinalRelease
  ()
  [CQ 16.406, 527] API: dest OAdSession(1EE9568)
  [CQ 16.406, 528] VBasic:
  1EEF870::3::SmEntityExtension::InvokeHook:error:
  [CQ 16.406, 529] VBasic:
  1EEF870::3::SmEntityExtension::InvokeHook:error from
  COleException:
  

Local fix

• Catch error through CQ core trace and perform hook code
  refinement.
  It is the responsibility of customers to thoroughly test their
  customized hook code for use with CQ.
  Please only invoke CQ API calls against record types (Entity
  types) that exist and will withstand being referenced.  The
  current example is an illogical use of BuildQuery.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Upgrade to ClearQuest 8.0.0.x or 8.0.1.x to address this     *
  * situation on at least one workstation where you exercise and *
  * test your schema.                                            *
  *                                                              *
  * Users need to thoroughly test their customized hook code for *
  * use with CQ.                                                 *
  * Thoroughly exercise your schema to catch this type of logic  *
  * error.                                                       *
  * Thoroughly exercise your schema prior to upgrading all users *
  * to any Maintenance Release or higher patch level (CQ 8.0.0.0 *
  * is a Major Release, and 8.0.1.0 is a Maintenance Release).   *
  ****************************************************************
  Resolution will also appear if a CQ core trace is performed as
  follows:
  [CQ 7.508, 284] API: call OAdSession(2F34D50)::BuildQuery
  ("Customer2")
  [CQ 7.509, 285] API Throw: A CException occurred:
  [CQ 7.509, 285] Unspecified error
  [CQ 7.518, 286] VBasic:
  2FBDBD0::5::SmEntityExtension::OnScriptError:A CException
  occurred:
  [CQ 7.518, 286] Unspecified error
  [CQ 7.518, 287] API: call OAdSession(2F34D50)::OnFinalRelease ()
  [CQ 7.519, 288] API: dest OAdSession(2F34D50)
  [CQ 7.519, 289] VBasic:
  2FBDBD0::3::SmEntityExtension::InvokeHook:error: A CException
  occurred:
  [CQ 7.519, 289] Unspecified error
  [CQ 7.519, 290] VBasic:
  2FBDBD0::3::SmEntityExtension::InvokeHook: Throwing exception A
  CException occurred:
  [CQ 7.519, 290] Unspecified error
  [CQ 7.519, 291] Throw: A CException occurred:
  [CQ 7.519, 291] Unspecified error
  [CQ 7.520, 292] Throw: A CException occurred:
  [CQ 7.520, 292] Unspecified error
  

Problem conclusion

• Beginning in CQ 8.0.0.0 and 8.0.1.0 a visible error will be
  thrown, and the hook will fail execution (no second message
  box), for example:
  ERROR! CRMUD0081E Execution of a hook failed during the action
  Submit.  It was the FIELD_VALIDATION hook of the field
  TestField, attached to the Defect "TEST00000002". The reason for
  the failure was:
  A CException occurred:
  Unspecified error
  
  
  Various aspects of the ClearQuest product were Enterprise
  hardened for the CQ 8 Release, including this type of error
  message catching.
  

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

  CLEARQUEST WIN

• Fixed component ID

  5724G3600

Applicable component levels

• R711 PSN

     UP

• R712 PSN

     UP