Data file queues

As the inbound message reader and inbound message manager run, they create three types of data file queues: .dat, .pos, and .toc.

Data files (.dat)

As messages are processed they are stored in data files. The input, success, and reject data files all receive a .dat extension (for example, reject-yyyymmdd-tttt.dat).

Position files (.pos)

The position file (.pos) maintains the current position of the queue. As the Inbound Message Manager works through the input queue, it updates a .pos file to show where the manager is currently working. There are three numbers in the .pos file separated by colons (:) as shown in the following example.

0000000003:0000000010:0000000050

Using this example, the numbers represent:

  1. 0000000003: = Number of files to be processed inside the .toc file.
  2. 0000000010: = Record number within the file on which the Inbound Message Manager was last working.
  3. 0000000050 = Total number of records processed.

Table of contents files (.toc)

The Table of Contents queue tracks the order in which messages should be processed. As each new success.dat file is created, it is appended to the .toc file.

If a .toc file is corrupted, moved, or deleted, the operational sever does not know which messages to process next and message processing stops. Errors in the Inbound Message Manager log files can look like the following example:


FATAL Mad_Assert: [C:\IBM\MDM\src\madlibmadque.c:446]


Assertion failed [ queP->putSlot==totSlot || (queP->putSlot+1) == totSlot
Important: It is important that you do not touch .pos or .toc files when removing files from the server to conserve disk space. It is also important to restore .pos or .toc files if there has been a disaster or planned system maintenance and you are doing a restore.