IT34217: MQ Explorer fails to connect to a remote Managed File Transfer (MFT) configuration

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The MQ Explorer has been configured to connect to remotely
  access the coordination queue manager and command queue manager
  for an MQ Managed File Transfer topology. When the MQ Explorer
  Managed File Transfer plugin is set up to use these remote queue
  managers, it is unable to connect to the Managed File Transfer
  configuration. No errors are displayed, and the error message:
  
  !ENTRY org.eclipse.ui 4 0 2020-09-10 08:33:31.505
  !MESSAGE Unhandled event loop exception
  !STACK 0
  java.lang.NullPointerException
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.data.Subscription.updateProperties(Subsc
  ription.java:385)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode.connect(CoordTree
  Node.java:264)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode.connect(CoordTree
  Node.java:249)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode$3.run(CoordTreeNo
  de.java:162)
    at
  org.eclipse.jface.action.Action.runWithEvent(Action.java:474)
  .......
  
  is written to the MQ Explorer log file:
  
   %USERPROFILE%/\IBM\WebSphereMQ\workspace-<Installation
  Name>\.metadata\.log
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  USERS AFFECTED:
  This issue affects users of the IBM MQ Explorer Managed File
  Transfer plugin. who are using it to connect to a remote Managed
  File Transfer configuration.
  
  
  Platforms affected:
  Linux on x86-64, Windows
  
  ****************************************************************
  PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
  IBM MQ 9.2 Managed File Transfer introduced some improvements to
  the way that credentials were protected and accessed. More
  information on these improvements can be found in the
  "Improvements to Managed File Transfer security from IBM MQ
  Version 9.2" topic in the MQ 9.2.x section of IBM Knowledge
  Center. The URI for this topic is
  https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSFKSJ_9.2.0/com.
  ibm.mq.sec.doc/q137430_.htm.
  
  As a result of these changes, the MQ Explorer Managed File
  Transfer plugin expected to be able to locate and use MQ Managed
  File Transfer configuration files on the system where it was
  running. This meant that:
  
  - If MQExplorer has been installed on its own or as part of an
  MQ Server installation.
  - And had been configured to remotely access the coordination
  and command queue managers for a Managed File Transfer topology.
  - And the MQ Managed File Transfer plugin had been configured to
  use these remote queue managers.
  
  then the MQ Managed File Transfer plugin would fail to connect
  to the Managed File Transfer configuration, as it could not find
  the configuration files.
  
  When the issue occurred, no errors would be reported. However,
  the MQ Explorer log file:
  
  %USERPROFILE%/\IBM\WebSphereMQ\workspace-<Installation
  Name>\.metadata\.log
  
  would contain the following entry:
  
  !ENTRY org.eclipse.ui 4 0 2020-09-10 08:33:31.505
  !MESSAGE Unhandled event loop exception
  !STACK 0
  java.lang.NullPointerException
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.data.Subscription.updateProperties(Subsc
  ription.java:385)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode.connect(CoordTree
  Node.java:264)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode.connect(CoordTree
  Node.java:249)
    at
  com.ibm.wmqfte.explorer.treenode.CoordTreeNode$3.run(CoordTreeNo
  de.java:162)
    at
  org.eclipse.jface.action.Action.runWithEvent(Action.java:474)
  .......
  

Problem conclusion

• The IBM MQ Explorer Managed File Transfer plugin has been
  updated so that it only tries to read MQ Managed File Transfer
  configuration files if the user interface is running on a system
  that also includes a MQ Managed File Transfer installation. This
  prevents the NullPointerException seen in the MQ Explorer log
  file from occurring, and allows the plugin to successfully
  connect to a remote Managed File Transfer configuration.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  The fix is targeted for delivery in the following PTFs:
  
  Version    Maintenance Level
  v9.2 LTS   9.2.0.2
  
  The latest available maintenance can be obtained from
  'WebSphere MQ Recommended Fixes'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006037
  
  If the maintenance level is not yet available information on
  its planned availability can be found in 'WebSphere MQ
  Planned Maintenance Release Dates'
  http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=171&uid=swg27006309
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  

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

  MQ BASE V9.2

• Fixed component ID

  5724H7281

Applicable component levels