IT39777: PCOM: 3270 SESSION DISAPPEARS FROM USER DESKTOP INTERMITTENTLY

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The users have 2 display sessions and 2 hidden printer sessions.
  They toggle between the 2 display sessions. One session
  intermittently disappears/closes. 3 PCSWS.exe and 1 PCSCM.exe
  are in the task manager. The users have to restart the machine.
  We see this issue on both PCOMM v12 and v14.
  ReceiveBufferSize=32768 and ScreenSize=62x160 are used.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All IBM Personal Communication Macro Users                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * While running a VB macro script for a long time,             *
  * intermittently the session will crash.                       *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  This issue occurs when an application uses the automation
  interface of PComm to close a session while also closing it
  manually. In this scenario the session receives the closure
  request from both ways. The first closure request starts the
  closure process and when the second request is received, before
  the complete closure, it crashes the session.
  

Problem conclusion

• PCSHLL.DLL and PCSPREF.DLL have been changed.
  
  This change has been made with an additional keyword in
  PCSWIN.INI file that will handle the multiple closure requests
  avoiding the session crash. The user must add the keyword as
  below in the API section with the value set to T for True.
  
  [API]
  AvoidWaSessionExit = T
  
  Note: This keyword is recommended for users who run an
  application that uses PCOMM automation interface for a long time
  running VB Script macros.
  

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:

Modules/Macros

• PCSHLL   PCSPREF
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  PCOMM COMBO-ENG

• Fixed component ID

  5639I7000

Applicable component levels