JR44438: CMVC 224519 - TO HANDLE THE EXCEPTION WHERE A URL PARAMETER SENT TO THE MARKETING ENGINE BY COREMETRICS IS NOT ENCODED PROPERLY

WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.7 Fix Pack

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When there is a parameter that has a '%' character in the
  parameter's value and this parameter is not encoded and is
  passed to the marketing engine, an exception similar to the
  following may occur:
  
  [8/22/12 10:01:15:743 PDT] 00000036 WC_MARKETING  3
  211c5ced:1394f3c8f9c:-7ffd
  com.ibm.commerce.marketing.beans.EMarketingSpotBase.populate
  action=AjaxIntelligentOfferDisplayView
  [8/22/12 10:01:15:743 PDT] 00000036 WC_MARKETING  3
  211c5ced:1394f3c8f9c:-7ffd
  com.ibm.commerce.marketing.beans.EMarketingSpotBase.decodeAndPro
  tectQueryString java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: URLDecoder:
  Illegal hex characters in escape (%) pattern - For input string:
  " C"
  [8/22/12 10:01:15:743 PDT] 00000036 SystemErr     R
  java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: URLDecoder: Illegal hex
  characters in escape (%) pattern - For input string: " C"
  
  This can happen when a page receives unencoded data from an
  external API, and then directly passes this information to the
  marketing engine in a call to the Get MarketingSpotData web
  service.  As a result, a large number of exceptions may be seen
  in the application log files. This can slow down system
  performance and make the logs difficult to read.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• USERS AFFECTED:
  WebSphere Commerce users on v7 using Management Center marketing
  
  PROBLEM ABSTRACT:
  An IllegalArgumentException is thrown when a parameter is not
  encoded properly and is sent to the WebSphere Commerce marketing
  engine
  
  BUSINESS IMPACT:
  Excessive number of exceptions appear in the logs
  
  RECOMMENDATION:
  

Problem conclusion

• The marketing engine logic was modified to not output an
  exception to the logs files when an unencoded parameter is
  passed to the marketing engine.
  
  -------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest available maintenance information can be obtained
  from the Recommended Fixes for WebSphere Commerce technote:
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=3046&uid=swg21261296
  

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

  WC BUS EDITION

• Fixed component ID

  5724I3800

Applicable component levels

• R700 PSY

     UP