JR53188: ISSUES WITH PREVIOUSLY SORTED NULLABLE KEY CHANGED TO NON-NULL IN NON-KEY BASED OPERATOR AND THE SAME KEY IS USED DOWNSTREAM.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• In a parallel engine  job, if a previously sorted
  
  nullable key is changed to non-nullable by
  a non-key based operator(such as transformer)  and if a non-key
  operator then sets 'preserve
  sort order' then there will be error generated  downstream if
  the same key is used for sorting.
  
  The error is:
   main_program: Error when checking operator: "nulls" property
   only applies to nullable fields; on key "template_name:
   {nulls=first, case=sensitive}
  
  The pattern of the failure is as follows
  1. Job has a stage that requires sorted data(Remove duplicate).
  Since customer didn't explicitly sort it, framework inserts a
  sort with template_name as a key which is nullable.
  2. The downstream (transformer) changes the nullability of the
  sort key. Above job template_name nullability is changed from
  nullable to non-nullable.
  3. Customer uses preserve sort order in transformer
  4. The sorted data is merged again in sequential file stage.
  
  There is a conflict here - previously the sorted key is nullable
  but in sequential stage the same field is non-nullable. So
  framework is throwing the error.
  
  In the above job there is no modify adapter generated for
  transformer recognizing the key change. However the same osh has
  been working in previous release.
  

Local fix

• - In the 1st transformer stage un-tick 'Preserves sort order'
  - Run with 1 node config file
  - Change partition type in target sequential stage or oracle CC
  to round-robin
  

Problem summary

• ERROR DESCRIPTION:
  In a parallel engine  job, if a previously sorted
  
  nullable key is changed to non-nullable by
  a non-key based operator(such as transformer)  and if a non-key
  operator then sets 'preserve
  sort order' then there will be error generated  downstream if
  the same key is used for sorting.
  
  The error is:
   main_program: Error when checking operator: "nulls" property
   only applies to nullable fields; on key "template_name:
   {nulls=first, case=sensitive}
  
  The pattern of the failure is as follows
  1. Job has a stage that requires sorted data(Remove duplicate).
  Since customer didn't explicitly sort it, framework inserts a
  sort with template_name as a key which is nullable.
  2. The downstream (transformer) changes the nullability of the
  sort key. Above job template_name nullability is changed from
  nullable to non-nullable.
  3. Customer uses preserve sort order in transformer
  4. The sorted data is merged again in sequential file stage.
  
  There is a conflict here - previously the sorted key is nullable
  but in sequential stage the same field is non-nullable. So
  framework is throwing the error.
  
  In the above job there is no modify adapter generated for
  transformer recognizing the key change. However the same osh has
  been working in previous release.
  
  LOCAL FIX:
  - In the 1st transformer stage un-tick 'Preserves sort order'
  - Run with 1 node config file
  - Change partition type in target sequential stage or oracle CC
  to round-robin
  

Problem conclusion

• Patches are available which solve the problem
  

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

  INFO SRVR PLATF

• Fixed component ID

  5724Q3612

Applicable component levels

• RB31 PSY

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