PH24561: CSSMTP FAILS TO PARSE MAIL COMMAND IN JES SPOOL FILE WHEN USING LF (X'25') AS DELIMITER

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• If a LF (x'25') character is used as a delimiter for a mail
  command in a mail body text in a JES spool file, CSSMTP will
  fail parsing the mail command. CSSMTP uses the following
  WHITESPACE characters for the mail command delimiters:
  
  * Blank (x'40')
  * NL (x'15')
  * CR (x'0D'
  * HT (x'05')
  * NULL (x'00')
  
  For example, if the mail command DATA has headers and is
  delimited with a LF (x'25') or CRLF (x'0D25') in a JES spool
  file, CSSMTP will fail with parsing errors in the JES spool
  file output:
  
  Mail body text
  --------------
  HELO xxxxx
  MAIL FROM: xxxxx
  RCPT TO: xxxxx
  RCPT TO: xxxxx
  DATA
  BCC: xxxxx
  BCC: xxxxx
  BCC: xxxxx
  ...
  SUBJECT: xxxxx
  ...
  [x'25' or x'0D25'] <-- Delimiter in hex for end of DATA command
  
  JES spool file output;
  ----------------------
  mlJesReport:Report: 501 5.5.4 JES Syntax error. Too many
                      many args after 'DATA'
  mlJesReport:Report: 500 5.5.1 JES Unknown command, 'BCC:'
  mlJesReport:Report: 500 5.5.1 JES Unknown command, 'BCC:'
  mlJesReport:Report: 500 5.5.1 JES Unknown command, 'BCC:'
  ...
  mlJesReport: Maximum errors reached in Jes file. Quit Command
               generated
  mlJesReport: Report: Exceeded maximum errors(5) allowed
  
  ANALYSIS:
  EZAMLJSP
  
  KNOWN IMPACT:
  Migration from SMTP to CSSMTP
  
  VERIFICATION STEPS:
  1. See CSSMTP JES Spool output file for the parsing errors.
  2. See the Mail body text with commands and delimiters. Display
  the commands and data records with their delimiters in HEX to
  see their hexadecimal char values.
  
  KEYWORDS:
  CSSMTP MAIL DATA COMMAND BCC JES SPOOL PARSE PARSER EZAMLJSP
  DELIMITER CHARACTER WHITESPACE LF CRLF LINEFEED UNKNOWN
  

Local fix

• BYPASS/CIRCUMVENTION:
  Replace LF (x'25') with NL (x'15') character for the delimiter.
  If using CRLF (x'0D25') as the delimiters, they can be removed
  as long as there is a valid whitespace delimiter at the end of
  the mail command. For example, NULL (x'00') or blank (x'40').
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * All users of the IBM Communications Server for z/OS Version  *
  * 2 Release 2, 3, and 4 IP:  CSSMTP                            *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * CSSMTP invalidly rejects a SYSOUT file after it fails to     *
  * recognize a linefeed character (LF, x'25') as whitespace.    *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  * Apply the PTF.                                               *
  ****************************************************************
  A SYSOUT is spooled to CSSMTP with the DATA command line
  containing "DATA" followed by x'0D25' which is a carriage return
  (CR) character and a line feed (LF) charater.  When CSSMTP
  parses the DATA line, it fails to recognize the x'25' as
  whitespace and therefore considers it to by a parameter of the
  DATA command.  Since there are no DATA parameters allowed, the
  DATA command is rejected with the message "501 5.5.4 JES Syntax
  error. Too many args after 'DATA' command".  Since CSSMTP does
  not recognize the start of the mail data , it parses subsequent
  SYSOUT lines as command lines rather than data lines.  This
  results in more error messages such as "500 5.5.1 JES Unknown
  command, 'BCC:'".  CSSMTP invalidly rejects the SYSOUT.
  

Problem conclusion

• The x'25' character has been appended to CSSMTP's definition of
  WHITESPACE chanracters.
  

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:

  UI69650 UI69651 UI69652

Modules/Macros

• EZAMLJSP
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TCP/IP MVS

• Fixed component ID

  5655HAL00

Applicable component levels

• R220 PSY UI69650

     UP20/09/29 P F009

• R230 PSY UI69651

     UP20/09/29 P F009

• R240 PSY UI69652

     UP20/09/29 P F009

Fix is available

• Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.