PH62596: Using a redefined field as an array counter throws a NullPointerException.

APAR status

• Closed as unreproducible in next release.

Error description

• An API provider that ran successfully in a z/OS Connect
  V3.0.43.0 server fails after the server is updated to V3.0.45.0
  (and later) and the following errors are reported:
  
  BAQR7033E: Internal server error
  
  This message is the result of an earlier error:
  java.lang.NullPointerException
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
            ByteArrayToJSONVisitor.getCountedArrayOccurrenceCount
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                          MessageWalker.walkField
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                           MessageWalker.walkField
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                           MessageWalker.walkField
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                     MessageWalker.walkSegmentType
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                     MessageWalker.walkMessageType
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                              MessageWalker.accept
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.wv.transaction.messages.walkers.
                                              MessageWalker.accept
  at com.ibm.zosconnect.WVDataXformImpl.getJSONForBytes
  
  
  Additional search words:msgBAQR7033E msgBAQR7033 BAQR7033E
  BAQR7033 NullPointerException NPE
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All users of z/OS Connect V3.0 OpenAPI 2     *
  *                 API providers with array counters for fields *
  *                 that are redefined.                          *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Using a redefined field as an array     *
  *                      counter throws a NullPointerException   *
  *                      and message BAQR7033E is reported.      *
  ****************************************************************
  When an array counter was defined in a COBOL copybook as a
  REDEFINES of another element, an API provider that used that
  copybook threw a NullPointerException in the server while
  processing a request.  The following message was written to the
  message log:
  BAQR7033E: Internal server error
  

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

• z/OS Connect has been changed to correctly process array
  counters that are a redefinition of another element in the
  copybook. This prevents the reported NullPoinerException and
  subsequent error messages.
  
  The fix for this APAR is expected to be delivered by the PTFs
  for z/OS Connect V3.0.91.0 (PH65316).
  

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

  Z/OS CONNECT EE

• Fixed component ID

  5655CE300

Applicable component levels