PI27887: Z/OSMF INCIDENT LOG INCORRECTLY PARSING JSON STRING VALUES

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Certain z/OSMF Incident Log functions may fail with an
  IOException when invalid JSON is encountered. The errors reflect
  an underlying configuration problem, but are not clearly
  displayed to the user.
   EXTERNAL SYMPTOMS:
   java.io.IOException: Unexpected character 'u' on line 1, column
   434
  
   The line and column numbers may differ, but the "Unexpected
   Character" will always be "u".
   ANALYSIS:
   Incident Log UI generates invalid JSON in certain circumstances
   where a string value is NULL or undefined. The resulting JSON
   object will contain a value like:
  
    "__HOST":undefined,
  
  
   KNOWN IMPACT:
   Since 'undefined' is not a valid string value, the JSON that is
   generated will fail to parse. The specific operation will then
   likely fail with an "Internal Error" since the handling code is
   unable to determine the actual missing data.
  
   The exact failures and error messages seen by a user or within
   the z/OSMF logs may vary depending on circumstance.
   VERIFICATION STEPS:
   Use the z/OSMF log to review for internal Java Exception
   conditions. Depending on functional area, enhanced tracing at a
   level of FINEST may be required.
   The exception that occurs will contain a stack traceback of the
   z/OSMF JSON parser:
  
   com.ibm.json.java.internal.Tokenizer.next(Tokenizer.java:81)
   com.ibm.json.java.internal.Parser.parseObject(Parser.java:109)
  
   In order to verify the incoming, invalid HTTPRequest parameter,
   analysis of a dump of the z/OSMF Server's Java Heap will be
   required. To collect such a dump, a Java commandline option
   similar to the following may be used:
  
   -Xdump:system:events=catch,filter=java/io/IOException#
        com/ibm/zoszmf/pdw/servlet/handler/incident/
        PrepareForBrowseHandler.handlePost
  
   The package/class.method specified will need to be customized
   based on the stacktrace to reflect the catch-block handling the
   IOException.
  
   ADDITIONAL SYMPTOMS:
   IZUP999E MSGIZUP999E IZUG899E MSGIZUG899E JSONObject
  

Local fix

• BYPASS/CIRCUMVENTION:
   None
  
  
   RECOVERY ACTION:
   Contact IBM Support
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All users of IBM z/OS Management Facility    *
  *                 Incident Log Task, Version 1 Release 13 and  *
  *                 Version 2 Release 1.                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Incident Log will generate invalid      *
  *                      JSON in certain circumstances when      *
  *                      a string value is NULL or undefined.    *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  Incident Log UI will generate invalid JSON in certain
  circumstances when a string value is NULL or undefined. Some
  underlying problems can not be displayed to the users clearly.
  

Problem conclusion

• The issue was fixed by returning null when the defaultValue is
  undefined, which will make sure the "undefined" string is not
  parsed as a JSON value.
  
  The following file changed:
  com.ibm.zoszmf.pdw/WebContent/com/ibm/zosmf/pdw/ui/Tools.js
  

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:

  UI24319 UI24320

Modules/Macros

• IZUPDAPP
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  Z/OSMF INCIDENT

• Fixed component ID

  5655S2805

Applicable component levels

• R135 PSY UI24319

     UP15/01/16 P F501

• R215 PSY UI24320

     UP15/01/15 P F501

Fix is available

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