PI74586: Liberty server will not start if jvm.options file contains spaces, after upgrade to 16.0.0.4

Fixes are available

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

It looks like the problem is in the jvm.options file
-- see the following line:
-Dtsnm.baseDir=C:\Program Files\IBM\TPC\alert

From the start.log the command used to start the server:

Command:  "C:\Program Files\IBM\TPC\jre\bin\java"
"-javaagent:C:\Program
Files\IBM\TPC\wlp\bin\tools\ws-javaagent.jar"
-Djava.awt.headless=true
-Xmx1536m -Xgc:preferredHeapBase=0x100000000 -Dwlp=true
-Dtpc.environment=CEPServer -Dtsnm.baseDir=C:\Program
Files\IBM\TPC\alert -Djlog.logCmdPort=9570 -Xverify:none
-verbose:class
-Dws.ext.debug   -jar "C:\Program
Files\IBM\TPC\wlp\bin\tools\ws-server.jar" --batch-file
start
alertServer

All of the paths in the command are quoted except for the
tsnm.baseDir system property that is specified in the
jvm.options file.  As such, the shell interprets that as two
different tokens and thinks that you are trying to set a
system
property "-Dtsnm.baseDir=C:\Program" and then run
a Java application called "Files\IBM\TPC\alert".

Changes made to the server.bat,  a change was made to
support
jvm.options merging -- to allow multiple jvm.options files
(previous to 16.0.0.4 users were limited to either the
jvm.options file in the server directory or in the wlp/etc
directory -- now there is a lot more flexibility).  It seems
that change may have inadvertently removed quotes when
reading
lines from the jvm.options file.

Local fix

in the server.bat/.sh change
-Dtsnm.baseDir=C:\Program Files\IBM\TPC\alert
to
-Dtsnm.baseDir="C:\Program Files\IBM\TPC\alert"

Problem summary

****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
*                  Server Liberty on Microsoft Windows         *
*                  operating systems                           *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Liberty 16.0.0.4 server will not start  *
*                      if jvm.options file contains spaces     *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
****************************************************************
In Liberty 16.0.0.4, a new feature was added that allows merging
of multiple jvm.options files.  This new feature inadvertently
removed the quotation marks applied to each line of the
jvm.options files.  If the jvm.options files did not contain any
spaces or other whitespace, then the user may not see any
problem.  The problem arises when a space exists in the
jvm.options file - in that case, the server would not start.
For example, if the jvm.options file contained a line like the
following:
-DmyProperty=Contains Spaces

The server would fail to start with a message like this in the
console.log file:

Error: Could not find or load main class Spaces

In the start.log file, the user may see the exact command used
to try to start the server -- something like this:
Command:  "C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\jre\bin\java" "-
javaagent:C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\wlp\bin\tools\ws-
javaagent.jar" -Djava.awt.headless=true  -Xmx1024m -
DmyProperty=Contains Spaces -Xverify:none -verbose:class -
Dws.ext.debug   -jar "C:\Program Files\IBM\TPC\wlp\bin\tools\ws-
server.jar" --batch-file start defaultServer

Note that in the command, most of the arguments are quoted which
tells the Windows command interpreter to ignore the spaces
inside the quotes.  Since the property from the jvm.options file
(-DmyProperty=Contains Spaces) is not quoted, the Windows
command interpreter interprets this property as two separate
arguments ("-DmyProperty=Contains" and "Spaces") and when it
passes those arguments to the JVM, the JVM sees "Spaces" as the
first argument that does not start with a dash, so it assumes
that is the name of the main class to execute, which it cannot
find.

Problem conclusion

The fix for this APAR adds the quotes back in when processing
the jvm.options file.

The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in fix
pack 17.0.0.1.  Please refer to the Recommended Updates page for
delivery information:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number
PI74586
Reported component name
WAS LIBERTY COR
Reported component ID
5725L2900
Reported release
CD0
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt / Xsystem
Submitted date
2017-01-09
Closed date
2017-02-08
Last modified date
2017-02-08

APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

PI74463
APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Fixed component name
WAS LIBERTY COR
Fixed component ID
5725L2900

Applicable component levels

RCD0 PSY
UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSD28V","label":"WebSphere Application Server Liberty Core"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"CD0","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
03 May 2022

Tips

PI74586: Liberty server will not start if jvm.options file contains spaces, after upgrade to 16.0.0.4

Fixes are available

Subscribe

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

Local fix

Problem summary

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number

Reported component name

Reported component ID

Reported release

Status

PE

HIPER

Special Attention

Submitted date

Closed date

Last modified date

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

Fixed component ID

Applicable component levels

RCD0 PSY

Document Information

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