System service tools and communication problems

You may sometimes need to obtain an error log printout or communications trace data that your IBM service representative can review. For the line trace, someone familiar with the protocol used on the line may need to review the files. You can use these additional functions through the system service tools, using the Start System Services Tool (STRSST) command.

Because System Service Tool (SST) also provides other functions, only the correctly authorized user profiles with CRTUSRPRF SPCAUT (*SERVICE) should use the STRSST command. The system-supplied profiles QSECOFR and QSRV have this authority.

Use the communications trace function in the following situations:

vMessage information or other problem analysis is not sufficient to identify a problem

vCommunications support personnel suspects a protocol error

vTo verify that the system sends and receives valid data

You can trace multiple lines from each workstation by using the communications trace option. The system traces a maximum of two lines on the same communications controller subsystem at the same time. Only one trace can exist for the same configuration object at the same time. The system supports all line speeds and protocols.

For more information about these tests, contact your IBM service representative.

Trace Common Programming Interface (CPI) Communications (TRCCPIC) command

You can start to trace Common Programming Interface (CPI) Communications either before running a job or after a job is active to find out where the error might have occurred. The TRCCPIC command captures information about CPI-Communications calls that is processed by your program. The system collects trace information in a current job, or in a job that is serviced by a Start Service Job (STRSRVJOB) command.

(For a CPI Communication program you could trace a job that is started as a result of a received program start request.) You can issue the TRCCPIC command in one of the following ways:

vUsing the System Menu

vTyping TRCCPIC *ON on a command line

vAdding the TRCCPIC command to a control language (CL) or a REstructured eXtended eXecutor (REXX) program

vTyping TRCCPIC on the command line and pressing F4 (Prompt)

If you type TRCCPIC on the command line and press F4, an initial prompt is displayed for the Trace Option Setting. If *ON is specified and you press enter, the Trace CPI Communications display appears.

This display enables you to set the following parameters:

Trace option setting

Specifies whether the collection of trace information is to be started, stopped, or ended.

*ON

Starts Trace CPI Communications. This is the default value for the command.

*OFF

Stops Trace CPI Communications. The current information is written to the spooled printer file or to the database file, and the trace table. The trace information is then deleted.

*END

Ends Trace CPI Communications. The trace table and all trace information are destroyed.

Maximum storage to use

Specifies the maximum amount of storage to use for the trace information collected. The prompt appears only if you have selected *ON for the Trace option setting prompt.

200 K

The number of bytes (1 K equals 1024 bytes) of storage. This is the default value.

IBM AS/400 manual System service tools and communication problems, Trace option setting