PROFS: Err: Host Time-Out, Host Access Left in XEDIT on VM/ESA (104374)

SYMPTOMS

In versions 3.2 and earlier of Microsoft Host Access for IBM PROFS and OfficeVision, the PROFSIN CSI file may get stuck in XEDIT mode while processing messages from the local-area network (LAN).

This brings the processing of messages to a halt, and eventually causes the gateway to exit out to MS-DOS with a host timeout error. The most noticeable sign that this problem has occurred is that when you toggle to the host, Host Access is in the XEDIT screen with an empty file.

This problem is known to occur in versions 1.1 and 2.0 of VM/ESA.

CAUSE

This problem occurs after the PROFS gateway has unloaded the PROFSIN.DAT file from the VMGATE subdirectory on the LAN to the host as PROFSIN CSI. The Host Access code begins processing the information in the data in the PROFSIN CSI file, one record at a time. As each record is processed, it is deleted; eventually, all records are processed and the file is empty.

At this point, the Host Access code in the PWAFSCSI XEDIT file issues a COMMAND FILE command to exit the file. However, you cannot issue the COMMAND FILE command on an empty file in VM/ESA 1.1. Therefore, the COMMAND FILE command is ignored, and the file remains open.

RESOLUTION

On the VM ID's 193 disk, there is a file called PWAFSCSI XEDIT. Place the following code at the end of the file, right below the line issuing the COMMAND FILE command:

&IF RC NE 0
QQUIT

This code allows the Host Access component to close the PROFSIN CSI file after all the records have been processed; the Host Access component then can continue normal operation.