The "Error - Bad option specified COMPRESSION" Message Occurs with SNACFG (327950)

CAUSE

The problem occurs because SNA Server Manager adds an incorrect compression option when a Downstream logical unit (LU) is created.

The following is an example of a Downstream LU configuration from a Com.cfg file printed to text:

LUD T14T6178 /ADD
/LUNUMBER:178
/CONNECTION:T14T2967
/COMMENT:""
/COMPRESSION:No
/WORKSTATIONSECURE:No

NOTE: The /COMPRESSION:No option causes the "Bad Compression" error and prevents the SNACFG utility from importing a text version of a configuration file (Com.cfg) back into a generic Com.cfg file.

WORKAROUND

To work around the problem, you can use one of the following methods:

Remove /COMPRESSION:No from each Downstream LU in the text SNA configuration file.
Use Snacfg.exe to create the Downstream LU.
In Host Integration Server 2000, use WMI scripting to create the Downstream LU.

Remove /COMPRESSION:No

Remove the whole "COMPRESSION" line (/COMPRESSION:No) from each Downstream LU in the text SNA configuration file.

LUD T14T6178 /ADD
/LUNUMBER:178
/CONNECTION:T14T2967
/COMMENT:""
/COMPRESSION:No <I>Remove this line from each Downstream LU</I>
/WORKSTATIONSECURE:No

Use Snacfg.exe to Create the Downstream LU

In either SNA Server 4.0 or Host Integration Server 2000, use the SNACFG utility, Snacfg.exe, to create the Downstream LU.

Command Syntax

SNACFG LUD /LIST
SNACFG LUD ludname
SNACFG LUD ludname /PRINT
SNACFG LUD ludname /ADD [options]
SNACFG LUD ludname [options]
SNACFG LUD ludname /DELETE

Available Options

/CONNECTION:text
/LUNUMBER:value
/POOL:text
/COMMENT:"comment"

Sample command

SNACFG #COM.CFG LUD DSLU /add /CONNECTON:MYCONN /LUNUMBER:05

Use WMI Scripting to Create the Downstream LU

In Host Integration Server 2000, use WMI scripting to create the Downstream LU.

NOTE: Modify the script values below connection, name, LUNumber to match your configuration.

Sample Script

' Begin VBScript source code
Set WmiLocator = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWBemLocator")
Set WmiNameSpace = WmiLocator.ConnectServer("","root\MicrosoftHis")
Set WmiObj = WmiNameSpace.Get("MsSna_LuDown")
WmiObj.Security_.impersonationLevel = 3
Set NewWmiObj = WmiObj.SpawnInstance_

        NewWmiObj.Comment = "Added by WMI Script"
        NewWmiObj.Compression = FALSE
        NewWmiObj.ConnectionName = "PRTDEM"
        NewWmiObj.Name = "DSLU003"
        NewWmiObj.Number = 3
        NewWmiObj.PoolName = "<None>"
        NewWmiObj.UserWksSecure = FALSE

NewWmiObj.Put_ wbemFlagReturnWhenComplete

WScript.Echo "Done"
' End VBScript source code

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem occurs only when you export the configuration information from the Com.cfg file (that contains a Downstream LU created from SNA Server Manager) into a text file, and then you try to import the text SNA configuration back into a generic Com.cfg.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

Create a demo link connection.
Create a Downstream LU on that connection, save Config, and then exit SNA Server Manager.
At the SNAROOT\system\config command prompt, run the following command:
SNACFG #com.cfg /print>c.txt
Rename the current Com.cfg file as Com.bak.
Copy the generic Com.cfg file from the SNA Server CD-ROM to the SNAROOT\system\config folder.
Run the SNACFG #com.cfg @c.txt /v command. You receive the "Error - Bad option specified COMPRESSION" message.