Abstract

Before you report a problem to StarQuest Customer Support, review the StarQuest Customer Support knowledge base because it may have the answer you need. There are many technical documents that address common problems and provide helpful suggestions and sample code.

Before contacting StarQuest Customer Support, collect as much information as you can about the problem. By sending in a complete problem description, you can help expedite finding a solution to your problem.

This article describes how to find the information you need to report a StarSQL ODBC Driver for UNIX problem and a few additional steps that you can do to help the Customer Support staff better serve your requests.

Solution

Step 1: Locate the StarSQL for UNIX Version.

To find the StarSQL for UNIX driver version:

• If you have a V5 driver, run the command to display the exact version: 

  strings libSWODBC.so | grep "^5" 

• If you have a V4 driver, run the command to display the exact version: 

  strings libSWODBC.so | grep "^4" 

• If you have a working connection to the database, you can also run the simpleconn or simpleconn.odbc sample applications to display the driver version in the output.

Step 2: Gather StarSQL for UNIX Data Source Configuration Information.

1. The .odbc.ini in the user's home directory contains the data source configuration. Make a copy of this file to send to StarQuest Customer Support.

Step 3: Record Environment Configuration.

The environment configuration information will help us to understand how StarSQL is used in your environment. The configuration is divided into three layers: client, network, and host.

1. For the client, collect the following information:

• Operating system (e.g., SUSE Linux Enterprise 10, Solaris 10).
• The application and version that you are using with StarSQL for UNIX (e.g., Informatica v. 7). If it is a custom application, specify what tools were used to build it (e.g., Perl, PHP). If this is a Web application, note the Web server type and version (e.g., Apache 2.0).
• Whether the application is 32-bit or 64-bit. Note that StarSQL is a 32-bit driver and will not work with 64-bit applications. Use the file command to determine this information, for example:

hq-sqv-srv-06{david}26: which perl
/usr/bin/perl
hq-sqv-srv-06{david}27: file /usr/bin/perl
/usr/bin/perl: ELF 64-bit LSB executable, AMD x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), for GNU/ Linux 2.6.4, dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.4, stripped

• The environment variables for the StarSQL user (e.g., $STARSQL, $PATH, $LD_LIBRARY_PATH, etc.).
• A list of shared libraries obtained by running the UNIX ldd (or equivalent) command.

2. For the network, note the following information:

• The network protocol used with your StarSQL for UNIX data source. In most cases, it will be TCP/IP. If connecting through a StarPipes gateway to a Host Integration or SNA Server, please note the StarPipes version as well as the Host Integration/SNA Server version and service pack level.

3. For the DB2 host, record the DB2 software version and the operating system and its version. The most common choices are:

• DB2 for OS/390 and z/OS v7 or v8
• DB2 Server for VSE & VM (formerly known as SQL/DS) v7
• i5/OS V5R3 or V5R4
• DB2 Universal Database for Linux, UNIX and Windows v8 or v9 (include fix pack level)

Step 4: Describe Symptoms of Problem and Reproduction Scenario.

When you describe the problem, keep in mind the following questions:

• Is this a new problem? If yes, what has changed recently?
• Can this problem be reproduced? If so, what is the reproduction scenario?
• What are the symptoms of the problem? Is it an empty result set when data is expected, an unexpected error message, a crash in the application, or is the application not responding? If there is an error message, write it down exactly as it appears or capture a screen shot of it.
• If you are experiencing an error related to StarSQL licensing, please provide the type of license being used (e.g., node-locked client license or StarLicense server license).

Step 5: Collect Traces.

Trace data can greatly expedite the problem resolution process. There are two types of traces that can be collected, ODBC and DRDA. However, the ODBC trace can only be captured if the application uses an ODBC driver manager such as unixODBC or the DataDirect driver manager. ODBC and DRDA tracing can be enabled at the same time, and we request that you provide both types of traces whenever possible.

1. Create an ODBC trace.
   • For unixODBC, set the following in /usr/local/etc/odbcinst.ini:
     
     [ODBC]
     Trace = 1
     Trace File = /tmp/sql.log

• For DataDirect, in the [ODBC] stanza of .odbc.ini, set Trace = 1, and set TraceFile & TraceDLL to appropriate values. For example:
  
  [ODBC]
  Trace = 1
  TraceFile = /tmp/sql.log
  TraceDll = /opt/odbc/lib/odbctrac.so

In both examples, a trace file will be created in /tmp/sql.log. Be sure to turn off the trace feature when it is no longer needed by setting the Trace value to 0. 

2. Create a DRDA trace.

   • Verify that you have .swodbc.ini file in the user's home directory and that it is writable. For example:
     
     $ cp $STARSQL/etc/swodbc.ini .swodbc.ini 
     $ ls -l .swodbc.ini
     $ chmod 644 .swodbc.ini

   • Execute this command to enable tracing:

     $ trcstart -on /tmp/mytrace.sqd

     After collecting the trace, turn off tracing:
     
     $ trcstart -off

If the application or application server generates its own log files or trace data, please include those in the problem report.

Step 6: Contact StarQuest Customer Support.

To open a problem report with StarQuest Customer Support, send an email to contact@starquest.com that includes the following information:

• Company/Organization name
• Your name, email address, and contact phone number
• All information gathered in Steps 1 - 5.  Any attachments, such as traces or data source configuration files, should be compressed into a single archive file before sending.

DISCLAIMER

The information in technical documents comes without any warranty. The author(s) or distributor(s) will not accept responsibility for any damage incurred directly or indirectly through use of the information contained in these documents. The information in technical documents may be gathered from various sources, including IBM, Microsoft, and other organizations.