IBM Support

PI87069: WHEN RUNNING WITH JAVA8, EBCDIC STRINGS DATA CONVERSION SHOWS WRONG BEHAVIOR.

Fixes are available

8.5.5.13: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 13
9.0.0.7: WebSphere Application Server traditional V9.0 Fix Pack 7
7.0.0.45: WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 45
8.0.0.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.0 Fix Pack 15
7.0.0.45: Java SDK 1.6 SR16 FP60 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server
9.0.0.8: WebSphere Application Server traditional V9.0 Fix Pack 8
8.5.5.14: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 14
9.0.0.9: WebSphere Application Server traditional V9.0 Fix Pack 9
9.0.0.10: WebSphere Application Server traditional V9.0 Fix Pack 10
8.5.5.15: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 15
9.0.0.11: WebSphere Application Server traditional V9.0 Fix Pack 11
9.0.5.0: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Refresh Pack
9.0.5.1: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 1
9.0.5.2: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 2
8.5.5.17: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 17
9.0.5.3: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 3
9.0.5.4: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 4
9.0.5.5: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 5
WebSphere Application Server traditional 9.0.5.6
9.0.5.7: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5 Fix Pack 7
9.0.5.8: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5.8
8.5.5.20: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.20
8.5.5.18: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 18
8.5.5.19: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 19
9.0.5.9: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5.9
9.0.5.10: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5.10
8.5.5.16: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5 Fix Pack 16
8.5.5.21: WebSphere Application Server V8.5.5.21
9.0.5.11: WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.5.11

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • In data marshalling library shipped in WAS (marshall.jar), it
    has been using the same code to convert DBCS EBCDIC strings
    to/from COBOL/C/PL/I programs running on z/OS (MVS) ever since
    Java 2.  The issue comes in when using Java 8 and a 'null'
    terminated string on the host that needs to be converted to a
    Java string on the client.
    
    This is expected behavior from IBM JDK 8 which is inline with
    the Cp935 converter specification.
    
    Older JDK releases (before IBM Java 8) use IO converters and the
    behavior observed with those releases is due to a bug with IO
    converters.
    
    This means the marhall.jar needs to provide a
    -Dsome.java.system.property so that the Java 8 behavior can be
    tolerated by existing applications.
    

Local fix

  • n/a
    

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
    *                  Server V8.5                                 *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Data marshalling null terminated DBCS   *
    *                      EBCDIC strings contain Unicode          *
    *                      replacement characters                  *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
    ****************************************************************
    Running under Java 8, using the marshall.jar library to data
    marshall null terminated DBCS EBCDIC strings from
    COBOL/C/PL/I programs running on z/OS, the strings are returned
    with Unicode replacement characters where the null characters
    are in the data stream. Prior to Java 8, the null characters
    were removed from the returned string.
    

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PI87069

  • Reported component name

    WEBSPHERE FOR Z

  • Reported component ID

    5655I3500

  • Reported release

    850

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt / Xsystem

  • Submitted date

    2017-09-12

  • Closed date

    2018-01-24

  • Last modified date

    2018-03-07

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

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

    PI94823

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    WEBSPHERE FOR Z

  • Fixed component ID

    5655I3500

Applicable component levels

  • R850 PSY

       UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SS7K4U","label":"WebSphere Application Server for z\/OS"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"850","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
04 May 2022