IT25950: HTTP POST IS COMING INTO HTTP SERVER ADAPTER WITH XML DATA THAT STARTS WITH A $, WHICH IS AN INVALID XML CHARACTER

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• HTTP POST is coming into HTTP server adapter with XML data that
  starts with a $, which is an invalid XML character. The HTTP
  Server Adapter with a URI calls a custom Business Process.
  The payload of the Trading Partner's messages begin with:
  %$xmldata. It uses as one of its HTTP headers in the POST:
  Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded;charset=utf-8
  
  When the Trading Partner's message hits the HTTP Server
  adapter, an HTTP 500 message is returned, and the Business
  Process does not get kicked off.
  The HTTP log contains errors:
  [2018-07-09 09:55:53.723] ERROR PSHttpServletHandler.invokeBP()
  - Exception while trying to invoke Business Process
  [EAM_BP_InboundXML]:
  INVALID_CHARACTER_ERR: An invalid or illegal XML character is
  specified.
  [2018-07-09 09:55:53.723] ERROR [1531144553723]
  INVALID_CHARACTER_ERR: An invalid or illegal XML character is
  specified.
  [2018-07-09 09:55:53.723] ERRORDTL
  [1531144553723]org.w3c.dom.DOMException: INVALID_CHARACTER_ERR:
  An invalid or illegal XML character is specified.
  

Local fix

• RTC ID: 572575
  LB / NM
  Circumvention:
  1. Remove invalid characters from payload data.
  2. Try changing the Content-Type from
  application/x-www-form-urlencoded;charset=utf-8 to some other
  value such text/plain
  

Problem summary

• Users affected:
  All
  
  Problem Description:
  HTTP POST is coming to HTTP server adapter with XML data that
  starts with a $, that is an invalid XML character, when the
  content Type is present as
  :application/x-www-form-urlencoded;charset=utf-8
  
  
  The Business Process is failing with below exception:
  
  
  An invalid or illegal XML character is specified.
      at
  org.apache.xerces.dom.CoreDocumentImpl.createElement(Unknown
  Source)
      at
  com.sterlingcommerce.woodstock.xpathutil.XPathHelper.createNode(
  XPathHelper.java:1467)
      at
  com.sterlingcommerce.woodstock.xpathutil.XPathHelper.createTarge
  tContext(XPathHelper.java:1141)
      at
  com.sterlingcommerce.woodstock.xpathutil.XPathHelper.createTarge
  tContext(XPathHelper.java:1053)
      at
  com.sterlingcommerce.woodstock.workflow.WFCUtil.setDataInTree(WF
  CUtil.java:1154)
      at
  com.sterlingcommerce.woodstock.workflow.WorkFlowContext.setWFCon
  tent(WorkFlowContext.java:3180)
      at
  
  Also in the HTTP logs, we can see:
  
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.833] DEBUG
  PSHttpServletHandler.setProcessData() - getting parameter names
  ...
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.833] DEBUG
  PSHttpServletHandler.setProcessData() - Processing param name
  [parm]
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.833] DEBUG
  PSHttpServletHandler.setProcessData() - adding iwfc content
  element with parameter name [parm] and value [$xmldata]
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.833] DEBUG
  PSHttpServletHandler.setProcessData() - Completed.
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.848] DEBUG PSHttpServletHandler.invokeBP()
  - Business Process [EAM_BP_InboundXML] was invoked.
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.848] DEBUG PSHttpServletHandler.handle() -
  Blocking the handler. Waiting for response...
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.856] DEBUG HttpRespondService.processData()
  - Start processing ...
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.856] DEBUG HttpRespondService.processData()
  - propName [doc-has-headers] =propValue [false]
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.856] DEBUG HttpRespondService.processData()
  - propName [targetenvs] =propValue [all]
  [2018-07-09 11:43:45.856] DEBUG HttpRespondService.processData()
  - propName [XMLVersion] =propValue [2.0]
  
  
  
  The wf log contains the following:
  Unable to get/create XPath object from cache with XPath value of
  "HttpURLDecodedValues/<$xmldata". The system log may have
  further information.
  
  HTTP log shows:
  PSHttpServletHandler.invokeBP() - Exception while trying to
  invoke Business Process [EAM_BP_InboundXML]:
  INVALID_CHARACTER_ERR: An invalid or illegal XML character is
  specified.
  
  
  
  Platforms affected:
  All
  

Problem conclusion

• Resolution Summary
  A code fix is provided.
  
  Delivered in:
  5020603_7
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

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

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

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  STR B2B INTEGRA

• Fixed component ID

  5725D0600

Applicable component levels