PK71985: APPLICATION SAVE DOES NOT CREATE PARENT ENTRIES

Fixes are available

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

When performing an application installation operation
(either an initial installation or an update), the operation
may remove directory entries from application archive files.

For example, an EJB jar will have an entry with the name
"META-INF/ejb-jar.xml".  Depending on how the EJB jar was
packaged, there may also be an entry for the directory
"META-INF".

The WebSphere Application Server environment is indifferent as
to whether that parent "META-INF" directory entry is present.
Prior to this fix, the application tooling did not attempt to
preserve this or any other directory entries.  (Whether or not
such entries were preserved was a side effect of how the archive
was processed: If the archive was processed as a single
file, then the entries were preserved.  If the archive
was processed incrementally, then the entries would be
omitted.)  As a result, the installation operation might not
preserve directory entries in the application archives which
were updated.

In the case of this APAR, the customer used the presence of a
directory entry to signify the presence of particular function.
By removing the directory entries, the WebSphere application
tooling caused the customer application code to fail with an
exception.

Local fix

Problem summary

****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED:  All users of WebSphere Application Server   *
*                  V6.1 and V7.0 performing application        *
*                  update, and for whom the presence of        *
*                  directory entries in application archives   *
*                  is significant to the application function. *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Application installation                *
*                      operations may remove directory         *
*                      entries from application archives       *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
****************************************************************
When performing an application installation operation
(either an initial installation or an update), the operation
may remove directory entries from application archive files.

For example, an EJB jar will have an entry with the name
"META-INF/ejb-jar.xml".  Depending on how the EJB jar was
packaged, there may also be an entry for the directory
"META-INF".

The WebSphere Application Server environment is indifferent as
to whether that parent "META-INF" directory entry is present.
Prior to this fix, the application tooling did not attempt to
preserve this or any other directory entries.  (Whether or not
such entries were preserved was a side effect of how the archive
was processed: If the archive was processed as a single
file, then the entries were preserved.  If the archive
was processed incrementally, then the entries would be
omitted.)  As a result, the installation operation might not
preserve directory entries in the application archives which
were updated.

In the case of this APAR, the customer used the presence of a
directory entry to signify the presence of particular function.
By removing the directory entries, the WebSphere application
tooling caused the customer application code to fail with an
exception.

Problem conclusion

The problem was resolved by making a code update to ensure
that directory entries are added for all parent directories of
entities processed by the specific code which is used to perform
application operations.

Note: The code update does not cause empty directories to be
preserved.  Only  directories which are parents of concrete
files are preserved.  Also, directory entries will be added
even if the original application archive did not have these
directory entries.

The fix for this APAR is currently targeted for inclusion in
fixpacks 6.1.0.21 and 7.0.0.1.  Please refer to the Recommended
Updates page for delivery information:
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg27004980

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number
PK71985
Reported component name
WEBSPHERE APP S
Reported component ID
5724J0800
Reported release
61I
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt
Submitted date
2008-09-11
Closed date
2008-09-30
Last modified date
2009-03-16

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
WEBSPHERE APP S
Fixed component ID
5724J0800

Applicable component levels

R61A PSY
UP
R61H PSY
UP
R61I PSY
UP
R61P PSY
UP
R61S PSY
UP
R61W PSY
UP
R61Z PSY
UP
R700 PSY
UP

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SSEQTP","label":"WebSphere Application Server"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"6.1","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
28 December 2021

Tips

PK71985: APPLICATION SAVE DOES NOT CREATE PARENT ENTRIES

Fixes are available

Subscribe

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

Local fix

Problem summary

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number

Reported component name

Reported component ID

Reported release

Status

PE

HIPER

Special Attention

Submitted date

Closed date

Last modified date

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

Fixed component ID

Applicable component levels

R61A PSY

R61H PSY

R61I PSY

R61P PSY

R61S PSY

R61W PSY

R61Z PSY

R700 PSY

Document Information

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