PM72354: CLEARTOOL FIND -FOLLOW ERRORS WITH 'NOT A VOB OBJECT' WHEN A CROSS-VOB SYMBOLIC LINK IS ENCOUNTERED IN A SNAPSHOT VIEW

Rational ClearCase Fix Pack 09 (7.1.2.9) for 7.1.2
Rational ClearCase Fix Pack 05 (8.0.0.5) for 8.0

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• When you use a cleartool find command in an IBM Rational
  ClearCase snapshot view where there is a  cross-VOB symbolic
  link, which points to a target element in another VOB, certain
  variations of the find command produce the following error:
  cleartool: Error: Not a vob object:
  
  For example, using two VOBs, /vobs/cross1 containing a symbolic
  link c.txt pointing to /vobs/cross2/c.txt.
  
  In a snapshot view where both VOBs are loaded, the command
  returns an error on the symbolic link from /vobs/cross1:
  
  The cleartool ls command shows the link :
  
  [user@machine cross1]$ cleartool ls
  a.txt@@/main/1                                           Rule:
  /main/LATEST
  b.txt@@/main/1                                           Rule:
  /main/LATEST
  c.txt --? ../cross2/c.txt
  lost+found@@/main/0                                      Rule:
  /main/LATEST
  
  
  [user@machine cross1]$ cleartool find . -type f -nxname -follow
  -print
  ./a.txt
  ./b.txt
  cleartool: Error: Not a vob object: './c.txt'.
  
  Adding the 'link' type to find context does not resolve the
  issue:
  
  [user@machine cross1]$ cleartool find . -type fl -nxname -follow
  -print
  ./a.txt
  ./b.txt
  cleartool: Error: Not a vob object: './c.txt'.
  
  Keeping the link type and removing -follow does give the desired
  results in this case. However other symbolic links will not be
  traversed.
  
  [user@machine cross1]$ cleartool find . -type fl -nxname -print
  ./a.txt
  ./b.txt
  ./c.txt
  
  In a dynamic view, you see the expected behavior:
  
  [user@machine cross1]$ cleartool find . -type f -nxname -follow
  -print
  ./a.txt
  ./b.txt
  ./c.txt
  
  
  Steps to reproduce:
  
  1. Create a relative symbolic link in one VOB pointing to a file
  element in another VOB.
  2. Load both VOBs in a snapshot view.
  3. Issue a find command similar to the following in the VOB
  containing the symbolic link.
   cleartool find . -type fl -nxname -follow -print
  
  Workarounds:
  
  1. Use a dynamic view to search for cross-VOB symbolic links.
  2. Avoid the '-follow' switch in cleartool find commands.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  Use of cross-VOB symbolic links within a snapshot view may
  cause the cleartool find command to fail with Error: Not a
  vob object.
  

Problem conclusion

• A fix is available in ClearCase 7.1.2.9 and 8.0.0.5
  

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

  CLEARCASE WIN

• Fixed component ID

  5724G2900

Applicable component levels

• R712 PSN

     UP