Running a TRCCNN Trace for LAN Printing Problems

1. Before starting the trace, maximize the message logging level for the job(s):
   For remote output queues:  
          CHGJOBD JOBD(QSPLRMTW LOG(4 00 *SECLVL) LOGCLPGM(*YES)
   For *LAN 3812 printer devices and printer sessions:  
          CHGJOBD JOBD(QSPLPRTW LOG(4 00 *SECLVL) LOGCLPGM(*YES)
2. End and restart the writer:
   To end and restart a remote writer:
          ENDWTR WTR(WriterName)
          STRRMTWTR OUTQ(LibraryName/RemoteOutputQueueName)
   To end and restart a *LAN writer:
          ENDWTR WTR(WriterName)
          STRPRTWTR DEV(WriterName)
   To restart a printer session:
          On the PC, disconnect and reconnect, or close and reopen the printer session.  This will end and restart the writer on the system.
3. Start the connection trace:
   TRCCNN SET(*ON) TRCTYPE(*IP) TRCTBL(PrinterName) SIZE(160000) TCPDTA(*N () () *N 'xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx')
   **Where PrinterName is the name of the writer being traced and xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of the printer
   
   It is recommended that the Trace table name (TRCTBL) be set to the printer device or writer name, particularly if the trace will run over night or if the trace needs to ended from another display session or job.  If the default value of TRCTBL(*GEN) is used, the trace table name will be QTRCCNNxxxxxx where xxxxxx is the job number of the job that issued the TRCCNN command.
   
   Note: When collecting a TRCCNN trace for a *LAN 3812 SNMP printer device description, the trace will typically include frames over the TCP port specified in the Port number (PORT) parameter in the *LAN 3812 DEVD, as well as UDP port 161, which is used to communicate printer status information.
4. Re-create the problem.
5. End the trace:
   When ending the trace, there are two ways to format the data:
   a.  Stream file packet capture (.pcap)
   b.  Spooled file
   It is recommended to format the trace in stream file packet capture (.pcap).  Your network team, third party application, or printer hardware vendor can also review the trace in this format.
   
   To end the trace and format the output in .pcap format:
         NOTE:  Do not retrieve (F9=Retrieve) the previous TRCCNN command as it contains parameters that are not valid when ending the trace.
         Create a directory for the trace data:
                CRTDIR DIR('/PrinterName')
         End the trace:
                TRCCNN SET(*OFF) TRCTBL(PrinterName) OUTPUT(*STMF) TOSTMF('/PrinterName/PrinterName.pcap')                                                                   
   To end the trace and format the output in spooled file format:
         NOTE:  The OVRPRTF and DLTOVR commands are recommended to prevent the resulting spooled files from printing.
         OVRPRTF FILE(*PRTF) HOLD(*YES) OVRSCOPE(*JOB)
         TRCCNN SET(*OFF) TRCTBL(PrinterName) OUTPUT(*PRINT) CCSID(*ASCII)
         DLTOVR FILE(*PRTF) LVL(*JOB)
   Two spooled files named QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT will be created.  The spooled file named QSYSPRT will have the User Data of TRCCNN.
6. Send in the trace and other data:
   Collect the following additional information:
   a.  WRKOUTQD OUTQ(QUSRSYS/PrinterName) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
   b.  DSPDEVD DEVD(PrinterName) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
   c.  WRKJOB JOB(PrinterName)
            Note the active job number
            DSPJOBLOG JOB(nnnnnn/QSPLJOB/PrinterName) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
            **Where nnnnnn is the active writer job number
   d.  If the reported issue is with incorrect output, the spooled file attributes of the spooled file that printed when the trace was active:
           Select option 8=Attributes next to the spooled file and note the Job, User, Number, File Name and Number at the top, then issue:
            WRKSPLFA FILE(SpooledFileName) JOB(NNNNNN/User/JobName) SPLNBR(SSSS) OUTPUT(*PRINT)
            **Where NNNNNN is the job number and SSSS is the spooled file number
   d.  WRKPTFGRP then press F6=Print
   e.  DSPPTF OUTPUT(*PRINT)
    
   Use one of the following methods to send the data to IBM:
   Option 1:  Use MustGather tools (easiest):
   If QMGTOOLS library does not exist on the system, it can be obtained and installed using the following document:
   MustGather: How to obtain and Install QMGTOOLS and keep it current 
   
   To send the trace in .pcap format:
         ADDLIBLE LIB(QMGTOOLS)
         GO MG
         Select option 10. FTP data to IBM
         Specify FILE TYPE as *IFS
         Specify the Sales Force# (if present) as <YourCaseNumber>
         Page down and specify the IFS file as /PrinterName/PrinterName.pcap
         Press <ENTER>
   
   To send the trace in spooled file format and the other requested data:
         NOTE:  The instructions assume the trace and steps are being performed in the same job.
         ADDLIBLE LIB(QMGTOOLS)
         GO MG
         Select option 23. FTP spoolfile to IBM
         Specify Spool to search as *JOB and press <ENTER>
         Accept the default values for Job name, user and number and press <ENTER>
         Select option 1=Send to IBM next to the requested spooled files and press <ENTER> 
   
   -OR-
   
   Option 2:  Manually upload the data
   Use one of the methods described in MustGather: Instructions for Sending Data to IBM i Support.
7. 
   o The resulting QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT spooled files can be found by using the Work with Job (WRKJOB) command and selecting Option 4 (Work with spooled files) or by using the following WRKJOB command with the Option (OPTION) parameter set to *SPLF:
   
   WRKJOB JOB(*) OPTION(*SPLF)
   
   After the QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT spooled files have been found, they can be printed, faxed through Facsimile Support/400 (FAX/400), or converted to PDF format and e-mailed through Infoprint Server.
   
   o The resulting QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT spooled files can be found within iSeries Navigator by going into the Basic Operations > Printer Output container and bringing up the Printer Output - Include dialog box. Set the User to same user profile used to collect the trace (or to Current user if you were signed on with your own user profile), set the User-specified data to TRCCNN, set everything else to All, and then click on the OK button.
   
   After the QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT spooled files have been found, they can be copied to the PC by dragging them to the Microsoft® Windows® Desktop or to a folder within Windows Explorer.
   
   Note: To bring up the Printer Output - Include dialog box when using R520 iSeries Access for Windows, select View > Customize this View > Include... on the iSeries Navigator menu bar or press the F11 key. To bring up the Printer Output - Include dialog box when using R510 Client Access Express for Windows, select Options > Include... on the Operations Navigator menu bar. For more information, refer to the following document:
   Copying the Text from a Spooled File Using System i Navigator
8. After the QPCSMPRT and QSYSPRT spooled files have been collected and sent in, clear the trace buffer by typing the following Trace Connection (TRCCNN) command:
   
   TRCCNN SET(*END) TRCTBL(trace-name)
   
   Press the Enter key.

To run a TRCCNN trace for an IPDS printer (*LAN *IPDS), do the following:

To run a TRCCNN for an Infoprint Server (*LAN *IPDS) device, do the following:

To run a TRCCNN for communication problems between a PC and the System i when using Infoprint Designer or iSeries Access for Windows, do the following:

The Watch for message (WCHMSG) parameter can be used to automatically end the TRCCNN trace as soon as one of up to five message identifiers have been added to a particular message queue. When any one of the five messages are added to the specified message queue or log, the trace exit program is called. If no trace exit program is defined, the trace stops immediately. This can be particularly useful when tracing a communications problems where a specific message is issued at the time of the failure.

If the WCHMSG parameter is set to a value other than *NONE, you must also set the Watched message queue (WCHMSGQ) parameter to specify the message queue to watch for the message. This can be set to *SYSOPR to watch for messages that are added to the QSYSOPR message queue, *JOBLOG to watch for messages added to the job logs of the jobs specified for the Watched job (WCHJOB) parameter, *HSTLOG to watch for messages that are added to the History Log (the QHST message queue in library QSYS), or you can watch for messages that are added to a specific message queue. In the case of tracing print data sent through a printer writer or a remote writer, it is probably best to use WCHMSGQ(*JOBLOG) and specify the writer job on the WCHJOB parameter.

This is useful to have a TRCCNN trace end as soon as certain messages are issued to the QSYSOPR message queue in library QSYS, the system History Log (the QHST message in library QSYS), or to the job log of the jobs specified in the Watched job (WCHJOB) parameter.


Watching for Specific Messages Sent to the Writer Job Log

In the case of a writer job, you could have the trace watch for certain messages being issued to the writer job log. This can be done by specifying up to five message IDs in the WCHMSG parameter of the TRCCNN command, setting the Watched message queue (WCHMSGQ) parameter to *JOBLOG, and setting the Watched job (WCHJOB) parameter to monitor one or more writer jobs.

For example, to trace a specific IP address and to watch for specific messages sent to the job log for a specific writer job, you can set the Watch for message (WCHMSG) parameter to the list of message IDs, set the Watched message queue (WCHMSGQ) parameter to *JOBLOG, and set the Watched job (WCHJOB) parameter to specify the writer job name with the job user set to QSPLJOB and the job number set to *ALL. For example:

TRCCNN SET(*ON) TRCTYPE(*IP) SIZE(160000)
       TCPDTA(*N () () '192.168.20.11')
       WCHMSG((msgid_1) (msgid_2) (msgid_3))
       WCHMSGQ((*JOBLOG))WCHJOB((*ALL/QSPLJOB/PRT05))

It is probably best to first look through the writer job log to see which error messages were issued the last time the failure occurred and then setup a TRCCNN trace to watch for those messages. Or if failure causes the writer to end then you could watch for the following message ID which is used to indicate the end of any job:

MSGCPF1164: Job &3/&2/&1 ended on &5 at &4; &6 seconds used; end code &8 &13.

Otherwise, below are some example error messages than are sometimes seen when having issues printing through a *LAN 3812 PJL, SNMP and IPP device description, a *LAN IPDS device description, a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ), or a *LAN 3812 device description that uses the LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility.


Example Message IDs to Watch for *LAN 3812 PJL, SNMP and IPP DEVDs

When diagnosing issues with a *LAN 3812 device description that uses the PJL, SNMP or IPP protocols, it may be useful to watch for certain message IDs, such as the following:

MSGCPD337C: The session with device &1 ended abnormally.

MSGCPI404F: Problem with device &1.

MSGCPD337F: Remote device rejected an attempt by the writer to open a connection.

MSGCPD337A: An error occurred while printing on device &1.


Example Message IDs to Watch for *LAN IPDS DEVDs

When diagnosing issues with a *LAN IPDS device description, it may be useful to watch for other certain message IDs, such as the following:

MSGPQT3311: Program font table does not match font table in device &9.

MSGPQT3621: The session with device &8 ended abnormally.

MSGPQT3603: Connection with device &8 cannot be established.

MSGPQT3625: Connection with device &8 is being retried.

MSGPQT3630: Device &8 returned negative acknowledgment with sense data.

MSGPQT3661: Image Specification Check exception at printer &8.

MSGPQT3665: Bar Code Specification Check exception at printer &8.

MSGPQT3675: Data stream exception at printer &8.

MSGTCP3427: Remote host system rejected the open attempt.


Example Message IDs to Watch for RMTOUTQs and *LAN 3812 TSPLPRD DEVDs

When diagnosing issues with a Remote Output Queue (RMTOUTQ), or *LAN 3812 device description that uses the LPR Print Driver (TSPLPRD) utility, it may be useful to watch for other certain message IDs, such as the following:

MSGTCP3701: Send request failed for spooled file &1.

MSGTCP342F: Remote host system closed connection unexpectedly.

MSGCPF3437: Writer &1 stopped writing file &4 at record &9.


Formatting the TRCCNN Trace for ASCII

If you or your IBM i Support Rep need the trace formatted for ASCII, which would typically be need for RMTOUTQs or for any type of *LAN device description other than *LAN IPDS device descriptions, you can use the following Change Command Default (CHGCMDDFT) command on the Trace Connection (TRCCNN) command to have the Coded character set identifier (CCSID) parameter default to *ASCII instead of *EBCDIC:

CHGCMDDFT CMD(QSYS/TRCCNN) NEWDFT('CCSID(*ASCII)')

Once the problem has been reproduced and the TRCCNN trace has been collected, use the following CHGCMDDFT command on the TRCCNN command to reset the CCSID parameter back to the default value of *EBCDIC:

CHGCMDDFT CMD(QSYS/TRCCNN) NEWDFT('CCSID(*EBCDIC)')