- Info
Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I use Aktion DataLink/400 if Domino is running on
a different AS/400 than my applications?
Aktion DataLink/400 must be installed on the Domino Server AS/400. The
application loader and trigger programs that you create, based on the sample
application programs, will of course run on the AS/400 containing your
application files. For reasons of speed and data integrity, these
trigger programs should always output to local copies of the Aktion DataLink/400
transaction files. The sample application library includes source
for these transaction files, and also contains a Remote System Transfer
utility called DLKSTRNP, which will move transactions from local copies
of transaction files DLKTRAN2 and DLKTRMS2 to the Aktion DataLink/400 transaction
files on a different system. This transfer job uses Distributed Data
Management (DDM) files, which must be set up to point to the Aktion DataLink/400
transaction files on the Domino Server AS/400 system. The command
DLKRMTSET is provided to set up the DDM files, and the command DLKRSTAT
can be used to display the status of and control the Remote System Transfer
utility.
- Can I use Aktion DataLink/400 to update Notes databases
on a different Domino server than the one it is running on?
Yes. The Domino Server Name entered on the DLKSETUP screen can
be any valid Domino server that is available on the network, and does not
have to be on an AS/400 server. The Notes Domino Data Directory Path
that is specified in DLKSETUP must be the path for the local AS/400 Domino
server. The Notes Mail File Path for Aktion DataLink/400, however, must exist
on the Domino Server specified above it, and the path is relative to the
Domino Data Directory Path for that server. There must also be a
valid cross certificate set up to validate the Domino server running
Aktion DataLink/400 to the Domino server containing the databases to be
updated, if they are different servers.
- Why do the sample trigger programs update all document
fields, even if only one field has changed?
These programs could be modified to update only the changed fields,
and they would still work most of the time. While this would cut
down on the number of transactions generated, it would probably NOT speed
up their processing significantly, because the Notes API programs appear
to spend most of the processing time searching for, opening, and closing
each document, and very little time updating the individual fields in the
document. The main drawback to this approach, and the main reason
we don't recommend it, is that if the Notes database were to get out of
synch with the AS/400 file for any reason, and a field is updated in an
AS/400 record where the Notes document is missing, then a Notes document
will be created that contains only the updated field, and the other fields
will be blank.
- How can Aktion DataLink/400 be used to feed data into more
than one Domino server?
A copy of Aktion DataLink/400 would have to be installed into a different
library for each Domino server. A multiple copy license would have
to be obtained for Aktion DataLink/400. Each copy of Aktion DataLink/400
would be set up to link to a different Domino server name.
- Why does Aktion DataLink/400 keep creating duplicate documents
instead of updating the existing ones?
There is probably a problem with the "document keys" view that you
have created for Aktion DataLink/400 to find the documents to be updated.
Display the view and make sure that all of the existing documents are visible
in the view, and also that the displayed key values match the key values
in the transaction records that are being formatted by your trigger programs.
- Why is Aktion DataLink/400 creating documents containing
incorrect Computed for Display fields?
There is currently a problem with the way the Notes document creation
API handles Computed for Display fields. If all of the computed fields
on the form are defined as Computed for Display, the API will incorrectly
insert these fields into the new document, and the Computed for Display
feature will not work. This can be easily prevented by also defining
at least one Computed field on the form (even if it is a hidden field),
if Computed for Display fields are going to be used. The API will
create the fields properly if both Computed and Computed for Display fields
are defined.
- How should the data be formatted to correctly update
the numeric or date fields in my documents?
In general, the data that is placed in the transaction record by the
trigger programs should be formatted exactly the same way that a user would
manually enter the data into the Notes document field. For example,
date fields should be formatted as "mm/dd/yy" or "mm/dd/yyyy" (in North
America), and numbers should be formatted with decimal places, no commas,
and leading minus signs (using RPG edit code "P").
- How do I find the cause of a Aktion DataLink/400 error status?
If Aktion DataLink/400 has not been shut down, display the Aktion DataLink/400
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transaction processor jobs in subsystem DATALINK using the WRKACTJOB command.
The database transaction processor job is named DLKTRNP, and the message
transaction processor job is named DLKMSGP. Use option 5 to display
the job, and then option 10 to display the job log. Press F10 to
display all messages, F18 to go to the bottom, and page up if necessary
to find any diagnostic messages that indicate the nature of the problem.
If the Aktion DataLink/400 job has been ended, a printed job log will be created
in the spooled output files for user DATALINK.
- What does the error message “Missing or invalid index
key column number” mean?
This means that the "document keys" view that you have created for Aktion
DataLink/400 to find the documents does not have the "sorted" property
selected for the first column.
- What does the error message “Invalid field name”
mean?
This means that a field name specified in one of the transaction records
does not exist in the Notes form for the document being created or updated.
Make sure the form on the Domino server is current and that multiple forms
do not exist with the same alias name.
DECS and Aktion DataLink/400 - Frequently
Asked Questions
- Why is Aktion DataLink/400 reporting transaction errors
when it attempts to add new documents?
If DECS is configured to monitor the Create event, Aktion DataLink/400 will
not be able to add new documents! When Aktion DataLink/400 attempts to add
a document, DECS tries to add the corresponding record to the AS/400 file,
and of course fails because the record already exists. This causes
the Notes document creation to fail, and Aktion DataLink/400 reports a transaction
error. The DECS Create event cannot be monitored if Aktion DataLink/400
is also being used to maintain the database.
- Why are my documents disappearing when Aktion DataLink/400
attempts to update them?
If DECS is configured with the "Delete/Insert" option for Key Field
Updates, there is apparently a bug that causes DECS to DELETE
both the Notes document AND the corresponding AS/400 file
record, whenever Aktion DataLink/400 attempts to update an existing
Notes document! Select the "Ignore" option instead of the
"Delete/Insert" option for Key Field Updates.
- Why can't I see the document fields updated by DECS
in my views?
If DECS is configured with the default Data Storage option to "Remove
All RealTime fields from documents", any fields that are updated by DECS
when the document is opened (aka RealTime fields) will be blank in all
views, because the document has not been opened. If the option to
"Leave all RealTime fields in documents" is taken instead, the values in
these fields from the last time the document was opened (or updated by Aktion
DataLink/400) will be visible in views.
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