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 
  

• 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.