PM61789: SAVING XML CONFIG DATA CAN CREATE LINES OVER 2048 CHARACTERS

Fixes are available

APAR status

Closed as program error.

Error description

When server XML configuration data was viewed and then saved,
the save can create lines which are excessively long (over 2048
characters) causing the server.xml file to get corrupted.

Local fix

Problem summary

****************************************************************
* USERS AFFECTED:  All users of IBM WebSphere Application      *
*                  Server V6.1, V8.0, and V8.5                 *
****************************************************************
* PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: The serialization strategy              *
*                      for XML configuration files             *
*                      (e.g., "server.xml") allows line        *
*                      lengths to exceed 2048 characters.      *
****************************************************************
* RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
****************************************************************
Line lengths which exceed a length of 2048 characters can
cause the creation of unusable configuration files when
standard utility text editors are used to edit the
configuration files.

A problem occurs because the utility text editors truncate
lines which have a length greater than 2048 characters.  That
results in a non-valid, unusable, configuration file.

The problem occurs without warning when performing a save.

The resulting unusable configuration file typically prevents
the profile from being used, and requiring a restoration of
the server configuration from a previous state.

Problem conclusion

APAR PM61789 is provided as a safeguard against the
creation of usuable configuration files.  APAR PM61789
introduces a new custom property,
'com.ibm.websphere.resource.xmlConfigMaxLineLength' which sets
a limit for line lengths.  The property is set with an integer
value in the range of 80 to 2046, inclusive.  When set, the
save of an XML configuration file attempts to limit line
lengths to the limit set by the property.  A line break is
inserted into valid white-space regions when the length of an
output line exceeds the limit.

The property must be set as a custom property in all processes
which save XML configuration files.  This is usually any
processing performing administrative operations, and any
server process.

(In XML files, white space regions may have any number of
white-space characters, which are handled as a single white
space token when the file is parsed.  As a result, for valid
white space regions, addition of line breaks does not change
the logical XML content.)

Note: The limit is not always achievable.  For example, a text
region which is longer than limit must still be written on a
single line, as line breaks cannot be inserted in to the text
region without changing the text content.  The XML save
algorithm does a "best attempt" to limit lines to the set limit.

APAR PM61789 APAR requires changes to documentation.

NOTE: Periodically, we refresh the documentation on our Web
site, so the changes might have been made before you read this
text. To access the latest on-line documentation, go to the
product library page at:

http://www.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/library

The following changes to the WebSphere Application Server
Version 6.1 Information Center will be made available in
September, 2012.

The following description of the
com.ibm.websphere.resource.xmlConfigMaxLineLength custom
property, that is included in the topic "Java virtual machine
custom properties":

com.ibm.websphere.resource.xmlConfigMaxLineLength

Use this property to specify a preferred maximum line length
for XML configuration documents.

Lines at the beginning of a server.xml file often exceeds 2048
characters in length. Lines exceeding 2048 characters in
length cannot be processed by common text editing tools on
some operating systems, such as z/OS. Therefore, when you edit
and save a file that includes lines exceeding 2048 characters,
the long lines are truncated. This truncation makes the
configuration file unusable, and causes the server startup to
fail.

If you specify a value for this the property, when you edit
and save an XML configuration document, the line breaks will
occur as soon as possible after the number of characters in
the line reaches the specified maximum number of allowable
characters. The line breaks still occur at logical breaking
points, which is why the line lengths might still exceed the
specified maximum. Therefore the value you specify for this
property should take into account the number of characters
that might exceed the specified maximum to ensure that none of
the lines in the document exceed 2048 characters.

An acceptable value for this property is an integer in the
range 80 to 2046, inclusive.

There is no default value for this property.  If you do not
specify a value for this property, lines are allowed to grow
to any length.

If you decide to use this custom property, you must specify it
as an application server JVM custom property.

The following paragraph will be added to the "Changing
configuration documents" section of the topic "Configuration
documents"

You can add the
com.ibm.websphere.resource.xmlConfigMaxLineLength Java Virtual
Machine custom property to the JVM configuration settings for
your application server if you want to limit the line lengths
in saved XML configuration documents. See the topic Java
Virtual Machine custom properties for more information about
this property.

A link to the the topic "Java Virtual Machine custom
properties" will also be added to the "Related links" section
of this topic.

APAR PM61789 is currently targeted for inclusion WebSphere
Application Server Fix Packs 6.1.0.45, 8.0.0.5, and 8.5.0.1.

The fix will also be delivered as sysrouted APAR PM68025 in
WebSphere Application Server V7.0 Fix Pack 7.0.0.25 for z/OS.

Please refer to URL:
//www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=404&uid=swg27006970
for Fix Pack availability.

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

APAR number
PM61789
Reported component name
WEBSPHERE FOR Z
Reported component ID
5655I3500
Reported release
610
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
NoHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt
Submitted date
2012-04-03
Closed date
2012-07-05
Last modified date
2012-10-01

APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:
APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

PM68025

Fix information

Fixed component name
WEBSPHERE FOR Z
Fixed component ID
5655I3500

Applicable component levels

R610 PSY UK81646
UP12/09/23 P F209

Fix is available

Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.

[{"Business Unit":{"code":"BU059","label":"IBM Software w\/o TPS"},"Product":{"code":"SS7K4U","label":"WebSphere Application Server for z\/OS"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"6.1","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
28 October 2021

Tips

PM61789: SAVING XML CONFIG DATA CAN CREATE LINES OVER 2048 CHARACTERS

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

R610 PSY UK81646

Fix is available

Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.

Document Information

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