Technical Notes

Release Notes: Verastream Integration Broker, Version 9.6
Technical Note 10022
Last Reviewed 22-Jan-2004
Applies To
Verastream Integration Broker version 9.0
Summary

This document describes important information about version 9.6 of Verastream Integration Broker. In addition to this document, please see the file vsreadme.txt, located in the root folder of your product CD for further information. This document is presented in the following sections:

New Features in Verastream Integration Broker Version 9.6

-	Composite component interface wizard
-	Exporting and importing CSX pool settings from the command line
-	Object descriptions in Process Integrator
-	Automatic field type mapping in Process Integrator
-	Visual indicator of errors while building scripts in the Visual Script Editor
-	New helper functions: dataInspector and externalProgram
-	Viewing and editing modules in Process Integrator
-	Descriptions now available for all objects in a Data Integrator scheme
-	User-defined expression functions in Data Integrator
-	COBOL Copybooks can now be read from Partitioned Data Sets (PDS)
-	Component Directory user interface improvements
-	Online help installation

Composite component interface wizard

Verastream's Composite Component Interface Wizard guides you through the creation of a composite component interface, which is a definition of methods and parameters that wraps one or more Verastream components or other technologies together. All interface elements of a component, that is its methods, events, parameters, connection information, adapter metadata, table data, documents, and data sets defined within existing components can be reused without the need to redefine them in the composite component interface. For further details, see the Verastream online help.

Exporting and importing CSX pool settings from the command line

The CSX configuration utility allows you to import and export CSX pool settings, thus enabling you to quickly and easily duplicate switches from one configuration to another. You can either import and export switch settings from either the graphical user interface of the CSX configuration utility or from the command line. For further details, see the Verastream online help.

Object descriptions in Process Integrator

Process Integrator now supports descriptions for objects.

Automatic field type mapping in Process Integrator

In Process Integrator, when you drag a field and drop it on a parameter or field assignment of different type, a conversion function that performs the required conversion will be automatically inserted into your script.

Visual indicator of errors while building scripts in the Visual Script Editor

While building a script in Process Integrator, statements that contain an illegal field or parameter assignment will be outlined in red in the Script Pane to indicate that they contain one or more errors.

New helper functions: dataInspector and externalProgram

Two new helper functions, dataInspector 'show' and externalProgram 'execute' have been added to Process Integrator. The dataInspector 'show' function allows you to display and modify selected data within your composite application during runtime. This makes it possible to inspect, at the data level, the current value of fields, structures, tables, and streams at any point during the execution of your composite application.

The externalProgram 'execute' function allows you to run an external program from within your composite application. In previous versions, this function was only available from the Verastream Scripting Language (VSL) scripts.

For further details, see the Verastream online help.

Viewing and editing modules in Process Integrator

It is now possible to view and edit modules in Process Integrator. In previous versions, the only way to view and edit modules was from the Component Developer application. For further details, see the Verastream online help.

Descriptions now available for all objects in a Data Integrator scheme

Data Integrator now supports descriptions for all objects in a scheme. Whenever you click a scheme object in Data Integrator, a new Description tab is available which you can use to create meaningful descriptions for scheme objects.

User-defined expression functions in Data Integrator

Data Integrator now supports the use of user-defined expression functions in Data Integrator schemes.

COBOL Copybooks can now be read from Partitioned Data Sets (PDS)

Verastream is now able to read COBOL Copybooks from partitioned data sets (PDS). For further details, see the Verastream online help.

Component Directory user interface improvements

Component Directory is now named VCP Component Directory Explorer to clarify that it is applicable only to Verastream VCP server components (not other component types). Running server components are highlighted in green for easy identification. The working directory and start command are shown at the bottom of the VCP Component Directory Explorer (rather than columns) to eliminate the need for horizontal scrolling to see this information.

Online help installation

Online help documentation is now automatically installed with the product. You no longer need to separately download and install online help after product installation.

Known Issues in Verastream Integration Broker Version 9.6

Following is a list of known issues for this version 9.6 release of Verastream Integration Broker:

-	In Process Integrator, you can unregister a composite application, even if you use an invalid username/password combination
-	The demonstration application Schedule the SAP BW Scheduler (bwschedule.lgc) cannot be opened in Process Integrator, even though it is a composite application
-	The SAP/R3 demonstration application does not function on Solaris

Following is a list of known issues for this 9.6 release of Verastream for Siebel and the Siebel adapter:

-	If you stop a running IO or VBC component, you cannot restart it
-	The example business service composite application, busserv.lgc, does not function on Siebel 2000
-	Notes on using Verastream for Siebel on Solaris
-	Notes on using Java Data Beans Connections
-	In Siebel 7.03, an error occurs in the SAP/R3 demonstration application
-	The user properties for the Siebel Business Component Account Sample (vs_vbc_acc7.sif) are incorrect
-	If you connect to your Siebel Server through a Java Data Beans connection, in some cases it is not possible to select properties from hierarchical listboxes
-	In Process Integrator, if you delete a component from the Siebel repository, the properties for that component remain
-	In some cases, the Siebel Download Customers demonstration fails with the message "Cannot connect to server"
-	Problem with Siebel Sample Integration Script
-	Verastream for Siebel eBusiness Applications: Lost repository connections

In Process Integrator, you can unregister a composite application, even if you use an invalid username/password combination

In Process Integrator, if you are unregistering a composite application using a user account and you provide invalid username/password credentials, the error message "Invalid password or no privileges to check passwords. Do you want to continue?" appears. If you click Yes, the composite application is unregistered, even though the username/password credentials are invalid.

The demonstration application Schedule the SAP BW Scheduler (bwschedule.lgc) cannot be opened in Process Integrator, even though it is a composite application

A demonstration application file named bwschedule.lgc, which is part of a series of files installed in the examples/bwschedule folder intened to show Verastream Integration Broker's Schedule the SAP BW Scheduler abilities, cannot be opened in Process Integrator.

The SAP/R3 demonstration application does not function on Solaris

Because the SAP/R3 demonstration is a COM-based application, it will not function on the Solaris platform.

If you stop a running IO or VBC component, you cannot restart it

If you stop an outbound component that implements an Integration Object (IO) or Virtual Business Component (VBC) interface to Siebel, you cannot restart it. IO components fail to restart with no error message, and VBC components fail with the following error message:

The example business service composite application, busserv.lgc, does not function on Siebel 2000

The sample composite application named busserv.lgc, which demonstrates how to use Business Services with Siebel, does not function on the Siebel 2000 platform.

Notes on using Verastream for Siebel on Solaris

You must make the following modifications to the Verastream Gateway Business Service on Solaris. Follow these steps:

1. Open Siebel Tools.
2. Select Business Service - Verastream Gateway.
3. Right-click Edit Service Scripts.
4. In the General section, click the SendReceive_IO_Message function and expand it.
5. Remove the standard call convention (STDCALL) parameter from the function.
6. In the General section, click the SendReceive_VBS_Message function and expand it.
7. Remove the standard call convention (STDCALL) parameter from the function.
8. Right-click Edit Server Script.
9. Select "Declarations."
10. Change the line:

11. Copy the file vssblgw.ini to the Siebel server/bin directory.
12. Copy the file vssblgw.so to the Siebel server/lib directory.

Notes on using Java Data Beans Connections

Verastream connects to Siebel through either Siebel COM Data Server or Java Data Beans. For instructions on how to connect to Siebel via COM or JDB, refer to Siebel Connection Management. If you connect to Siebel via Java Data Beans, you will need to do the following:

1. If they are not installed already, install the Java Data Beans .jar files provided on your Siebel CD-ROM on your Siebel System.

2. Add these jar files to java directory in the Verastream installation directory. Or add these files to Verastream's VSCLASSPATH environment variable in the sn.ini file. Uncomment and check the JAVA_LIBPATH variable in sn.ini to see if it is using the path you wish to use.

Siebel release	Java Data Beans
Siebel 99.X (5.X)	Not Supported
Siebel 2000 (6.X)	Supported JDK 1.1.7
Siebel 7	Supported JDK 1.2.2
Siebel 7.5	Supported JDK 1.2.2

In Siebel 7.03, an error occurs in the SAP/R3 demonstration application

If your siebel.cfg file contains the following settings:

and you use COM to connect to the Siebel repository, when you attempt to add a record using account.addrecord, the following error messages display:

To work around this problem, comment out the two lines specified above in the Siebel.cfg file.

The user properties for the Siebel Business Component Account Sample (vs_vbc_acc7.sif) are incorrect

As shipped, the properties in the Siebel Business Component Account sample file (vs_vbc_acc7.sif) are incorrect. To correct the problem, follow these steps:

1. In Siebel tools, import C:\Verastream\demo\siebel\vs_vbc_acc7.sif.
2. Select Business component\Account Sample VBC in Siebel Tools Explorer.
3. Select Business component\business component User Properties.
4. Ensure that the following properties are set as follows:

5. Recompile the siebel.srf (the Siebel Server must be stopped).
6. Restart the Siebel Server.

If you connect to your Siebel Server through a Java Data Beans connection, in some cases it is not possible to select properties from hierarchical listboxes

If you connect to your Siebel Server through a Java Data Beans connection, the error message "Value not found in listbox" may display when you attempt to select a value for a property from a hierarchical list.

In Process Integrator, if you delete a component from the Siebel repository, the properties for that component remain

If you add a component from the Siebel repository to a composite application in Process Integrator and then delete it, the next Siebel component you add will default to the properties of previously deleted Siebel component. In some cases, these properties may be incorrect for the current component, therefore be sure to check the default properties of Siebel components you add from the repository.

In some cases, the Siebel Download Customers demonstration fails with the message "Cannot connect to server"

If the Siebel Down Customers demonstration fails with the error message specified above, follow these steps:

1. Open the file snregtab.dat file, located in the Verastream/pardir directory, in a text editor.
2. Locate the line:

3. Enclose the line above in quotes:

4. Save the file and rerun the demo.

Problem with Siebel Sample Integration Script

If you see an error such as "Component can not connect to server" or "Registration failed" when running the Siebel Sample Integration Script, you may be able to fix the problem by editing the snregtab.dat file. In the file, change this line:

so that it includes quotes around the path:

Finally, remove two spaces from the beginning of the line so that the line ends in the same place as before.

Verastream for Siebel eBusiness Applications: Lost repository connections

You can establish a live connection to a Siebel repository using JDB (Java Data Beans) or COM. If you have multiple connections using different types of connections, you may find that your connections are lost as you switch from one repository to another. If this happens, try to exit and then restart the Verastream Repository Manager. (This problem is due to a known Siebel issue.)

Related Technical Notes

10041	Release Notes: Verastream Integration Broker, Version 9.7
10999	Verastream Integration Broker Technical Notes