September 2004
HP BridgeWorks Version 3.0A introduces new and innovative features that
enable and support enterprise-level distributed applications, and includes
several important bug fixes.
This file contains information that will help you install and use this
release of HP BridgeWorks.
Software Version
HP BridgeWorks Version 3.0A
Hewlett-Packard Company
© 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Intel,
Intel Inside, and Itanium are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the
Microsoft,
Windows, Windows XP, Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Win32 are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the
Java and
all Java-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. in the
BEA WebLogic Server is a trademark of BEA Systems Inc.
All other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Confidential computer software. Valid license from HP and/or its subsidiaries required for possession, use, or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212, Commercial Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and Technical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Government under vendor’s standard commercial license.
Neither HP nor any of its subsidiaries shall be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. The information in this document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is subject to change without notice. The warranties for HP products are set forth in the express limited warranty statements accompanying such products. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty.
This
Readme file comprises system requirements for both Windows and OpenVMS,
installation instructions for Windows, and release information for both
platforms.
For OpenVMS installation instructions, refer to BWX030A_INSTALLATION_GUIDE.TXT|HTM|PDF|PS, available from the web download page.
Complete product documentation is available from the online Help installed with the Windows BridgeWorks kit.
HP BridgeWorks is a cross-platform tool. Installation consists of:
§
An OpenVMS Alpha kit, to be installed on each
system on which you intend to run BridgeWorks-wrapped servers.
§
A Windows kit for Windows XP or Windows 2000, to
be installed on a development machine, containing the BridgeWorks development
tool, plus runtime libraries for distribution if running Windows-based
components.
Important
VAX is not a supported platform in this release. BridgeWorks Version 2.1A will
continue to be available for wrapping VAX-based applications.
The purpose of BridgeWorks is to encapsulate and
distribute an Alpha-based user application. The server component encapsulates
the application; the middle component distributes it. The source code for both
components is generated on the Windows platform using a GUI-based development
tool.
The generated source code for the server component
must be built on the OpenVMS system that hosts the application. The generated
source code for the middle component can be built on a networked Alpha system
(clustered or not) or a networked Windows system.
The BridgeWorks-generated server component is a native OpenVMS image installed on the system running the wrapped application (which can comprise 3GL server routines, ACMS tasks, DCL procedures, and text files.)
Available on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3, 7.3-1, and 7.3-2
Note: OpenVMS Industry Standard 64 (Itanium) Version 8.2 and OpenVMS Alpha Version 8.2 are not supported in this release.
The BridgeWorks-generated middle component is a JavaBeans, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), or COM server that also acts as a client to the server component to make calls to OpenVMS server routines, tasks, and procedures.
Available platforms for each component type are:
OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3, 7.3-1, and 7.3-2
Windows XP and 2000
The middle component can expose the application you are encapsulating, or wrapping, to clients as JavaBeans, EJB, or COM objects. Only the appropriate source code is generated by BridgeWorks.
Specific limitations are shown below according to component type. Note that COM connections cannot be generated for ACMS tasks or for structure or array definitions in 3GL server routines. Note that transactions are only available for EJB components.
|
Component |
Existing Application |
Transactions |
Structures |
|
EJB |
3GL, ACMS, DCL, Files |
Yes |
Yes |
|
JavaBeans |
3GL, ACMS, DCL, Files |
Not Applicable |
Yes |
|
COM |
3GL, DCL, Files |
No |
No |
Not supported in this release:
Tru64
UNIX is not available as a target platform for middle components in this
release.
Cross-platform
limitations apply to COM:
Cross-platform COM connections - where a Windows client communicates with
an Alpha-based middle component - have produced inconclusive results related to
account and security issues. The following configurations are recommended
instead:
1. Windows client to Windows COM middle component.
2. OpenVMS Alpha client to Alpha COM middle component.
Note: Your choice of component architecture should be guided by an understanding of the relative merits and limitations of each component type for your particular distributed application needs. It should take into account any preexisting middle-tier application server and client codebase.
These
are the minimum system requirements needed to install BridgeWorks and to build
and run the generated components. “Optional” requirements represent requirements
that are not needed for every type of connection. However, several such
requirements will apply to your particular platform/component selection.
Make sure you
have the latest MUPs, ECOs, and patches for your configuration. Search for
these on the Patch Download page.
http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/patch/mainPage.do
Always
Check Cross-Product Requirements!
Always check for cross-product software requirements, which can change with new
releases. These product requirements may be greater than for BridgeWorks
itself.
For example, to run a BridgeWorks-generated EJB component requires OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 or higher and a Java 2 Runtime Environment 1.3.1 or higher. Each Java SDK and RTE has specific ECO requirements. In addition, WebLogic Server 7.0 (a J2EE 1.2-compliant application server) requires OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 or 7.3-1, the Java 2 SDK 1.3.1-5 or higher, and additional ECOs as specified. (See Section 2.3: Additional OpenVMS Requirements)
2.1 OpenVMS
Server Component - Installation Requirements
OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3, 7.3-1, and 7.3-2
4,500 blocks during installation, 3,500 blocks after installation
System requirements vary enormously depending on the way you deploy your BridgeWorks components.
Server Component - Development Requirements
The C Compiler is required to build all server components:
HP C Version 6.5 for OpenVMS Alpha or higher
Server Component - Optional Development Requirements
For automatic import and build features, you must enable REXEC and FTP services.
TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Version 4.2 or higher
TCP/IP for OpenVMS Home Page
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/network/tcpip.html
Server Component - Optional Runtime Requirements
You can choose between non-transport and transport-based options:
Non-Transport-Based Connections
None for Alpha-only, nontransactional connections.
Transport-Based Connections
You can use choose
either ICC (Intra-cluster Communications) or RPC, or both. (If you
choose both, the BridgeWorks Manager automatically use ICC in a cluster configuration
and RPC in a noncluster configuration.)
ICC for OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 or higher
(Bundled with operating system)
or
DCE RPC Runtime Services Kit Version 1.5 or higher
DCE for OpenVMS Home Page
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/commercial/dce/dce_index.html
For DCE RPC
OpenVMS Alpha DCE Denial of Service
Security Patch Kit
Alpha Security ECO Kit For SSRT3608
http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/patchDocDisplay.do?patchId=ALP_DCE_030_SSRT3608
Middle Component - Optional Development and Runtime Requirements
For middle components, similar requirements apply during development
and at runtime.
For JavaBeans and EJB components
Java 2 SDK (“JDK”) Standard Edition 1.3.1-7 or higher
Runtime only
Java 2 RTE (JRE) Standard Edition 1.3.1-7 or higher
Java Software Patches (ECOs): See Section 2.3: Additional OpenVMS Requirements
Java Technology for Alpha Download Page
http://h18010.www1.hp.com/java/download/
For COM components only
COM for OpenVMS Version 1.3
Compaq C++ 6.5 for OpenVMS Alpha
COM Denial of Service ECO kit for SSRT3608
COM for OpenVMS Home Page
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/products/dcom/
C++ for OpenVMS Home Page
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/commercial/cplus/cplus_index.html
ECO kit for SSRT3608
http://www2.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/patchDocDisplay.do?patchId=DCOM_013_SSRT3608-V0
For EJB components only
A J2EE 1.2-compliant environment
Free 30-day evaluation license available for WebLogic Server.
Download Version 7.0 or 8.1 SP1 for HP OpenVMS.
See Section 2.3: Additional OpenVMS Requirements
BEA WebLogic Server Downloads Page
http://commerce.bea.com/showallversions.jsp?family=WLS
For Transactions (EJB components only)
DECdtm/XA SDK 2.1
This new release of DECdtm/XA ships on OpenVMS Version 7.3-2. It must
be installed as a layered product on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 and 7.3-1.
Note: Version 2.1 is available as a layered product from the BridgeWorks Download page.
BridgeWorks Home Page
http://www.hp.com/go/bridgeworks
Alpha System Recommendations for Java applications
|
|
Best |
Average |
Low |
|
System speed |
Above 500MHz |
500MHz |
Below 500MHz |
|
System memory |
1GB or higher |
512MB |
Minimum 256MB |
“Average” represents the recommended minimums for deploying Enterprise JavaBeans using BEA WebLogic Server.
For ACMS applications
A properly configured ACMS 4.3-or-later system.
Middle Component - Installation Requirements
Windows XP SP1 or Windows 2000 SP2 or higher
Note: 2000 Server or XP Professional recommended in a production
environment.
2003 Server has not been tested.
40MB minimum free disk space
128MB minimum RAM
TCP/IP configured
Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher
Optional Development and Runtime Requirements
For middle components, similar requirements apply during development
and at runtime.
For JavaBeans and EJB components
Java 2 SDK (SDK) Standard Edition 1.3.1 or higher
Runtime only
Java 2 RTE (“JRE”) Standard Edition 1.3.1 or higher
For COM components only
Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 SP5
Note: Visual C++ .NET is not supported and is not a substitute.
For EJB components only
A J2EE 1.2-compliant environment
ECO Downloads for Java 2 SDKs for OpenVMS
ECO Page for 1.4.2
http://h18010.www1.hp.com/java/download/ovms/1.4.2/sdk1.4.2_patches.html
ECO Page for 1.4.1
http://h18010.www1.hp.com/java/download/ovms/1.4.1/sdk1.4.1_patches.html
ECO Page for 1.4.0
http://h18010.www1.hp.com/java/download/ovms/1.4.0/sdk1.4.0_patches.html
ECO Page for 1.3.1
http://h18010.www1.hp.com/java/download/ovms/1.3.1/sdk1.3.1_patches.html
For BEA WebLogic 7.0 or 8.1 SP1 for OpenVMS
BEA WebLogic 8.1 SP1 for OpenVMS Requirements Page
http://edocs.bea.com/platform/suppconfigs/configs81/hpovms73_alpha/81sp1.html
BEA WebLogic 7.0 for OpenVMS Requirements Page
http://edocs.bea.com/platform/suppconfigs/configs70/hpovms73_alpha/70sp1.html
Installation
involves setting up HP BridgeWorks on (at least) two systems:
§
Installing the BridgeWorks Manager, development
tool utilities, runtime library and support files on OpenVMS.
(For
OpenVMS installation instructions, see the BWX030A_INSTALLATION_GUIDE.TXT |HTM|PDF|PS,
available from the web download page.)
§
Installing the BridgeWorks development tool,
runtime library and support files on Windows.
Note: The BridgeWorks Version 3.0A Windows kit can only be used in conjunction with the corresponding Version 3.0A OpenVMS kit. Subsequent field test and production releases will require both installations to be repeated with the up-to-date kits.
You
should uninstall Version 3.0 before installing Version 3.0A of BridgeWorks.
This is a required step to ensure all files are properly replaced.
Before you begin
Back up your connection database to preserve your BridgeWorks connection
database.
§
Copy the file BWXData_2_03.mdb to a secure
location before uninstalling BridgeWorks.
Instructions:
HP BridgeWorks should be uninstalled by first using the Windows Control Panel utility and then removing remaining files and directories as necessary.
Follow the standard Windows uninstall procedure. (The following steps
are for Windows XP; some details may differ for Windows 2000):
1.
Click the Windows Start button and click Control
Panel.
2.
Open Add
or Remove Programs, select HP BridgeWorks, and click the Change/Remove button.
3.
Follow any on-screen instructions.
4.
When the uninstall is complete, go to the location
where BridgeWorks was installed (usually, C:\Program Files\HP BridgeWorks) and
delete all remaining files and subdirectories EXCEPT for the BWXData_2_03.mdb
file.
IMPORTANT UPGRADE INFORMATION: If your current version of BridgeWorks is 2.1 or 2.1A, the BridgeWorks installation process will automatically prompt you to import your existing connection definitions into the new Version 3.0 and higher database. Your 2.1/2.1A connection database will not be affected by this procedure.
This is your ONLY opportunity to import your
existing connections unless you rerun the installation.
Before you begin:
§
Your Windows user profile should include
Administrator privileges to install BridgeWorks.
Using BridgeWorks with a
nonprivileged account
After installing, you can use a nonprivileged user account on Windows XP or
2000 to run BridgeWorks. However, if you are installing to an NTFS partition on
Windows 2000, you must choose a directory with read and write privileges to do
so. (The default installation location, under \Program Files\ is protected,
meaning that only users with Administrator accounts are able to run BridgeWorks
on Windows 2000.)
§
As with any Windows installation, you are recommended
to:
-Do a system backup before proceeding.
-Exit all other Windows applications before installing.
§
The BridgeWorks setup includes Microsoft’s ODBC
3.0 files. The installation updates files only if they need to be updated and
creates a new ODBC data source called “BWXData_2_03”. If you have a newer
version of ODBC than 3.0, setup will leave this as is.
Instructions for web download installation
1.
Save the BridgeWorks self-extracting archive (BWX030A_Setup.exe)
to a temporary location on your disk by choosing the option to save the program
to your disk.
2.
In My Computer or Windows Explorer, double-click
the downloaded file and wait for the Setup Wizard to begin.
3.
Follow the on-screen instructions in the Setup
Wizard to complete the installation. You will be prompted for any required information,
including install location on your Windows machine.
Note: Choose the Typical or Custom Install to get all the supplied
files for tutorials and examples.
After Installation:
ALWAYS restart J2EE environments, such as BEA WebLogic Server, or other bean servers, such as Tomcat, after a BridgeWorks installation. Such environments do not automatically refresh shareable images and libraries without being restarted.
Environment Evaluation Wizard
The Environment Evaluation Wizard (EEW) is a utility included in the Windows kit for post-installation diagnostics. For more information, see the EEW.chm Help file that is distributed with the utility in the \HP BridgeWorks\Utilities\EEW directory.
Important: The EEW in this release has not been updated to reflect the current Version 3.0A requirements.
3.3 Running
BridgeWorks on Windows
To start the BridgeWorks development tool:
1.
Click the Windows Start button and click Programs.
2.
Click the BridgeWorks icon in the HP BridgeWorks
program folder.
Using
Help
Context-sensitive and reference-based online Help is available from:
§
The HP BridgeWorks Program Folder:
Click the
BridgeWorks Help icon.
§
The BridgeWorks Development Tool
To get the
Help Contents in the main BridgeWorks window, choose Help Topics from the Help
menu. Press F1 for window-level Help.
To search Help
Click the Search tab, type one or more words, and click List Topics.
To get What’s
This Help in the BridgeWorks Wizard or a dialog box
Click the ? button once and click a control, or select a control and press F1.
To get Topic
Help inside the BridgeWorks Wizard or a dialog box
Click the Help button.
Using the
Tutorials and Examples:
In
Help, open the Quick-Start Tutorials book in the Contents tree.
You’ll find complete instructions for building your first JavaBeans, EJB, or COM connection, including simple clients. Supporting sample files, which are referenced in the tutorial, are included in the BridgeWorks installation kit.
Important:
Disregard references to
VAX as a platform for wrapping applications using BridgeWorks Version 3.0A.
Caution: In Version 3.0A,
some published help topics are not fully updated or applicable to Version 3.0A.
Please Refer to “Key Usage Topics” (linked from the Help Welcome page) for the
most important topics.
Note: Accuracy of web links cannot be guaranteed.
To check for
updated documentation
From
Help, click About Help and click the “Check for Updated Documentation” link.
(This opens a BridgeWorks web page from which you can download newer
documentation than in the installation kit if it is available.)
-
Preparation of 3GL Routines and ACMS Tasks
-
Transport Options
-
Scalability and Your Application
-
Session Options and Your Application
-
Making Configuration Changes
-
Working with Rdb and Oracle9i Databases
-
Debugging Your Server Routines
- Using the Bwx Classes
- Compiling and Running Java Clients
Performance Disclaimer – Please Read
HP
makes no performance claims for BridgeWorks-generated applications. Performance
metrics for HP BridgeWorks are largely dependent on the underlying
cross-platform technologies used by BridgeWorks - including RPC and ICC
transports; COM, Java, and EJB components; J2EE application servers; and DECdtm
and XA protocols for transactions. Given the complexities of distributed
computing and the huge diversity of potential production environments,
including such factors as data throughput and network speed, it is not possible
to make any baseline assertions about the performance you should expect.
For these reasons, it is strongly recommended that you obtain the
advice of a qualified services consultant before embarking on any major or
mission-critical project.
Multi-developer
Support
The
BridgeWorks UI now helps coordinate team members using a shared BridgeWorks
connection database. As developers work
with a connection definition within BridgeWorks, they are registered within the
database itself. If other team members
attempt to work with the same connection definition (in that shared database),
they are notified that it is being modified, as well as who is modifying it.
BridgeWorks then allows the developer to open the connection definition in
read-only mode.
New
Installation Procedures
The OpenVMS kit has been changed to use PCSI, while the Windows kit has been
changed to use the latest Install Shield.
The new installation procedures provide the user with a more robust set
of options, including an enhanced uninstall.
Multi
and Mixed Character Set Support
Java supports many different characters sets.
BridgeWorks now supports the passing of strings based on these many
character sets. This support also
includes the mixing of character sets within a single string.
Better Support for ODS-5 Disks
BridgeWorks has improved its support for the ODS-5 file system. Previously, BridgeWorks had problems seeing
some directories and files with mixed case characters in its name.
Corrected Problems in Version 3.0A
Fixed ACCVIO in BWX$MANAGER
In some rare cases, the BridgeWorks Manager would ACCVIO when it could see, but
not open, a .bwx configuration file.
Although the root cause of the problem is environmental (such as bad
file protections on the .bwx files), this has been fixed so that the Manager no
longer crashes.
Fixed FTP (Import) Issues
Various FTP/browsing errors have been resolved during the ANA import
procedure. These errors include files not being displayed in the file browse
list, and a possible BridgeWorks crash in some cases when a specified directory
is invalid.
Support
for Cross-Platform Transactions
BridgeWorks now enables two-phase commit transactions that originate from a
Java client and are coordinated by a J2EE transaction manager, such as BEA
WebLogic Server. BridgeWorks supplies all the infrastructure components for
OpenVMS integration of DECdtm-based 3GL or ACMS transactional applications and
other resource managers - including transaction-aware databases, such as Rdb
and Oracle9i.
New Transport Options
An enhanced transport-layer architecture optimizes transport by
providing ICC (Intra-cluster Communications), RPC, or no-transport options. ICC provides clustered OpenVMS
systems with the fastest transport available. RPC transport no longer requires the DCE RPC developer license.
More-Efficient
Runtime Code
BridgeWorks now uses an improved component architecture that uses optimized
runtime libraries and reduces the amount of user-specific generated code. This
reduces build times, simplifies deployment, and improves maintainability.
New
Server Management Services
The BridgeWorks Manager provides new directory services and server management
for the middle component. This includes load-balancing capabilities, such as
keeping track of available servers and maintaining pools of free servers
(determined by configurable parameters for minimum, maximum, and idle servers)
to speed response times. These extra capabilities allow some connections to
avoid the high cost of process creation at server startup.
SYSUAF-Based
Security
BridgeWorks now supports OpenVMS SYSUAF-based client authentication. This means
that server processes will start up in the BridgeWorks default (SYSTEM or
another specified) account, and clients will be able to use a log-in and
log-out method to access other OpenVMS accounts required to use the wrapped
application.
Enhanced
Structures
An enhanced structures scheme gives you the option of using Java-based get and
set access methods for individual fields. This implementation is consistent
with the getter/setter bean that is recognized by Java IDEs, such as NetBeans.
By using enhanced structures, you can simplify client coding and optimize
call-time performance by doing most data marshaling at the time the values are
being read from and written to the client.
Structures Are an Abstract Class
The BwxStructure class is now an
abstract class, rather than an interface wrapper. Generated structure classes
now inherit from it, which means it is no longer, and can no longer, be
referenced from a Java client. This
greatly simplifies the use of structures from within Java clients.
New BwxDecimal Class
A new BwxDecimal class is available to Java clients.
Previously, OpenVMS decimal string datatypes were handled as Strings. The
BwxDecimal class makes available the full range of Java’s BigDecimal class
operations: basic arithmetic, scale manipulation, comparison, hashing, and
format conversion. (See Section 5: Upgrading)
Enhanced Exceptions
In V3.0 and higher, BridgeWorks
adds enhanced exception handling. There
is now a root exception class, BwxException, and two derived exception classes,
BwxServerException and BwxConnectException.
BwxServerException will be thrown for all server side exceptions, while
BwxConnectException will be thrown for all connection related
errors/exceptions. All three exceptions
thrown by BridgeWorks also make available the internal status, the original OS
status, the severity level, and the facility code of the originator of the
error. This allows a client to
better differentiate and classify the exceptions, and more easily make
decisions based on them.
Version 3.0A of BridgeWorks has been designed to coexist with previous versions of BridgeWorks. This is true for the development and the runtime environments. However, the new scheme is not backward-compatible:
On OpenVMS
Version
3.0 and higher installs an enhanced BridgeWorks Manager. This replaces the
existing Version 2.0/2.1 Manager - using the same process name, BWX$MANAGER -
and renaming the 2.1/2.1A Manager to BWX$MGR_V21. If it is configured to start
automatically, the BWX$MGR_V21 process will continue to be available for 2.1/2.1A
connections.
On Windows
The
BridgeWorks Windows kit installs in C:\Program Files\HP BridgeWorks by default
(whereas previous versions installed in C:\Program Files\Compaq BridgeWorks by
default). The Version 3.0 and higher registry section is also new. The Version 3.0
and higher connection database and data source are also named differently. Note
that the Version 3.0 and higher database is named BWXData_2_03.mdb (and the
Version 2.1/2.1A database was named BWXData_2_02.mdb).
Connection database upgrade
The BridgeWorks installation process prompts you to import existing connections
(in a 2.1 or 2.1A database) into the new database. This is your ONLY opportunity
to perform the automatic import unless you rerun the installation. Your
existing connection database is unaffected. When you generate the code for an
existing connection using Version 3.0 and higher, the new code that will be
generated will be entirely in the new component architecture. It is not
backward-compatible.
Extended Method Code
Extended
method code (customized middle component code) is no longer supported by
BridgeWorks. Any such code in your existing connections will NOT be saved or
regenerated. To find such code, in \middle directories generated by previous
versions of BridgeWorks, do the following:
1.
In a text editor, open COM files named
<Interface>_view.cpp or JavaBeans files named C<Interface>Bean.java
or EJB files named <Interface>EJB.java. (You should find one for each
interface defined in your connection).
2.
Look for the comment // To do: add your
implementation inside the *_PRESERVE tags.
Existing clients
Required
changes to existing client code have been minimized as much as possible. In
fact, COM clients should not require any revision. Java clients previously compiled
in the 2.1/2.1A environment will continue to compile and run in the BridgeWorks
2.1/2.1A environment.
However,
when an existing Java client is recompiled in the
Version 3.0 and higher environment, it will always require a change to its
import statements.
New Package Statement
To use the BridgeWorks-supplied type classes, your client package statements
must be changed from:
import com.compaq.bwx.Bwx<Type>;
to:
import com.hp.bwx.Bwx<Type>;
Example of updated statements:
import com.hp.bwx.BwxLong;
import com.hp.bwx.BwxDecimal;
See Help: Using the Bwx Classes
Further changes are required if your existing clients use the
BwxStructure class, or the BwxString class for decimal string types.
New BwxStructure Class
The BwxStructure class now offers two modes of use: enhanced and standard. If
you are writing new Java clients, you are recommended to use the new Enhanced
mode. If you have existing clients, you can continue using the previous
structure wrapping scheme by making the following change:
Upgrade Step
If you have existing clients, remove explicitly declared BwxStructure
parameters. The structure methods exposed by the middle component now inherit
all the properties of the BwxStructure class.
For example, in 2.1/2.1A, initializing and declaring structures was a two-step process:
structarraystruct mySt = new
structarraystruct();
. . . . . .
BwxStructure p1 = new BwxStructure(mySt);
In Version 3.0 and higher, only the first step is required.
Error handling
BridgeWorks Version 3.0 and higher rearranges and adds
exception classes in order to better differentiate them for the client.
However, depending on the current exception handling used in the client, this
may require changes to the client.
If the client code generically catches the Exception class,
then no changes are required. However, if the client code currently catches the
BwxServerException class explicitly, then this will minimally need to be
changed to BwxException. Optionally, you
can add handlers to catch BwxException, BwxServerException, and BwxConnectException
independently. This allows more flexibility in handling these different
exception types.
All structures now require client error-handling code. This includes
structure code that previously did not throw exceptions in your clients.
Upgrade Step
The
structure constructor ( new ) should always be in a try/catch block or in a routine
that can throw an exception to its calling routine.
See Help: Using the BwxStructure Class
New BwxDecimal Class
Previously, when building a Java client for a BridgeWorks connection, OpenVMS
decimal string datatypes were handled as Strings. This limited the range of
mathematical operations that you could perform on them. The BwxDecimal class
makes available the full range of Java’s BigDecimal class operations.
Upgrade Step
Change references to BwxString classes to BwxDecimal classes. The BwxDecimal
constructor can take BwxString or a regular String as an argument.
Note: Clients can only pass in formats recognizable by the Java BigDecimal class. For example, “+100.0”, but not “100.0+”.
See Help: Using the BwxDecimal Class
New Component Build Commands
Build
scripts have been streamlined and simplified, and now employ a simpler naming
scheme:
Server Component Build Script
BUILD_SERVER.COM
Middle Component Build Scripts
BUILD_<type>_MIDDLE.COM
build_<type>_middle.bat
where <type> can be jb
for JavaBeans, ejb for Enterprise JavaBeans,
and com for COM.
BridgeWorks Middle Component and Client Support Files
In
the case of JavaBeans and EJB connections, many support files previously
generated per connection are now included in a static file, BwxUtil.jar. (This
reduces build times, simplifies deployment, and improves maintainability.) On
OpenVMS Alpha systems, this file is installed in SYS$LIBRARY. On Windows, the
default installation location for this file is in \Program Files\HP
BridgeWorks\lib. Middle component build commands use this library, and your
client compilation and run commands must include a reference to it also.
See Help: Compiling and Running Java Clients
ICC Startup File Should Be Enabled
When using ICC transport, it is highly
recommended that you invoke the ICC$STARTUP file by adding ICC$STARTUP in
your SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM file.
Manager Requires LOG_IO Privilege
The server component uses an event mechanism to notify the BridgeWorks Manager
when it becomes free for new connections. The event mechanism makes use of a
mailbox for communicating with the Manager. OpenVMS requires the LOG_IO
privilege for all mailbox operations. The Manager and server now make extensive
use of mailboxes to propagate information about reservations, so the LOG_IO
privilege is mandatory for both server and Manager processes.
Making configuration changes
All server processes that the BridgeWorks Manager
starts are detached processes running out of the account specified in the
server's configuration file (<CNXNAME>.BWX). Many aspects of the
server configuration for a particular connection are controlled by the Manager
according to your customizable configuration settings. For example, you can
effect per connection stack-size adjustments using the configuration file. The
default is for DecThreads to use the system’s default stack size. However,
higher values will be required for some connections, including ones where
Oracle9i participates in XA transactions.
See Help: Making Configuration Changes
Transaction Support
for WebLogic
Although BridgeWorks V3.0 and higher works with BEA WebLogic Version 6.1 and higher, the transaction support within BridgeWorks does not work properly with WebLogic Version 7.0 and higher. In particular, when two EJBs are called as part of the same transaction, and both are part of the same Domain, the transaction fails when the second EJB is called. This is an identified problem in WebLogic. The HP BridgeWorks engineering team is currently working with the WebLogic team to resolve this issue.
Workaround: Use WebLogic
Version 6.1. If you are using WebLogic Version 7.0 or higher, specify a unique
domain name for each EJB type. This forces WebLogic to use two Phase Commit
Transactions when multiple EJBs are used in the same transaction.
Transactions
Fail if WebLogic’s JTA Health Monitor Times Out
Recent versions of WebLogic may mark a Resource Manager
(RM), including the BridgeWorks RM, as bad
if a transaction takes too long. This is
caused by the internal timeout value of WebLogic's JTA health monitor. (By default, the JTA health monitor timeout
value is set to two minutes within WebLogic, which is a different value than
the normal transaction timeout.) Once
this timeout occurs, all further attempted transactions may fail. The only way to clear this condition is to
restart WebLogic.
Workaround: Override the JTA
health monitor timeout value by adding the following lines to WebLogic's config.xml file,
within the section for the domain that you are using:
<JTA
MaxXACallMillis="240000"
/>
Handling
Cluster Transition Delays
When running a BridgeWorks-generated EJB within an OpenVMS Cluster, the delay caused by a cluster transition may sometimes cause the server process supporting the EJB to crash. If this happens, the Java client that initiated the connection will get a Java exception returned for that EJB session.
Workaround: You can design your client
to recover from the failed connection exception and reestablish a new
connection. Since the EJB remains active, the BridgeWorks Manager will start up
a new user server process to do a retry of the failed session or to service a subsequent
EJB sessions.
A number of limitations and other errors related to COM connections are
under investigation and have not been resolved in this release.
COM on OpenVMS Middle Component
Account and security issues related to running unauthenticated COM middle
components on OpenVMS from a Windows client are under investigation. For this release,
you are recommended to build and run COM middle components on Windows systems.
Log File
Cleanup
In BridgeWorks V3.0 and
higher, all server processes generate a log file (in addition to the BridgeWorks
Manager log file). By default, the Manager removes these server
logs periodically. To keep the logs, set the logging level to 2 or higher:
$ DEFINE /SYSTEM BWX$LOGLEVEL 2
Note: This logging level is more verbose and log files can become large rapidly (depending on the number of server being started).
Generated
Code to Wrapper C++ Needs Modifying
In order to wrapper C++ applications, C extern statements must be removed from
the generated .c and .h files. (These statements normally prevent name mangling
of 3GL routine signatures.)
No-Transport
Option Is Not Applicable to Single-Threaded Applications
Do not attempt to run a nonthreadsafe application (such as a COBOL-based
application) in a no-transport environment. In the BridgeWorks no-transport
option, the wrapped application image is loaded directly into the same process
as the JVM. If the JVM is part of a larger environment, like BEA WebLogic or
Tomcat, this will likely result in a handled exception when the COBOL
application is accessed.
Software
Support Contract
Standalone software support is available for HP BridgeWorks. For more information, contact your local HP
support center at:
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/contact_us.html
You may submit
your technical suggestions and feedback to the BridgeWorks engineering team by
sending mail to:
Please do not use email for time-critical technical support questions, as response from the BridgeWorks engineering team is on a time-available basis only.
If you would like to provide comments or general feedback about the e-Business offerings on OpenVMS, please send mail to:
BridgeWorks Home Page
http://www.hp.com/go/bridgeworks/