Direct links to fixes
APAR status
Closed as program error.
Error description
Unicode Services, Conversion Information Service (CUNLINFO or CUN4LINF) fails when the create time contained in the UCCB has a value of D0000000 00000000 or greater. This timestamp represents a STCK value of 12/15/2015 13:24:57.238528. The source of this value is the Time of Day (TOD) clock of the system and is initialized in Unicode at IPL. If the system is IPL'd before this timestamp is reached when the UCCB is built then the problem will not occur. This problem occurs with Unicode Services, Conversion Information Services at z/OS 1.10 and higher. See APAR OA48989 for z/OS releases 1.10, 1.11, and 1.12 In the reported problem, iconv() calls the Unicode Services, conversion information service, CUNLINFO or CUN4LINF, during a character conversion and receives RC8 RSNB when the create time of the UCCB time is D0000000 0000000 or greater. An identical request does not fail when the time is CFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF (12/15/2015 13:24:57.238527) or less. In both cases the conversion CCSID TO and FROM values represent a valid conversion. With the TOD set as above, applications may fail with various messages, see IMPACTED USERS section below. Please note any application that invokes iconv() to request conversion services is affected. The messages are reported since iconv() is returning an EINVAL errno 79 which is being returned to the application due to the underlying RC=8 RSNB returned by Unicode services on the CUNLINFO call issued by iconv(). IMPACTED USERS: Impacted users will begin experiencing problems on systems that were IPL'd on 12/15/2015 13:24:57.238528 STCK time or later. 1. Any application or system code that calls iconv() - The iconv() service only makes use of the Unicode Information Services at z/OS 2.1 and higher releases. iconv() is not exposed to this defect on z/OS 1.13 and lower. Multiple products utilize iconv. Those that we have seen to experience this and FAIL because of this error are: SSHD startup may fail on z/OS 1.13 or z/OS 2.1 OpenSSH ( failed with message FOTS2152 ) Telnet ( failed with message EZZ6023I ) System Automation ( failed with message GEO252E ) BCPii ( failed with message HWI008I Or HWI022I ) IP Printway ( failed with message ANFM1198I ) ANFM1198I Data set: XXXXXXXXXXXX? There was an error loading one of the ICONV tables: ICONV return code = 121 document code page = IBM-1047........ printer code page = ISO8859-1....... Pax command ( failed with message EDC5121I ) ( failed with message FSUM8842 ) Sample ICONV job EDCICONV ( failed with message EDC4182 ) SSL or TCPIP tracing may show: Errno 00000079 (121) Unable to open UTF-8 converter There are many IBM and OEM applications that interface between ASCII and EBCDIC platforms which invoke iconv(). A non-exhaustive list of exploiters of iconv() include: FTP / SFTP when they request data conversion Java / Websphere applications Printing related software (e.g. Infoprint ) XML toolkit Connect::Direct LDAP DB2 stored procedures Any other invokers of iconv() will experience a failure after the UCCB time has reached the DATE and TIME described above. NOTE: Those wanting to recreate the error for testing purposes using the EDCICONV job might not fail for certain CCSIDs. An example pair which will fail is: 1148 -> 850 2. Any application code that calls CUNLINFO or CUN4LINF at z/OS 1.10 and higher, whether it is an OEM or home grown application. Impact is unknown because it will depend on how this is implemented in their application. Verification Steps: 1. Caller of CUNLINFO / CUN4LINF receives RC8 RSNB when invoking the service. The caller may handle that and issue its own Abend / Message 2. Find the UCCB in a dump of the system or ACTIVE under IPCS, with the following commands: ip list 10?+220?+3C?+10 len(x'8') example output: LIST 28F03000. ASID(X'0029') POSITION(X'+10') LENGTH(X'08') AREA address value 28F03010. D0038037 8DEAB02A ----------------- 3. If the value that is listed in step 2 contains non-zero value and is x'D00000000 00000000' or greater, then this APAR describes your problem. Additional Keywords RC04 RSN0B ICONV CUNMUNI MSGEZZ6023I MSGGEO252E MSGHWI008I MSGEDC4182 MSGEDC4182 ANFM1198I MSGANFM1198I MSGHWI022I
Local fix
1. Do not change system TOD clock to 12/15/2015 13:24:57.238528 or greater, during your IPL. - If you need to set TOD clock to 12/15/2015 13:24:57.238528 or greater for testing, request the ++APAR fix from IBM 2. Do not IPL after 12/15/2015 without the fix for this problem. - This is the date when the TOD clock will automatically exceed D0000000 00000000 and you will experience the problem.
Problem summary
**************************************************************** * USERS AFFECTED: All users of Unicode Services * * conversion information service * * CUNLINFO or CUN4LINF. * * * * Any application that calls iconv at * * z/OS 2.1 and higher. * * * * Any application that uses system code * * that calls iconv at z/OS 2.1 and higher. * * (For example Telnet or FTP and many * * others see the APAR for more detail.) * **************************************************************** * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Unicode Services conversion information * * service fails when the TOD clock for * * the IPL has a value of * * D0000000 00000000 or greater, this * * timestamp represents a STCK value of * * 12/15/2015 13:24:57.238528. * * * * The iconv function uses the information * * service so it also fails. * **************************************************************** * RECOMMENDATION: Install this fix until before 12/15/2015. * * * * This is the date when the TOD clock * * will automatically exceed * * D0000000 00000000 and this problem * * will occur without this fix. * **************************************************************** Correct the code involved to move the timestamp field to allow the Unicode services active indicator to remain valid.
Problem conclusion
After this fix is applied, Unicode Services conversion information service will behave correctly when the TOD clock exceeds D0000000 00000000.
Temporary fix
********* * HIPER * *********
Comments
APAR Information
APAR number
OA48941
Reported component name
UNICODE SUPPORT
Reported component ID
5752SCUNI
Reported release
790
Status
CLOSED PER
PE
NoPE
HIPER
YesHIPER
Special Attention
NoSpecatt / Xsystem
Submitted date
2015-09-24
Closed date
2015-09-28
Last modified date
2016-05-27
APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:
APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:
UA79202 UA79203 UA79204
Modules/Macros
CUNMIDAC CUNMIIN2 CUNMZIMG
Fix information
Fixed component name
UNICODE SUPPORT
Fixed component ID
5752SCUNI
Applicable component levels
R7A0 PSY UA79202
UP15/10/13 P F510
R780 PSY UA79203
UP15/10/13 P F510
R790 PSY UA79204
UP15/10/13 P F510
Fix is available
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Document Information
Modified date:
27 May 2016