IBM WebSphere Adapter for Flat Files, Version 6.0
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reserved. US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure
restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.
Release notes
Description
The IBM(R) WebSphere(R) Adapter for Flat Files enables integration with applications that provide a basic flat file interface. This adapter can be used with applications that do not provide programmable or service interfaces, and for which integration at the data tier is impractical.
This JCA adapter includes the following features:
- Facilitates the bidirectional exchange of any type of text or binary file
- Provides the ability to write to new files and append to or overwrite existing files
- Polls a directory for new files to deliver to the configured endpoint
- Retrieves the contents of target files, checks for existence of files,
lists the files in a directory, and deletes target files
The adapter implements enterprise service discovery to facilitate the generation
of service descriptions and configuration artifacts for the adapter.
The announcement letter for WebSphere Adapters, version 6.0, is available on the Web. Refer to
it for the following types of information:
- Detailed product description, including a description of new function
-
Product-positioning statement
-
Packaging and ordering details
-
International compatibility information
Supported hardware and software
For hardware and software requirements, see WebSphere
Adapters hardware and software requirements.
Important installation information
Refer to the following Web sites for installation and configuration information
for WebSphere Adapter for Flat Files:
Updates, limitations, and
known problems
Updates, limitations, and known problems about Adapter for Flat Files, version 6.0, are documented in the form of technotes on the IBM Software Support Web site at http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/wbiadapters/support.
As limitations and problems are discovered and resolved, the IBM Software
Support team updates the knowledge base. By searching the knowledge base,
you can quickly find workarounds or solutions to problems that you experience.
The following link launches a customized query of the live Support knowledge
base. To create your own query, go to the Advanced
search page on the IBM Software Support Web site:
View technotes for Adapter for Flat Files
IBM Software Support
IBM Software Support provides assistance with product defects. If you encounter
a problem with Adapter for Flat Files, follow these steps:
-
Download and launch IBM Support Assistant and search
the support information for a solution.
- If you cannot find the information you need, submit the problem to IBM
using the Service component of IBM Support Assistant or by contacting
IBM Software Support.
Note: To submit problems to IBM Software Support, you must have
an active software maintenance contract. See Contacting
IBM Software Support for information.
IBM Support Assistant
The IBM Support Assistant provides access to a variety of IBM resources
for help with software questions, through the following services:
- Improved access to IBM support information, IBM newsgroups, and other resources
through a federated search interface (one search, multiple resources).
- Easy access to IBM educational materials.
- Easy access to IBM product home pages, product support pages, and product
forums or newsgroups through convenient links.
- Improved PMR time to resolution by electronic submission and by collecting
and sending critical system data to IBM.
The IBM Support Assistant V2.0 is an extensible client application that
is installed on a workstation and provides a framework that allows other
IBM software products to plug into it to provide you with self-help information.
This tool helps you use various IBM support options from one central location. To help answer your software questions, the IBM Support Assistant offers three components:
- A Search component, which helps you access pertinent support information
in multiple locations
- A Support links component, which provides a convenient location to access
various IBM Web resources such as IBM product sites, IBM support sites
and links to IBM news groups
- A Service component, which helps you submit an enhanced service request that includes key system data to IBM.
Note: If IBM Support Assistant V2 is already installed on your
workstation when you install the adapter, the adapter installer automatically
deploys the plug-in to IBM Software Assistant. Refer to the instructions that
follow to install the adapter plug-in if the IBM Support Assistant is not
present when you install the adapter. Upon installation, the adapter installer
will place the plug-in files in the Adapter plug-in location mentioned in the
"Adapter plug-in location" section that follows.
To download the IBM Support Assistant
Click the following link, then follow the directions on the product support page to download, extract, install, and use the tool: http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg21192593.
To learn more about how to use the IBM Support Assistant, click the User Guide tab in the IBM Support Assistant window.
Adapter plug-in location
After you install a WebSphere Adapter, the IBM Support Assistant plug-in
for the adapter is stored in the following location:
<Install directory>\adapter\FlatFile\ISAPlugin\com.ibm.esupport.client.SS6FE6_RAFlatFile.zip
Adapter plug-in instructions
For adapter plug-in installation instructions, click the following link:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg21196404
Additional plug-in installation instructions are available in the on-line
user guide that is installed with the IBM Support Assistant.
Contacting IBM Software Support
If you cannot resolve the problem using IBM Support Assistant, contact
IBM. However, before you submit a problem to IBM Software Support (through IBM Support Assistant or directly), ensure
that your company has an active IBM software maintenance contract, and
that you are authorized to submit problems to IBM. The type of software
maintenance contract that you need depends on the type of product you have:For
IBM distributed software products (including, but not limited to, Tivoli(R), Lotus(R), and Rational(R) products,
as well as DB2(R) and WebSphere products that run on Windows
or UNIX operating systems), enroll in Passport Advantage(R)
in one of the following ways:
-
For IBM eServer software products (including, but not limited to, DB2 and
WebSphere products that run in zSeries, pSeries, and iSeries environments),
you can purchase a software maintenance agreement by working directly with
an IBM sales representative or an IBM Business Partner. For more information
about support for eServer software products, go to the IBM Technical Support
Advantage Web site at http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/techsupport.html.
If you are not sure what type of software maintenance contract you need,
call 1-800-IBMSERV (1-800-426-7378) in the United States. From other countries,
go to the "Contacts" page of the IBM Software Support Handbook at
http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/guides/contacts.html
and click the name of your geographic region for phone numbers of people
who provide support for your location.
Submitting a problem report to IBM Software
Support
To submit a problem to IBM, first determine the business impact of the
problem and gather background information about it. The background information
helps IBM Software Support representatives find a solution more quickly.
The following sections guide you through the tasks for submitting a problem.
Determine the business impact
of the problem
When you report a problem to IBM, you are asked to supply a severity level.
Therefore, you need to understand and assess the business impact of the
problem that you are reporting. Use the following criteria to determine
the severity level:
Severity level |
Description |
Severity 1 |
The problem has a critical business impact:
You are unable to use the program, resulting in a critical impact on operations.
This condition requires an immediate solution. |
Severity 2 |
This problem has a significant business impact: The
program is usable, but it is severely limited. |
Severity 3 |
The problem has some business impact: The program
is usable, but less significant features (not critical to operations) are
unavailable. |
Severity 4 |
The problem has minimal business impact: The problem
causes little impact on operations, or a reasonable circumvention to the
problem was implemented. |
Describe the problem and gather background
information
When describing a problem to IBM, be as specific as possible. Include all
relevant background information so that IBM Software Support specialists
can help you solve the problem efficiently. To save time, know the answers
to these questions:
-
What software versions were you running when the problem occurred?
-
Do you have logs, traces, and messages that are related to the problem
symptoms? IBM Software Support is likely to ask for this information.
-
Can you re-create the problem? If so, what steps do you perform to re-create
the problem?
-
Did you make any changes to the system? For example, did you make changes
to the hardware, operating system, networking software, or other system
components?
-
Are you currently using a workaround for the problem? If so, please be
prepared to describe the workaround when you report the problem.
Submit the problem
You can submit your problem to IBM Software Support in one of two ways:
If the problem you submit is for a software defect or for missing or inaccurate
documentation, IBM Software Support creates an Authorized Program Analysis
Report (APAR). The APAR describes the problem in detail. Whenever possible,
IBM Software Support provides a workaround that you can implement until
the APAR is resolved and a fix is delivered. IBM publishes resolved APARs
on the Software Support Web site daily, so that other users who experience
the same problem can benefit from the same resolution.
Trademarks
Trademarks
The following terms are trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both: DB2,
IBM, IBMLink, iSeries, Lotus, Passport Advantage, pSeries, Rational, S/390,
Tivoli, WebSphere, and zSeries.
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United States and other countries.
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Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks
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