This section describes how to install and configure the Cleo LexiCom software to run natively on the AS/400. If you are installing on a Windows PC and mapping to the AS/400 through a networked drive, see AS/400 PC network access setup.
Unlike typical AS/400 installations performed natively using the optical drive on the AS/400, this installation process is done from your PC via a network share that has been mapped to a directory created on the AS/400's Integrated File System (IFS).
Note: The AS/400 is an older reference and is now referred to as the “iSeries”, “System i” or "IBM i". Throughout this document it will continue to be referred to generically as the “AS/400” however “iSeries”, “System i” or "IBM i" may be used interchangeably.
AS/400 Process map
The following is a checklist of tasks for you to perform to successfully install LexiCom for the AS/400 and begin exchanging messages with your trading partner. Following this checklist are the detailed steps required to accomplish each of the tasks below.
Determine if your operating system meets the minimum software requirements
Obtain and install any missing software products
Obtain and install all required cumulative and group PTFs
Install LexiCom : Follow this step-by-step procedure to map a shared IFS drive and install LexiCom on the AS/400.
Configure and Test : This section describes how to configure hosts for sending and receiving files via a LexiCom AS/400 server. It also gives information on configuring the LexiCom Scheduler for sending and receiving files.
Starting and Stopping the LexiCom Server : This section describes the commands used to start and stop the LexiCom server on the AS/400.
AS/400 Getting Started
AS/400 System Requirements
Please Note: Cleo LexiCom 5.8 requires the use of Java 8 that is only available on IBM i7.1, IBM i7.2, IBM i7.3., and IBM i7.4. Therefore, IBM i6.1 is no longer supported.
Visit Cleo LexiCom® System Requirements for current system requirements.
Determining Your Currently Licensed AS/400 Products
To display an inventory of the software that is installed on your system, type the command: DSPSFWRSC
Verify that Java SE 8 64 bit (Option 17, Feature 5117) is installed on the AS/400. If it is not present, it must be downloaded from the IBM web site and installed before proceeding any further. Refer to http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1020692 for further information.
To determine the Java Group PTF level on your system, type the following command:
- For IBM i 7.1 V7R1:
-
WRKPTFGRP SF99572
- For IBM i 7.2 V7R2:
-
WRKPTFGRP SF99716
- For IBM i 7.3 V7R3:
-
WRKPTFGRP SF99725
- For IBM i 7.4 V7R4:
-
WRKPTFGRP SF99745
Obtaining Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) for Your AS/400
IBM recommends that you regularly apply updated PTFs to your system to maintain optimal system performance. To find information on downloading and ordering Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs), Group PTFs and a wealth of other information to help you manage your AS/400, visit the IBM Web site: https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/wikis/home?lang=en#!/wiki/Power+Systems/page/IBM+i
Installation and Operation Pre-requisites
Before you can successfully install and run LexiCom on the AS/400, you must verify that the following additional requirements are met:
- TCP/IP must be properly configured on the AS/400 and connectivity between a client PC and the AS/400 must be established and working correctly.
- The host and domain name must be correctly defined on the AS/400. To verify or configure the AS/400's host and domain name, type GO CFGTCP and choose option 12. Enter your AS/400's values in the Host name and Domain name fields.
- The DNS (Domain Name System) must be properly configured to successfully resolve host names. Without DNS configured properly, LexiCom will only be able to send messages to IP addresses. To configure DNS, type GO CFGTCP and choose option 12 and enter the IP address of your Domain Name Server.
- Add a host table entry for the AS/400's IP address and host name by typing GO CFGTCP and choosing option 10 (Work with TCP/IP host table entries). You should also have a LOOPBACK entry that points to the LOCALHOST at 127.0.0.1.
- The IBM i Net Server must be properly configured on the AS/400. Net Server allows support for Windows Network Neighborhood and allows you to map directories in the AS/400 file system to shared drives accessible through your Windows environment. If the NetServer has not already been started, the command STRTCPSVR *NETSVR should be entered to start this server.
- Client Access Express for Windows (or its equivalent) and the latest Service Pack must be installed and configured on at least one PC in your Local Area Network. Once LexiCom is properly installed, any PC in the network (with the appropriate privileges and object authority) will be able to access the shared IFS drive and view the LexiCom UI.
- The System i Navigator (or its equivalent) must be installed on at least one PC in your Local Area Network, and preferably on the PC where LexiCom will be installed. System i Navigator is only required for creating file shares (using IBM i Net Server) but is also useful for viewing System i functions with a graphical user interface. The examples in the following sections use System i Navigator for its illustrations; however you are under no obligation to use it if you prefer using comparable AS/400 native commands.
- The QUTCOFFSET system value must be properly set for your time zone. This value is the offset from Greenwich Mean Time and is used to correctly display and log the local time of your AS/400. If not properly set, the times displayed in the LexiCom log will not reflect your current system time. To view this offset, type DSPSYSVAL QUTCOFFSET on the AS/400. If it is incorrect, verify the QTIMZON system value is set appropriately for your local time zone.
Obtaining Additional Information from IBM
Use the IBM i Support Portal as your starting point for looking up AS/400 technical information: https://www.ibm.com/support/home/
With your hardware order, you may have received digital media on a DVD labelled System i Access for Windows that contains the IBM i Access for Windows licensed program.
Use the Client Access Web site as a general source of information on Client Access: http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/access/windows/os.html
Use the IBM i Net Server web site for general information as well as links to installation and configuration information: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg3T1026870
Installing Cleo LexiCom on AS/400
To install and run the AS/400 version of Cleo LexiCom software, a portion of the software will be installed using a Windows PC mapped to the Integrated File System (IFS) and then another portion will be installed in the AS/400 Native File System through command prompts. After all the requirements described in the previous section have been satisfied, use the following two sections to complete the installation to the Integrated and Native File Systems.
The following procedure should only be completed in its entirety the first time you install Cleo LexiCom. If you are upgrading to a new version of Cleo LexiCom software, first verify the product is not running on the AS/400 by either typing the ENDLEXSVR CL command at the command prompt or by selecting the Stop AS/400 option from within the Cleo LexiCom software. Verify the QJVACMDSRV and STRLEXSVR processes are not running in the QSYSWRK subsystem by issuing a WRKACTJOB command at the command prompt.
To prepare for your installation or upgrade, contact Cleo Technical Support for the following information:
- A link for the current release core version of Cleo LexiCom. This file is named install.exe and can be saved to the local file system.
- If applicable, a link for the latest patch for Cleo LexiCom. This file is named [#].zip, where [#] is the patch number, and can be saved to the local file system.
- A link for the current AS400 service module. The file is named AS400.zip and can be saved to the local file system.
- If unable to access the UI to use the Export function, manually backup the following directories and files:
- .../LexiCom/hosts/ (.xml files only, no subdirectories)
- .../LexiCom/conf/ (.xml files only)
Installing on an Integrated File System
This section will guide you through the procedure required to complete the first-time installation of Cleo LexiCom in the AS/400 Integrated File System. If you are installing an upgrade (for example from 5.x to 5.8) skip to step 5 below.
Installing the Native File System portion
If this is the first time you have installed on the AS/400 or you are installing a release and not a patch, follow this procedure to complete the Cleo LexiCom NFS installation on the AS/400. If you are not installing a major release, you can skip this step.
Configuring and testing on AS/400
Since the AS/400 does not have a graphical user interface and Cleo LexiCom is a graphical product, configuration of the hosts and the Local Listener is easily done using the Cleo LexiCom AS/400 UI. You will be configuring the hosts that are stored on the AS/400 IFS (in the /LexiCom folder) and therefore, you must invoke the LexiCom program icon linked to the shared drive that you mapped during the installation process.
The Cleo LexiCom AS/400 UI product is used to configure hosts and view status information in real-time. After you have started LexiCom on the AS/400, start the Cleo LexiCom application from the IFS mapped drive. After several seconds, Cleo LexiCom application will start and the UI will be displayed.
Once all your hosts and the Local Listener are configured to your satisfaction and optionally, the scheduler is correctly set up, you should verify that you can properly exchange messages with all your trading partners by sending and receiving test messages.
AS/400 Configure Content-Type Inboxing for the Native File System (AS2 only)
The Add Content-Type Directory to Inbox check box allows for sorting of incoming messages based on the content-type of the message to a subdirectory (under the Inbox specified on the General tab for the Host). You specify each of the content-types that you want directed to specified subdirectories by entering a name in the Directory field. Directory entries may be made for content-types of: EDIFACT, X12, XML, Binary, Plain Text, and Other (a default catch-all for messages with all other content-types you may receive.) The same subdirectory may be used for multiple content-types. You may also leave 'Directory' entries blank that will cause any received messages of that 'Content-Type' to be stored in the Inbox specified on the General tab.
Note: If you use this feature, incoming messages will be placed in the specified folder based on the content type specified in the HTTP header of the message. LexiCom does not check the actual content of the message to determine its content type.
Note: If you are integrated with a translator, you should not add entries for the X12 or EDIFACT directories. These directories must remain blank for translator integration to work properly.
By default, the Content-Type directories are preconfigured for windows or IFS based folders. To use this feature on the AS/400 Native File System, modifications must be made to all directories that will be used so that the settings have the correct AS/400 syntax, that is, each setting must be in the form DIRECTORY.FILE.
On the 'General' tab, specify just the library for the "Inbox" value where the "Content-Type" files will be created.
Now verify that all the "directories" that you have specified, i.e., files in the form DIRECTORY.FILE, have a matching physical file. In the example above, the files EDIFACT.FILE, X12.FILE and XML.FILE under the /QSYS.LIB/LEXICOM.LIB library are being used. If these files don't already exist, create a physical file for each of the files you have specified as follows:
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/EDIFACT) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX ) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/X12) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX ) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/XML) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX ) SIZE(*NOMAX)
As a final step, verify that the Add Mailbox Alias Directory To Inbox setting on the Advanced panel is not selected.
Configuring the Scheduler for the AS/400
Since the Cleo LexiCom AS/400 server does not have a UI to allow the user to manually send and receive files from trading partners, and typical AS/400 users will be integrating Cleo LexiCom software with an EDI translator, the Scheduler is a convenient way to invoke the <send> and <receive> actions that you have configured for your hosts.
See Scheduling actions - Native and Classic Web UI for information.
Configuring for AS/400 Native or Integrated File System access
Cleo LexiCom provides a means for reading and writing from the AS/400 (QSYS.LIB) file system, which allows for seamless conversion of the data between EBCDIC and ASCII formats. Reading and writing into the Integrated File System where Cleo LexiCom software is installed may also be done, if desired.
Selecting a file system type for AS/400
Follow the instructions below to tell the Cleo LexiCom application whether your files will be located on the AS/400 native file system (QSYS.LIB) or the integrated file system (IFS).
A display similar to the following will appear. Update the form as shown below:
For Native File Systems
- In the AS/400 Directory Path field, enter /QSYS.LIB. This entry allows the Cleo LexiCom product to correctly do the EDCDIC / ASCII format conversion for any file that begins with the /QSYS.LIB path specifier.
- Select the Native File System option.
- Select the Pad Inbound to Record Length option if inbound files will consist of variable length records. When this option is selected, all records are transformed to a fixed-length format as they are stored in the AS/400 NFS file member. End of line terminators (i.e., CR, LF or CRLF) are stripped from the record and the remainder of the record will be padded with blanks. The record length is determined from the AS/400 NFS target file. If the inbound file contains a record larger than the AS/400 target file, an error will be logged and the file will not be stored. When this option is not selected, the inbound file will be assumed to already be fixed-length and will be streamed, i.e., no padding will be done to the records as the they are written to the AS400 NFS file member and end of line terminators will not be stripped from the file.
- Select the Strip Padded Outbound Records option if outbound records are a fixed record length and are padded with the specified Padding Character. The record length is determined from the AS/400 NFS target file. When this option is selected, padding characters (if present) after the terminator (CR, LF or CRLF) will be removed.
- The Padding Character is the decimal value of the character used in AS/400 target file for padding outbound records. By default, this value is set to 32 (the ASCII representation of a space). Any ASCII value between 0 – 127 may be used.
- The Coded Character Set ID field is only used when accessing the Integrated File System and is not accessible for the Native File System.
Note: For the Cleo LexiCom product to be able to determine that source and destination paths are part of the AS/400 native file system, the paths that you enter for the Inbox, Outbox (and optionally the Sentbox) on the panel must begin with the path that you specify in the AS/400 Directory Path field.
For Integrated File Systems
- In the AS/400 Directory Path field, enter /LexiCom (or any other appropriate IFS path).
- Select the Integrated File System option.
- Enter a value in the Coded Character Set ID field. If this field is left blank, the CCSID will be based on the default locale.
Warning: Setting a CCSID is only intended for directories where payload (e.g., inbox/ and outbox/) will be stored. Do not set a CCSID for the /LexiCom installation directory or for any of the directories used to run the application (for example, /LexiCom/lib; /LexiCom/hosts; /LexiCom/jre, etc.). Doing so will cause unpredictable results.
Reading and writing into the AS/400 Native File System
Note: You should follow the instructions in this section only if you have an application or translator (such as TrustedLink) that requires you to write files into the AS/400 Native File System.
Before you can successfully read and write AS/400 native files, they must be created using the following AS/400 CL commands. In this example, we have created a LEXICOM library where the INBOUND, OUTBOUND and the optional SENTMSG files will reside:
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/INBOUND) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX ) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/OUTBOUND) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/SENTMSG) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX) SIZE(*NOMAX)
Special Note: If you are receiving fixed length documents from your trading partner and are writing to the Native File System (NFS) using the "append" option (FTP and FTP/s users only), the file you will be writing must have the same record length as the document being received and each line of the document must have the same fixed length. (The example above uses a record length of 132 characters however, in your environment this value may be different.)
The next step is to link the INBOUND and OUTBOUND (and optionally the SENTBOX) files with the "Inbox", "Outbox" and "Sentbox" in LexiCom. To do this, on the General panel at the Host level, enter the "Inbox", "Outbox" and optionally "Sentbox" entries as shown below:
For Integrated File Systems
For Native File Systems
If you are using AS2 and are writing to the Native File System, in most cases you will need to define a default file name where the received entries will be stored.
An AS/400 native file must be in the form, /QSYS.LIB/LIBRARY.LIB/OBJECT.FILE/FILE.MBR. To accommodate this format requirement, on the panel, add a default file name with a .mbr extension, as illustrated below:
Assigning Object Authority to AS/400 Native File System Objects
As with objects defined in the /LexiCom IFS directory that are not owned by the user who originally created them, Authorization Lists may be used to allow users read and write access rights to specified NFS libraries and files. If read and/or write access is not properly assigned to users that will be reading and writing in the NFS directories, LexiCom will log errors that access to the request was denied.
To assign permissions based on Authorization Lists, open the File Systems tree in System i Navigator and expand the Integrated File System entry. Then under the QSYS.LIBentry, right-click on the LEXICOM.LIB folder to choose the Permissions menu item and choose the Authorization List option:
Select the LexiCom Authorization List in the drop-down list and press “OK”:
Now, verify that the LexiCom Authorization List has been assigned to the /LexiCom Object, set the Public permissions to From AUTL and click Apply:
Note: The example above used the same Authorization List that was created for the /LexiCom IFS folder, but a different Authorization List may be used, if desired. Also, permissions may be applied separately to specific objects in the LEXICOM.LIB directory, e.g., INBOUND.FILE, OUTBOUND.FILE, etc.
Configuring Content-Type Inboxing for the AS/400 Native File System (AS2 only)
The Add Content-Type Directory to Inbox checkbox allows for sorting of incoming messages based on the content-type of the message to a subdirectory (under the Inbox specified on the General tab for the Host). You specify each of the content-types that you want directed to specified subdirectories by entering a name in the Directory field. Directory entries may be made for content-types of: EDIFACT, X12, XML, Binary, Plain Text, and Other (a default catch-all for messages with all other content-types you may receive.) The same subdirectory may be used for multiple content-types. You may also leave 'Directory' entries blank that will cause any received messages of that 'Content-Type' to be stored in the Inbox specified on the General tab.
Note: If you use this feature, incoming messages are placed in the specified folder based on the content type specified in the HTTP header of the message. The Cleo LexiCom application does not check the actual content of the message to determine its content type.
Note: If you are integrated with a translator, you should not add entries for the X12 or EDIFACT directories. These directories must remain blank for translator integration to work properly.
By default, the Content-Type directories are preconfigured for windows or IFS based folders. To use this feature on the AS/400 Native File System, you must modify all directories to be used so that the settings have the correct AS/400 syntax. That is, each directory must be specified in the form, DIRECTORY.FILE.
On the General tab, specify just the library for the Inbox value where the Content-Type files will be created. For example, /QSYS.LIB/LEXICOM.LIB/:
Now verify that all the "directories" that you have specified, i.e., files in the form DIRECTORY.FILE, have a matching physical file. In the example above, the files EDIFACT.FILE, X12.FILE and XML.FILE under the /QSYS.LIB/LEXICOM.LIB library are being used. If these files don't already exist, create a physical file for each of the files you have specified as follows:
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/EDIFACT) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/X12) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX) SIZE(*NOMAX)
CRTPF FILE(LEXICOM/XML) RCDLEN(132) MAXMBRS(*NOMAX) SIZE(*NOMAX)
As a final step, verify that the Add Mailbox Alias Directory To Inbox setting on the Advanced panel is not selected:
Configuring the Scheduler for the AS/400
Since the LexiCom AS/400 server does not have a UI to allow the user to manually send and receive files from trading partners, and typical AS/400 users will be integrating LexiCom with an EDI translator, the LexiCom Scheduler is a convenient way to invoke the <send> and <receive> actions that you have configured for your hosts.
See Scheduling actions - Native and Classic Web UI for more information.
Starting and stopping on the AS/400
-
To start the LexiCom server.
-
To stop the Cleo LexiCom server.
When you want to start the Cleo LexiCom application again on the AS/400, you must run the STRLEXSVR command from the AS/400 command line.
Troubleshooting your AS/400 system
Following is a list of potential problems while using LexiCom on the AS/400. The list covers general problems. For technical support, please call 1-866-444-2536 or email support@cleo.com.
NOTE: Technical support is on a paid subscription basis.
Problem | Possible Cause(s) | Possible Solution |
---|---|---|
After installing LexiCom to the mapped drive, (e.g., “L:\”), the message “The installation of LexiCom is finished, but some warnings occurred during the install. Please see the installation log for details.”
When examining the LexiComInstallLog.log file, 7 Warnings are found. |
All the warnings are “WARNING - String index out of range: -1” and are related to Install Uninstaller and Create LaunchAnywhere Java Executable Components. | This error occurs because LexiCom was installed to a drive letter and the Installer did not find a path. Since this is a mapped location, these are benign warnings and no further action needs to be taken. |
When running AS/400 command "CALL INSTLEX" an error is returned that a jar file cannot be found | User did not install LexiCom using a network drive mapped to the AS/400 IFS directory /LexiCom | Verify that the IFS folder /LexiCom has been created and a drive has been mapped to it.
Verify that LexiCom has been installed to that mapped drive and not the default directory C:\Program Files\LexiCom |
Cannot access the AS/400 from System i Navigator. | User did not configure TCP/IP on the AS/400 properly.
User did not define the host and domain name on the AS/400. |
Verify that TCP/IP is configured properly.
Use the command "GO CFGTCP". Verify that a TCP/IP host table entry has been added for your system (option 10). Verify that a host name and domain name have been configured for your system (option 12). |
When sending a message to a host (specified as a host name instead of an IP address), an UnknownHostException error is returned. | User did not configure DNS on the AS/400 properly. | Configure DNS by typing the command "GO CFGTCP" (on the green screen) and choosing option 12.
Enter a valid internet address in the "Domain name server" field. |
The times displayed in the LexiCom log entries are off by several hours. | User's system clock is not correctly defined for the appropriate time zone. | Using System i Navigator, go to the Click the Time tab. Click Change Time Zone… to reflect your current time zone. |
panel.
After installing the permanent key, the AS/400 features are no longer available or the STRLEXSVR command no longer runs. | User does have not the AS/400 license specified on his permanent key. | The AS/400 option is available on the temporary key for evaluation purposes. Contact Cleo Sales for information and pricing of AS/400 features. |
User cannot start LexiCom after installing the permanent key. It is returning the error:
"java.io.FileNotFoundException: 'Path':\.license\.lc\.lcf (Access is denied) |
The temp key was installed under a different user than the one attempting to install the permanent key. | Verify the owner of the .lcf file by viewing the "Properties" in System i Navigator.
Install the permanent key using the same user as the owner of the file. |
LexiCom fails to start when the STRLEXSVR command is invoked. No indication of the problem is displayed in the job log. | Various issues could cause LexiCom to fail to start. | If the failure has occurred before logging has started, the error should be recorded in the logs\exception.txt file.
If there is no exception.txt file, check the LexiCom.xml file and the LexiCom.dbg file. |
The error message displayed in the exception.txt file indicating that the required Java version is not installed. | User does not have Java Developer Kit (Option 17) properly installed on the AS/400. | Verify that Option 17, Feature 5117 - Java SE 8 64 bit is installed by typing the green screen command: DSPSFWRSC.
If it is not there, obtain it from IBM (if you don't already have it on your installation media) and install it. |
The error message "NoClassDefFoundError: com/ibm/as400/resource/ChangeableResource" is displayed when attempting to click the "New" button on the AS/400 Configuration panel. | The IBM jt400.jar file is not installed in the LexiCom home directory.
The IBM jt400.jar is not in the class path. |
Obtain the jt400.jar file using Cleo's software update process.
Obtain a newer version of LexiCom. |
Exceptions are being logged: “Problem initializing decryption cipher. Illegal key size.” | Encryption of sensitive data requires that unlimited strength jurisdiction policy files are properly installed in your JRE. |
Verify that you have installed LexiCom with the bundled VM.
Examine the lax file and verify that the “lax.nl.current.vm” path points to the jre directory where LexiCom was installed. |
When you launch the LexiCom executable, the error “Windows error 216 occurred while loading the Java VM” | This occurs when the Windows 64- bit JRE installer was used to install LexiCom on the IFS and you have mapped a drive to access it from a Windows 32-bit machine. |
If all users that will be launching the LexiCom executable are using Windows 32-bit machines, re-install LexiCom using the Windows 32-bit JRE installer.
If there are some users that will launching the LexiCom executable from Windows 32-bit machines and others from Windows 64-bit machines, contact Cleo Support for further instructions on creating an alternate set of LexiCom executables for your Windows 32-bit machine users. |
When you launch the LexiCom executable from a Windows 10 mapped drive, the LexiCom UI either never appears and/or the message “Error: Could not find or load main class com.zerog.lax.LAX ” is displayed, or it takes several hours for the UI to appear and once it does, the messages in the messages panel do not display at all. | Windows 10 is incompatible with some versions of IBM i. | Use Windows 7 instead. |
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