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6.6.28: Administering IBM Distributed Debugger and OLT >
6.6.28.1: Installing Debugger and OLT code and documentation

6.6.28.1: Installing Debugger and OLT code and documentation

This article describes how to obtain the Debugger and OLT products that are most compatible with IBM WebSphere Application Server , and what to do if you have previous versions of Debugger and OLT. It also has important instructions for obtaining updated and translated help files for the interfaces of the two products.

Obtaining the Debugger and OLT servers and clients

The IBM WebSphere Application Server product CD provides the OLT server-side runtime. The Debugger and OLT graphical user interfaces must be obtained and installed separately.

Installing the Debugger and OLT runtimes from the WebSphere CD

It is recommended that you install the Debugger and OLT runtimes using the IBM WebSphere Application Server Version 3.5 installation program available on the Application Server product CD. This ensures compatibility and recognition of one another among the Debugger, OLT, and WebSphere Application Server.

You need to perform the Full Debugger and OLT installation, as described in the installation README file and installation example.

Handling existing Debugger and OLT installations

If using existing Debugger or OLT versions, and you have an IBM WebSphere Application Server CD, it is recommended that you uninstall or upgrade the existing versions and migrate to the versions available from the Application Server Version 3.5 installation program.

If you are using the Application Server download, from which the new Debugger and OLT versions are not available, then you will need to keep your previous versions.

Obtaining the Debugger and OLT client interfaces

The client interfaces are available as part of the OLT product package available from the IBM WebSphere Application Server Web site. Be sure to review the accompanying README file that discusses basic installation and usability issues.

Viewing the latest Debugger and OLT help files and documentation

The Debugger and OLT installation images contain help files that can be accessed from their product interfaces. By default, the installed products contain help files that are less updated than the Debugger and OLT help available from the InfoCenter, and that are available in English only.

If Debugger and OLT are installed on a machine containing the IBM WebSphere Application Server InfoCenter in its default location, the Debugger and OLT products will ignore the outdated help files and instead use the help files contained in the InfoCenter, in the language in which you installed the InfoCenter.

To ensure you are viewing the updated, translated help files:

  • Install Debugger and OLT from the Application Server product CD.
  • Install the full InfoCenter on the same machine, in its default location (you might not have a choice):
    product_installation_root/web/InfoCenter/...

Complete the above steps in either order, but do not access Debugger or OLT help from the Debugger or OLT interfaces until both steps are complete.

Obtaining the Debugger and OLT documentation

In addition to the Debugger and OLT help files, the full InfoCenter contains the entire Debugger and OLT documentation set. It is the version to which you should refer if you installed Debugger and OLT from the WebSphere Application Server installation program.

To access the documentation:

  1. Make sure you have obtained the full InfoCenter, which has an "olt" directory containing the Debugger and OLT documentation and help.
  2. In your local WebSphere Application Server installation, open:
    product_installation_root/web/InfoCenter/olt/index.html

You can also browse the online InfoCenter on the product Library page. See the README file for details.

Prerequisites of IBM Distributed Debugger and OLT

IBM Distributed Debugger and OLT are separate product runtimes bundled with IBM WebSphere Application Server for your convenience. Because the Distributed Debugger and OLT support for operating systems and JDK levels can differ from those supported by IBM WebSphere Application Server, the Debugger and OLT support is summarized in the table below.

Inclusion of a prerequisite in the table does not imply that IBM WebSphere Application Server also supports the prerequisite. Always refer to the IBM WebSphere Application Server prerequisites to determine which prerequisites are supported by the base Application Server product and its Fix Packs.

IBM WebSphere Application Server Release Operating systems supported by Debugger and OLT
Version 3.5 base Remote and distributed debugging support and tracing capabilities, as follows:

  • Windows NT Java debugging is supported on JDK 1.2.2
  • AIX and Solaris Java debugging is not supported on JDK 1.2.2
Version 3.5 plus Fix Pack 1 Remote and distributed Java debugging support and tracing capabilities, as follows:

  • Windows NT Java debugging is supported on JDK 1.2.2
  • AIX and Solaris Java debugging is not supported on JDK 1.2.2
  • Tracing capabilities are supported on JDK 1.2.2 on Windows NT, AIX, and Solaris
Version 3.5 plus Fix Pack 2

  • No changes
Version 3.5 plus Fix Pack 3 Remote and distributed Java debugging support and tracing capabilities, as follows

  • Windows NT and AIX Java debugging is supported on JDK 1.2.2
  • Solaris Java debugging is supported on JDK 1.1.8 but not JDK 1.2.2
  • Tracing capabilities are supported on JDK 1.2.2 on Windows NT, AIX, and Solaris

Known limitations, problems, and workarounds

Problem Operating systems Workaround (if available)
When debugging a JSP (1.0 OR 0.91) Distributed Debugger does not step over empty lines. For example, when stepping into a JSP like:
Line 1: Hello<BR>
Line 2:
Line 3: World!
the debugger stops at line 2.
AIX, Windows NT None
When running the OLT Viewer, if you try to change the Execution Mode in the Client Controller for a connected client and then click Apply, the viewer might freeze. Windows 2000 for WebSphere Application Server Versions 3.5, 3.5.1, and 3.5.2 (fixed in 3.5.3) Ensure that you have set the Execution Mode properly in the Client Controller for the Default settings entry before you try tracing. Do not attempt to change the Execution Mode after you start a trace.

The OLT executable fails

AIX

If the OLT executable fails on AIX, edit the libpath environment variable:

  1. Source the OLT profiles in the /usr/idebug/bin directory.

  2. Ensure that the following information is in the libpath:

    LIBPATH=$LIBPATH:'usr/idebug/lib'
    export LIBPATH
    

The following error appears in the server's stderr file:

IVB3643E: The Debugger/OLT encountered an IO error while communicating with the client controller.java.net.SocketException

All supported

Check the following settings:

  • On Windows NT, ensure that you configure the service IBM WebSphere Admin Server to interact with the desktop.

  • Ensure that there are no conflicting JRE processes running on the application server platform. There might be a JRE process invocation of the debugger.

The debugger does not start when a debug-enabled application is requested

All supported

The problem might be due to inconsistent OLT properties. To fix the problem:

  1. Stop the application server.

  2. Delete the OLT DbgProf directory.

    On AIX, it is in the home directory.

    On NT, it is in the userprofiles directory.

  3. Open a command shell on the application server and run the olt executable. This action resets the DbgProf directory.
  4. Exit the
     olt 
    program after it starts.
  5. Restart the application server. Debug the application.
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