Fix (APAR):  PQ89393

Status:  Fix

Release:  5.0.2.3

Operating System:  All

Supersedes Fixes:  

CMVC Defect:  PQ89393

Byte size of APAR:  385996

Date: 2005-02-02

Abstract:  Message-driven beans fail to handle Runtime Exceptions properly

Description/symptom of problem:  When using Message-driven beans (MDBs) within WebSphere         
Application Server Version 5.x, a Listener Port must also be     
defined. The Listener Port is used to deliver messages to the    
MDBs. One of the properties of a Listener Port is Max retries,   
which defines the number of times the Listener Port attempts to  
deliver a message to an MDB before shutting itself down.         
If a Message-driven bean (MDB) running within WebSphere          
Application Server Version 5.x throws an error while processing  
a message, the application server will roll the message back to  
the queue where it originated from. The delivery count of the    
message is then checked against the Max retries property of the  
Listener Port associated with the MDB. If the delivery count is  
greater than the value of Max retries, the Listener Port should  
be shut down.                                                    
                                                                 
However, if an MDB throws a runtime exception while a message is 
being processed, the Listener Port will continue to deliver      
messages to the MDB even if the delivery count of the message is 
greater than the value of Max retries!                           
         
For example, when a runtime exception is thrown from the  
onMessage() method while processing message N, the Listener Port 
continues to deliver messages (N+1), (N+2), etc. Sometimes it 
stops after just delivering one more message, while at other   
times it delivers several more messages before stopping. After  
restarting the application server, the Listener Port redelivers
message N followed by (N+2), (N+3), etc. (assuming only (N+1)
was delivered following the exception).

This can lead to messages being processed out of their correct   
sequence.

Directions to apply fix:  

NOTE:  YOU MUST FIRST DOWNLOAD THE UPDATE INSTALLER TOOL IN ORDER TO INSTALL A FIX.
       The Fix Installer can be downloaded from the following link:
       http://www-3.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/support/index.html

1) Create temporary "fix" directory to store the jar file:
             UNIX: /tmp/WebSphere/fix
          Windows: c:\temp\WebSphere\fix

2) Copy jar file to the directory

3) Shutdown WebSphere

4) Follow the Fix installation instructions that are packaged with the Fix Installer on how to install the Fix.

5) Restart WebSphere

6) The temp directory may be removed.

Directions to remove fix:  
NOTE:  FIXES MUST BE REMOVED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE APPLIED.  DO NOT REMOVE A FIX UNLESS
     ALL FIXES APPLIED AFTER IT HAVE FIRST BEEN REMOVED.  YOU MAY REAPPLY ANY REMOVED FIX.

Example:  If your system has fix1, fix2, and fix3 applied in that order and fix2 is to be
          removed, fix3 must be removed first, fix2 removed, and fix3 re-applied.


1) Shutdown WebSphere

2) Follow the instructions that are packaged with the Fix Installer on how to uninstall the Fix.

3) Restart WebSphere

Directions to re-apply fix:  
1) Shutdown WebSphere

2) Follow the Fix instructions that are packaged with the Fix Installer on how to uninstall and reinstall the Fix.

3) Restart WebSphere



Additional Information: