15
Troubleshooting Solutions

15.1 Introduction

This chapter contains information about troubleshooting solutions for the Forms Server in the following sections:

• Checking the Status of the Forms Server

• Starting the Forms Server

• Stopping the Forms Server Process

• Starting the Forms Server Log

• Troubleshooting FAQ

15.2 Checking the Status of the Forms Server

To check the status of the Forms Server:

On Microsoft Windows NT:

1. Press Control+Alt+Delete to display the Windows NT Security dialog.

2. Choose Task Manager.

3. In the Task Manager, click the Processes tab.

If a server process is running, the Task Manager will display a process called IFSRV60.EXE, and multiple occurrences of a process called IFWEB60.EXE (one for every active connection).

On UNIX:

At the UNIX prompt, type: ps -ef | grep f60srvm and press Enter.

A list of process IDs will appear on the screen. If the Listener is running, the list will include a process called f60srvm, and multiple occurrences of the f60webm process. (There is one process for every active connection, plus one spare connection ready for the next user if the default value of pool is being used. If pool is set to 5, there will be 5 spare connections.)

15.3 Starting the Forms Server

To start the Forms Server:

As a service on Microsoft Windows NT:

You can remove an existing Forms Server service and reinstall it using new start-up parameters.

1. From a command window, type the following:

   ifsrv60 -remove <FormsServerServiceNameToBeRemoved>
   
   

2. Type the following:

   ifsrv60 -install <NewFormsServerServiceName> port=<portNum> 
   mode=<socket/http/https> [pool=<numOfRunforms> log=<logfilePath> 
   exe=<RunformexeName>]
   
   

3. Press Enter. A server process starts running on the specified port number.

See Section 5.4, "Description of Forms Server Startup Parameters" for startup parameter definitions.

In console mode on Microsoft Windows NT:

1. On the taskbar, choose StartRun.

2. Type:

   <ORACLE_HOME>\6iserver\bin\ifsrv60 <FormsServerName> port=<portNum> 
   mode=<socket/http/https> [pool=<numOfRunforms> log=<logfilePath> 
   exe=<RunformexeName>]
   
   

3. Press Enter. A server process starts running on the specified port number.

See Section 5.4, "Description of Forms Server Startup Parameters" for start-up parameter definitions.

On UNIX:

1. From the UNIX prompt, type:

   cd <ORACLE_HOME>.
   
   

2. Press Enter.

3. Type

   forms60_server start
   
   

4. Press Enter. The server starts running in the background.

See Section 5.4, "Description of Forms Server Startup Parameters" for start-up parameter definitions.

15.4 Stopping the Forms Server Process

To stop the Forms Server process:

As an NT service on Microsoft Windows NT:

1. Go to the Control Panel, and select Services.

2. Locate and select the Forms Server process.

3. Click Stop.

In console mode on Microsoft Windows NT:

1. Check the status of the Forms Server. If the server is running, the Task Manager will display a process called IFSRV60.EXE.

2. Select IFSRV60.EXE, and click End Process.

On UNIX:

1. Check the status of the Forms Server. A list of process IDs will appear on the screen. Note the process ID for the f60srvm process.

2. At the UNIX prompt, type

   kill process_ID
   
   

   or type

   
   kill -g 
   
   

   Press Enter.

15.5 Starting the Forms Server Log

The Forms Server will create a log file if you start the server using the log option, as follows:

ifsrv60 -install Forms60Server log=<\PathName\LogFileName> port=<portNum> 
mode=<socket/http/https>

The log contains diagnostic information.

15.6 Troubleshooting FAQ

Problem	Solution
You cannot run Web-enabled Forms applications with a non-Java-enabled Web browser.	If you are not sure your Web browser is Java-enabled, check your Web browser's network preferences. The Enable Java and Enable JavaScripts check boxes must be checked.
You see the error message "Cannot bind to port 9000" when you try to start the Forms Server.	Another process may be using the port. It could be another occurrence of the Forms Server; check that the Forms Server is not already running. If you just stopped the Forms Server, it may take a minute or two for existing connections to port 9000 to reopen.
The Forms Client does not download to your Web browser.	Check that you have defined a virtual directory to point to the Oracle Java class files (codebase).
The server will not allow the client to connect, although all connection data is correct.	If the server is using 128-bit encryption and the client cannot support this (because it uses 40-bit encryption), check the FORMS60_HTTPS_NEGOTIATE_DOWN environment variable. If this variable is set to FALSE, the server will reject client connection requests. If needed, check the Java console and the server log file (if one is available) to see the level of encryption being used by the client and server.
The Forms Server seems to ignore the user ID, password, and database SID parameter values you pass in your application base HTML file.	Make sure you preface the values with the parameter "userid=". For example: userid=scott/tiger@inventory
The Forms Server seems to not pick up your variable changes.	Stop and restart the Forms Server.
You experience problems when using a security firewall, and you are using a proxy server to access anything outside the firewall.	Make sure your proxies are set to manual configuration.
The HTML page and applet download at startup, and the applet starts running, but nothing else seems to happen.	Check the following: First, ensure that the Forms Client indeed is running; if it is, you should see a message in the status bar of your Web browser: applet oracle.forms.engine.Main running. If you see this message, but your application still does not appear, check the following: 1. Make sure the Forms Server and your Web server are installed on the same application server. Due to a current Java restriction, they must be installed on the same server. 2. Check your application base HTML file and configuration file to make sure you specified a valid directory path and filename for the .FMX file. You must use a physical directory path, not a virtual directory path. 3. Try setting a preference in your Web browser to display the Java console. This allows you to view runtime Java error messages.
Applet not able to connect to Forms Server.	Make sure that the "mode" setting on the server matches the "connectionType" in the base HTML file.
You experience trouble connecting to a local database.	It could be a result of the following: * If you do not specify a Net8 v2 connect string, you will receive errors. The Forms Server runtime engine will not accept connect strings of type LOCAL, TWO_TASK, and so on. * If you are using a Net8 v2 connect string and you still cannot connect to the database, make sure the Forms Server is running; on most installations, the Server is not automatically restarted after a reboot. * You must have the valid connect string in the TNSNAMES.ORA file on your application server, not on your client machine. The application logic is running on an application server, not on users' client machines.
You experience unpredictable behavior after modifying the CLASSPATH environment variable.	Changing the setting of the CLASSPATH environment variable on your application server or on a user's machine can produce unpredictable results. Setting the variable to a directory that overlaps with the directory tree where Forms Java class files are located can cause filename overlap.
There appear to be several unused processes running on the server.	Recall that for each user running a Web-enabled Form Builder application, a Forms Server runtime process (ifweb60.exe and ifsrv60 on Windows; f60webm and f60srvm on UNIX) starts on your application server. Each runtime process should end when the user exits the application. The process will remain on the server if a user exits the browser without cleanly exiting the application. To cleanly exit the application, use the menu or the [Exit/Cancel] key function, then exit the browser.