SAP Note 672652 - Known problems in transaction SAINT in Basis Release 6.40

Symptom
This note provides information about problems that may occur when you use the add-on installation tool (transaction SAINT) to install or upgrade SAP add-ons.

Since Support Packages can also be part of the installation queue, refer to Note 672651 "OCS: Known problems with Support Packages in Basis Release 6.40".
Furthermore, you must read the add-on-specific installation and upgrade notes.
Caution: This note is regularly updated to the latest status. Therefore, always make sure to obtain the latest version from SAPNet.


Other terms
OCS, SAINT, ADD-ON, XPRA_EXECUTION, TP_FAILURE

Change history
- 27.07.2007: On MSSQL Server systems: The import step for the table conversion (tp step "N") terminates with the runtime error SAPSQL_SUBQUERY_ILL_TABLE_TYPE.
- 27.07.2007: To avoid DDIC activation errors, implement the corrections contained in Notes 791984, 1015068, and 1022755.
- 12.05.2006: SAR archives cannot be loaded and unpacked using the function "Load from front end"
- 12.05.2006: SAPCAR error: format error in header
- 04.01.2006: When you use the downtime-minimized import mode, you must use a minimum of the R3trans version from December 06, 2005.
- 18.05.2005: Problems with the buffer synchronization when you use a 6.40 kernel and an IBM DB2 database (Note 841938)
- 10.03.2005: Do not use R3trans patch level 62 to import OCS packages (as of February 11, 2005).
- 10.03.2005: Runtime error ASSIGN_LENGTH_0 during DDIC activation - Note 743408
- 24.11.2004: SAINT Version 0016, 0017: Unauthorized Support Packages in the queue
- 14.10.2004: SAINT Version 0016: there is no complete conflict verification with add-on installations
- 14.10.2004: SAINT Version 0016: Incorrect proposals for enhancing an add-on installation queue with Support Packages
- 20.10.2003: Note was created again

Reason and Prerequisites
Problems are generally caused by program errors or by the type of installation packages.

Solution

1. SAP recommendation

We recommend you to always import the latest version of the SPAM/SAINT update before you import installation packages. It is also a good idea to download the latest versions of executables tp and R3trans from a sapserv# application server (see Note 19466).

If you are using several application servers, make sure that profile parameter rdisp/bufrefmode is set to sendon,exeauto, and if you are using only one application server, make sure that the profile parameter is set to sendoff,exeauto. Otherwise, you only have the option of executing the "/$sync" command to make the changes become completely effective after the installation.

2. Known problems and solutions

• SPAM/SAINT Version 0016: Error in the conflict verification

           Symptom: When you install an add-on using the Add-On Installation Tool in SPAM/SAINT Version 0016, the system does not carry out a complete check for conflicts between the add-on to be installed and already-installed components. This means that CRTs needed in the case of modifying add-ons may not be included.
           Solution: The problem is resolved in Version 0017. When installing modifying add-ons, such as ECC-DIMP 500, use only Version 0017 or higher.
If you forgot to include CRTs, you can import them subsequently without difficulty using the Support Package Manager. However, this should not happen, as only non-modifying add-ons were available for products based on NetWeaver 04 until now, and these do not require CRTs. The modifying add-on installation packages that are currently available require SPAM/SAINT Version 0017 or higher to be imported, and cannot be imported at all with an earlier version.

• SPAM/SAINT Version 0016: Incorrect Support Package proposals

           Symptom: As of Version 0016, you can link additional Support Packages to an add-on installation queue. When you upgrade an add-on, the system determines (in the same way as for system upgrades) which Support Packages need to be included for the target add-on release based on the Support Packages that have been imported for the add-on source release to achieve the same maintenance state. In SPAM/SAINT Version 0016, a program error means that the system does not just determine this for the add-on contained in the upgrade, but for all components. As a result, you may find that Support Packages that should not be imported at all have been preselected on the Support Package selection screen. It is easy to undo this preselection using the relevant dropdown fields. However, if you overlook this preselection, the selected Support Packages are included in the installation queue and then imported once the import conditions have been met.
           Solution: SPAM/SAINT Version 0017 corrects this problem.
When you use SPAM/SAINT Version 0016, you should always check carefully which Support Packages have been selected for the individual components on the Support Package selection screen, and if necessary, undo any incorrect preselections.

• SPAM/SAINT Versions 0016, 0017: Unauthorized Support Packages in the queue

           Symptom: As of Version 0016, you can add further Support Packages to an add-on upgrade queue. If the Support Packages you are adding require Support Packages of the old release in your system for the add-on you are upgrading, these Support Packages that belong to the old system may be sorted after the add-on installation/upgrade package. This is incorrect and means that after importing this queue, the add-on is inconsistent.
Note that sorting before the installation/upgrade package is correct and is not an error.
           Solution: The problem is corrected in SPAM/SAINT Version 0018.
When you use SPAM/SAINT Version 0016 or 0017, before you begin the import, carefully check whether the Support Packages of the old release for the add-on you are upgrading have been sorted after the add-on installation/upgrade. If this is the case, do not import this queue. In this instance, only import the actual installation/upgrade queue without the added Support Packages. The additional Support Packages should then be imported with the Support Package Manager in a second step.

• Runtime error ASSIGN_LENGTH_0 during DDIC activation

           Symptom: If Japanese is set as the system language, DDIC activation may terminate with runtime error ASSIGN_LENGTH_0 in certain cases.
           Solution: The problem is solved with Basis Support Package SAPKB64001. If the problem occurs while you are importing a SAINT queue, follow the solution notes in Note 743408.

• Problems with R3trans patch level 62 (as of February 11th, 2005)

           Symptom: If you use R3trans with patch level 62 (see R3trans -v) for importing OCS packages, the import may terminate in the DDIC activation or the after-import method execution. Error messages of the following type appear in the logs:
LANG DTEL * Object information could not be imported
LANG TABL * Object information could not be imported
or
Object "..." "..." has not yet been imported successfully
           Solution: Do not use R3trans with patch level 62 (February 11th, 2005) to import OCS packages.
If you have already encountered these errors, it is no longer sufficient to simply change the R3trans. In this case, contact SAP Support (component BC-UPG-OCS).

• Usage of a 6.40 kernel with a database of the family IBM DB2

           Symptom: When you import Support Packages to use a 6. 40 kernel on an IBM DB2 database, in some circumstances problems can occur with the buffer synchronization.
           Solution: Refer to Note 841938 and only use the kernel and transportation tool versions recommended there.

• Downtime-minimized import only with R3trans from December 06, 2005 (or later)

           The downtime-minimized import mode in the Add-on Installation Tool may only be used with an R3trans version from December 06, 2005 (or later). If you use an older R3trans version, ABAP Object methods may not be imported correctly. Note 906008 describes this phenomenon and the symptoms that occur.
As of Version 0020, the Add-On Installation Tool checks whether the minimum R3trans version exists.

• "SAPCAR error: format error in header" when extracting an SAR archive

           Symptom: When you unpack an SAR archive, the SAPCAR utility terminates with the error message "SAPCAR error: format error in header".
           Reason: The SAR archive was packed using SAPCAR Version 700. Since changes were made to the SAR archive format in this version, older SAPCAR versions can no longer unpack the archive (also refer to SAP Note 892842).
           Solution: Use SAPCAR Version 700 or SAPCAR Version 640 patch level 4. These versions can process the new archive format (refer to SAP Note 892842).

• SAR archives cannot be loaded and unpacked using the function "Load from front end"

           Symptom: You want to unpack an SAR archive using the function "Load from front end". The system refuses the archive with the message "File '???.SAR' is not a CAR or SAPCAR file'.
           Reason: The SAR archive was packed using SAPCAR Version 700. Since changes were made to the SAR archive format in this version, and the archive format versions were also changed, the Support Package Manger does not recognize the file as a valid SAR archive.
           Solution: SPAM/SAINT Version 640/0020 contains an adjustment to the new SAR archive format. Note that you may require a new SAPCAR version (refer to the problem described above, or to SAP Note 892842).

• Avoiding DDIC activation errors during the import

           To avoid DDIC activation errors when you import installation queues (especially long queues), you must implement the following notes BEFORE you implement the corrections.791984  "Simultaneous activation of view append and appending view"1015068 "Deleting and recreating dictionary objects"1022755 "Language import and deletion of dictionary objects"
           Alternatively, check whether you have already implemented this notes as part of a Basis Support Package.

• Termination of table conversion (tp step "N") on MSSQL systems

           Symptom: When you import installation queues on MSSQL Server systems, the import step for the table conversion (tp step "N") terminates. The job log of the associated background job RDDGEN0L contains the runtime error SAPSQL_SUBQUERY_ILL_TABLE_TYPE.
           Solution: To avoid the error, implement the corrections contained in Note 1042435 before you import the Support Package.
If you have already encountered the error, proceed as described in Note 1042435.

Affected Releases

Software Component Release From Release To Release And subsequent SAP_BASIS 60 640 640