Flushing the WebSphere Application Server Cache

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If your WebSphere deployment manager, node agent, or application server will not start, it can be a good idea to flush the WAS temporary directories and cached files.

First, stop all your IBM processes.

Then, back up the existing configurations for all profiles:

  • On a administrator command window, navigate to WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/bin
  • Run command backupConfig <backupfilepath>

Next, rename the following directories (or remove them, but it’s safer to rename):

  • WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/wstemp
  • WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/temp
  • WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/config/temp
  • Again, you should do this for ALL your profiles

Now, delete the javasharedresources directory located at C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\

Now, run the commands to clear the cache:

  • Navigate to WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/bin
  • Run command osgiCfgInit
  • Run command clearClassCache

Once again, perform ALL of these steps for ALL your WebSphere profiles.

Lawson Add-ins Query Wizard Error – “There might be a mismatch with the server and product line you chose”

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Have you come across the Lawson Add-ins Query Wizard Error – “There might be a mismatch with the server and product line you chose”?

This error occurs when you’ve logged into Lawson query wizard and opened up your dme script and the product line in the dme file is incorrect.

To resolve this error, locate your .dme file, right-click it >> Open with >> Notepad (or your own text editor)

In the file on the first line, you should see the product line, in our example it is TEST10 and needs to be changed to PROD10

Simply change the TEST10 to PROD10, select File >> Save

Open the dme file again in excel and the mismatch error should be resolved.

Overview of best practices when applying patches in a Lawson Production Environment

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When applying patches in a Lawson Production Environment, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

  1. IPA Scheduled Tasks Overview (assuming your organization uses IPA)
    • Acquire or create an outline of all IPA scheduled processes between the patching window and update any documentation to refer to these.
  2. Establish a Patching Window
    • If patching in TEST takes longer than the established window due to applying multiple patches, space out the patches on different days for PROD.
    • Some organizations run 24/7 globally so it’s best to notify managers of the established window so users will not open an abundance of tickets.
  3. Pre-Patching Process
    • Stop IPA Grid from running scheduled flows
      • This ensures no users can run any jobs that could attempt to trigger IPA flows.
      • Open a command window and navigate to the landmark install directory
      • Enter.cmd
      • Command “adminlaw” — this will stop everything and not allow it to restart (stopping the service will sometimes restart on its own
    • Restart PROD LSF server
    • Stop websphere after reboot (or disable automatic services pre-reboot)
    • Turn Security OFF
  4. Post-Patching process
    • Turn on Security
    • Turn on Websphere
    • Start IPA Grid
      • Command “startlaw”
    • Manually run and verify any missed IPA processes during downtime window.

This is a general overview and not meant to be applied to all organizations that may have several custom interfaces.

Good luck!

How to setup a LBI smart note delivery device

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You have a Lawson Business Intelligence Smart Notification report that needs users email devices added to it. In order to create one, follow the steps below.

  1. Login to LBI and go to Tools Dashboard >> Smart Notifications
  2. Go to Personal Settings and select Delivery Devices

  1. Under Delivery Devices at the bottom right click “Add Device”

  1. The General Info is the name of the device while the Delivery Method should be the actual email address of the user.
    1. Note that the default type and template are usually fine for most reports and organizations
  2. Click Add after you’ve filled in the proper info

  1. The delivery device (email address) will be sent a 4-digit confirmation code which you will need to enter here and click “Update”.
    1. You can start adding the email device to notifications before confirming the device.

Lawson Add-ins Error – ExcelDrill.xla could not be found

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You’re updating Lawson add-ins and running into this error when accessing addins in excel.

To resolve this error follow these steps:

  1. Open Excel and go to File >> Options
  2. In Excel Options click on Add-ins Tab

  1. Under Manage: Select Excel Add-ins and click Go…
  2. Unselect any Lawson Add-ins “exceldrill.xla” files and then press Okay:

  1. Repeat steps 1 and 2, in Manage: select COM Add-ins >> Go… and unselect any Lawson Addins selections that path to *.xla files
  2. After doing this, restart excel and you should no longer receive the exceldrill.xla errors. A successful install should show the below under COM Add-ins.

Done!

How to set a distribution group to a Lawson job within Lawson portal

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Before we get started, you’ll need to have distribution groups setup already. See our article on how to do that if you haven’t. You’ll likely need higher privileged access to perform these tasks.

Assuming you already have distribution groups setup, follow the steps below.

  1. Login to Lawson portal.
  2. Go to a Lawson job that you want to set a distribution group for.
  3. Once the job is created, click on the “Reports” button above the Job Name.
  4. In Report Properties, select Distribution Group and then select one of your created distribution groups from the Group Name drop down box and press OK when done.
  5. Click “Change” to save the report properties. Now Inquire on the job and click Reports again to verify the changes were made.

That is, your reports will now show up in the users print manager that are in the selected distribution group. All without having to go to LID.

How to resend an LBI confirmation code for a newly created email device

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You’ve setup a user’s email in LBI Smart Notes and contacted them to send you a confirmation code. Time has passed and the user lost the email. To resend the code follow the steps below.

  1. Login to LBI go to Tools Dashboard >> Select Smart Notifications
  2. Go to Personal Settings and select Delivery Devices

  1. Located the user awaiting confirmation and click Edit

  1. In the Edit Delivery Device screen, click Resent Confirmation:

That’s it! No need to delete and recreate a new user.