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Status Not under consideration
Workspace IBM i
Categories Db2 for i
Created by Guest
Created on Jan 16, 2024

RELATED IDEAS

Reset *JOB environment

Hi IBM Support,


We have a situation where we run a third-party utility to import an excel file to a database table. As part of this process, a number of *JOB environment variables are added causing Python output to the console to display unprintable characters (Ascii).


print('Hello World!')


Before corruption:

Hello World!

Press ENTER to end terminal session.


After corruption:

çÁ%%? ï?Ê%À

Press ENTER to end terminal session.


We have identified a *JOB variable causing the issue and after removing the *JOB environment variable output to the console is displayed correctly.

RMVENVVAR ENVVAR(QIBM_PASE_DESCRIPTOR_STDIO) LEVEL(*JOB) or change environment variable value from B to T

Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 19, 2024
    LANG is an example of a job-level environment variable that you would not want to remove.

    Db2 for i development team
    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 19, 2024

    The third party has agreed to make a software change to remove the offending environment variable. Availability of change is yet to be disclosed.


    In addition, we have created a script to remove all *JOB environment variable to return to the same state as a new AS400 session.


    If IBM offered the ability to re-initialise the environment variables, it would remove the need for IBM developers/shops to build a custom solution.


    Thanks


  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 18, 2024
    IBM does not intend to provide a solution to this Idea at this time, so it is being closed.

    A job's environment variables are not something the operating system can reset for you.

    If an application adds or changes environment variables, the application should remove them or set them back to their prior values upon exit.

    Scott Forstie published a gist that demonstrates a way to reset all the system-level environment variables for a job back to their system values.
    https://gist.github.com/forstie/e53920610e3a5c35058c185b270704c0

    This could provide a framework for managing environment variables. As always, you need to understand how your job is supposed to be configured to tune the solution to fit your situation.

    Db2 for i development team
    IBM Power Systems Development
  • Guest
    Reply
    |     Jan 17, 2024

    I may be totally wrong here, but shouldn't this request be made to the third-party vendor instead? If the third-party utility adds a number of environment variables at the *JOB level as part of the process, shouldn't the third-party remove or change back to the original environment variables values after the processing is done?

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