Diagnostics

Assuming the Web server and browser are operating properly and are properly configured, the following processes can be used to diagnose problems while using FlashConnect. If a problem occurs, please perform each step in the diagnostic process in order to isolate the problem (see diagram below). Test details are found on the following pages.

Test 1. Verify the browser can access a non-FlashConnect HTML page.

Setup:	FlashConnect does not have to be installed. The Web server must be running. The browser must be able to connect to the Web server.
Process:	Enter the URL to a Web page on your Web site.
Success:	The expected Web page displays.
Failure:	Web server or browser may be improperly configured, not running, or the network connection may be down.
Follow-up:	This problem does not involve FlashConnect. Contact your site administrator for assistance.

Test 2. Verify the browser can access the FlashConnect static Web pages.

Setup:	FlashConnect must be installed on your Web server. FlashConnect need not be installed on the database server.
Process:	Use a browser and load a static Web page in the w3library directory. The URL will look something like: http://yourwebhost/w3library/index.html For example: http://mywebhost.rainingdata.com/w3library/index.html
Success:	FlashConnect welcoming page displays.
Failure:	Other than the static Web page, this test does not use FlashConnect. Most likely the problem is with the Web site configuration.
Follow-up:	Confirm the following are true: The URL is correct. The Web server has read access to the files in the w3library directory.

Test 3. Verify the Web server can run a script in the cgi-bin directory, using sh.

NOTE	This diagnostic tests the ability for the Web server to execute shell scripts. Since FlashConnect does not use shell scripts, it is possible for FlashConnect to work even if this diagnostic fails.

Setup:	FlashConnect must be installed on your Web server. FlashConnect need not be installed on the database server. Shell (/bin/sh) scripts must be executable by the Web server. If they are not, try the diagnostic test, Test 4. Verify the Web server can run a script in the cgi-bin directory, using PERL. Copy the helloworld.sh program from the w3library directory to the cgi-bin directory on the Web server.
Process:	Use a browser to access the helloworld.sh file. The URL will look something like: http://yourwebhost/path/helloworld.sh For example: http://mywebhost.rainingdata.com/cgi-bin/helloworld.sh
Success:	A Web page containing the message "Hello World" displays.
Failure:	An error message displays.
Follow-up:	Confirm the following are true: URL is correct. Web server has execute access to the files in the cgi-bin directory. Web server is running on a UNIX system.

Test 4. Verify the Web server can run a script in the cgi-bin directory, using PERL.

NOTE	This diagnostic tests the ability for the Web server to execute PERL scripts. Since FlashConnect does not use PERL scripts, it is possible for FlashConnect to work even if this diagnostic fails.

Setup:

FlashConnect must be installed on your Web server.
FlashConnect need not be installed on the database server.
The PERL scripting language must be installed on the Web server.
Copy the following applications from the w3library directory to the cgi-bin directory on the Web server. then type:

get_parameters.pl, get_parameters.pm

Process:

Use a browser to access the get_parameters.pl file. The URL will look something like:

http://yourwebhost/path/get_parameters.pl

For example:

http://mywebhost.rainingdata.com/cgi-bin/get_parameters.pl

Success:

A Web page showing the parameters and environmental variables displays. Generally the parameters section is empty. The environmental section is not usually empty.

Failure:

An error message displays.

Follow-up:

Confirm the following are true:

The URL is correct.
PERL exists on the Web server.
PERL is accessible by the Web server.
The Web server has execute access to the files in the cgi-bin directory.

Test 5. Verify the Web server is using fccgi.exe

Setup:

FlashConnect must be installed on your Web server.
FlashConnect need not be installed on your database server.
Your Web server must be running.

Process:

Use a browser to access the fccgi.exe program.The URL will look something like:

http://yourwebhost/path/fccgi.exe

For example:

http://mywebhost.rainingdata.com/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe

Success:

This message displays:

" is an illegal command.

Failure:

A server error occurs.

Follow-up:

Confirm the following are true:

The URL is correct.
The Web server has access to the cgi-bin directory.
fccgi.exe is executable by the UNIX user used by the Web server.
fccgi.exe is an executable file.
fccgi.exe is in the correct directory.

These two diagnostics may help resolve this problem:

Test 3. Verify the Web server can run a script in the cgi-bin directory, using sh.

Test 4. Verify the Web server can run a script in the cgi-bin directory, using PERL.

Test 6. Verify that the FCService is running.

Setup:

FlashConnect must be installed on the Web server.

Process:

As root on the Web server, execute one of the following two lines. Depending upon which type of UNIX is being used, one line will produce a harmless error, the other one will not. Use the one that does not produce an error message.

ps -ef | grep FC

ps -auwx | grep FC

One or more lines should display.

One line contains the text grep FC.
Several lines contain the entire word FCService.

Success:

Several lines contain the entire word FCService.

Failure:

No lines contain the word FCService.

Follow-up:

If no lines display, then verify the FCService file is executable and verify the location of the FlashConnect.conf file. Make sure the process used to start the FCService is correct.

Test 7. Confirm the fccgi.exe program can access the FCService program.

Setup:

FCService must be running on the Web server.

Process:

From the UNIX prompt in the directory that contains FCdebug, execute:

./FCdebug -h

Success:

FCService configuration displays.

Failure:

An error message displays.

Follow-up:

See the following sections:

Using the FlashConnect Server Debug Program

Diagnostic Messages Displayed On the Browser

Test 8. Check if the FCService and D3 server are connecting with each other. Use either of these two methods as a valid diagnostic.

Method One

Setup:

FlashConnect must be installed and running on the Web server.
FlashConnect must be installed and running on the database server.
Determine the first few characters of the database server's host name.

Process:

As root on the Web server, enter:

netstat - a | grep hostname

For example:

netstat -a | grep eng

One or two lines for each connection between the FCService and the database server should display.

Success:

Status ESTABLISHED displays on line one for each connection. The status LISTEN displays on the second line, if it exists.

Failure:

There is not an entry with the status ESTABLISHED for each connection to database.

Follow-up:

Verify that FCService is running.
Verify FlashConnect was started on the database server.
Shut down and restart both the Web and database components of FlashConnect.

Method Two

Setup:

FlashConnect must be installed and running on the Web server.
FlashConnect must be installed and running on the database server.

Process:

From the UNIX prompt in the directory that contains FCdebug, enter:

./FCdebug -t

Success:

The appropriate server pools are listed in the Host Name column.

Failure:

The appropriate server pools are not listed in the Host Name column.

Follow-up:

Check that FCService is running.
Shut down and restart the D3 FlashConnect component.
Shut down and restart FCService.
Shut down and restart database.
Shut down and restart UNIX.

Test 9. Check that the FCService can access the database server.

Setup:	FlashConnect must be installed and running on the Web server. FlashConnect must be installed and running on the database server. Copy the fccgi.to.d3.test.sh script to the Web server's cgi-bin directory. As needed, modify the script to correct the location of the fccgi.exe, grep, and echo commands. The FlashConnect demonstration applications must be installed on the database server (default configuration).
Process:	From the UNIX shell on the Web server, in the cgi-bin directory, run the fccgi.to.d3.test.sh script.
Success:	The message connection ok displays.
Failure:	The message connection failed or any other error messages display.
Follow-up:	Confirm that the Boo program is in the database server in the www bp file. Check that FCService is running. Check that database FlashConnect connections are established to the Web server using WWW-STATUS. See Using WWW-STATUS. Use fcdebug -t to confirm FCService is connected to D3 server. Shut down and restart FCService. Shut down and restart database. Shut down and restart UNIX.