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SAP Note 41732 - Deletion of data in transport directory

Note Language: English Version: 19 Validity: Valid Since 11.07.2001

Summary

SymptomYou want to remove old files from the transport directory in an orderlymanner.

Additional key words

Cause and prerequisitesReuse of space in the file system, high number of transports.

SolutionYou could delete the data no longer required in the subdirectories data,log and cofiles using the tp function clearold.Important:This function is available for all operating systems as of Release 3.0, andfor OS/400 as of Release 3.1H.

Functions:The deletion requires two pieces of information:

1. Is the file required for future transports?

A file is still required for future transports if the correspondingtransport request for an import into the SAP System has been markedfor import but not yet imported successfully.

2. Has the file passed its expiry date?

The expiry date of the various files in the transport directory can beset accordingly (see the section on Parameter Settings).

Parameter Settings:The minimum age of files in the transport directory that can be deleted canbe set in the transport profile. The transport profile is the file'TPPARAM' in the subdirectory 'bin' in the transport directory. Thefollowing parameters can be set (all durations are in days):

datalifetime is the minimum lifetime of the files in dataloglifetime is the minimum lifetime of the files in logolddatalifetime is the minimum lifetime of the files in olddatacofilelifetime is the minimum lifetime of the files in cofiles

Example:datalifetime=30loglifetime=60olddatalifetime=60cofilelifetime=30

These parameters must not be listed here system-specifically, since withthe subsequent tp calls no SAP system can be entered either.Instead you always call with the parameter 'ALL'.

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SAP Note 41732 - Deletion of data in transport directory

Execution:

1. If the subdirectory 'olddata' within the transport directory does notexist, create it. The subdirectory should belong to one of the SAPSystem administrators and allow all other administrators to have writeauthorization (that is, write authorization for the group).

2. Log on as one of the SAP System administrators

3. Change to the subdirectory 'bin' in the transport directory:

UNIX> cd /usr/sap/trans/bin

OS400> chgcurdir 'usr/sap/trans/bin'

WNT> cd T:\bin

4. Start tp with the arguments 'check' and 'all':

OS> tp check all pf=<transport_profile>

OS400> tp 'check all pf=<transport_profile>'

5. Start tp with the arguments 'clearold' and 'all':

OS> tp clearold all pf=<transport_profile>

OS400> tp 'clearold all pf=<transport_profile>'

Detailed Information:The result of the 'tp check all' is to make a list of all files in thesubdirectories 'log', 'cofiles', 'data' and 'oldata' that are no longerrequired. This list can be found in the file 'ALL_old.lis' in the 'tmp'subdirectory of the transport directory. The age of the files is not takeninto account here.In the second step (tp clearold all), the age of the files that are listedin the file 'ALL_old.lis' is checked.Files from the directory 'data' which have exceeded their lifetime (thatcan be parametrized) are shifted to the subdirectory 'olddata'.Files from the other directories ('log', 'cofiles', 'olddata') which haveexceeded their lifetime (which can be parametrized) are directly deleted.

Known problems:

1. It happens quite often that tp shifts or deletes fewer files thanexpected although the minimum lifetime has expired. Possible reasonsfor this are:

a) The transport request is still contained in a buffer. Also a bufferentry which has been processed completely prevents thecorresponding files from being deleted. This effect occurs inparticular if you do not regularly work with "tp import all ..."but with individual imports.

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SAP Note 41732 - Deletion of data in transport directory

The solution in this case is to run a "tp cleanbuffer <SID>" for everysystem before the "tp check all". The completely processed requests arethen deleted from the buffers.

b) Under operating system NT and DEC Alphaosf it might also happen dueto a program error that obsolete files are not deleted. For thiscase a patch will be provided shortly.

2. Up to and including Release 3.0D, the 'check' function has thefollowing known weaknesses which result in less being deleted thanshould be deleted.

a) The options 'data', 'log', 'cofiles', 'sap' and 'verbose' do notwork correctly.

Avoid these options.

b) When subdirectory 'cofiles' is analyzed, messages appear on thescreen about a transport request that only contains threecharacters.

This message can be ignored.

You can correct these errors by downloading a 3.0E tp from our servicemachines. You can find it as~ftp/dist/permanent/note.41732/tp

where is the operating system used. Since the 'check', 'clearold'functions do not work on the database of a SAP system, the new tp doesnot have to be able to log onto any of your databases. The stored tpsare all linked for any database system, but this is of no importancefor this cleanup action.

Give this tp a special name, such as tp.30E or tp.clearold and save itin the 'bin' subdirectory of the transport directory.

3. When you call 'clearold', tp outputs the line:'Removing corresponding entries from files in sapnames-directory'and then terminates with a 'segmentation violation' (signal 11 onUNIX).

The problem is found by examining the files in the subdirectorycofiles. tp only works correctly at this point if all filenames inthis directory have the format:K<any 6 characters>.<any 3 characters>That is, they are files that tp has created.

To get round this problem, remove all files from the cofiles directorythat do not match this format. 'Remove' in this case can be an actualdeletion, or it could also just mean that you move the files toanother (new) directory.

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SAP Note 41732 - Deletion of data in transport directory

4. For the operating system AS/400, the deletion only works from Release3.1H. See Note 66017 for more details on this.

Header Data

Release Status: Released for CustomerReleased on: 10.07.2001 22:00:00Master Language: GermanPriority: Recommendations/additional infoCategory: ConsultingPrimary Component: BC-CTS-TLS Transport Tools

Secondary Components:BC-CTS-TMS Transport Management System

The Note is release-independent

Related Notes

Number Short Text

1694830 tp clearold extension for cts+ directories and tmp directory

556734 FAQ Transport: Setup and further information

536068 tp clearold: Termination with long transport request names

168175 tp check/clearold problems

66017 AS/400: tp clearold all

7224 Deleting old corrections and transport requests