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  • 1.  Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Tue October 17, 2023 06:16 PM

    Hi Family.

    While playing around with the catalogs I ran the following query on syslogs:

    select number, uniqid, size, used, is_used, is_current, is_backed_up, is_new,
           is_archived, is_temp, is_pre_dropped, flags, hex(flags) h_flags
    from syslogs
      order by uniqid

    Here are the last two rows; one already backed up on one is the current log:

    number          2
    uniqid          10
    size            12500
    used            12500
    is_used         1
    is_current      0
    is_backed_up    1
    is_new          0
    is_archived     0
    is_temp         0
    is_pre_dropped  0
    flags           5
    h_flags         0x00000005

    number          3
    uniqid          11
    size            12500
    used            98
    is_used         1
    is_current      1
    is_backed_up    0
    is_new          0
    is_archived     0
    is_temp         0
    is_pre_dropped  0
    flags           16387
    h_flags         0x00004003
    ^

    I added that caret under the 4 in the last row.

    I understand the 5 on the flags of the previous rows: binary 101 in the flags.  And the last log - the current log - is_used, is_current, not is_backed_up.  So those make sense, But where did the 4 (as in 0x4003) come from?  Well, as it happens, it is in the undocumented table syslogfil, upon which syslogs is the documented view.  Running a similar query on syslogfil:

    select hex(address) address,
           number, uniqid, flags, hex(flags) h_flags, fillstamp, filltime, chunk,
           offset, size, used
      from syslogfil
     order by uniqid

    Here are the last 2 rows of that:

    address    0x00000000461546c8
    number     2
    uniqid     10
    flags      5
    h_flags    0x00000005
    fillstamp  2264515
    filltime   1697574653
    chunk      1
    offset     117513
    size       12500
    used       12500

    address    0x0000000046154730
    number     3
    uniqid     11
    flags      16387
    h_flags    0x00004003
    fillstamp  0 ^
    filltime   0
    chunk      1
    offset     130013
    size       12500
    used       98

    Again, me inserting the caret under the 4.

    This has not affected anything, of course, but it might cause a bit of grief when I write a Perl script to analyze the syslogs rows.

    Any clues as to that mysterious flag that seems utterly undocumented?

    Thanks for ideas.  If the guys in sunglasses and black limos come for me I'll know I've hit on an evil conspiracy.  <Grin>



    ------------------------------
    Jacob Salomon
    ---
    Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.  --Attr: Yogi Berra
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Wed October 18, 2023 03:56 AM

    Hello Jacob,

    syslogs is a view on syslogfil. The flags are also documented there. 

    0x4000 = Log file contains the last checkpoint written

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/informix-servers/14.10?topic=tables-syslogfil-table

    Regards

    Andreas



    ------------------------------
    Andreas Seifert
    CURSOR Software AG
    http://www.admin-scout.com
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Wed October 18, 2023 10:33 AM
    Thanks, Andreas.

    I see it now.  I did not see it noted in sysmaster.sql so thanks for the reminder to look in there.

    I am replying to the group in order to display the entire URL for the link you posted.

    I also got a reminder that the too-smart editor removes what it considers to be extra spaces.  So the carets I carefully typed in below the "4" flags all got shifted out of place.  Mild bummer.

    +----- Jacob Salomon --------------------------------------------------+
    | The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of  |
    | anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of |
    | politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.              |
    +--------------- Thomas Sowell (Is Reality Optional?::Student Loans) --+






  • 4.  RE: Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Thu October 19, 2023 10:38 AM

    Hi Jacob,

    I believe that if you use the "Insert/edit code sample" option (looks like "{;}" on the ribbon menu) of the editor, your issue of the extra spaces is addressed.  Here is your output with the caret correctly located:

    address    0x0000000046154730
    number     3
    uniqid     11
    flags      16387
    h_flags    0x00004003
    fillstamp  0     ^
    filltime   0
    chunk      1
    offset     130013
    size       12500
    used       98
    



    ------------------------------
    mark collins
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Thu October 19, 2023 11:09 AM

    Hi Mark.

    I had done exactly as you suggested. The line with the caret was within the {;} and displayed in red.

    And, btw, your sample code in your example looks like this, all on one line:

    address 0x0000000046154730 number 3 uniqid 11 flags 16387 h_flags 0x00004003 fillstamp 0 ^ filltime 0 chunk 1 offset 130013 size 12500 used 98

    Note that what I presume was meant to be 2 lines with the caret carefully placed, wound up on one line.

    So our text entry facility is rather imperfect.



    ------------------------------
    Jacob Salomon
    ---
    Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.  --Attr: Yogi Berra
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Mystery flag in syslogs/syslogfil

    Posted Thu October 19, 2023 11:14 AM
    Edited by mark collins Thu October 19, 2023 11:15 AM

    Interesting.  When I view my posting, I see:

    (edit: I gave this image a title of "screenshot, but the title doesn't show up)
    That is bizarre.



    ------------------------------
    mark collins
    ------------------------------