Use IBM MQ Explorer trace

We can use IBM MQ Explorer trace to find out what happened to cause a problem.


Note that you normally enable tracing only when asked to do so by the IBM Service Representative. Tracing slows down IBM MQ Explorer and the trace files can rapidly become large.

When you start the IBM MQ Explorer by using the runwithtrace command, extra parameters are incorporated that enable tracing of IBM MQ Explorer. Note the runwithtrace command takes no parameters itself.

The output location of the trace file is printed to the command line when the command runs because the actual location:

  • Is dependent upon the status of the IBM MQ installation
  • User permissions

The IBM MQ Explorer trace files have a name of the format AMQYYYYMMDDHHmmssmmm.TRC.n that indicates the start time of the trace session. When a trace file reaches its maximum size, the trace facility renames all trace files from the session by incrementing the file suffix .n by one. The trace facility then creates a new file with the suffix .0 that contains the latest trace.

To trace IBM MQ Explorer, complete the following steps.


Procedure

  1. Close IBM MQ Explorer.
  2. On Windows systems, use runwithtrace.cmd to run IBM MQ Explorer with tracing activated. The runwithtrace command is in one of the following locations:

    • If we are running the IBM MQ Explorer that was installed as part of a full IBM MQ server installation, the runwithtrace command is in MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH\MQExplorer\Eclipse, where MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH is the IBM MQ installation path.
    • If you installed the stand-alone IBM MQ Explorer (MS0T SupportPac), the runwithtrace command is in the same directory as the MQExplorer command.

  3. On Linux systems, use runwithtrace to run IBM MQ Explorer with tracing activated. The runwithtrace command is in one of the following locations:

    • If we are running the IBM MQ Explorer that was installed as part of a full IBM MQ server installation, the runwithtrace command is in /opt/mqm/mqexplorer/eclipse, where opt/mqm is the IBM MQ installation directory.
    • If you installed the stand-alone IBM MQ Explorer (MS0T SupportPac), the runwithtrace command is in the same directory as the MQExplorer command.

Parent topic: Troubleshooting


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