iPrint Debugging: How to force a core file

The Print Manager Daemon (ipsmd) stops unexpectedly.  Information from logs is not sufficient to diagnose or resolve the problem.  A core file is needed by the iPrint development team to go further in the investigation process.

Below lists two methods to capture a core file.  The first method assumes that a core file can be written as a result of a crash.  The second assumes that the ipsmd process is not actually crashing, but halting, and therefore no core file is written at the time of failure. 

1. Capture a core as the result of a daemon crash.
• If possible, obtain a debug version of the novell-iprint-server code.
• Useful information can be obtained without a debug version of ipsmd.  But better, more detailed, information can be obtained if running a debug version.
• Paste the following string of commands into a terminal session (while logged in as root):
• ulimit -c unlimited;install -m 1777 -d /var/local/dumps;echo "/var/local/dumps/core.%e.%p"> /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern;rcapparmor stop;sysctl -w kernel.suid_dumpable=2;killall -9 ipsmd;killall -9 iprintgw;killall -9 papercut;killall -9 lprsrvrd;rcnovell-ipsmd start
• Some of the processes listed in the above kill statements will not be running, so you will see a message that <process name> no process found.  That is fine.
• Wait for the crash
• After the crash, gather this information:
• Time and date of the crash
• These files:
• /var/opt/novell/log/iprint/ipsmd.log
• /var/opt/novell/iprint/<print manager name and context>.psm/padbtxt.xml
• /var/opt/novell/iprint/<print manager name and context>.psm/psmdb.dat
• /var/log/apache2/error_log
• /var/local/dumps/ <all the files here>
• Start the print manager.
• rcnovell-ipsmd start
2. Generate a core file from a halted process.
• If this is an iPrint Appliance server, there is an extra step needed of typing this command:
• zypper in screen
• This command works only if the iPrint Appliance is registered for updates.
  
• Attach gdb to the ipsmd child process.
• Open a putty session to the iPrint server (logged in as root) and type:
• cd /tmp
• screen
• <hit the space bar>
• <hit the space bar>
• ps -ef | grep ipsmd
• The output will be similar to this:
• iprint   16218     1  0 00:04 ?        00:00:00 /opt/novell/iprint/bin/ipsmd
• iprint   16219 16218  0 00:04 ?        00:00:29 /opt/novell/iprint/bin/ipsmd
• In the above example, the first listed process (16218) is the parent process.  The parent process will have a gid of '1'.  The second listed process (16219) is the child process.
• Type these commands:
• gdb /opt/novell/iprint/bin/ipsmd
• wait for the (gdb) prompt
• attach 16219
• 16219 is an example.  Replace that with the child PID in your situation.
• c (and hit the ENTER key)
• typing 'c' and hitting the ENTER key will instruct gdb to continue running ipsmd.
• Close the putty session if you like.
• Once printing has halted, get back to the gdb session
• If the first putty session is still open, use that.  Or, if you had closed the first putty session, that is fine.  Open a new putty session and type:
• screen -x
• The gdb session will be visible.  Type these commands:
• generate-core-file
• quit
• y
• rcnovell-ipsmd restart
• Share the following with Micro Focus support:
• Time and date of the crash
• /var/opt/novell/log/iprint/ipsmd.log
• /var/opt/novell/iprint/<print manager name and context>.psm/padbtxt.xml
• /var/opt/novell/iprint/<print manager name and context>.psm/psmdb.dat
• /var/log/apache2/error_log
• The core file(s) in the /tmp directory.