ODBC connection error [DataDirect][ODBC OpenAccess SDK driver] [OpenAccess SDK SQL Engine]Input to loadExternalStrings() is invalid

Products

• CA Service Management - Service Desk Manager
• CA Service Desk Manager

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to connect Service Desk Manager (SDM) to BOXI 4.x via the ODBC console on the SDM server, receive the following error: [DataDirect][ODBC OpenAccess SDK driver] [OpenAccess SDK SQL Engine]Input to loadExternalStrings() is invalid

Another related error that might be received is:  Unable to connect: Socket open error on pdmweb.exe 

Re-installing the SDM ODBC drivers does not resolve the issue

Cause

SDM assumes that a web engine in the environment is named 'pdmweb.exe'.

However, SDM can be configured such that 'pdmweb.exe' is either not used or it is used as the name of the web director.

Environment

Service Desk Manager 14.x and 17.x
All Supported Windows Operating Systems

Resolution

Set a new environment variable in the NX.env file on the SDM server so that the SDM ODBC driver knows that 'pdmweb.exe' is not being used as the name of the default web engine of the default DOMSRV.

1. Run 'pdm_options_mgr -c -s PDMWEB_RENAMED_TO -v <webengine_executable_name> -a pdm_option.inst' where <webengine_executable_name> is the name used in place of pdmweb.

For example: pdm_options_mgr -c -s PDMWEB_RENAMED_TO -v pdmweb1 -a pdm_option.inst

2. To avoid losing the change whenever you run pdm_configure, please run the above command with the '-t' flag:

'pdm_options_mgr -c -s PDMWEB_RENAMED_TO -v <webengine_executable_name> -a pdm_option.inst -t' where <webengine_executable_name> is the input name used in place of pdmweb.
 
For example: pdm_options_mgr -c -s PDMWEB_RENAMED_TO -v pdmweb1 -a pdm_option.inst -t

3. Recycle the SDM service for the new NX variable to take effect.  After the recycle, verify that the NX.env includes this statement: @NX_PDMWEB_RENAMED_TO=pdmweb1

Additional Information

NOTE:  Support for BOXI 4.x ended on December 31, 2018 - https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/product-content/status/announcement-documents/2016/ca-business-intelligence-jasperreports-server-6_2-for-ca-service-management-ga-announcement.html?r=2