Parameters for binary file transfers with XCOM (Oracle .dmp files)

Products

• XCOM Data Transport
• XCOM Data Transport - Windows

Issue/Introduction

Is there is any restriction or recommendation with the transmission of Oracle export .dmp files (Direct export from Oracle dump files).
Can you also confirm and detail the mechanism that XCOM uses to guarantee the integrity of the files and to avoid that the files arriving corrupted at the destination.
We have had occurrences of successful transfers of Oracle .dmp files then failing the Oracle import step.

Environment

• XCOM™ Data Transport® for Windows
• Oracle

Resolution

1. Per the link provided (Direct export of data from Oracle Dump files) Oracle export .dmp files are binary files.
   Therefore the XCOM transmission of those files should always be done using BINARY mode to ensure that the integrity of the files is preserved e.g. if initiating the transfer from Windows the CODE (alias CODE_FLAG) parameter should be set to BINARY and the TRUNCATE parameter should be set to NO (which is the default).
   
   
2. The customer is using a transfer .xml file generated from the XCOM GUI which contains ENCODING="BINARY" and CARRIAGEFLAG="NO". NOTE: In the GUI selecting ENCODING=BINARY will generate that combination and they correspond to command line parameters CODE_FLAG="BINARY" and CARRIAGE_FLAG="NO".
   However, they are also using a Java program to execute the transfer which has "CARRIAGE_FLAG=MPACK" hardcoded on the xcomtcp.exe command line. That is incorrectly overriding the .xml file parameter CARRIAGEFLAG="NO" and needs to be removed.
   It is also best practice to have all parameters set in one place i.e. the transfer .xml or .cnf file, so parameters can be easily adjusted according to the type of file being transferred.