ERROR: "service-specific error code 473" starting XCOMD & "XCOMN0473E Error(s) parsing xcom.glb"

Products

• XCOM Data Transport
• XCOM Data Transport - Windows

Issue/Introduction

When trying to start the CA XCOM XCOMD Scheduler Service received message "service-specific error code 473".



The xcom.log shows :
XCOMN0473E Error(s) parsing xcom.glb; The XCOMD CA XCOM Data Transport Scheduler Service cannot start."

It may also show a problem with a specific line e.g:
    XCOMN0477W Error(s) parsing xcom.glb. Error processing Global Parm on Line 1, <XLOGFILE

Environment

XCOM™ Data Transport® for Windows

Cause

There are two possible causes:

• The xcom.tid file is corrupt, possibly from the server crashing when the file was open
  
  
• Editing the xcom.glb file incorrectly.

Resolution

1. The xcom.tid file may have become corrupt. This is the file that holds the value for the next transfer ID that XCOM will assign. Since this is easy to check, even though it is less likely, edit the C:\program files\CA\ XCOM\config\xcom.tid file (or wherever you have XCOM installed), and if it does not contain a 6 digit number, correct it by adding a value such as
   000001
   and try starting the xcomd scheduler service again.
2. This error message usually means that XCOM was unable to read the xcom.glb file because of a typo or an extraneous character or an invalid parameter. You need to restore it, either from a backup or by printing it out and reconfiguring a new copy using the printed copy as a guide. This problem is most likely due to editing the xcom.glb file incorrectly. If you cannot do this or it does not work, please get a trace (see below)

To trace the parsing of the xcom.glb file to determine where the error is:

1. From the command prompt box, from the C:\program files\CA \XCOM directory, (or wherever you have XCOM installed) directory, type
   card3 on
2. You will receive the following response:
   CA-XCOM daemon trace facility now enabled.
3. Access the XCOM Scheduler Service by clicking on Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools and select the Services Icon.
4. Scroll toward the bottom and open the XCOMD CA XCOM Scheduler Service by double left clicking on it. 
5. Add -d9 to the Start parameters box and start the service.
6. XCOM will generate a trace.trc file in the C:\program files\CA\XCOM\trace directory
7. The trace will contain a listing of each parameter and value as CA XCOM processes it. If the cause of the error is not obvious, please copy the trace.trc file xcom.glb files and send the trace to Broadcom Support.  Broadcom support may also need to see a copy of the xcom.glb file.
8. When done troubleshooting, be sure to turn off the trace by deleting the -d9 parameter from the scheduler service startup and by typing
   card3 off in the command prompt box in the C:\program files\CA\XCOM directory.

NOTE: XCOM will automatically remove the trace.trc file from the trace subdirectory after the time period specified by the EXPIRATION_TIME parameter in xcom.gbl has passed.

Additional Information

Previously up through Windows 2012: By default the encoding of the xcom.glb file was UTF-8, but when edited with Notepad and saved, Notepad altered the encoding and saved it as UTF8 BOM. XCOM is unable to handle that type of file, and that is why the xcomd service wouldn't start.

However Microsoft made changes to the Notepad application as part of the Windows update 19H1 (version 1903) released on May 21, 2019. After this update, the GLB file can be modified with Notepad and there should not be any problems as Notepad is modified to preserve the File encoding when being modified. Also, it will use "UTF8 without BOM" as a default encoding to save the files.