Reproducing the Situation

A fundamental rule of problem-solving in any software system is that if you are unable to reproduce the problem, you are unable to solve it.

Some problems can be difficult to reproduce, but the following guidelines make reproduction simpler.

• When you run an application, ensure that the error trace configuration option is set to yes in the appropriate configuration file (see Configuration Tuning topics). Then, when problems arise, a record of all error messages that were produced, even if messages have been turned off at the application level, is kept.

• If a problem arises while you are running an application, make note of what was being done with the application at the time.

When you are ready to attempt to reproduce a problem, make the following preparations:

• Back up all files.

• Reproduce the external environment as closely as possible. If other processes were running, make sure they run during your test.

Try to carry out the same steps that you were performing when the error occurred. Remember to back up your files before each attempt to reproduce the error. Some problems are data dependent, and using the correct initial data can be crucial to successfully reproducing the error.

If you cannot cause the error to occur, the problem could also depend on commands executed earlier in the session. Try again, making sure to run through exactly the same steps that you did when the error first occurred.

During this phase, it is very important to make careful notes of all your actions; you want to be able to repeat, again and again, the exact situation that caused the problem. You should not be concerned at this point with eliminating unnecessary steps; you can deal with that question when you try to isolate the cause of the problem.