Error log files

At installation time an errors subdirectory is created in the /var/mqm file path under UNIX systems, and in the \IBM\WebSphere MQ\ file path under Windows systems. The errors subdirectory can contain up to three error log files named:

After you have created a queue manager, it creates three error log files when it needs them. These files have the same names as those in the system error log directory, that is AMQERR01, AMQERR02, and AMQERR03, and each has a default capacity of 256 KB. The capacity can be altered in the Extended queue manager properties page from the WebSphere MQ Explorer, or in the QMErrorLog stanza in the qm.ini file. These files are placed in the errors subdirectory in the /var/mqm/qmgrs/qmname file path under UNIX systems, or in the \IBM\WebSphere MQ\qmgrs\qmname\errors file path under Windows systems.

As error messages are generated, they are placed in AMQERR01. When AMQERR01 gets bigger than 256 KB it is copied to AMQERR02. Before the copy, AMQERR02 is copied to AMQERR03.LOG. The previous contents, if any, of AMQERR03 are discarded.

The latest error messages are thus always placed in AMQERR01, the other files being used to maintain a history of error messages.

All messages relating to channels are also placed in the appropriate queue manager's errors files, unless the queue manager is unavailable, or its name is unknown, in which case channel-related messages are placed in the system error log directory.

To examine the contents of any error log file, use your usual system editor.

Early errors

There are a number of special cases where these error logs have not yet been established and an error occurs. WebSphere MQ attempts to record any such errors in an error log. The location of the log depends on how much of a queue manager has been established.

If, because of a corrupt configuration file for example, no location information can be determined, errors are logged to an errors directory that is created at installation time on the root directory (/var/mqm or C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere MQ).

If WebSphere MQ can read its configuration information, and can access the value for the Default Prefix, errors are logged in the errors subdirectory of the directory identified by the Default Prefix attribute. For example, if the default prefix is C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere MQ, errors are logged in C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere MQ\errors.

For further information about configuration files, see Configuring WebSphere MQ.

Note:
Errors in the Windows Registry are notified by messages when a queue manager is started.

An example of an error log

Figure 23 shows an extract from a WebSphere MQ error log:

Figure 23. Sample WebSphere MQ error log
17/11/2004  10:32:29 - Process(2132.1) User(USER_1) Program(runmqchi.exe)
AMQ9542: Queue manager is ending.

EXPLANATION:
The program will end because the queue manager is quiescing.
ACTION:
None. 
----- amqrimna.c : 931 -------------------------------------------------------