Notes 9.0.1 64-bit for Mac Open Database Issues

~ caysal

I have  PMR  81399,442,000 opened for this because I have never seen this behavior before and have been working with Notes and Domino for over 20 years. I have been scouring the internet trying to find others with these same issues.

We have less than 10 Mac users in our company. Recently they were all upgraded to OS X El Capitan 10.11.3 and IBM Notes 9 64-bit. I am not desktop support or the Notes Administrator anymore, but I have lived in both worlds many moons ago and this issue has fallen into my lap because there has been much finger pointing at database design.

The databases that are having the issues were created over 14 years ago and run rock steady on Windows and Notes. These database are simple form and view databases. Yes their might be an XPage or ten in the database, but they are not being utilized yet.

What is the behavior? Well you click on a database link  or choose File – Open -IBM Notes Application (so far we are seeing this on 3 different databases and perhaps even mail) and it may or may not open to display content to the user. Why would I phrase it like that? A database either opens or it doesn’t, right? If you do a File – Open -IBM Notes Application and nothing happens the database is not open, right? That is what I thought too, until I took a look at the administrator console server status for the user experiencing the issue with database not opening and noticed that the database was showing as open for that user. Then I noticed I could do file application properties on the client and bring back information for the database even though you do not see the database as open?!? Help About this Application same thing.

Closing all tabs and then closing Notes will sometimes allow the database to open correctly the next time. (Most my users have the Notes Preference set for tabs to reopen when Notes starts. I think that is horrible idea, but I have been told people are different from me so…) Sometimes to get the database to display content you have to start opening other database (that are not having the trouble) first. It is not a open delay. These databases open fairly quickly. I have been working for some time to audit all the views selection formulas and column formulas to speed up things.

Sending a view link to the user in an email and having them click on that seems to open the view consistently. I should note that changing the default database view might work for a minute but then the problem returns.

Running in basic mode allows for database open correctly ever time. (it seems) Which from my understanding means that java is not being used.

Moving desktop8.ndk to the trash when things get good and borked also will allow for database open for a little while, sometimes. Clearing out expediter is iffy too.

Did I mention Mac client responsiveness is slow? Oh and sometimes mail goes to “not responding” then if the user closes the mail tab they cannot get mail to open again until they close Notes and reopen? I really wonder if this is the same behavior presenting on the mail database but have not been informed WHEN it was happening only AFTER.

Why am I posting this rant? Hopefully someone will see it and post a solution to the comments before IBM gets back to me on the PMR. This is a frustrating very inconsistent issue that is taking up way too much development time.

 

***IBM just released 9.0.1 FP3 for 64 bit version of Notes and that seems to have resolved this issue.***

13 thoughts on “Notes 9.0.1 64-bit for Mac Open Database Issues”

  1. Pingback: NotesIn9 | Can anyone help with “Notes 9.0.1 64-bit for Mac Open Database Issues”

  2. I am willing to help to try and re-produce the issue. Check your post at Notes and Domino Social Edition forum, we should continue this conversation there.

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  4. Thanks Kenio. Yes we did install the latest fix but are still seeing the behavior. ODS level was mentioned, and it looks like ODS was not upgraded last upgrade. So there is potentially something.

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  5. Does it make a difference if the database is on the server or if you make a replica or a copy and run it locally?

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    1. I have tested with a replica copy that is on another server and it opens every time while the replica copy on this server only seems to open when it feels like it or when you hold your mouth just right. Only for Mac 9.0.1 64-bit clients…

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    1. Doesn’t do a thing. The only file that seems to matter is Desktop8.ndk. I don’t know everything that file houses but it does seem to house memory of what the person has opened previously. Once it is deleted if you go to the old “workspace” all the icons are gone, except the ones created by default.

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    2. Well that was previously working but this morning I have to delete the Expeditor folder also. Such a flaky issue. Sometimes one thing seems to work, and then no. I guess I am just going to wait to see what happens with my PMR.

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  7. I received an update on my PMR yesterday. Per IBM support, “I am still looking into the issue and I am discussing it with my team as well. What we think is that the changes in bit could be the cause. Since 64Bit uses a different version of Java, Having that difference affects the viewing performance of some databases in notes. We already did verify that this could be a problem with Java since this is not reproducible in basic client and this only happens after changing the MacOS to el capitan 64bit.”

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  8. I found another interesting work around for my issue. If I use a URL hotspot with notes://server/database.nsf to open my databases that are seeing the issue I can consistently open them and database content is displayed. Scratching my head! Why would a File – Open – IBM Notes Application or an action hotspot with @Command( [FileOpenDatabase] ; “server”; “database.nsf”) show inconsistent behavior upon open? Sometimes opening and displaying content while at other times opening but not displaying content????? I reported to IBM and they have escalated to Application Integration.

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