FAQ: CoolSpools and IBM i OS Upgrades

I’m upgrading to IBM i OS version, do I need a new version of CoolSpools?

No, the currently supported versions of CoolSpools have been certified to run on all IBM i operating system releases from V6R1M0 to V7R5M0 (IBM i 6.1 to 7.5).

Versions of CoolSpools earlier than V6 are no longer supported or available to download.  If you are still running a version of CoolSpools that is no longer supported then please be aware that it has not been certified to run on the latest IBM i operating system releases.  Some features may still continue to operate, but we would strongly recommend that you upgrade to the latest CoolSpools version.

Known issue fixed by PTFs 5CP0116 and 5CV0219

The only known issue that relates to any version of our software running on IBM i 6.1 or later effects the unsupported CoolSpools Version 5 (and earlier) but is rather obscure and unlikely to be a problem for the vast majority of customers: namely, spooled files larger than about 16 Mb in size saved with our SAVSPLF command can give a memory error when restored with our RSTSPLF command because an IBM API default has changed at V6R1M0. Unless this sounds like something that is going to concern you, we would not recommend applying any of our fixes/PTFs before you upgrade. This issue was fixed in CoolSpools PLUS PTF 5CP0116 and CoolSpools PTF 5CV0219. We only recommend installing the latest fix/PTF before you upgrade if (a) this sounds like an issue that might affect you and (b) you do not already have that PTF or later applied.

Do I need to apply PTFs/fixes before I upgrade?

We only recommend installing the latest fix/PTF before you upgrade if:

1. the RSTSPLF issue described above sounds like something that might affect you, and;
2. you do not already have that CoolSpools PLUS PTF 5CP0116 or CoolSpools PTF 5CV0219 later applied.

To check your PTF level, do DSPPTF 5COOLSP (CoolSpools PLUS) or DSPPTF 5CVTSPL (CoolSpools)

If this shows “No PTFs”, that simply means that you have not applied any PTFs since you installed: your installed code level could still include the relevant fixes. Do DSPPGM COOLSPV5R1/CS_RSTSPLR (CoolSpools PLUS) or DSPPGM CVTSPLV5R1/CS_RSTSPLR (CoolSpools): if the program creation date is 2008-06-24 or later, you do not need to apply the PTF for the fix described above.

Program Conversion

Like all programs created on an earlier version of IBM i O/S, you will, of course, need to ensure that CoolSpools programs are subjected to program conversion as part of your upgrade from a release earlier than V6R1M0.

You can either use the STROBJCVN command against our product libraries or, if you are restoring objects to a new system, use the option to carry out conversion on the restore operation. We suggest you set the QFRCCVNRST system value to 2 (“Objects requiring conversion to be used on the current version of the operating system or on the current machine will be converted. Objects with validation errors will also be converted.”) or 7 (“All objects will be converted.”) and specify FRCOBJCVN(*SYSVAL) (the default) on the RSTxxx command when restoring objects to the new system. Conversion will then occur automatically.

See the IBM Information Center for further details. Program conversion is discussed in this article.

When you run the ANZOBJCVN command against CoolSpools objects, it may report that object attributes will be lost on conversion. This can safely be ignored. The only object attribute affected is the digital signature, which is invalidated by the conversion process. The purpose of the digital signature is to prove that the objects you download and install are genuine and have not been tampered with since we created them. The digital signature is not required for the objects to function correctly and the objects will run as before once they have been converted.

I’m upgrading my IBM i operating system, do I need a new license key?

You should only need new license keys when the serial number and/or logical partition (LPAR) number of your system changes as part of a hardware swap or upgrade.  If all you’re doing is upgrading the operating system then no new license key should be needed.

However, it does happen occasionally that customers find they are told their license keys have expired after an IBM i OS upgrade. We believe that this can happen as a result of a scratch install or if library QUSRSYS (where license keys are stored) gets overwritten or restored as part of the upgrade. Should this happen, you just need to re-enter your original license keys by re-running the ADDLICKEY command you were sent when you first purchased the license.

Please be aware that license keys are no longer issued for unsupported versions of CoolSpools (older than CoolSpools Version 6).

If you no longer have a note of your license key(s), just contact our support team and ask for a reminder.