SPR

Technote

Problem:
Whenever a LotusScript Agent is run, Notes tries to create something called an
Agent Data Note. You can see these Agent Data Notes by looking at a Notes
Database via NotesPeek. The Agent Data Note is listed under the design
elements, and is denoted with a small light bulb on a piece of paper as
follows:. There should be only one Agent Data Note per LotusScript agent. The
Agent Data Note stores information that can be written and retrieved by the
associated agent.

Below are multiple issues identified that can cause orphaned Agent Data Notes:

ISSUE 1: Orphaned Agent Data Notes created when user with less than Designer
access runs LotusScript agent
SPR #BLON3BFUW3 - Fixed in Notes 4.13 and 4.5

ISSUE 2: Plethora of Agent Data Notes prevent database from being opened and
corrupts database
SPR #BLUU3K9L3M - Fixed in Notes 4.15, 4.5.3, and 4.6.1

ISSUE 3: Orphaned Agent Data Notes created when a Simple agent calls a
LotusScript or Java Agent
SPR #WES3YDM3P - Fixed in Notes 4.6.4

ISSUE 4: Orphaned Agent Data Notes created if an agent is left in Edit mode
during execution, and subsequently modified
This issue has been fixed in Notes/Domino 7.0.1 and 6.5.6.

Excerpt from the Lotus Notes and Lotus Domino Release 6.5.6 and 7.0.1 MR fix
lists (available at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus):

Agents
SPR# DCOY4HCU3F - If you create a new agent, save it and do not exit, switch to
another window and run the agent, it creates extra Agent Data notes. This fix
prevents the creation of additional Agent Data notes, but it doesn't delete any
that already exist; for that you must still run compagnt.exe.


Refer to the Upgrade Central site for details on upgrading Notes/Domino.

Workarounds:
Here are workarounds to avoid these issues:

ISSUE 1: Orphaned Agent Data Notes are created when a user with less than
Designer access in the Access Control List (ACL) of the database runs a
LotusScript agent
WORKAROUND: Upgrade to a release where this issue has been fixed or have
someone with Designer access run all LotusScript agents. Once an Agent Data
Note is properly created and linked to its corresponding agent, no orphaned
Agent Data Notes will be created in the future.

ISSUE 2: An Agent Data Note is orphaned every time a LotusScript Agent is
saved. After a plethora of Agent Data Notes are orphaned, users will be unable
to open the database, and the database will eventually become corrupt
WORKAROUND: Upgrade to a release where this issue has been fixed or minimize
repeat saves of the same agents.

ISSUE 3: Orphaned Agent Data Notes Created when a Simple agent calls a
LotusScript or Java Agent
WORKAROUND: Upgrade to a release where this issue has been fixed or do not call
LotusScript or Java Agents from a simple agent

ISSUE 4: Orphaned Agent Data Notes are created if an agent is left in Edit
mode during execution, and subsequently modified
WORKAROUND: Always close agent design window before running the agent. In
order to make subsequent edits, open the agent in designer again. The goal is
to not leave the agent sitting in edit mode in between runs and saves.

Agent Data Cleanup:
Here are the steps to rid your database of any orphaned Agent Data Notes (do
this only if you have been instructed to do so by a Notes Support Analyst or
have confirmed that your database does indeed contain orphaned Agent Data Notes
by examining the database in NotesPeek)

To eradicate Orphaned Agent Data Notes, you can do one of the following:

1. Replace the design of your database with the same template. For example,
if your database is based on a template called "CallTrak", highlight your
database, select File, Database, Replace Design, select the "CallTrak"
template, and select OK. Note: This procedure may not work in all cases. If
it fails to resolve the issue then the utility described below should be used.

2. Run the Compact Agent Utility (Compagnt.exe) available from Notes Support
Services or Notes Knowledge Base. Refer to the following document for
information on this tool: "Compact Agent Tool to Delete Orphaned Agent Data
Notes" (#4004199)


Notes about the Compact Agent Utility:

The utility is only for Win32 platforms.
In order for the utility to clean up orphaned Agent Data Notes, you must have
at least one LotusScript agent in the database.
The utility can be run against local and server based databases


Related Documents:

NotesPeek 1.53 Beta for ND6: A Tool for Viewing Notes Databases on Notes 6.x
Document #: 4005686

NotesPeek 1.5x for R5: A Tool for Viewing Notes Databases in Notes R5 Clients
Document #: 4003920 (21166)

Compact agent tool to delete orphaned agent data notes
Document #: 4004199 (2655)

Related Old Products Document:

NotesPeek 1.5 for R4: A Tool for Viewing Notes Databases in Notes R4 Clients
Document #: 21167
More >