Lotus Notes/Domino Agent FAQ updated 2/21/2006
Posted by Julie Kadashevich on 12.Oct.00 at 上午 10:17 using a Web browser
Category: Domino Designer -- AgentsRelease: All ReleasesPlatform: All Platforms

This FAQ contains frequently asked questions about agents.
The first part of the FAQ is an index of my articles about agents. They are a good place to start.
The second part is a compilation of commonly asked questions and answers, which provide additional information to the topics covered in the articles.


Index to all my agent articles.

09/20/2005 Lotus Notes Out of Office Agent, revisited: Part 1 (R6,R7)
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ooo-pt1/index.html
09/27/2005 Lotus Notes Out of Office Agent, revisited: Part 2 (R6,R7)
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ooo-pt2/index.html

11/02/1998 Demystifying the Out of Office agent 4.6,5.0
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Out_of_Office_agent/

01/02/2003 Troubleshooting agents in Notes/Domino 5 and 6
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Troubleshooting_agents_ND5_6/

03/02/1998 Troubleshooting agents 4.6
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Troubleshooting_agents/

03/29/05 Troubleshooting application performance
Part 1: http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/app-troubleshooting1/
Part2: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/app-troubleshooting2/

11/04/2002 Minimizing delays in the Agent Manager
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Agent_Manager/

10/01/2002 Decoding the new Notes/Domino 6 agent features
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-ND6NewAgentFeatures/
04/01/1999 Out of the Inbox: Mail processing with the new R5 mail agents
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Mail_processing_with_R5_mail_agents/

12/01/1999 Run and RunOnServer: Adding Parameters
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Run_and_RunOnServer/

03/02/1998 Julie Kadashevich: Managing the Agent Manager
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Julie_Kadashevich/

08/26/1997 Controlling the agents in your system
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-Controlling_agents/

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1) How to change the apparent sender of the agent generated mail.
Information on three different ways to do it with code samples has been moved to the "Troubleshooting agents" article.
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/today.nsf/62f62847467a8f78052568a80055b380/ef1565a0b202808285256c94004fd0fb?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,kadashevich

Related information not covered in the article:
What is $INetFrom:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/7de5b937e6b113438525680f006f3597?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,inetfrom
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/0a2fb58af0864fff852568e30055b386?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,inetfrom
And if you have problems even if you have used the right syntax and followed instructions:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/61c58ede8a7178458525693c006129b6?OpenDocument
From field has format name%doman@company.com, how do to drop %doman portion:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/9253ec348d06535b852569f20067617b?OpenDocument


2) Agent security problems (including trying to reach another server from an agent running in the background)
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/today.nsf/62f62847467a8f78052568a80055b380/ef1565a0b202808285256c94004fd0fb?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,kadashevich

If you receive a warning in Designer while attempting to save an agent
"You do not have execution access privileges for this agent on server X". This indicates one of two things: either the agent signer does not have the rights on the scheduled server, or that server is not reachable to check the signer rights. Running agent "test" in the Designer will give you a better indication if there is a problem or not.

3) How to figure out why the agent does not run:
for 5.0 and 6.0
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/today.nsf/62f62847467a8f78052568a80055b380/ef1565a0b202808285256c94004fd0fb?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,kadashevich
for 4.6
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/9148b29c86ffdcd385256658007aaa0f/27f79cb66e381900852565b6006d2eb4?OpenDocument

---IMPORTANT:---
If these tips don't help you figure it out on your own, when you post in the forum please include in your post screen shot of server log output with agent manager debug flags set to '*' (best) and/or diagnostic output of "agent test" (a good second choice when you don't have access to the server log)

4) Problems with Out of office agent (for 4.6x and 5.0x)
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/f01245ebfc115aaf8525661a006b86b9/b4919339851c0c0f852566ac005e4163?OpenDocument
Why does the mail come from the another id and not the user:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/170b4dabc3e433238525694b004f038f?OpenDocument

Multiple notifications from the same person (when only one should be generated):
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/f38889dd3bb97c5b8525695e006c9c13?OpenDocument

The user continues to get requests to disable the agent after he disabled it:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21087052

If you have other problems with this agent, follow tips in faq#3 and/or faq#14, they apply to all agents including Out of Office.

Common questions and answers about OOO from the support database:
http://www.ibm.com/Search?v=11&lang=en&cc=us&q=out+of+office&Search.x=21&Search.y=13

5) "Do you know why I get 'Object variable not set'?"
This is a result of a logic error in the code. The problem should become clear if
you single step through the code in debugger (File - Tools -LotusScript debugging).

6) Virus scanning for '.vbs' (or other attachements), "I Love you", etc. and dealing with SPAM
Basics of how to do it:
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/f01245ebfc115aaf8525661a006b86b9/4897c5b8c2737e088525674300751711?OpenDocument
Modifications of the example in the article for 'vbs' extention
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/50a63f294f837b03852568e400711272?OpenDocument
Also there are 4 articles about handling SPAM in Notes.net archives (under Iris today at the top of the page), here is a link to one of them:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/a828a133c898b6c58525690c0031d590?OpenDocument

7) Problems with mail agents:
Common gotchas explained here:
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/today.nsf/62f62847467a8f78052568a80055b380/ef1565a0b202808285256c94004fd0fb?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,kadashevich

Your server might be configured to delay execution of your agents:
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/cbb328e5c12843a9852563dc006721c7/4501ebd065a0759e8525654000641bef?OpenDocument
Comparison of different types of new mail agents, including how to get your hands on the mail message:
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/f01245ebfc115aaf8525661a006b86b9/4897c5b8c2737e088525674300751711?OpenDocument

Foreign domains and agent processing:
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/54c088c492bf26ae85256c0c006b3d50?OpenDocument

---IMPORTANT:---
If these tips don't help you figure it out on your own, when you post in the forum please include in your post screen shot of server log output with agent manager debug flags set to '*' (best) and/or diagnostic output of "agent test" (a good second choice when you don't have access to the server log)

8) Parsing arguments for web agents
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/f432df46f2e7bab1852568ff006e2c99?OpenDocument

9) How to pass parameters between agents
http://www.notes.net/today.nsf/f01245ebfc115aaf8525661a006b86b9/3c3d5608e087c9628525683100504834?OpenDocument

http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/DateAllThreadedWeb/c75a6454536654d785256b6d0063ccd2?OpenDocument

10) What to do when Notes crashed with PANIC or OleMainThreadWndName.
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/ca71a5fde57f245285256900006a3e95?OpenDocument

11) How to sign an agent with a server.id
For 5.0 - 5.06
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/aeeb83bfeeac1d878525690d000f3954?OpenDocument
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/5d7279f1bf8ff7a98525690b00214fb1?OpenDocument

Additional option in 5.06 and later
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/bd7536dfc74fa4ad852569ab006b309b?OpenDocument

Admin Tools have a database utility that allows you to sign all design elements (which includes agents) in various databases.

12) How to issue console commands from an agent
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/df537c4a2ff2611f8525689c005c6bf2/9e22db94e39d43a88525690d001f1f37?OpenDocument

13) Agents runs but mail is not being sent
If your agent runs to completion (i.e. no run time errors that stop the agent before it gets to the
send logic) this symptom usually means that it is configuration issue, not an agent problem.
Here are some things to check (this is not a complete list, just common things)
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/434e319a66960d8385256857005cd97b/AF4AC45DD7A55F848525686E00559EED?OpenDocument
Some causes of "the remote server is not a known tcp/ip host"
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/e19b1c65c84b170885256935004e453d?OpenDocument
See related tech note at the end of this post:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/c73b77a707cb66c9852569270060d606?OpenDocument
Another possible cause for "Unable to find path to server" (bug in NT 4.0)
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/8bfe7931e23dbc7d85256777005779cb?OpenDocument
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/df537c4a2ff2611f8525689c005c6bf2/8b4a0f4d03b21c82852568d8004eaa3d?OpenDocument
Note: Running with hard-coded IP address is not recommended but it will help you identify where the problem is.

If you are using a formula @MailSend check if you have a default view.
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/nd6forum.nsf/DateAllThreadedweb/0be0c484d95c1b0f852570a100456585?OpenDocument

14) Forcing login with an url
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/24051936c5521c238525690d006d7ed5?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,mika,session,authentication
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/14a6257fadfc0c0d85256922006753c4?OpenDocument

15) Memory management with recycle() method for Java back end classes (applies to 4.6x,5.0x.6.0x,7.0x)
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/4600bba5f42ed834852569290053739e?OpenDocument

Additional information about recycle method
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/nd6forum.nsf/55c38d716d632d9b8525689b005ba1c0/3028acdd0eb5e0c785256ed200791765?OpenDocument

16) Profile documents
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/c8854aca300338c985256934005a54c8?OpenDocument

17) Performance
Two new (2005) application performance articles:
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/app-troubleshooting1/
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/app-troubleshooting2/

In addition to performance articles in Notes.net archives, here is another excellent reference:
http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/notesua.nsf/572150f5ef0dfb1385256cb8005224be/9c38d073af93364b00256c3100441954?OpenDocument
A tool that assists with analyzing performance bottlenecks:
http://www.eview.com/eview/viewr5.nsf/e640f630a3361f84852568f600070fd3/61fb8d0e2748d24c85256a55007c9543?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,stopwatch

18) Is there a way I can get a handle to the shell command to see when it finishes ?
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/92d71ea9b0014c7285256964005ab2dc?OpenDocument

19) ODBC and AIX problems
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/7d6a87824e2f09768525655b0050f2f2/bb5ffc05ccd792bc852569e0003a795a?OpenDocument

20) This forum is not a venue for official bug reports, if you want to report a bug:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/8fcda5a283f280b2852565590071d8af/563d79643f9a35d28525693e0055acb3?OpenDocument

21) Tempted to sign agents with server id? Read about the drawbacks:
http://www.notes.net/46dom.nsf/df537c4a2ff2611f8525689c005c6bf2/d2fbda71c48f9013852569fb004cf473?OpenDocument

Note that overuse of this practice will become even less desirable in Release 6 as the server id will be even more powerful, so the users should be more careful deciding when to use it.

22) Agent cluster failover is supported natively in Domino only for "before delivery mail agents."

Additional information:
Failover Support for Background Agents on Clustered Domino Servers — A Solution for Your Lotus Workflow and Domino Applications
by Luciano Resende

http://www.eview.com/eview/viewr5.nsf/e640f630a3361f84852568f600070fd3/708b2f8f04e509ae85256ba5006a98a9?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,cluster

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Lotus Notes/Domino Agent FAQ update... (Julie Kadashevi... 12.Oct.00)
. . RE: Run as web user seems not work,... (Yuan Jia 23.Nov.00)
. . RE: [Julie... Add to your list?] SO... (William Hayward... 19.Dec.00)
. . RE: Can the autoprocess functionali... (Jagmeet Lamba 17.Jan.01)
. . RE: Agent output file on network dr... (Arul K Paulus-R... 23.Jan.01)
. . . . RE: Agent output file on network dr... (Leo Green 23.Jan.01)
. . . . . . RE: Agent output file on network dr... (Arul K Paulus-R... 23.Jan.01)
. . . . . . . . RE: Agent output file on network dr... (Hans Fredrik No... 24.Jan.01)
. . . . . . . . . . RE: Resolved: Agent output file on ... (Arul K Paulus-R... 24.Jan.01)
. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Resolved: Agent output file on ... (Horst Pozdena 22.Feb.02)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Resolved: Agent output file on ... (Horst Pozdena 22.Feb.02)
. . . . . . . . . . . . RE: Resolved: Agent output file on ... (scott noebel 22.May.02)
. . RE: How to manage agent scheduler ?... (Evandro Freitas... 8.May.01)
. . RE: Agents not runing on local . (Juan Eduardo Lo... 22.May.01)
. . RE: Updating of the content of Juli... (Jerry Manner 31.Jul.01)
. . RE: Webcentric view of changing app... (Mark I Thompson... 6.Aug.01)
. . . . RE: Webcentric view of changing app... (Mark I Thompson... 6.Aug.01)
. . RE: Potential Work-Around to handel... (John Battista 9.Aug.01)
. . FAQ proposal: Anti SPAM tecniques (Simone Chemelli... 23.Aug.01)
. . Agent runs but does not send mail (David E Rackley... 30.Aug.01)
. . Scheduled Agent with ODBC bombs (Kenneth Axi 25.Sep.01)
. . Where can I find maxperformancedomi... (Ingo Beyer 6.Aug.02)
. . . . RE: Where can I find maxperformance... (Andrew P Tasi 7.Aug.02)
. . RE: Agent FAQ updated 10/07/02 [ pl... (Bill C Buhl 12.Dec.02)
. . Agent FAQ (Walter Mobach 6.May.03)
. . Recycle() clarifications (Douglas S Gray 15.Jul.04)
. . RE: Agent FAQ updated 1/9/03 (Jeff Harris 25.Feb.04)
. . Question: New ND6 AMGR Run and Canc... (Usha A Dewastha... 20.Jul.05)
. . . . RE: Question: New ND6 AMGR Run and ... (Julie Kadashevi... 10.Aug.05)
. . . . . . Question: How do a scheduled agent ... (Hung D Tran 9.Jan.06)