Question:

dbnextid is not working

When I try to run dbloc2, I get the following:

% dbloc2 db
          dbnextid failed for arid

Answer:

If you're using a local lastid table, check the permissions on the lastid table, to be sure you can write to it.

If you're using the id server -- dbids -- try to isolate the problem.

You should be able to see the problem directly by running dbnextid, e.g.:

% dbnextid db arid
dbnextid: failed to connect to server:2499
   Operation timed out
dbnextid: Can't connect to idserver at server
dbnextid: waited 5.000 seconds for id 'arid'

If you see the result above, check to make sure your dbids is actually running on server, and on the right port. Also check to make sure there isn't a firewall problem.

% dbnextid /tmp/dq arid
dbnextid: couldn't read idserver reply
dbnextid: waited 5.000 seconds for id 'arid'

If you see this result instead, check the dbids.pf file for dbids on the server, to be certain your ip address is allowed in the valid_ip_addresses table. (For Antelope 5.0 and later, you can also check the dbids log file, to see if it mentions the rejections; perhaps you are showing up as a different ip address than you expect, or the valid_ip_addresses table is not written correctly. In the latter case, you may find ipvalidate(1) helpful.

You can also try connecting directly to the idserver with telnet, e.g.:

% telnet server 2499
Trying 207.174.76.138...
Connected to server.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by foreign host.

Output like this probably indicates a problem in the dbids.pf file; failure to connect probably indicates dbids is not running, is not running on the server machine, is not running at that port, or is blocked somehow, perhaps by routing or a firewall.