Understand Znuny / OTRS / OTOBO traceback

Learn in this article how to analyze, debug and fully understand OTRS / Znuny traceback errors. Let us take a common upgrade issue from Znuny 6.2.x to 6.3.x
Here we are failing on fetching E-Mails and we get this error:

ERROR: OTRS-otrs.Console.pl-Maint::PostMaster::MailAccountFetch-10 Perl

Message: There was an error executing Execute() in Kernel::System::Console::Command::Maint::PostMaster::MailAccountFetch: Console command 'MailAccountFetch' is failed.

Traceback 
Module: Kernel::System::Daemon::DaemonModules::BaseTaskWorker::_HandleError Line: 50
Module: Kernel::System::Daemon::DaemonModules::SchedulerTaskWorker::Cron::Run Line: 175
Module: Kernel::System::Daemon::DaemonModules::SchedulerTaskWorker::Run Line: 233
Module: (eval) Line: 331
Module: main::Start Line: 331
Module: /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.Daemon.pl Line: 152

This message looks really awkward but it has lot of details to track down your error. Here a simple process to find your OTRS / Znuny / OTOBO error:

Prozess to read and understand the traceback lines

For this example here we will use specifically Znuny version 6.3.3.

  1. Line 1: ERROR: OTRS-otrs.Console.pl-Maint::PostMaster::MailAccountFetch
    The line is telling you very specific, who is causing the error. Here it is naming Console.pl and the Module Maint::PostMaster::MailAccountFetch
    Now you know how to reproduce or where to search
  2. Line 2: Message: There was an error executing Execute()
    Sometimes you get more details from the developed code, if this error is expected. In this case it seems to be an unexpected error
  3. Line 3 and following: Traceback
    Traceback is giving you hints to the specific places in code. The topmost entry is showing you there exactly the code terminated expectedly or unexpectedly.
    In this case it seems it is unexpected termination in
    Module: Kernel::System::Daemon::DaemonModules::BaseTaskWorker::_HandleError
    at line 50 in perl file Module: Kernel::System::Daemon::DaemonModules::BaseTaskWorker in function/method _HandleError
  4. find the corresponding file of the Module
    this is mostly also very simple by going to your installation (typically /opt/otrs) and you navigate from here to
    Kernel/System/Daemon/DaemonModules and your file has mostly .pm or .pl as file extension.
    In our case it is BaseTaskWorker.pm
  5. open the file with an editor
    go to the given line, in our case Line 50

You will find here this code

sub _HandleError {
    my ( $Self, %Param ) = @_;

    $Kernel::OM->Get('Kernel::System::Log')->Log( 
        Priority => 'error',
        Message  => $Param{LogMessage},
    );

If you do not have access to the file system you can use github with it’s git repository.

To get the code simply do:

  1. open in browser
    https://github.com/znuny/Znuny
  2. select tags in the branches dropdown
    Znuny github tag release
  3. select your version 6.3.3
    named in this list as rel-6.3.3
    which will bring you to the tagged sources
    https://github.com/znuny/Znuny/tree/rel-6_3_3
  4. Now you navigate also the folders down to
    Kernel/System/Daemon/DaemonModules, which will bring you to this
    https://github.com/znuny/Znuny/tree/rel-6_3_3/Kernel/System/Daemon/DaemonModules
  5. Open the source file
    https://github.com/znuny/Znuny/blob/rel-6_3_3/Kernel/System/Daemon/DaemonModules/BaseTaskWorker.pm
  6. Go to source file at Line 50
    https://github.com/znuny/Znuny/blob/rel-6_3_3/Kernel/System/Daemon/DaemonModules/BaseTaskWorker.pm#L50

And now you see that the Line 50 is adding something to log:

$Kernel::OM->Get('Kernel::System::Log')->Log( 
    Priority => 'error',
    Message  => $Param{LogMessage},
);

So the next checks are:

  • if your log file is existing
  • if your log file can be created (if missing)
  • if your log file is writable

The location of your log file is configured in System Configuration > LogModule::LogFile and it is typically

/var/log/otrs/otrs.log

Do you need help with Znuny / OTRS?
We have lot of experiences with OTRS and Znuny and can help you with your issues. Get in touch with us and we will check if and how we can help you.

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Do you need help with Znuny / OTRS?​

We have lot of experiences with OTRS and Znuny.
We can help you with your issues to solve them.

From giving you support up to implementing integrations to your existing systems.

Get in touch with us and we will check if and how we can help you.​