Renewals via SIP2 in Aleph 20

• Article Type: General
• Product: Aleph
• Product Version: 20

Description:
Since upgrading to Aleph 20 we are not able to perform renewals via SIP2 using message 11 (Checkout). In our previous version it works fine.

Resolution:
There are two settings to check:

1) Please check switch renew_policy in tab_sip2.conf.
Since rep_change #002160 (Aleph 18) the SIP2 messages 11 (Checkout), 29 (Renew) and 65 (Renew All) are checking this parameter.
If renew_policy is set to "N" (default), renewal with one of these messages is not permitted.
To allow renewals via SIP2 in general, set the parameter to Y.

2) Also, in SIP2-protocol (as defined by 3M) for message 11 (checkout) the field "SC renewal policy" is defined.

Extract from SIP2 protocol definition (by 3M):

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SC renewal policy 1-char, fixed-length field: Y or N. If this field contains a 'Y ' then the SC has been configured by the library staff to do renewals. ‘N’ means the SC has been configured to not do renewals. This field was called “renewals allowed” in Version 1.00 of the protocol.
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Previously Aleph has ignored this field and allows a renewal even if the self-check-machine sends SC renewal policy=N. As we consideres this as a bug we now in Aleph 20 have implemented support of field SC renewal policy to Alephs SIP2-server (done with rep_change #002160 in Aleph 20):

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rep_change #002041

Description: In continuation of change #163, the Aleph SIP2-server now supports field "SC renewal policy" in message 11 (Checkout). If the SC machine sends "SC renewal policy = N", renewal via message 11 is not permitted by Aleph (even if renew_policy = Y is defined). Therefore a library can decide that a specific SC-machine may not allow renewals even if the overall policy is to allow them.

Note that renewal via message 11 is allowed only if renew_policy = Y is defined and the "SC renewal policy"-flag is set to Y by the SC machine. In all other cases, renewal is not allowed.
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In your logfile of SIP2 we see that your SC machine always sends "SC renewal policy"=N. Therefore Aleph is blocking the renewal. Please configure your self-check-machine so that "SC renewal policy"=Y is sent. Then Aleph will allow renewals.