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Q151417: XCON: Latin-1 X.400 Bodypart Encoding Causes NDR

Article: Q151417
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): winnt:4.0,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 27-MAR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 4.0, 5.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The use of ISO 8859-1 (Latin-1) as X.400 bodypart for the X.400 message text
sent by Microsoft Exchange Server may result in this bodypart not being
recognized by MTAs such as Digital's MAILbus 400. Therefore, no further
processing, such as conversion can occur on this message. On the MAILbus 400
side this may result in error message similar to the following:

  Event:Converter Unavailable

(Please see the More Information section for the complete error log). Eventually,
a non-delivery report (NDR) will be sent back to Microsoft Exchange Server.

CAUSE
=====

The encoding used by Microsoft Exchange Server for the ISO 8859-1 (Latin-1)
bodypart lacks the escape sequence needed to invoke the G0 subset of the ISO
Latin 1 character set.

WORKAROUND
==========

Do not use the ISO 8859-1 (Latin-1) bodypart if the remote message transfer
agent (MTA) is not able to decode the message without errors as sent by
Microsoft Exchange Server.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server
version 4.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version
5.0. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for
Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. For information on obtaining the Service
Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the
spaces):

  S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION
================

Foreign MTAs may expect the ISO-8859-1 body part invoked, using four additional
characters before the actual content (1b 28 42 0f). These four characters shall
contain the escape sequence invoking the G0 subset of the ISO Latin 1 set.
ISO/IEC 10021-7 Annex B, B.2 defines the General Text (extended) Bodypart. It
refers to the G0 character set designators as follows:

  The defaults for the G0 and C0 character set designators are those assumed as
  designated and invoked by the ASN.1 Basic Encoding Rules (ISO 8825) for a
  General String.

The Latin-1 character set itself is defined in ISO 8859-1 and also defines the
Escape sequences as follows: ISO 8859-1, 8 Designation of the character set

  When required by other coding standards, for example ISO 2022 or ISO 4873,
  the following pair of escape sequences shall be used: ESC 02/08 04/02 ESC
  02/13 04/01 to designate the G0 and the G1 sets, respectively. According to
  ISO 2022, the character SPACE does not require designation.

ITU' s 1988 X series of recommendations also known as the Blue Book refer to
these character set designators as follows: Rec. X.209, 23.5:

  23.5 The octet string shall contain the octets specified in ISO 2022 for
  encodings in an 8-bit environment, using the escape sequence and character
  codings registered in accordance with ISO 2375. ..."

The following is a sample of a resulting error as generated by Digital' s MAILbus
400:

  Event:Converter Unavailable
        from:Node DEC:.abc.defgh MTA
        at  :1996-12-13-14:49:07.851+01:00I-----

        Converter Name                    = "latin1toiso6937"
        Step                              = ""
        Error Log                         =
  "/var/mta/bad_msgs/latin1toiso69370008A832B15E"
  Saved Bodypart                    =
  "/var/mta/bad_msgs/isolatin10008A832B15E"
  Message Identifier                =
            [
  Country = "CH" ,
  Administration Domain = "400NET" ,
  Private Domain = "PRMD" ,
  Local Identifier = "ABCD-970113135033Z-8"
            ]
  Source                            =
            [
  Type = Domain ,
  Domain Name = "DOM88"
            ]
  Originator                        = "C=CH; A@0NET; P_ABCD;
  OU1=EXAB;OU2^; O=CDE; G=Abcd; S-efghijklmn;
  /OrganizationName_A/OrganizationalUnit_BCDEFGH/CommonName=RECIPIENTS/Com
  monName=AbcdB"
  Error                             = Conversion Failed
  # #Print the error log:
  # more /var/mta/bad_msgs/latin1toiso69370008A832B15E
  Input error - required character set not invoked prior to use
  #

MAILbus 400 is manufactured by Digital Equipment Corp., a vendor independent of
Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's
performance or reliability.


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange400 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : winnt:4.0,5.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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