You notice there are quite numbers of messages related to DP_SOFTCANCEL in the trace files of dev_disp, dev_w* and also in transaction code SM21, system log messages.

There messages would similarly like below,

Delete session T8_U6451_M0 after error Execution was canceled (Softcancel) [Warning/Session]

The following is copied over from SAP Note 2827908 – Delete session, reason DP_SOFTCANCEL. You can always refer to this SAP Note for the updated information.

The DP_SOFTCANCEL is a message that appears in the Dispatcher trace file (dev_disp) as a consequence of a session that was terminated (or lost) after an issue.

This is not the actual root cause of the issue, but it indicates that the session was removed from the Dispatcher due another cause. Usually, the exception string right after the DP_SOFTCANCEL provides an extra information about the possible cause of the termination.

There are few possible causes and checks that can be performed for analyzing the root cause of the issue:

Troubleshooting Cases

DP_SOFTCANCEL_SAP_GUI_DISCONNECT

Informs that the end user GUI session was disconnected from Network communication perspective, and as a consequence, the session was terminated on the Dispatcher.

Checking the dispatcher trace file (dev_disp) may provide further information about what happened, but the resolution would be involving the local Network team to check these communication issues.

It might also be that something happened with the SAP GUI (e.g., it crashed or was forcibly closed using the Task Manager) or with the end user’s computer (e.g., user restared of turned off the computer without logging off from SAP first).

Documentation for the disconnection issues between SAP GUI and the Dispatcher:

• KBA 2507582 – 10054: WSAECONNRESET: Connection reset by peer
• SAP Note 1139596 – SAP GUI: Connection to partner ‘sapserver:sapdp00’ broken

DP_SOFTCANCEL_AUTO_LOGOFF

The SAP server does not receive any information from the user’s (SAP GUI) screen, then the session is automatically logged out after being idle for the time specified in the parameter rdisp/gui_auto_logout. Additionally this can be also related to Network issues.

• SAP Note 27320 – keepalive and gui_auto_logout profile param.

DP_SOFTCANCEL_AD_MSG

Usually informs that the session was terminated during a Job execution. Check the Job log at the transaction SM37 to see if any previous information indicates, what terminated the job.

Check also the transaction ST22 if any dump or error message is raised at around the same time of the Job termination.

DP_SOFTCANCEL_ABORT_PROGRAM

A program aborted the session. Usually there is an issue that happened on the Gateway or on other components.
In order to understand what happened on this component, check the respective log files in the SAP system’s work directory, for example for the Gateway (dev_rd) or the Dispatcher (dev_disp) or the Message Server (dev_ms).

DP_SOFTCANCEL_ICM_CANCEL_REQUEST

The Internet Communication Manager (ICM) canceled the session. There are many reasons that the ICM can trigger the session termination on the Dispatcher, for example: Network reasons, HTTP exceptions, ICM out of resources issues, etc.

This should be analyzed at ICM trace level (dev_icm), with matching the date and time when the DP_SOFTCANCEL_ICM_CANCEL_REQUEST was raised on Dispatcher trace.

DP_SOFTCANCEL_ICM_CONNECTION_CLOSED

The reason indicates that the ICM lost the network connection with the client. Thus, it triggered the cancellation of the session as SAP system would be unable to send the response back to the requester.

Verify what happened on the client end (e.g., where any errors raised there?), or investigate what caused the network connection to be closed unexpectedly.

DP_SOFTCANCEL_ICM_PROCESSING_TIMEOUT

Indicates that the session was terminated on the ICM layer after reaching the maximum HTTP Processing Time Out, defined by subparamter PROCTIMEOUT at parameter icm/server_port_.

To avoid these disconnections, this value can be increased, or the application team responsible for the HTTP request should analyze, why the request was not completed in time.

Checking the ICM trace file (dev_icm) at around the same time and the time of the SM21 transaction’s entries may inform, what was the maximum limit, and if the ICM trace is on level 2, it may inform what was the request.

DP_SOFTCANCEL_REMOTE_LOGOFF

Remote user was terminated. This is documented on KBA 2583152 – Job Canceled – DP_SOFTCANCEL_REMOTE_LOGOFF on work process trace.