Troubleshoot [DM_API_E_BADATTRNAME]error: “Bad attribute name ‘xxx’ for document/object”

After new attribute is added to a custom type, index agent is failing on the type with the following error message:

[DM_API_E_BADATTRNAME]error: “Bad attribute name ‘xxx’ for document/object”

Cause

Old type info is cached on the Index Agent/Server host.

Resolution

1. Stop Indexing processes, clear dmcl cache under C:\WINDOWS\system32 on Index Server host, and restart Indexing processes.

2. If step 1 doesn’t help, try clearing cache on Content Server host as well.

You will have to do this using the API on the Content Server side. You basically have to execute the following in the API:

flush,c,persistentcache
flush,c,persistentobjcache
flush,c,ddcache,<your_custom_type>
flush,c,registrycache,<your_custom_type>
publish_dd,c
OR
publish_dd,c,,<type name>,,T
reinit,c

a.) You will need to rename some folders on the content server host and you cannot do this if the docbase is running – so you will need to stop it for a minute or two.
b.) DM_HOME\bin\dmcl rename to DM_HOME\bin\dmcl_old
c.) re-create the dmcl folder so you will now have a NEW DM_HOME/bin/dmcl directory. (this is the cache directory)
d.) repeat steps a.) & b.) for the C:\Documentum\dmcl directory.

This is from Powerlink.