SAPSprint Service

Use

SAPSprint is a transfer program for print output using a Microsoft Windows operating system. SAPSprint replaces SAPlpd as an implementation of a print server and is required only for remote printing with Microsoft Windows. In this case, the host spool system (Microsoft Windows spooler) and the spool system (application server with a spool work process) are on different hosts. That is why the SAP spool system requires an external process that transfers the output requests from the SAP spool server to the Microsoft Windows spooler. This process is provided by the SAPSprint service.

Integration

SAPSprint comprises the program sapsprint.exe which contains the implementation of the Windows service and the receiver for print data from the SAP system. The SAPWIN data stream is processed in the sapwin.dll component. The sapwin.dll component is also used by the new front-end printing, as described in SAP Note 821519. SAPWIN processing errors therefore affect both print methods. Patches for SAPSprint and the new front-end printing can be downloaded from the SAP Support Portal.

Prerequisites

SAPSprint runs as Windows service. In general, you do not have to change the default configuration settings of SAPSprint as Windows service except for one: You should change the local system account to a domain account. For this, open the list of services in your Windows system, right-click on the SAPSprint service, and choose Properties. On the Log On tab, check the option This account and enter a domain user account.

Features

SAPSprint preserves the features of SAPlpd as a transfer program:

• You can use SAPSprint in all Microsoft Windows systems.

• Like the line printer daemon lpd, SAPSprint accepts print data and forwards it to the host spooler.

• SAPSprint also interprets the special SWIN/SAPWIN data stream and converts it to GDI calls for Microsoft Windows. The system then uses the printer drivers that are available for Microsoft Windows and/or the printers. sapwin.dll contains the SAPWIN interpreter.

SAPSprint is implemented as a multithreaded Windows service and adds the following features:

• Error Bypassing

  If an error occurs when printing on a device, this does not prevent printing on other devices defined in the system. In comparison, SAPlpd blocks output to all devices until the error is cleared manually. For more information, see Printing Through SAPSprint.

• Error autorecovery

  SAPSprint is by default configured to restart automatically after an error and thus is more robust than SAPlpd.

• Command Line Administration

  SAPSprint does not have a graphical user interface. You can set various configuration options for SAPSprint through a command line. By entering SAPSprint -? in the command line, you can view the most important configuration options. In comparison, SAPlpd was administered by directly accessing the Windows Registry Editor. You find a description of all configuration options in note 85469.

Activities

Install SAPSprint. For more information, see Installing SAPSprint.

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