Defining the Output Device in the SAP System
You are working with the IBM i operating system and want to print on an output device that is known to the operating system through an output queue. The SAP spool server is sending output requests to the output queue and the IBM i spool system is then sending the data to the printer. This is optimal configuration if you are using printers that have already been configured in the IBM i operating system, or printers to be shared between the SAP system and non-SAP (legacy) applications.
Procedure
Call transaction
SPAD
, and chooseOutput Devices
.If you are not in change mode, switch to this mode by choosing
Change
.You must do the following:
You can create a new device definition by choosing
Output Device
Create
.You can use an existing device definition as a template.
To do this, select the entry for the output device that is to be used as a template, and choose
Output Device
Create Using Template
.
Specify the name of the output device and fill out the mandatory fields on the individual tab pages as follows:
Tab Page
Field
Input
Device Attributes
Device Type
Enter the device type that is defined in the SAP system for the printer model, such as HPLJ4 for the HP Laser Jet 4.
If you are using a printer that only supports SCS, IPDS, or AFP data streams, you must specify IBMSCS as the device type. However, this limits text formatting options to bold, underline, and few values of characters per inch (CPI) and lines per inch (LPI).
You cannot use the genericdevice type SWIN for printing from IBM i using a direct operating system call.
Spool Server
Select the SAP spool server that is running on the UNIX system.
For additional information, see Spool Server.
Device Class
Select
Standard printer
.Host Spool Access Method
Generic Device Type SWIN for Microsoft
Select access methods C.
Host Printer
Enter the name of the output queue created for this printer. The name of the output queue cannot be qualified by a library name, so the output queue object must reside in a library that is part of the work process library list, such as
QUSRSYS
.If required, classify the device by choose
Edit
Classification
and entering the appropriate output type classification for
this device.Although you do not have to classify your spool servers, the spool system checks that the device and server classifications match, which ensures an optimal output configuration.
ExampleIf you are preparing to assign a mass printer to a time-critical production server, then the spool system warns you of this disparity.
End of the example.
Result
You can use the printer in the SAP system as soon as you have saved the device definition.
Example
The following example shows the definition of a printer that is to be used as an output device for IBM i printing using a direct operating system call.
Device Attributes
Tab Page:
Host Spool Access Method
Tab Page:
As the host spool system and the spool server are on the same server, the name of this server appears on both tab pages. In this example, the printer also has the same name both in the SAP system and in the operating system.
Note
Printing on IBM i using the direct operating system call is the easiest configuration if the output queue already exists in the operating system for example if the printer is also being used by non-SAP applications.
However, you can also set up IBM i printers for remote printing using the Berkeley protocol. For more information, see Defining an Output Device for Remote Printing on a Network Printer or a Printer Connected to a Microsoft Windows PC or UNIX.
