Conversion 
Conversion
Purpose
Optimization of the product setup and development process can be obtained by means of methods from Digital Mock-up (DMU) or Virtual Product Development Management (VPDM). All members participating in the design process have common, regulated access to the product’s geometry and topology and can even display the product digitally in the development stages.
The standard SAP System’s SAP Graphical User Interface (SAPgui) now has a viewer from Engineering Animation, Inc. (EAI) that allows you to view your products in the
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) area.This integrated viewer as well as other visualization programs can only display product information of certain file formats. For this reason it is necessary that you be able to convert the source file into a file format that can be displayed by the available software.
You crate a drawing (file type *.model) in a CATIA system that you want to display in the product structure. The viewer cannot display the CATIA format directly. In this case it is necessary to convert the file to a format either 2D (for example *.jpg) or 3D (for example *.jt)that can be displayed by the viewer.
The following Release allows the use of conversion interface functions of Digital Mock-Up Viewing.
Integration
You need the conversion server where the actual conversion takes place. Install the converter and communication programs on this server.
The SAP System communicates using an RFC connection to the conversion server. RFC destinations must be maintained. Use Customizing for conversions to set which original application files are converted at which processing statuses.
The following graphic shows the integration.
The integration is done in the following steps:
Therefore, one or more converters need to be installed for the conversion process. The selection of converters is based on which conversions are necessary and which type of files you want to display.
RFC (Remote Function Call) is an SAP interface protocol sets up communication between the converter and the SAP System.
Notes on the definition of RFC destinations can be found under
Programs for Communication.
The conversion interface controls conversions of original application files and document info records in the standard SAP System . You can set in the SAP System which processing status triggers an automatic conversion. The conversion specification contains all notes, indications, and details for the conversion. You create this in Customizing for Conversions. SAP help programs take car of the actual data transfer to the converter.
Features
The current conversion interface allows original application files to be converted:
Conversion of Original Application Files .The following overview contains the phases of the conversion processes.
Conversion phase |
Process |
Start |
You can start the conversion in two ways: Document: Assembly: |
Preparation for conversion |
The conversion process is started as a background job. This allows the user who started the conversion to continue working. The conversion does not have to be completed before resuming work. You can also set up the conversion to run only at night (See: Customizing for Conversions).
The system checks which conversion server is available for the conversion (
The system creates a temporary directory on the conversion server where the original application files are stored:
Since the conversion process is not a dialog process you see no dialog messages during the conversion. Logs messages in the application log tell you what happened during the conversion ( Display Messages). The scope of the output messages is determined in Customizing for Conversions. You decide in what time frame the logs are deleted. |
Conversion on the Conversion server |
The conversion of original application file is done using a converter that you installed to fit your needs. You can set up a time period for the converter in Customizing for conversions. The selection and syntax of these parameters are dependent on the converter. |
Import of converted original application files on the storage systems |
After conversion the original application files are saved in the temporary working directory. The converted original application files are transported into the SAP System by means of SAP help programs. The transport is done into the storage category that was entered in the conversion specification. You define in the conversion specification in which processing situations the converted original application files are deleted from the temporary working directory. You can set, for example, that the files are deleted once they have been converted correctly but converted original application files with errors are left intact. |
Result
A visual result appears where the system displays a list of the original application files for the document info record. The converted original application files are added to the originals in the source format automatically. You can display all file formats from the tab page Original Application Files.
The integrated