Front-End Printing (SAP GUI for
Windows) 
Use
With front-end printing under Microsoft Windows, the system addresses a printer that is defined in the Microsoft Windows operating system of the front end PC.
· Users want to print directly at their workstation, without having to create a specific device definition in the SAP system. This is especially the case for users that often work at different work stations or log on to the SAP system on a mobile basis, and want to print at their current location.
· Unlike the access methods of other methods of printing, the access methods F and G for front-end printing do not require any fixed IP addresses. This means that the default printer of any Microsoft Window PC can be generically addressed.
· Administrators want to avoid costly administration work, in that they do not want to have to set up front-end printers individually as remote printers. However, defining a generic output device is sufficient.
There are two types of front-end printing. Front-end printing with access method F, which works with the transfer program SAPlpd, is the traditional type of front-end printing. Since SAP Web AS 6.20, there is also a new procedure for front-end printing available to you, which you can use in parallel: front-end printing using control technology with access method G. This no longer requires SAPlpd. The printer selection is also no longer displayed in the SAP system. Instead, a Microsoft Windows printer selection window is called directly from the control. The restriction on the length of printer names therefore no longer applies.
You can use both types of printing in parallel for front-end printing in the SAP GUI for Windows.
Prerequisites
Authorizations
In addition to the general print authorizations, every user requires the following authorizations for front-end printing:
· Authorization object S_SPO_DEV, authorization field SPODEVICE, authorization %LOC
Authorization object S_RFC:
Field |
Value |
RFC_TYPE |
FUGR |
RFC_NAME |
LPRF |
ACTVT |
16 |
Architecture Prerequisites
· At least one printer must be defined.
· The host spool system (operating system spooler) must be on a front end PC.
· There must be an active connection to the front end PC, that is, the user must be logged on to the SAP system at the time of printing from the SAP system.
Front-end printing in the background is not possible, as there is no active connection to the front end.
· An additional SAP GUI session is required for transferring the data to the front end; therefore, the user must only be using a maximum of five sessions.
· For printing with SAPlpd (access method F), you should use the newest SAP GUI and the newest version of the transfer program SAPlpd.
You can find the newest versions in the Software Center of the SAP Service Marketplace (http://service.sap.com/patches). For the exact paths, see SAP Note 328252.
· For more information about additional prerequisites for front-end printing without SAPlpd (access method G), see Front-End Printing with Control Technology.
· It is irrelevant whether the printer is connected locally or remotely to the front end.
SAP System Prerequisites
To be able to address users’ front-end printers from the SAP system, the corresponding device definition must contain the following details:
· If you define an output device in an SAP system, specify the type of connection with which the output device is to be addressed. This connection type is known as the access method and is identified by a letter.
In the case of an output device for front-end printing, this is access method F or G, depending on whether you want to use front-end printing with SAPlpd or front-end printing with control technology.
· So that the default printer at every host can be primarily addressed, you must specify the host printer __DEFAULT (two underscores) in the device definition. __DEFAULT calls the relevant default printer name.
Of course, you still have the option of selecting another printer:
¡ In the case of front-end printing with control technology (access method G), the printer selection window of the Microsoft Windows operating system is displayed. You can choose a printer other than the default printer in this window.
¡ In the case of front-end printing with SAPlpd (access method F), you can select another operating system printer in the printer selection window of the SAP system. However, to be able to do this, the option No Device Selection at Frontend must be inactive in the device definition.
· We recommend that you specify the device type SWIN or SAPWIN, or the relevant language-dependent version of SAPWIN to ensure that the system sends a printer format that any Microsoft Windows driver can interpret (see SAP Note 423003 in the SAP Service Marketplace).
However, you can also use any other SAP device type for front-end printing.
Activities
Front-End Printing Using Printers with Access Method G
If you select a printer with access method G when printing from the SAP GUI for Windows, the Microsoft Windows selection box appears, from which you can select a printer defined at your front-end.
Front-End Printing Using Printers with Access Method F
...
1. When the user prints from the SAP system, he or she can select the name of the front-end printer with the print parameters. This will either mean that the default printer is directly addressed, or you can select another front-end printer in the SAP printer selection window. For you to be able to select another operating system printer in the printer selection window of the SAP system, the option No Device Selection at Frontend must be inactive in the device definition.
2. The output is first sent to the saplpd transfer program on the front end PC using SAP GUI.
SAPlpd is started automatically.
3. SAPlpd forwards the data stream to the Microsoft Windows print manager.
4. The document is then output on the default printer or, if appropriate, on another selected printer.
See also:
Front-End Printing on Local Printers
Defining Output Devices for Front-End Printing Using the SAP GUI for Windows
