Open Powerpoint Presentation from ABAP program

[cuky]

Hello,

I'm writing a program that dynamically generates a PowerPoint presentation with changing details. The empty presentation is a generic XML file saved in the MIME repository, which has placeholders for my data. I replace those placeholders with my real data, save the final XML file to the local PC and then open it in PowerPoint.

I tried using method EXECUTE of class CL_FRONTEND_GUI_SERVICES to open powerpoint from its install folder, but it returns with sy-subrc = 3 ("bad parameter").

Could you please advise what can I do?

Here is my code:

METHOD open_presentation_in_pwrpoint.

  CONSTANTS: gc_local_xml_filename TYPE string VALUE 'Temp_Presentation',
             gc_xml_file_extension TYPE string VALUE '.xml',
             gc_underscore         TYPE c LENGTH 1 VALUE '_'.

  DATA: lv_error_code             TYPE sysubrc,
        lv_timecode               TYPE timestampl,
        lv_timecode_str           TYPE c LENGTH 30,
        lv_local_temp_folder      TYPE string,
        lv_local_xml_filename     TYPE rlgrap-filename,
        lv_local_xml_filename_str TYPE string,
        lv_local_xml_parameters   TYPE string,
        lv_application_name       TYPE string,
        lt_local_xml_file_data    TYPE ztthr_binary_docs.

  CHECK iv_presentation_xml IS INITIAL.

  " Getting the default local sap folder:
  CALL METHOD cl_gui_frontend_services=>get_sapgui_workdir
    CHANGING
      sapworkdir            = lv_local_temp_folder
    EXCEPTIONS
      get_sapworkdir_failed = 1
      cntl_error            = 2
      error_no_gui          = 3
      not_supported_by_gui  = 4
      OTHERS                = 5.

  "$. Region Building the filename with data-time-stamp

  GET TIME STAMP FIELD lv_timecode. "    'YYYYMMDDhhmmss.mmmuuun'
  UNPACK lv_timecode TO lv_timecode_str.

  CONCATENATE lv_timecode_str(4)      "  'YYYY'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+4(2)    "  'MM'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+6(2)    "  'DD'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+8(2)    "  'hh'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+10(2)   "  'mm'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+12(2)   "  'ss'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+15(3)   "  'mmm'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+17(3)   "  'uuu'
              gc_underscore       "  '_'
              lv_timecode_str+20(1)   "  'n'
         INTO lv_timecode_str.

  CONCATENATE  lv_local_temp_folder
               '\'
               gc_local_xml_filename
               lv_timecode_str
               gc_xml_file_extension
               INTO lv_local_xml_filename.

  "$. Endregion Building the filename with data-time-stamp

  lv_local_xml_filename_str = lv_local_xml_filename.

  " Saving the generated XML file to the local computer:
  CALL METHOD cl_gui_frontend_services=>gui_download
    EXPORTING
*    bin_filesize              = bin_filesize
      filename                  = lv_local_xml_filename_str
      filetype                  = 'ASC'
*    append                    = SPACE
*    write_field_separator     = SPACE
*    header                    = '00'
*    trunc_trailing_blanks     = SPACE
*    write_lf                  = 'X'
*    col_select                = SPACE
*    col_select_mask           = SPACE
*    dat_mode                  = SPACE
*    confirm_overwrite         = SPACE
*    no_auth_check             = SPACE
*    codepage                  = SPACE
*    ignore_cerr               = ABAP_TRUE
*    replacement               = '#'
*    write_bom                 = SPACE
*    trunc_trailing_blanks_eol = 'X'
*    wk1_n_format              = SPACE
*    wk1_n_size                = SPACE
*    wk1_t_format              = SPACE
*    wk1_t_size                = SPACE
*    show_transfer_status      = 'X'
*    fieldnames                = fieldnames
*    virus_scan_profile        = '/SCET/GUI_DOWNLOAD'
*    write_lf_after_last_line  = 'X'
*  IMPORTING
*    filelength                = filelength
    CHANGING
      data_tab                  = lt_local_xml_file_data[]
    EXCEPTIONS
      file_write_error          = 1
      no_batch                  = 2
      gui_refuse_filetransfer   = 3
      invalid_type              = 4
      no_authority              = 5
      unknown_error             = 6
      header_not_allowed        = 7
      separator_not_allowed     = 8
      filesize_not_allowed      = 9
      header_too_long           = 10
      dp_error_create           = 11
      dp_error_send             = 12
      dp_error_write            = 13
      unknown_dp_error          = 14
      access_denied             = 15
      dp_out_of_memory          = 16
      disk_full                 = 17
      dp_timeout                = 18
      file_not_found            = 19
      dataprovider_exception    = 20
      control_flush_error       = 21
      not_supported_by_gui      = 22
      error_no_gui              = 23
      OTHERS                    = 24
          .
  IF sy-subrc <> 0.    
    EXIT.

  ENDIF.

  WAIT UP TO 2 SECONDS.

*  " I tried using 'parameters' but with no success:
*  CONCATENATE '"'
*              lv_local_xml_filename_str
*              '"'
*         INTO lv_local_xml_parameters.

  lv_application_name = 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\POWERPNT.EXE'.
* " I also tried those variations:
* " lv_application_name = '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\POWERPNT.EXE"'.
* " lv_application_name = '''C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\POWERPNT.EXE'''.
* " lv_application_name = 'POWERPNT.EXE'.

  CALL METHOD cl_gui_frontend_services=>execute
    EXPORTING
      document               = lv_local_xml_filename_str
      application            = lv_application_name
*      parameter              = lv_local_xml_parameters
*      default_directory      = default_directory
*      maximized              = 'X'
*      minimized              = minimized
      synchronous            = 'X'    
      operation              = 'OPEN'
    EXCEPTIONS
      cntl_error             = 1
      error_no_gui           = 2
      bad_parameter          = 3
      file_not_found         = 4
      path_not_found         = 5
      file_extension_unknown = 6
      error_execute_failed   = 7
      synchronous_failed     = 8
      not_supported_by_gui   = 9
      OTHERS                 = 10
          .

  IF sy-subrc <> 0.
    EXIT.

  ENDIF.

  CALL FUNCTION 'GUI_DELETE_FILE'
    EXPORTING
      file_name = lv_local_xml_filename
    EXCEPTIONS
      failed    = 1
      OTHERS    = 2.

  IF sy-subrc <> 0.
    " No treatment.

  ENDIF.

ENDMETHOD.

Thanks for helping!

[Sandra_Rossi]

Just debug the first line of method EXECUTE of CL_GUI_FRONTEND_SERVICES, you'll see the valid combinations (i.e. the APPLICATION parameter shouldn't be used if you pass the DOCUMENT parameter)

[cuky]

Thank you! I tried to enter the method while debugging and it didn't enter, and afterwards I forgot to try to check it in the ABAP editor.

I restored the concatenating of lv_local_xml_parameters, commented out the 'DOCUMENT' parameter and sent only 'APPLICATION' and 'PARAMETER' and it worked. This launches Powerpoint itself with the desired filename as a launch parameter, rather than opening the file itself "by" Powerpoint.