Save OTF data

[Former Member]

Hello All

  We are exploring the following possibilities for saving the output generated by smartform into custom database tables, we would later retrieve the

saved data and then show that up as PDF in one of our WDA applicaitons.

1. get OTF data and then save as standard text 

2. convert OTF to xstring and then save to database

3. convert OTF to xstring and then save to app server files(OPEN/CLOSE dataset)

4. Generic Object Services?

option 1 doesn't see like a elegant solution and i'm not sure if GOS would help, option 2 looks like a good solution(but i'm not sure),

will option 3 work in multiple app server case scenario, your guidance is much appreciated.

Thanks

[Former Member]

Hello,

Why don't you generate a pdf of the smartform and save on a shared drive which could later be viewed. Why you want to save aaing in SAP tables the data which is already there ?

You could create folders according to year and month and save the pdf as the invoice # or some other document # that it is for.

Best regards,

Swanand

[Former Member]

can you please elaborate on that, how do we save the PDF in a shared folder and later show the form in web dynpro? Many thanks for taking the time to respond.

Thanks

Vikram

[former_member491621]

Hi Vikram,

Both option 2 and option 3 are good. But It is always your call to select an option

Option 2 : You can store the file in a DB table(a Ztable). Please refer to the below links

http://scn.sap.com/thread/976467

http://scn.sap.com/thread/988559

Option 3 : You can write the files to application server(even in multiple server case). There is no issue in using this option as you would always be getting the files in foreground execution(for display in WDA applications). This scenario does not work for background execution(please check the link)

http://scn.sap.com/message/9066213

Option 4 : You can save the OTF as GOS attachment.

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/Snippets/Save+SmartForms+OTF-output+as+GOS+PDF-attachment

http://scn.sap.com/message/1456793#1456793

Don't know much about how to get option 1 working 

I can add 1 more option to your list. Just give a thought on using MIME repository for your requirement.

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/44/15a40b56080d1be10000000a114a6b/content.htm

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/WDABAP/A+Simple+Web+Dynpro+Application+to+display+a+pdf+file+in...

http://scn.sap.com/thread/1764626

http://scn.sap.com/thread/1014628

[Former Member]

Hello Aniket

Thank you very much for compiling all the "how-to" links, your help is very appreciated, apart from the "how-tos", I am primaliry interested about the factors that I need to consider for choosing one option over the other, in other words, I want to know the relative advantages and disadvantages of all the options, so that I can weigh them against my scenario and choose the best possible option...

Thanks

Vikram.

[former_member491621]

Hi Vikram,

As your applications would be executing in foreground(only), the best solution would be using either MIME repository or saving your file on application server.

You can also save in database but there is a chance of reduced performance once the data grows in the table.

You have the facility to use the MIME object directly(this doesn't hamper the performance).

Else using the application server scenario always rocks!!