SAP2AFP is a data converter that converts print file types from SAP R/3 output format into IBM AFP format. It runs on Windows/NT, OS/2, SunSolaris. HP-UNIX allows for a connection from R/3 systems to PSF print servers or to an output management system such as Control-D or BETA93. If a certain printer is defined in the R/3 system the output file will automatically be sent through a TCP/IP connection to the target system and will be printed as a PSF.

Functional description

1. Conversion from R/3 print file (ASCII) into IBM EBCDIC format. SAPscript - output (OTF) after AFPDS and ABAP-reports after 1403-searching line data.
2. Transmission of printing option as a parameter (how a file should be processed) through which a job control parameter can be made.

To convert the print file an R/3 Spoolfile is taken, translated and written in a temporary file. For the transmission of the printing option information is taken out of the R/3 Spoolfile-Header that is produced through the HAS Method ‘Z’ and is transmitted as a parameter. These parameters are taken up through a transport-script and converted into a suitable job parameter. Depending on the file format one of the two transport scripts will be selected. Both scripts build on a job that runs on the target system which in turn gets the converted data from the FTP and prints it through PSF.

There are two formats for the print output from R/3:

OTF (Output Text Format) is the output that is created through SAPscript. Typographic font is used and the text is placed on the page according to the character width. Examples are invoices, warnings and SAP documents.

LIST-Format (or ABAP-Reports) are the classic computer lists that are produced through ABAPs. They use fonts with set divisions. Examples are voting lists, statements of account, payrolls.

SAP2AFP processes both formats; OTF will be transformed directly into AFPDS (Advanced Function Presentation Data Stream), the LIST-Format into 1403-searching line data, which will then be processed with a PAGEDEF from PSF. SAP2AFP sends the printing options, which define how the file should be printed (ex. amount of copies, single or double sided, recipient etc.) to the printing server.

With the use of our AFP browser the converted data can be seen straight away. You will find a free demo version of the AFP browser on our AFP product page.