SAP Working With Smart Forms
SAP Working With Smart Forms
Trade marks
All the specified brands and trademarks represent registered brands or trademarks of their owners.
They may not be specifically identified. The lack of identification permits to a conclusion as to that it
does not involve a registered brand or trademark.
Carl Valentin is a Silver Member of the SAP Printer Vendor Program and under this program renders
support for machine types as provided and the ABAP-PDL driver.
This documentation is an integral part of this support.
Index
Index 3
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5
1.1 Notes ....................................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 SAP – First steps ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Restrictions .............................................................................................................................. 6
1.4 Basic considerations prior to logging onto PVD ...................................................................... 6
1.5 Building or opening the form.................................................................................................... 8
2 Defining fonts to be used ................................................................................................... 11
2.1 Style Editor ............................................................................................................................ 11
3 Building Forms .................................................................................................................... 13
3.1 Smart Forms Editor................................................................................................................ 13
3.2 Form testing ........................................................................................................................... 16
4 Adaptions in the Form......................................................................................................... 21
4.1 Large fonts ............................................................................................................................. 21
4.2 Font sizes - Zoom factor ........................................................................................................ 21
4.3 Other TrueType fonts............................................................................................................. 21
4.4 Asian font types ..................................................................................................................... 21
5 Frame and Lines .................................................................................................................. 23
6 Barcodes .............................................................................................................................. 25
6.1 Height of the barcodes .......................................................................................................... 25
6.2 Ratio barcodes....................................................................................................................... 26
6.3 Positioning ............................................................................................................................. 26
6.4 Human readable line.............................................................................................................. 28
6.5 2D Barcodes .......................................................................................................................... 28
6.6 Defining a new barcode ......................................................................................................... 30
6.7 Size of barcodes .................................................................................................................... 30
6.8 More Barcodes ...................................................................................................................... 30
7 Graphic – Logos and Bitmaps ............................................................................................ 31
7.1 Insert graphic ......................................................................................................................... 31
7.2 Uploading new graphics ........................................................................................................ 33
7.3 Renderer ................................................................................................................................ 35
8 Binary Colour Print .............................................................................................................. 37
8.1 Colour text ............................................................................................................................. 38
8.2 Colour separation with graphics ............................................................................................ 38
9 Using printer commands .................................................................................................... 39
10 Securing Form ..................................................................................................................... 41
11 Supported Font Types......................................................................................................... 43
11.1 TrueType fonts – Unknown font types ................................................................................... 44
12 Creating New Form Sizes ................................................................................................... 45
12.1 Adding form size .................................................................................................................... 45
12.2 Creating new form size .......................................................................................................... 48
13 Conversions – Units ............................................................................................................ 49
1 Introduction
1.1 Notes
There are various note numbers e.g. (SAP note 1280910) in the following descriptions.
These note numbers can be used in the SAP system to display internal documentation. In the
following link, Number is to be replaced by the number of the note.
https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/Number
1.3 Restrictions
The Carl Valentin ABAP-PDL driver does not support the following features:
Print Controls (unnecessary, POSS formats
ABAP list preparations
Duplex
Shaft selection
SAP icons and symbols
Filled-in boxes with various grey values
Underlined text
Datamatrix (manual switch-over of the encoding)
Any TrueType fonts
RFID
SNMP
Interactive forms
The language must be selected when logging on, e.g. EN for English and DE for German.
On opening or building a form, the language with which work is normally undertaken should be
6 Building a new form 05.18
SAP Introduction
selected. After all, it may not be possible under certain circumstances to print a form under DE if built
in EN since no text information is available. The form would remain blank.
Although the original language is displayed on the form and is to be translated into all or selected
languages, this does not work in practice. The content of the other language is either blank or is being
printed in the original language.
The name of an existing form to be opened can be entered here and opened with Display.
On the other hand, if a new form is to be built, then continue with Create.
NOTE!
Select either $TMP or local if a form is to be saved at a later stage.
To be able to specify the above particulars, one or two preparatory steps are to be undertaken in other
transactions.
Given that a completely new form size is to be created, make use of the notes further down in the
Create new form sizes.
It is easy to select an existing form size. To this end, click into the corresponding input box and then in
the output box behind it.
NOTE!
A text can be directly entered in most of the input boxes. In many cases an extra button
appears behind the box with which a selection list can be opened:
NOTE!
It makes a difference as to whether A5 or DINA5 is used. You obtain a printed error
notification if the format is not present in the device type.
NOTE!
For a change to become effective, it must be activated with the magic wand.
Barcodes are defined under Standard settings and type fonts under Font.
For each font size etc. a code of its own is to be created.
NOTE!
Only those barcodes and font types supported by the respective driver are to be selected.
The style must be activated after all the changes have been carried out.
3 Building Forms
The size can be adapted with the mouse (moving) or by entering the required value to 14.8 x 21.0 cm
with DIN A5:
Precision positioning is done in the Output options as this is difficult in the Editor (Form Painter). This
allows the size and position of the new window to be adapted and moved here.
The window content is defined next. A new text is created, for instance, with the context menu:
The content is defined with the Text Editor. This is opened with the button in the General
Attributes of the text:
The appropriate codes defined beforehand in the Style need to be used for a formatted text.
Undertake the following entry should, for instance, the AL code for Helvetica have been used in the
Style Editor:
<AL>… Text…</>
Ensure that the correct (previously generated) style is selected for the form attributes.
NOTE!
The content of the individual boxes can unfortunately not be seen in the Editor (Form
Painter).
All windows and contents are to be positioned and defined in this way.
To test the new form, click on the screw clamp symbol or F8:
This can now be done if the new form has not been saved yet (Local Object):
With the form generated, one then proceeds with Test/Execute F8:
In the event of an error, the next display might, for instance, indicate the following error message:
In the event of an error, one must return to the Form Editor via the green button.
There are two cases of error. The first one (probably marked red) involves debugging in the Editor.
In the second one, as already shown, it is sufficient to go one step back and return to Test/Execute.
In the following dialog an Output device (Printer) is to be selected (begins with Y or Z).
The Print now option is also to be highlighted.
Afterwards either printing is done or a print preview is displayed.
NOTE!
It may take a few seconds before the next print dialog is displayed.
The standard printer set up on the local PC is displayed in the print dialog.
A generic text drive should be used to obtain a prn file. 0therwise, the correct printer can be used for
direct printing.
On the Windows PC the generated prn file can be sent to the printer.
A text can also be framed, for instance, inside a window. For the definition, the text is opened with a
double click and the tick marked at Lines With in the Output options. The resulting frame hight
depends on the text height.
The best thing is to click on the Details button if a certain spacing is required between the lines and
the object.
The spacing can be individually adjusted here. If the box is 7 x 2 cm and with 0.2 cm distance each
(bottom (0.1 cm), the box frame is 7.4 x 2.3 cm.
NOTE!
However, if only one line is drawn, then spacing to the lower line needs to be
correspondingly raised.
6 Barcodes
A distinction is to be made between new (yellow) and old (light blue) technology (SAP Note 645158)
and between 1D and 2D barcodes. Only with new technology barcodes the preview works to a certain
degree. The old technology only displays wildcard characters
The available barcodes can be displayed with transaction /o SE73. This entails highlighting the
System Barcodes in the start dialog and afterwards clicking on Display.
Unclear details
If barcode C128A is to be used, a character format - in this example C8 - must be assigned to it in the
Style Editor:
The fatal aspect here is that now both presentations display incorrect values. Yellow highlighted:
h=0.5 in, thus a height of 0.5 inch and thus 12.7 mm. On the other hand, H00150 is in the white area.
This signifies height 150 1/600 inch, thus 6.35 mm. The third non-sensical value is within the style at
Height 20 mm.
The result of bringing about compatibility with the SAP test print-outs (SAP Note 1280910) is the need
to use H00150 which is correct. This is to be taken in account in positioning and defining new barcode
types. As such, the details in the style are clearly false.
6.3 Positioning
The barcode lower edge conforms with the upper edge of the window. The apparent assumption of the
SAP Designer is that a normal text is involved.
If the barcode is to go up to the upper edge of the label, then its window needs to be set
correspondingly lower. A window height of e.g. 0.5 cm is adequate in this case.
If a frame is to be used around the barcode, this must be set in the box or the hight of the barcode
must be considered. With an EAN13, with height 13 mm, the upper frame must have 15 mm distance
(2 mm distance to the upper edge).
As a result, the Print view tallies to the greatest possible extent with the printout.
Printout
6.5 2D Barcodes
In contrast to 1D barcodes, the window height must at least fit - otherwise there is no printout.
The lower edge of the barcode is located approximately in the centre of the window. This means the
positioning in the Editor needs to be correspondingly moved down. Thus, the preview and the printout
approximately match.
PDF417
NOTE!
Used for the size of the PDF417 are the parameters of Narrow Module Width for the
symbol size and the ratio of Narrow Module Width to Single Row Height for the ratio of
width to height. Linear Height is not used; instead a max. 2 cm window height is assumed
in SAP.
NOTE!
The presentation in the print preview is based on an unknown ZPL emulation within the
SAP which permits no inferences to be drawn as to the adjustable values. Hence, the
printout will practically never be identical.
Normally 00 is in # of Columns and Rows, signifying Set automatically for the driver. This means
calculating all values based on the text length. A value which is higher than the calculated one for
SecurityLevel is taken on. Normally the SecurityLevel is also based on the text length.
The # of Columns parameter allows the number of the data columns to be raised. The # of Rows
parameter should remain at 0 unless the matching value is known It is exactly the same vice versa.
The height of the barcode can be determined with the # of Rows parameter. # of Columns should
remain at 0 if it is changed.
Example with 4
columns
Generally, the row height should be approx. 3x as high as the column width. This means that in the
example above, the Single Row Height value should be 30.
NOTE!
All values of the barcode cam also be specified with the printer command.
One needs to know from the details which units are postulated and what the values means
Narrow Module Width Narrowest unit of the barcode Value (+ 1) in 1/600 inch
Bar Ratio Ratio 20, 25, 30 produces e.g. 2:1, 5:2, 3:1
The smallest unit is the Narrow Module Width. A 6/600 inch value produces 2 pixels for a 300 DPI
printer The driver would calculate a 9:3 ratio. This means 3 pixels for the thin unit and thus at a 3.0:1
ratio 9 pixels for the width unit of the barcode.
1/600 inch and thus 6.35 mm would arise as the height.
A double click on the new GRAPHIC1 entry opens the General Attributes:
In the search dialog, masking can be set or one can go directly to Execute F8:
NOTE!
Quality and resolution determine whether an image is shown in a larger manner on the
form. The reason for this difference is to be found in colour information size (bits per
pixel).
Whilst the monitor only has 96 DPI, the printer has 300 DPI. This means that in contrast to the
printout, presentation on the display screen can, for instance, be three times as large. To avoid this,
the printer resolution can be specified at the General Attributes of the image.
However, bear in mind here that the image only matches one printer type in the case of printers with
different resolutions. No statement on the quality of the image can then come from the preview image.
A double click on BMAP opens an input box on the right-hand side, in which the graphic name is
entered. The graphic file can be selected with the Import F5 button.
NOTE!
Only BMP or TIF files can be used.
The SAP system does not recognize a color image, this is to be specified.
In the selection dialog the file name, under Network select Client\ and change on the local PC to the
pictures.
Click on Permit in the following query to enable the SAP system to access the local PC.
Given there is no data interchange when the client is selected from the dialog, the file explorer can be
used to firstly upload the file onto the SAP system. The file to be installed can, for instance, be stored
in its own document folder on the SAP system:
NOTE!
Bear in mind with the pictures that the higher the quality of the graphic, the higher is the
grade of the printing result. A high-grade black/white picture (1 bit per pixel) may possibly
have a better print quality than the renderer integrated in the driver.
7.3 Renderer
The renderer determines the way in which colour and grey tone images are converted into black/white
photos. In this way, the quality, for instance, of logos and other graphics can be influenced.
The following renderers are supported at the moment:
1, 2, and 3 various Dithering processes
4 Black/white
The renderer can be switched over with the RENDERER printer command and applies to all the
graphics on the form.
The Using printer commands section shows how this command can be used. One of the above-
mentioned numbers is to be used as the attribute value.
COLOR_TOL is for setting the tolerance. This value determines a tolerance with which comparable
colours are assigned to the colour range.
The RGB_VALUE command is for using an alternative colour value. This value is to be specified in
the Hex format. Each colour value must have 2 points and therefore a total of 6.
An RGB value can, for instance, be easily taken from a character program:
Ensure here that the attribute name is written correctly and that the attribute value is specified in
‘inverted commas‘.
* Given that a Device type -I (ISO 8859-1) is used as the basis and the code page has been changed
over to 4110 (UTF-8), then the editing of Asian characters can be activated with this attribute name
(font package needed).
10 Securing Form
A form can be downloaded from the SAP system and uploaded to it.
For this purpose, in the Smart Forms dialog, firstly select the form and then under Utilities select the
Download Form command:
A double click on the entry wanted opens the overview with the fonts which are available.
This one and all the other unknown font types are re-directed to the Swiss Light Printer Font 5.
By way of the Full administration button (text) you can have the Device Types displayed.
The device type (e.g. YCVP-DUO) is selected from the list which is shown afterwards and its attributes
displayed.
Clicking the Preparations (F6) button gets you the current list of form sizes available in the device
type.
NOTE!
Although forms which are wider than the print head width can be used, they are automatically
width-limited by the driver. Therefore, the content should be limited to the print head width.
To add a new form, you firstly need to change over the list to Change
The form to be supported as a new one is selected from the following list:
Here you can either copy and change existing forms or create new ones.
As described in the section above, the newly created form can subsequently be added to the printer
type.
13 Conversions – Units
Different units are used in dialogues and definitions - for instance, for barcodes. It is advisable to know
what the values mean in determining the printed height or width of the narrowest element of a
barcode.
DPI Dots per Inch, that is the number of pixels per 25.4 mm
1/600 inch 4.23 1/100 mm or 0.0423 mm,
Pixel size of a 600 DPI printer
i.e. 10 1/600 inch signifies 10 pixels
300 DPI Pixel size 0.0847 mm
i.e. 1 pixel is twice as large as with a 600 DPI printer
and thus 10 1/600 inch signifies 5 pixels with a 300 DPI printer
305 DPI Pixel size 0.0833 mm
203 DPI Pixel size 0.125 mm
1 inch 25.4 mm = 72 points
1 point 20 TWIP (twentieth point) = 10 FNTH (font height)
1 inch 1440 TWIP
1/600 inch 1440 / 600 TWIP
x TWIP x * 1764 / 10 mm or
x * 1764 / 1000 1/100 mm
Thus a height of 180 1/600 inch with a barcode signifies 7.614 mm.