.NET interface programming

[Former Member]

Hello!

After years i have to develop interfaces to the sap system (in the past i use VB6, DCOM technologie). I saw that the .NET Connector could be used, but only in Visual Studio 2003 (or 2005 with a workaround - and you still need VS 2003). We use Visual Studio 2008 and the only way to develop interfaces seems to be to use the "Service Registry" and Web services (as i have seen in previous topics) or use ERPConnector from Theobald Software (i think they still use DCOM internally...).

But the "Service Registry" (as far as i understand that right) is not a thing that is available "on the fly" (unlike RFC/BAPI), or? An SAP Admin must configure this Service Registry and so on.

So i would prefer the RFC/BAPI way because it seems to be more "independent" (because i don't need a Service Registry). Or is RFC/BAPI an "endangered species" technologie?

Maybe is it now time to move to Java...?

Any help would be great.

Frank Peters

[Former Member]

Hi Frank,

you can use Web Services for connecting to SAP systems running at least on ABAP Web Application Server 6.40, in case you have an XI/PI running you can expose the SAP functions as Web Services through XI/PI, or BizTalk would also offer the same functionality.

An alternative is to use the Microsoft WCF LOB Adapter for SAP, see http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/en/us/adapter-pack.aspx, this adapter works with BizTalk Server as well as directly from Visual Studio 2005/2008 without the need of usng BizTalk Server. You can find some more information on www.microsoft.com/sap, check the Interoperability section and the Interoperability blog.

Regards,

Juergen

[Former Member]

Hi Juergen!

I found 2 different adapter: "Microsoft WCF LOB Adapter for SAP" and "Microsoft BizTalk Adapter 3.0 for mySAP Business Suite (SAP Adapter)". The last ist "Recommended to connect to SAP featuring IDOC, BAPI and RFC communication" - that sound exactly like the thing i am looking for. (see Page 6 http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/A/9/1A972485-6B02-4D9F-88F2-CF8B28B32B71/BAP%20Best%20Pract.... But what are the differences between them? Does the "Microsoft WCF LOB Adapter for SAP" communicate via RFC?

Another question: Is the Microsoft WCF LOB Adapter for SAP for free? The Adapter pack is about $5,000.00 per processor (see http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/en/us/adapter-pack-pricing.aspx)

Thanks in advance,

Frank

[Former Member]

Hi Frank,

it's the same, the Microsoft BizTalk Adapter 3.0 for mySAP Business Suite (SAP Adapter) is based on WCF. The adapter is using the librfc32.dll from SAP for accessing the SAP system, therefore access via RFCs, BAPIs, and IDocs is posible as well as you can build a .NET app which acts as an RFC server to the SAP system. The price is $5,000 per Proc since the recommended architecture is to have the adapter installed on an IIS and the clients connect via WCF or Web Services to the Services provided on the IIS. If you have BizTalk 2006 R2 then you have the licenses included, if not you can purchase them separatedly, but I recommend having a talk with your Microsoft Account Manager on this topic.

Juergen

[Former Member]

Hi, you probably should see this,

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/10cacdca-b0bb-2a10-77be-d600de46...

It's the new sap tool for connecting from .NET to SAP with VS 2005 and VS 2008, it's the son of the SAP.NET Connector xD.

Here's an example,

/people/rima.rudnik-sirich/blog/2009/01/15/consuming-sap-enterprise-services-with-microsoft-net-framework-30--take-it-ese

Gabriel

[Former Member]

about .net connector that's true it's available only for VS2003 BUT

- You can build a dll on VS2003 and use it within VS2005/2008

- You can also use a connector built by a german guy : [http://www.theobald-software.com/cms/en/erpconnect.net/erpconnect.net-sap-und-.net-nahtlos-verb.html|http://www.theobald-software.com/cms/en/erpconnect.net/erpconnect.net-sap-und-.net-nahtlos-verb.html]

And if you have to connect an SAP ECC6, use the web services provided by SAP (activate them on SICF transaction). But RFC/BAPI are always faster and safer than a web service.

About Java, you have the JCo and also Netweaver Portal Studio, a Eclipse customized for SAP

[Former Member]

Thanks for the fast answer, but: I have no Visual Studio 2003 (new company), only 2008. Frustrating!

I saw this with ERPConnector from Theobald Software(see my Post) - costs 790.00 Euro (and did you know what they use inside?).

>

> And if you have to connect an SAP ECC6, use the web services provided by SAP (activate them on SICF transaction). But RFC/BAPI are always faster and safer than a web service.

I am sorry, but SAP ECC6 is what version? Is this a specific SAP NetWeaver version?

>

> About Java, you have the JCo and also Netweaver Portal Studio, a Eclipse customized for SAP 

Do you mean NetWeaver Developer Studio? Can not find a "Netweaver Portal Studio". This will not be free or.

Frank