Opinions Needed: SAPSCRIPT to SMARTFORMS..Is it always Worth the Effort?

[Former Member]

We have many old SAPSCRIPT programs, So I am in the process of converting it to a SMARTFORM. While I have developed a new SMARTFORM, this is my first conversion. I am beginning to believe that this conversion may not always be worth the effort?

My reasoning is that it seems that since many of our old SAPSCRIPT programs did not use a style, meaning they had their own unique character and paragraph formats, each text output needs to be checked and revised line by line in the converted SMARTFORM to match the old SAPSCRIPT. We have older SAPSCRIPTS that we would like to upgrade into SMARTFORMS, but I am now wondering if it is worth the effort in some cases. Or, Do some of you use a gauge to determine whether a SAPSCRIPT is worth converting tom a SAMERTFORM or not?

I'd be interested in everyone's thoughts who have been through this process. Is there a reason to believe they should be converted even with all the extra work, or NO?

Thank-You.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

In my opinion it is almost never worth the cost to convert an (good working)sapscript to an smartform.

You have to make new (smart)styles, You have to create an new smartform and you have to create an new driver program.

Sometimes we have used the latest versions of BestPractices and replaced the sapscript with that smartform. Ofcourse we had to make chnages to these, but it was the only cheap way to convert.

( N.B.: these are not to get for all sapscripts)

It is over to you.

Gr., Frank

[Former Member]

Hi,

Converting a script to a smartform is good ,but we have to create smart styles and delete some extra unneccesary things and we have to check each and every point. Creating new smartform by making script as referance program also prefferable.

Thanks,

suma.

[Former Member]

Thank-You all for you're input. I've decided to put the brakes on this Form conversion. Too risky considering all of the unexpected manual tasks involved in the conversion process with formats, logic, etc. My gauge in the future I think will be any new form I will use a SMARTFORM, and have built one new one so far. But as far as converting, maybe one that is not as complex as this one that is especially used by a global community.

I really like the graphic editor, and I especially think support for changes is easier. But as long as SAP keeps supporting SAPSCRIPT we will have to live with them, because some are just not worth the time and risk.

I wonder if SAP is developing improved Form conversions somewhere down the line?

Thanks Again.

[Former Member]

Rob, This particular form needed a lot of changes, so we thought we'd try it. Are there good business reasons to dump the SAPSCRIPT for the SMARTFORM? My impression is that the User will never know the difference anyway? And, I thought these (SMARFORMS) are easier to support from an ABAP point of view.

Thanks for your input.

[Former Member]

I would only convert them on an as needed basis, unless you only had a few and most of them had to be converted. But that's just my opinion. I don't really deal with forms a lot, so you might want to listen to those closer to the area.

Rob

[amit_khare]

I usually prefer to create from scratch as lots of these scripts contains not required data and also at times they have processes and functions which might not come up during testing but may come during later parts when thye are live....that time it will be bit scary...

[Former Member]

Not really directly related to your question, but I would say that before converting anything to anything else, you should have a business reason for doing so.

Rob