Options available for converting DMS doc (*.doc, *.rtf) to PDF

[Former Member]

Hi Folks,

I need to convert RTF/DOC files in DMS to PDF. I was wondering what the options are for PDF converters (either 3rd pary or SAP). I've looked at the conversion server by Seal Systems which looks good. Any other options out there? We only need to convert RTF/DOC to PDF and don't really need all the other functionality provided by the SEAL converter.

By the way, I believe Adobe Document Services comes with ECC 6.0. Any possibility of using this for a PDF conversion?

Thanks,

Lashan

[christoph_hopf · Accepted solution]

Hi,

from my experience with document conversion I think that SEAL Systems has quite a lot of know how in this area and I saw that many customers are using SEAL conversion logic for their systems.

Regarding the Adobe Document Services I have never come across such an information in document management.

Best regards,

Christoph

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Christoph, we are leaning towards SEAL, however it offer a lot more functionality than we need, so looking at other (perhaps cheaper) options...

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Lashan,

I have dealt with both SEAL & Cideon.

These 2 are competiors in the area with lots of experience & expertise.

Without punting or running down either company -Cideon is a lot cheaper.

http://www.cideon-software.com/site/d/en/software/

Hope these helps you!

Neil

[Former Member]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the responses so far. I am reopening this thread as the client really (and I mean really really) does not want to buy any additional software.

Are there any other options at all? I have toyed with the idea of having a custom program (assuming no standard functionality is available) grab the DMS document and sending/printing it to adobe distiller, but no idea how to get started or if this is even technically feasible.

Any help on this would really be appreciated.

Thanks,

Lashan

[Former Member]

Hi,

I know that there exists a basic conversion server, which can be set up by yourself. I never did is myself.

Check the following link maybe this will help.

http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/PLM/Conversion+Server

regard Iring

[christoph_hopf]

Hi Lashan,

that's true there are such sample conversion files but please note that this is just thought as a sample for testing . The conversion can only be done from DOC to TXT format for example. So if you want to have a conversion from DOC to PDF then you need a converter which is able to do this. The SAP sample cannot convert from DOC to PDF.

Best regards,

Christoph

[former_member187506]

We have been doing this for a number of years. Our approach followed the approach of DOC to PDF sample. You need to wire up the conversion functionality in SAP DMS first. The jist of the approach is as follows:

SAP RFC's the doc the conversion server. We have then updated the sample Doc to PDF script with a call to a custom C# program to print the the doc as a postscript file. We then convert the postscript to PDF. Using the sample script as a guide, the PDF file is RFC'd back to SAP. The PDF file is attached to the DMS document using the conversion config in SAP .

It was a pain to put in place. However it works. The printing and PDF conversion is controlled by a custom C# program running on the conversion server. We used C# because we like it. But java, or some batch script would likely work just as well. We needed to install Word and a pdf converter on the conversion server.

Good luck. It can be done.

[Former Member]

Thanks. This info is certainly very helpful.

[Former Member]

HI Christopher,

Does it require to establish remote server connection for support to download the conversion server*? or can we simply ftp for download?

I tried but my OSS user id doesnt work there. I replaced the server hostname with Ip address and able to connect to the server but it doesnt accept OSS user credentials.

Is there a general user id and password that we can use?

• free doc to txt conversion server supplied my SAP at

ftp://sapserv3.wdf.sap-ag.de/general/misc