SAP GUI 730 - common saplogon.ini / local SapLogonTree.xml

[christian_schiessler]

Hi there,

we want to use SAP GUI 730 and the environment variable SAPLOGON_INI_FILE that points to our common saplogon.ini stored on a server.

Is it possible in this case to set a path, by registry value or something else, to a locally stored SapLogonTree.xml?

Best regards

Christian

[Mark_Proctor · Accepted solution]

We also use config files on the server, but instead of using an environment variable, it is recommended to set the path in the registry (can be done through the GUI under "SAP Logon Options") using the following key:

HKLM\Software\SAP\SAPLogon\Options\ConfigFileOnServer

Note: HKCU will be used instead (and will override HKLM) if using the GUI to set this value.

This should be a "REG_EXPAND_SZ" type and the contents should be the full path to the "SapLogonTree.xml" file.

The SAP GUI will then take both the "SapLogonTree.xml" and "saplogon.ini" files from this path and merge these with the local copies (not literally) when displaying the GUI.

You may find the above achieves what you need without the use of an environment variable. I have no idea what the result of using the environment variable and registry key at the same time with differing values would be, but it may be worth giving it a try if the registry key on its own does not do what you need.

SAP note 1426178 gives more details.

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

thanks for all your effort.

The use of the environment variable SAPLOGON_INI_FILE prevents the use of the ConfigFileOnServer-Key and any other server configuration within SAP GUI.

We need a kind of hidden reg-key to be able to set the path to a locally stored SapLogonTree.xml.

The main reason is that everyone uses the common saplogon.ini stored on the server, but the personal created favorites should be saved locally in his own SapLogonTree.xml.

Best regards,

Christian

[Mark_Proctor · Accepted solution]

Hi Christian,

What you require would happen if you only used the registry key and stopped using the environment variable. This is how it works for us.

We have a centrally maintained list of systems that are common across most users and users add additional systems themselves - These systems they add themselves get stored in their local configuration files, not the central one.

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

great, it's working!

But: We now fight another issue.

If someone creates a favorite, the favorite information is stored locally, but unfortunately SAP creates a local copy for the favorite instead of simply linking to the server sided list.

The bad news is, if connection information changing in the server list (IP, port, ect.), the favorite will not be updated because it links to the local copy.

Thanks a lot for your assistance!

Best regards,

Christian

[Mark_Proctor · Accepted solution]

I am a little confused as to why you would create a local copy of a server entry and suspect the SAP GUI is picking your local copy (which has priority) because it has the exact same name as the server entry.

If you did not create the local copy (or changed its name) and created the favourite from the server entry, the favourite should point to the server entry.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding what  it is you are trying to achieve?

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

SAP is creating the local copy automatically, we don't want to have a local copy of the connection.

Best would be if the favorite links directly to the server list, but it is not doing like that.

If I drag and drop a connection from the server list to the favorites, SAP copies the connection, save the connection locally and the favorite is pointing to this local copy of the connection.

Thats the reason for the doubled entry as well, we now have the entry in the server list and stored local.

I hope there is a possibility to change the behaviour of how SAP handles the favorites.

We only want to have the server list, favorites have to point the the entry in the server list, local copies are bad

[Mark_Proctor · Accepted solution]

That is really strange as it is different behaviour to what I get.

If I drag one of the server entries to my favourites, I get a favourite which is linked to the server entry and that is all - No extra copies are made.

Perhaps there is a bug in the SAP GUI version you are running? I am currently running SAP GUI 7.30 patch 2, hotfix 2.

I had a quick look at the fix list for SAP GUI and notice that in patch 2 there was a fix to the behaviour of favourites when copying from a server entry, though not quite the same as your issue, perhaps this is connected?

https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1762889

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

Good morning, thanks. I checked with PL2 Hotfix2, but it shows the same behavior.

But I guess we found the cause for the doubled entries.

In the Tree.xml stored in the user profile (local path), where the favorites are saved, I can see that SAP has created an entry für the connection as well.

Now when SAP ist started, local and server entries are merged and I can see doubled systems.

May I ask you for a little favor? Can you check if you have in your local Tree.xml the connection entries as well?

Our's looks like:

-

      "BP0: Legacy System [Public]" is defined as favorite and it is shown in "Favorites" AND in "Connections".

[Mark_Proctor · Accepted solution]

Hi Christian,

I have had a look at my entries and the favourites entry (copied below) is the only reference to this system. It does not appear under "connections" section.

The 'linkto' entry of the favourite contains the UUID of the entry in the server config file.

  <Favorites name="Favorites" expanded="1" uuid="64329047-af56-406a-b870-5ca0c35c48cf" localaction="copy">

   <Item name="SolMan - Production" type="link" uuid="7c3eae95-6850-4083-9027-3eabe763a703" linkto="354e4d20-4033-46ca-a911-1c0b61b270fd"/></Favorites>

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

Hi Mark,

to bring this to an end - the idea was rejected. The distribution of our saplogon.ini and the other stuff, is manged in an other way.

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,

Chris

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

We are having the same problem with duplicate entries, we just went to 730 patch level 2, and this problem is only happening on Windows XP.  Can you tell me how you resolved this?

Thanks,

Lori

[christian_schiessler · Accepted solution]

Hi Lori

The needed SAP GUI files (saplogon.ini, saproute.ini, sapmsg.ini and the services file) are provided on a dfs-share, the saplogontree.xml of the user is stored locally on his computer. With an in-house software the SAP GUI files are copied to the computer, minimum with every reboot and additional to this at any time the user wants it.

So everyone uses the same saplogon.ini and the personal settings are stored in the locally saved saplogontree.xml. It is the easiest way for use and the problem with the duplicates does not appear anymore.

Best regards,

Chris

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply Chris,

The way we have the client set up is based on SAP documentation.  Are you saying that it didn't work for you so you created your own solution?  Can you outline what you did in any more detail? 

Thanks!

Lori