SAP GUI and Win 7 error when attaching a document

[Former Member]

I searched Google multiple times for an answer but didn't find one, so I'd like to bring it up in this forum.

I start by saying that mine is a large corporation with centralized application, Windows and security configuration, so I have very little manuvering as far as changing settings.

The problem we run into is as follows:

some users who use a particular (Quality Assurance) module of SAP need to regularly attach documents (typically PDF format) in SAP. The typical size of an attachment is between 3-7 MB.

Those documents are store on a network file share remote to the site. The network latency between the site and the file share location is approx. 6ms (not huge by any means). Users are running Win 7 Enterprise SP1.

Randomly, the attachment download fails in SAP and they have to exit and log back in to SAP to resume. The attachment may fail2-3 times, and then succeed or fail permanently.

Copying the file to a local drive (C:) and then attaching it in SAP always works.

The users report that this was not an issue when they were using WinXP SP3 a few months back.

Again, the problem is random in that it cannot be recreated at will but happens often enough to be more than just an inconvenience.

the Windows event log logs the following message when the attach process fails and SAP freezes:

The program saplogon.exe version 7300.1.2.1080 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Action Center control panel.

Process ID: a7c

Start Time: 01cf38c9a86d55ac

Termination Time: 16

Application Path: C:\Program Files\SAP\FrontEnd\SAPgui\saplogon.exe

Report Id: 139b5ba9-a4bd-11e3-8b65-d8d3857a05c5

I'd appreciate any input that would help resolve this issue.

Steve

[Matt_Fraser]

Besides updating the patch level, the other thing you can try to get more information is turn on or increase the level of tracing within the SAPGUI.  You can do this on the workstation in SAP Logon by clicking the little button at the upper left of the window title bar, then in the drop-down choose Options.  In the new window that opens go to the Traces folder and have a look through the three different kinds of traces you can turn on.  Probably you should turn on SAP Logon Traces to the "Errors" level, and same for SAP GUI Traces (to Level 1: Errors), and under Session Traces pick the options that make sense to you (perhaps "Access Control", "Office Integration", and/or "Security"?  You might need to experiment with different options to get the right combination that doesn't overload the trace file with noise; you may not need a Session Trace at all if the error trace on the other two options reveal what's wrong).

You can see under Session Traces what folder the trace files will go to, and open the folder from there.  By default it will be C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\SAP\SAP GUI\Traces.

Best regards,

Matt

[Former Member]

Matt,

Thanks for your quick response. I will give the Trace a try and see what it will reveal. I also passed your comment regarding the outdated GUI version to the powers that be.

[Matt_Fraser]

Hi Steve,

I know you said you don't have a lot of control over Windows and application settings and so forth, but that is quite an old patch level of saplogon.exe that you are using.  The version number you reported indicates you're using SAPGUI 7.30 patch 2, and the latest is patch 8 hotfix 1 (at least as of yesterday).  A great many issues have been resolved in the intervening patches, including some about MS Office interaction and so forth, and without having actually looked at the many patch notes, I'd say you should try updating to the latest patch as a first step.  Even discounting this current issue, there are many other issues resolved by those patches.

If you aren't ready to distribute a new patch enterprise-wide (which I certainly understand; I struggle with that here, too), you might experiment by just installing it locally on a couple of 'test' workstations to see if it fixes your problem.  If it does, then push for a broader distribution on whatever rollout schedule you typically use.

Best regards,

Matt