How do I know where output devices are referenced?

[Former Member]

When deleting an Output device using transaction SPAD, how do you where this output device was reference?  E.g. Batch jobs, user default, etc.  Ideally, I would like a program that can take an output device as an input and give me back everywhere the output device is reference within SAP.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks both for advice, very helpful.  However, let say i do need to know where all "uses" of the output device.  Is there an out of the box ABAP program that can provide this functionality?

[Private_Member_7726 · Accepted solution]

I don't know and Ok, try RSPO0040 (better than nothing), but I really consider this challenge bordering on impossible in any non trivial scenario, if the whole output devices setup has not been thought through from get go (with logical output devices being "exposed" by spool system) and the changes being done under conditions of iron fist discipline... Not one of 5 productive instances I've worked on had a semblance of order in printer setup by the time I got there, not one had a concept, description, anything for printer setup... by the time I had to take care of the stuff I was happy if there was at least any naming convention used.

There are around 150 DB tables that have data element RSPOPNAME in it... more of tables if you consider other data elements for domain RSPOPNAME and who can say if it's only RSPOPNAME... Device names get assigned to SET/GET parameters, to custom development customizing tables not using RSPOPNAME, they get hard-coded in programs, stored in report variants - utter chaos is "normal" state of things in my experience . If you know what functionality is in use in the system (which SAP modules), you can narrow down, but asking for where used list of any reliability for whole SAP - impossible challenge.

cheers

Jānis

Message was edited by: Jānis B

[Former Member]

Hello ,

1)To find out jobs which use a specific printer , I would go to SE16-> TBTCP-> Output device = <Printer name> and execute.

2) To find all printers used in condition type (NACE). I would go to SE16->NACH-> Outut Device= <printer name> and execute.

Other areas where printer are stored is in structure SUID_ST_NODE_DEFAULTS for user defaults. But I would not be worried if I do not change the printer in user default . As user can do themselves in SU3. But there can be other customizing nodes like a printer used in production plant etc.

Hope above helps.

BR

[Private_Member_7726]

Hi,

But why would you do such a "disruptive" thing "abruptly" in the first place..? Don't get me wrong - the uses do need to be looked for and obsolete devices need to be eliminated, but I'd never dream of finding all of the uses at once - like in custom built customizing, for example. Even if you do find the uses, turn the device into logical output device and redirect it to the new printers, or if there are no new printers - simply lock the device in SPAD. Then monitor for couple of months - are there spool requests still coming... and only when you are reasonably certain all uses have been eliminated -  delete.

cheers

Janis