PDF error in SAP Retail Store

[former_member293950]

We recently made some changes to our SRS server and now when we create Sales Orders instead of the PDF coming up for view in the web browser we're getting the error "File does not begin with '%PDF-'".  I've searched for OSS notes about this, as well as a general web search, but I haven't found anything that resolves this issue.  Has anyone else encountered and fixed this issue?

[former_member293950]

I have noticed something.  Even though I have the ITS_SRS printer set up as my default printer in my own profile, and it's set up as the default printer in the SRS Sales Order customizing, when I actually generate the spool it's generating it with printer LOCL (which is not a PDF printer).  Any idea why that may be, and where I can fix it?

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

Could you please try changing the SRS customizing to point to a PDF printer? At least for a testing purpose. What is the result?

Regards,

Cris

[former_member293950]

Despite setting everything to ITS_SRS, it seems to insist on printing to the LOCL printer.  I tried removing LOCL as an option (changed it from G to another non front end option) and it just didn't print at all.  So I put it back to G and changed it to a PDF1 printer, and now it's generating and printing normally.

[cris_hansen]

Just to be sure: is the problem resolved?

I didn't see such case before.

Most likely only debugging application code would show from where the print configuration is got.

[former_member293950]

It's a temporary fix.  I'd still like to make the ITS_SRS printer the default for front end printing.

[former_member293950]

And my change broke the wholesale application (which broke SRS to begin with) so I've had to revert it.  Back to square one.

[former_member194364]

Hi Tim,

what changes were made to the SRS server?

From reading the thread - I would concur with Cris that the issue is most likely coming from the application side.

Regards,

Oisin

[former_member293950]

I'm not exactly sure what the vendor changed that broke the PDF printing.  They installed a printing fix for wholesale and it broke the SRS sales order printing.  I've tried debugging my way through the sales order process but it seems to skip the printing when I do that, so I don't know where exactly it's trying to create the file and print it.

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

Please check whether you have followed the steps to enable the PDF printing via WEBGUI, by following the steps from SAP note 771683 (belongs to BC-CCM-PRN-PC area). (there are only configuration steps, no SNOTE code necessary - most likely you have a system with SAP_BASIS > 6.40).

The WEBGUI note 1042424 tells more about the needs to have the correct configuration (made by note 771683).

Regards,

Cris

[former_member293950]

Thank you for the reply.  We already have SRS configured to automatically display and print a PDF, however it's no longer working (the window opens up, but we get the "not a PDF" error and nothing prints.

We do have a PDF printer configured for this.

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

Please let us know the SAP_BASIS version + package level, and kernel version and patch level.

Have you tried to record an HTTP trace (with Fiddler or HttpWatch)? Usually you should be able to find a PDF file inside the trace (with Fiddler, you can analyze all the trace; with HttpWatch, only if you have the Professional edition installed). I would like for the entry where the printing service (BSP application) is called and see whether the issue happens after its call.

Regards,

Cris

[former_member293950]

SAP_BASIS release 700 level 15.

I have not tried using any HTTP traces.  I will see if I can get the software and give it a try.

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

SAPKB70015 is from March/2008. I think you will face issues with this low support package level. I searched for notes involving printing in WEBGUI and found notes that require a higher support package level to be implemented.

I would suggest to import a higher support package level (at very least SAPKB70022), then try again. If you consider raising a support incident, then use component BC-CCM-PRN-PC. (the HTTP trace will help the troubleshooting).

Regards,

Cris

[former_member293950]

Downloaded and ran Fiddler, but it didn't really show me anything new.  I can see the requests going through and the BSP frontend_print being called with the not-a-pdf PDF file, but because it lacks the %PDF in the header it doesn't open.  I just can't seem to pinpoint where this file is being converted (or not) in the code.

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

Please check the content of the PDF file.

Does it start with something like "�%SAPWIN%" ?

Regards,

Cris

[former_member293950]

It certainly does.  Here's the first set of characters when I open it in notepad:

W136; %SAPWIN% OCb Op1 Os1 p1; PP

m850,57; Gb(   û    ÿÿÿ        xf                   

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

Ok, this means that PDF1 is not being used.

This is an application issue.

I recall one case where the default PC printer was being used in SM30 _> WCVL1 view. But I don't know whether it is the same case as for SRS printing. You may check your customizing and see whether you have a similar scenario.

You can also ask your ABAP developers to debug the coding and see which entry in the table view is being used. If you decide to involve the SAP support application team, please raise your incident under LO-SRS.

Kind regards,

Cris

[cris_hansen]

Hi Tim,

My last shot in this matter: two LO-SRS notes that might worth to check:

1054067 - Front end printing in SAP Retail Store

1460160 - PDF is not generated in Deliver Goods application

I hope this helps,

Cris

[former_member293950]

No luck there.  I checked the printer and it's set up correctly (as noted previously).  Checked the customizing settings for SRS and it does have the correct printer listed.

[former_member293950]

Found the issue: someone made a change to output type and changed it from PDF to Smartform so it's production smartforms with a .pdf extension which don't open correctly.

[former_member293950]

Nope, changed the value to PDF and it's still not printing.