Help needed on MDM Publisher

[Former Member]

Hi,

I am new to SAP MDM and exploring the MDM publisher. I am able to load the layout server and I am able to see the data in publisher family console but not the page layout. Do I need Visio for that? I currently do not have visio installed.

I am able to save publication but when I try to edit the in-design or quark-express template, it says that "initial template does not exist". I am not sure as what i am missing here as i have installed the quark-express plugin.

Also i am stuck at the point where i can integrate it with The DTP application and can view some catalog or actual material which I can print. Any pointers / help/ documentation in this regard will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Neeraj

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dear All,

I am new to the MDM Publisher.. I am trying to create a layout on the publisher

Could you please send some documents & tutor revelant to MDM Publisher

Thanks in Advance

Regards,

Antony

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Antony,

You can refer basic level Guide, how to work with MDM Publisher which is self explanatory.

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/90f05885-162c-2c10-fba6-fffae9623...

For Advanced Level, Please follow the below link:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/60ec69df-aa51-2c10-c89c-840a77aea...

Also refer, whats new in SAP NetWeaver MDM 7.1

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/90f80e48-9bf3-2c10-a990-f986f968e...

Please mark the thread as answered if it solves your query.

Regards,

Mandeep Saini

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for the link...

It really helped

Regards,

Antony

[Former Member]

Hi,

Can I also please have those documents/step-by-step procedure/exercises?

Please email it to anil1764@yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Anil.

[former_member496675]

Neeraj,

No, you don't need Visio for publications.

You are getting the error about initial template because you might not have imported any templated for that publication yet. What you can do is to create a publication template in indesign (indt file) and import into the publisher. After that you will be able to edit it if you like.

Regards,

-TS

[Former Member]

Hi,

Thanks for the info. Actually I am not sure as how to create a template for indesign? I just have quark-express plugin and don't have indesign. Even the quark-express software is not with me. What all I will need apart from Publisher and quark-express plugin to achieve the creation of a print catalog and finally able to print it?

thanks,

Neeraj

[former_member496675]

Neeraj,

That's all that you need. Publisher, QuarkXpress/InDesign plug-in and publishing software of your choice (Quark or Indesign). If you can choose the software then may I advise you to go with InDesign. If not then I am pretty sure that in QuarkXpress you can also create templates just like in Indesign. Try google to find out how to create a template in QuarkXpress.

A template, in its most simplistic form, is nothing but a blank file. In InDesign you create a new file and save it as template and give it a name like 'publication.indt' and that's it. Now you can import this template in MDM.

If creating and using template is confusing for now you can also skip it altogether. You can still generate a publication without using template. Using templates is optional, not required

Regards,

TS

[Former Member]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the info. You said that:

"If creating and using template is confusing for now you can also skip it altogether. You can still generate a publication without using template." Just wanted to know If I can view it (like print preview) and print it as well without using the template?

Thanks,

Neeraj

[Former Member]

Neeraj,

You can do all functions without using a template. You can preview, print, & publish to InDesign. The templating feature is just an added time saving value when publishing to InDesign, it is not necessary in order to publish.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

Hi Tim,

That's what actually I am stuck with. I am using the version 5.5 SP5 which comes with a seperate Publisher. It has a 'spread' pane where I am adding the data records after dragging and dropping from 'Presentation Objects' pane. But when I use the command print from 'File' menu, it prints nothing but a blank rectangle box. I also tried using the option 'Publish Sequential' to publish the publication. But after choosing that option nothing seems to be happening.

Thanks,

Neeraj

[Former Member]

Neeraj,

You may want to take some time to look at some documentation/learning on the Publisher.

<a href="https://www.sdn.sap.comhttp://www.sdn.sap.comhttp://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/mdm-elearning">MDM E-Learning</a>

You shouldn't have to drag things over to the spread to start. You can even publish the families straight out without doing anything to the spreads in MDM. In order to publish you need to have the Layout Server service running on the machine you are publishing to and you need to have InDesign (or Quark) already open on the machine you are publishing to, it will not automatically open when publishing. I would suggest using InDesign, Quark is only supported up to Quark 4.0.1.

Using the Print command should print what is showing in the Family window. You need to select Publish from a specific publication to publish to InDesign and use the templates.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

Thanks Tim,

I have layout server running on my machine. Is there a demo version on Indesign or free download which I can use to test it out. Currently when I try to publish it to the layout server, I don't find any new file created in the layout server directory (My guess is that it's not getting published due to some reason).

I managed to get Print command working (printing) for items which I dropped to spread after saving a publication. But from the family window, i was not able to print.

The tutorial link which you sent me has .sim extension. Which software I need to run these tutorials. I tried checking the pre-requisite section and tried downloading sap tutor player, but somehow it's not getting installed. Is it the only tool which can run these files or are there any other tools as well.

Thanks,

Neeraj

[Former Member]

Neeraj,

There is no trial version of InDesign that I know of. You could check with Adobe to make sure or see if they could provide you with something. You will need InDesign (or Quark 4.0.1) to publish. It will not publish anything without any DTP software. The Layout Server is only a Windows service that runs in the background. It is needed to open the Publisher and to publish to DTP, but nothing will actually publish to the Layout Server itself.

I installed the program from SAP (SAP Tutor Personal Player) to open/run the .sim files. Try saving the .exe file to your PC and installing from there. I don't personally know of any other programs to open/view these files.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

Thanks a lot Tim.

finally the sap tutor is installed. I will go thru the tutorials and will try to figure out how I can get Indesign.

Thanks,

Neeraj

[former_member496675]

Yes, there is a trial version of InDesign that you can download from Adobe website. I believe the current version is InDesign CS3 (CS = Creative Suite).

Here's the link to the trial version download

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=indesign

Message was edited by:

ThirdShift

[Former Member]

Neeraj/TS,

Just as an FYI. MDM 5.5 only supports up to InDesign CS2 on SP04. Not sure if SP05 is supporting CS3 or not, but it may not be supporting CS3 yet. If this is the case you will need to get InDesign CS2 for testing and not CS3. The MDM plug-ins for InDesign are specific to the InDesign version you are running.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

Hi Neeraj and TS,

The version of MDM currently available supports InDesign CS and CS2 only. Support of CS3 will be included in SP5 Patch2, available later this year.

There is no significant difference between InDesign versions as far as MDM functionality is concerned.

You need to install the correct version of MDM plugin; if you have done it correctly, you will see "MDM" menu and a palette in InDesign.

You need to open InDesign before you start publishing. You can publish to an instance of InDesign located on a different machine.

Alex

[Former Member]

Tim,

You seem very knowledgeable about MDM publishing. But do you know of any company that has actually published a complete print and/or web catalog using MDM? (Not A2i; I mean the SAP MDM integrated package).

I'm writing because I sense that SAP MDM is not developed enough to entrust with a company's catalog publishing. I personally know of at least one major company that became so frustrated after two years of trying to publish their catalog in MDM that they purchased the Stibo STEP system instead.

Thanks for any info you may have.

Bill Beadle

[Former Member]

William,

Previous to becoming a consultant I worked full time (6 years) for an industrial distributor that used MDM (since 1997, A2i xCat). The web and print catalogs were generated using the xCat tool. Since the purchase by SAP in 2004 all these materials continue to be generated from MDM. This includes the latest release of a ~1,000 page product catalog with ~40,000 sku's. I had a chance to see demos of the Stibo tool in the past and although it seemed to be better at some things from a print standpoint, it appeared as though MDM was a much better solution for an overall product content management tool to facilitate web and print publishing. I must admit that I haven't seen what Stibo can do in the last 2-3 years. Feel free to contact me from my business card info if you would like more details.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

Hi Neeraj,

If you can give me your email id, i can send you the exercise materials on Publisher and details steps too.

Regards

Rehman

[Former Member]

Hi Rehman,

My mail id is bitm.neeraj@gmail.com. Please send me the exercise material on Publisher and detail steps.

Thanks,

Neeraj

[Former Member]

Hi Neeraj,

I have sent you the detailed step-by-step procedure & exercise documents to your email id.

Regards

Rehman

<b>Reward Points if Useful</b>

[Former Member]

Hi Rehman,

Thanks a lot for all the documents. Now I will start going thru the steps.

Thanks again,

Neeraj

[Former Member]

Rehaman,

Can you please send me the document on MDM Publisher...

Thanks!

Regards,

Siva