Display trip form in pdf

[venu_katamneni]

In our Travel and expenses implementation of ESS, The display trip shows up in HTML. I was wondering how/if we can show up the form in pdf instead.

Thanks.

[ChrisSolomon]

@Markus

Ahhhhhhh....so it's all "smoke and mirrors". hahaha THANKS a TON for the info! That helps a lot and will help justify a separate install as I have been trying to get done. Always good to read your posts!

[ChrisSolomon]

@Markus

Are you sure? First off, I am just getting into Adobe interactive forms and such (doing MSS with Process and Forms now). So PLEASE feel free to correct/help/teach/educate me here. I have been going through all the online classes on here now. In one session, they showed specifically that the Adobe Livecylce Designer is available from NWDS as well as being incorporated into the SAPGUI now. As you mentioned in SE80, they showed embedding an Adobe element into a Webdynpro. However, they then clicked "through" the element which brought up the Adobe Livecylce Designer to edit the actual form. Was I seeing things ?!?!? 😃 Also, I hear a lot of concerns on versions (read, designer, etc). What is the rule of thumb there? (and yes, I know I can hop over to the Adobe forum, but I have you right here! haha)

[MarkusKlein]

Hello Christopher,

thats actually exactly how it does work. You embed a Adobe UI element into your Web Dynpro application, either ABAP via SE80 or Java via NWDS. If you "design" it, the installed Adobe Livecycle Designer gets called right into your IDE (SE80/NWDS), its kinda like you click a *.doc element and your Word gets open.

What i have learned, especially if it comes to HCM processes and forms and Interactive forms in general, is that you should always use the lastest Adobe Designer, which is right now 7.10. The big advantage if you install it seperatly you can remove and install a new version easily. If you install the Adobe Designer along the NWDS and SAP GUI you have to remove the entire IDE (SAP GUI / NWDS) in order to install a "new" version of Adobe Designer (I actually had this problem a few weeks ago with my NWDS) And as i have already posted, afaik the version which comes alaong the SAP Gui / NWDS is still the "old" one 6.0

I hope this helps

Markus

[ChrisSolomon]

No need to download it....you can access it via SE80 as well now! (it's just a little kludgy in my opinion...haha)

[MarkusKlein]

SE80 is actually just if you embed an Adobe UI element in a Web Dynpro ABAP application.

Anyway, you do not need to download the Adobe Livecylce Designer if you have either installed it along the SAP GUI or the NWDS (Netweaver Developer Studio). But afaik these editions are just the 6.0 version of the Adobe Designer. SAP recommends to use always the latest one tho, which is 7.10. So instead of installing the Adobe Designer alongside the SAP GUI / NWDS it is recommend to use the standalone installation. In both ways you can call the Adobe designer right from your SAP Gui, either SE80 for Adobe UI Element integration or via SFP transaction.

Markus

[MarkusKlein]

Oh and btw, the T&E pdf forms need Adobe Document Services installed and configured.

[venu_katamneni]

Markus,

I thought ADS needs to be there if we are trying to get interactive pdf working.

We have configured ADS in our system. What additional configuration needs to be done apart from what Christpoher has mentioned earlier?

[MarkusKlein]

You need a working ADS not only for Interactive Forms, but for any forms which are created with the Adobe Lifecyle Designer (transaction SFP), this includes print-forms like the T&E forms!

[MarkusKlein]

If you have a working ADS in your landscape you should be fine. Just verify the url parameter i have mentioned.

[venu_katamneni]

Thanks Markus. So, do we need to design the form in the adobe lifecycle designer? I am just new to the ADS and the lifecycle designer. Is it something like designing in smart forms?

So, looks like there is no alternative but to use the ADS to get the pdf working right?

[MarkusKlein]

Yes, to design a T&E form use transaction SFP. Its simliar to transaction SMARTFORMS.

[MarkusKlein]

take a look at sap-note 1032311 and 1031614

[venu_katamneni]

Got it. Thanks. It is somewhat strange that the default is in pdf. But still we do have to design our own form. Is there a way we can utilize the existing form in the GUI to save the design time?

[MarkusKlein]

Just call transaction SFP and make a copy of standard form PTRV_EXPENSE_FORM.

[venu_katamneni]

I guess I need to have the lifecycle designer installed before I do this right?

[MarkusKlein]

You can download it from the Service Marketplace.

Installations and Upgrades -> SAP NetWeaver -> SAP NETWEAVER -> SAP NETWEAVER 2004S.

There you should see a file called Adobe LiveCycle Designer 7.1

Markus

[venu_katamneni]

Will do and will post my progress. Thanks

[venu_katamneni]

Thanks.

[venu_katamneni]

I have installed the adobe livecycle designer along with my existing GUI. If I go to the transaction SFP and try to go to the layout, I get an error and also I am not able to bring up the (once-working) HTML form in the simulate function of my business trip on the SAPGUI.

[MarkusKlein]

Hello Venu,

please verify that for your resource object "EMPLOYEE_TRAVEL_TRIPFORM_SRV05" (Homepage Framework Customizing) the url-paramter sap.xss.tra.UsePdf is set to true. Also get sure the same parameter is set for the respective iView in your portal.

Markus

[ChrisSolomon]

Which version and which ESS for T&E (WebGui or Webdynpro)?

[venu_katamneni]

We are using EC 6.0 and webdynpro.