Missing code in "Offline Interactive Forms Using ABAP" SDN document?

Question

I am trying to build a sample offline form scenario using the code published in the SDN document "Offline Interactive Forms Using ABAP" written by Vani Krishnamoorthy. Everything works perfectly up to the point where we instantiate the PDF Object to extract the data from the form. Then there seems to be some code missing just before we call the method SET_DOCUMENT. We are supposed to export the parameter pdfdata = pdf_data , but I cannot find where pdf_data variable is declared or assigned. Also, an ENDTRY statement seems to be missing.
Has anyone had success with Vani's offline scenario, and if so, do you know what code is missing, if any?
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Answer 1

I found the missing code in sample program FP_PDF_TEST_06. Everything works well now.
The PDF file that was uploaded from the PC first needs to be converted from binary to XSTRING before you can create the PDF object:
data: lt_rawtab type standard table of raw255,
        g_pdfdata type xstring,
        l_len type i.
  call method cl_gui_frontend_services=>gui_upload
    exporting
      filename                = l_filename
      filetype                = 'BIN'
    importing
      filelength              = l_len
    changing
      data_tab                = lt_rawtab   "PDF file (binary)
    exceptions
      file_open_error         = 1
      file_read_error         = 2
      etc. etc.
Convert binary tab to Xstring
  call function 'SCMS_BINARY_TO_XSTRING'
    exporting
      input_length = l_len
    importing
      buffer       = g_pdfdata              "converted to Xstring         
    tables
      binary_tab   = lt_rawtab
    exceptions
      failed       = 1
      others       = 2.
  if sy-subrc is not initial.
    message id sy-msgid type sy-msgty number sy-msgno
               with sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4.
  endif.
Instantiate PDF object..
  data: l_fp     type ref to if_fp value is initial,
        l_pdfobj type ref to if_fp_pdf_object value is initial,
        l_fpex    type ref to cx_fp_runtime,
        l_type    type string,
        l_errmsg  type string.
Get FP reference
  l_fp = cl_fp=>get_reference( ).
Handle exceptions with Try..Endtry
  try.
  Create PDF Object using destination 'ADS' (<--this is how it is
  defined in SM59)
      l_pdfobj = l_fp->create_pdf_object( connection = 'ADS' ).
  Set document
      l_pdfobj->set_document( exporting pdfdata = g_pdfdata ). 
  Tell PDF object to extract data
      l_pdfobj->set_extractdata( ).
  Execute the call to ADS
      l_pdfobj->execute( ).
    catch cx_fp_runtime_internal
          cx_fp_runtime_system
          cx_fp_runtime_usage into l_fpex.
      case cl_abap_classdescr=>get_class_name( l_fpex ).
        when '\CLASS=CX_FP_RUNTIME_INTERNAL'.
          l_type = 'INTERNAL ERROR'.
        when '\CLASS=CX_FP_RUNTIME_SYSTEM'.
          l_type = 'SYSTEM ERROR'.
        when '\CLASS=CX_FP_RUNTIME_USAGE'.
          l_type = 'USAGE ERROR'.
      endcase.
      l_errmsg = l_fpex->get_short( ).
      message e010(ad) with l_type ':' l_errmsg.
  endtry.