Need information on SMARTFORMS

Question

hi i m looking for some information on SMARTFORMS.
why it is needed?
what is difference between smartforms and sapscripting?
if someone could send some docs. how to work on smartforms it will begreat

Answer 1

Hi,
Here I am sending the full information about smartforms. Reward if helpful.
SAP Smart Forms (BC-SRV-SCR)
Purpose
You use SAP Smart Forms to create and maintain forms for mass printing in SAP Systems. As output medium SAP Smart Forms support a printer, a fax, e-mail, or the Internet (by using the generated XML output).
In addition to the tool, SAP delivers a selection of forms for central business processes. This includes forms in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as well as in the applications SD, FI, and HR of the R/3 Release.
SAP Smart Forms offer the following advantages:
•     Creating and maintaining forms requiring half the time
•     Adapting forms without any programming knowledge due to entirely graphical user interface
•     Web Publishing using the generated XML output
  The SAP Smart Forms replace the SAPscript forms. SAPscript forms will also be supported in the future; you can use them without making any changes for years to come. You can use SAPscript texts in the Smart Forms. Migration of SAPscript forms into Smart Forms is supported.
Features
SAP Smart Forms allow you to execute simple modifications to the form and in the form logic by using simple graphical tools; in 90% of all cases, this won't include any programming effort. Thus, a power user without any programming knowledge can configure forms with data from an SAP System for the relevant business processes.
To print a form, you need a program for data retrieval and a Smart Form that contains the entire from logic. As data retrieval and form logic are separated, you must only adapt the Smart Form if changes to the form logic are necessary. The application program passes the data via a function module interface to the Smart Form. When activating the Smart Form, the system automatically generates a function module. At runtime, the system processes this function module.
You design a form using the graphical Form Painter and the graphical Table Painter. The form logic is represented by a hierarchy structure (tree structure) that consists of individual nodes, such as nodes for global settings, nodes for texts, nodes for output tables, or nodes for graphics. To make changes, use Drag&Drop, Copy&Paste, and select different attributes. These actions do not include writing of coding lines or using a Script language.
For Web publishing, the system provides a generated XML output of the processed form.
You can insert static and dynamic tables. This includes line feeds in individual table cells, triggering events for table headings and subtotals, and sorting data before output.
You can check individual nodes as well as the entire form and find any existing errors in the tree structure. The data flow analysis checks whether all fields (variables) have a defined value at the moment they are displayed.
SAP Smart Forms allow you to include graphics, which you can display either as part of the form or as background graphics. You use background graphics to copy the layout of an existing (scanned) form or to lend forms a company-specific look. During printout, you can suppress the background graphic, if desired.
SAP Smart Forms also support postage optimizing.
General Concepts on Form Printing
Form printing covers creating and maintaining a form for mass printing in SAP Systems. This includes design and layout of the form as well as form logic.
The layout determines the page structure, that is the number of differently structured pages and the positions of the output areas on these pages. Within the output areas, you use tables, paragraphs, paragraph formats and character formats to structure and format texts and data.
The form logic controls the dynamic formatting of the form. It allows you to display variable fields, to display texts only if a certain condition is true (for first dunning, use this text, for second dunning another), or to repeatedly process invoice items within a table.
Forms can be:
•     Order confirmations
•     Invoices
•     Account statements
•     Checks
•     Salary statements
•     Delivery notes
•     Customs forms
•     Industry-specific forms, such as quality forms in automobile manufacturing
The concepts on form printing presented below are independent of any tool. As of mySAP.com release 4.6C use the SAP Smart Forms [Extern] in SAP Systems.
This documentation does not cover document output and control on printers. Description of the process ends with transferring a processed file to the output management, which in the R/3 System is the spool.
Structure of a Form
Definition
A form consists of pages, output areas, addresses, graphics (such as company logo), and data or text contents. Within an output area, you can use static or dynamic tables to display data or texts in lines, columns, or cells. To further structure and format text and data, use paragraphs with the paragraph and character formats.
SAP calls output areas "windows". You can position windows freely on a page (see also Pages of a Form [Seite 8] and Main Windows and Subwindows [Seite 8]).
Example of a Form Structure
We use a simple invoice. For certain customers, we display their flight bookings with prices in a table in a window. The invoice also contains other windows for the company logo, the sender address, the customer address, company-specific data (clerk, customer number, reference, date, and so on), bank data, and pagination.
The first page displays the customer letter, followed by a table containing the flight bookings of that customer. The output length of the table depends on the number of booking items (dynamic table). The table header contains the column headings, the table footer contains the total. If the space on the first page is not sufficient to take all items, the table continues on the next page, thereby repeating the column headings. In addition, the first page contains:
•     the company logo inserted as graphic in bitmap format.
•     the customer address. This address appears only on the first page (for the window in the envelope) and is preceded by the sender address in small font.
•     a window containing company-related data in several fonts and font sizes (invoice, clerk, phone/fax, reference, customer number, date).
•     the footer containing the company and bank data.
The second page contains the current page number and the total number of pages in the document.
Pages of a Form
Definition
On the pages of a form you determine the page layout and the sequence of pages with different structures.
The page layout includes the page format (for example, DIN A4, Letter, DIN A5 landscape) and the position of the windows on a page.
Use
The individual pages of a form differ in their structure. The first page of an invoice, for example, contains the address, which you do not want to display on the next page; and you want to display the General Terms of Business on the last page. For each page, you must specify a next page to make the page sequence clear. You can also repeatedly call the same page if you want recursive output (for example, if the list of invoice items is very long and does not fit onto one document page).
The page break either is triggered automatically by the main window (see also Main Window and Subwindows [Seite 8]) or you code it manually into the form logic (see also Specifying the Page Sequence [Seite 52]).
Many forms contain only two pages of different structure: the first page, which calls the next page, and the next page, which calls itself. If the text does not entirely fit onto the second page, another document page is automatically displayed.
Main Window and Subwindows
Definition
On a page, there are two different types of output areas for texts and data: the main window and the subwindow.
Use
You can position windows anywhere on a page, even overlapping. You can position the same window (determined by the technical name) on several pages of a form, so that the same contents are displayed on all these pages. You can choose a different size for the window on each page, except for the main window.
Main Window
In a main window you display text and data, which can cover several pages (flow text). As soon as a main window is completely filled with text and data, the system continues displaying the text in the main window of the next page. It automatically triggers the page break.
You can define only one window in a form as main window.
The main window must have the same width on each page, but can differ in height.
A page without main window must not call itself as next page, since this would trigger an endless loop. In such a case, the system automatically terminates after three pages.
Subwindows
In a subwindow you display text and data in a predetermined output area. There is no flow text display with page break. If you position a subwindow with the same name on several pages, the system displays the contents of this subwindow on each page.
Text and data that do not fit into the subwindow are truncated and not displayed.
Texts and Data in a Form
Definition
You enter text in an editor (see also Positioning Text on a Form [Seite 26]).
Data can be character strings or numbers. The system reads this data from a database and uses fields (parameters) to dynamically display it (see also Using Parameters in a Form [Seite 37]).
Use
To display text and data in table format (for example, lists or invoice items), you use tables or templates.
To format texts and fields (data), you use paragraph and character formats. You assign paragraph formats to entire paragraphs and character formats to individual character strings, for example, to highlight a word.
The paragraph format determines:
•     Font family and font size,
•     Indents and spacing,
•     Text alignment within the paragraph,
•     Tabs,
•     Outline options, such as numbering,
•     Protection of paragraphs against page breaks.
To determine the paragraph and character formats, use the Smart Styles (see also Smart Styles [Seite 54]).
Overview
This section describes the architecture  [Seite 10]of SAP Smart Forms and how to create a form [Seite 11]. Essential for creating forms is to understand the form logic [Seite 13].
Architecture
If you create forms for an application, you want to include application data into the form. The architecture of SAP Smart Forms separates application data retrieval from the actual definition of the form:
In a Smart Form you describe:
•     The layout of your form (element positions on a page)
•     Individual elements you want to display (text, graphics, addresses, tables, and so on)
•     the form logic you use, for example, to read application data from internal tables, to introduce conditions, and to control process flows (see also: Form Logic: Introduction [Seite 13])
•     a form interface to transfer application data to the form definition
When you activate the Smart Form, the system generates a function module that encapsulates all attributes of the Smart Form. As soon as the application program calls the function module, the Smart Form uses the modules interface (which corresponds to the form interface) to transfer any table data previously selected and to print the form according to the form description.
The form description can also contain statements that select further data during form processing. However, you should not use this method of data retrieval. Especially if you print mass forms, performance will deteriorate considerably.
Creating Forms Using SAP Smart Forms
This section gives an overview of how to create a form in which to display application data from database tables.
For more detailed information on this procedure, see Using SAP Smart Forms [Seite 14].
When creating a form, you must:
1.     Retrieve the application data [Seite 11].
2.     Describe your form [Seite 12].
3.     Pass the application data to the form [Seite 38].
Printing the Form
Call a function module generated by Smart Forms to print your form. Smart Forms support the forllowing output options:
•     The form is printed on a printer connected to the SAP System. Before printing, use the print preview to check whether the form is correct.
•     The function module generates an XSF datastream that transfers, for example, the form description including the retrieved data to programs of third-party companies.
Retrieving Application Data
Prerequisites
To achieve a good performance when printing a form, you must separate data selection from the use of data in the form. Thus you can bundle database operations before you start processing the form.
Before you retrieve data, you should know:
•     Which application data you want to appear in the form
•     Which database tables you must access to retrieve this data
Process Flow
Write an ABAP program to retrieve data or include a retrieval routine into your application. This code consists of statements that select data from the database according to certain selection criteria. Store the retrieved data in internal tables, structures, or variables and transfer it to the form in one step.
While you initialize the form, you can format the data, which you passed to the form, for output in the form. Formatting data in the form and not in the data retrieval program allows you to use one data retrieval program for several forms with different formatting routines.
Result
You store the application data in internal tables of the data retrieval program. Since you know now which table types occur, you can define a form interface to transfer this data to the appropriate form.
Describing the Form
You describe a form using a Smart Form. To do this, use the Form Builder (see also: Graphical User Interface [Seite 15]):
1.     Describe the interface of the form. It results from the application data previously selected.
2.     Create one or more pages. On a page, you can position windows, addresses, and graphics. Within a window, you can create additional elements.
3.     Create elements (text, graphics, tables, and so on) for each page, using other tools of the Form Builder:
     Use the Form Painter [Seite 17] to position windows, graphics, and addresses on a page (the other elements are displayed in an assigned window).
     Use the PC Editor [Seite 19] to write your texts.
     Use the Table Painter [Seite 20] to format your tables.
For an overview of the elements available on page level, see Node Types: Overview [Seite 23].
4.     Use the flow control [Seite 50] to control whether and when to print pages and elements.
Result
When you activate your Smart Form, the Form Builder generates a function module that encapsulates the form description.
Form Logic: Introduction
In the Form Builder you describe a Smart Form by a set of nodes. To do this, you build up a tree structure on the left side of the user interface:
This graphic already contains some nodes. The node Global Settings as well as its three successors Form attributes, Form interface, and Global definitions always exist for any newly created forms. To describe the Form logic, create a hierarchy under the node Pages and windows. This hierarchy determines the rules used to process the nodes of the tree. Depending on the node type, this could include:
•     printing the node contents (text, addresses, graphics).
•     executing the node statements.
•     executing the successors of a node according to other rules (for example, in a loop).
You use the form logic to control the flow of the form output. The following rules apply throughout:
1.     The nodes in the tree structure are processed from top to bottom. This is easier to understand, if you imagine all nodes to be expanded.
2.     For each node there is a tab, which you can use to link the node to a condition [Seite 51]. If the condition is true, the system processes the node. If not, it skips the node and all its successors.
3.     You must define a next page for each page. However, you can also go to other pages dynamically (see also: Flow Control [Seite 50]).
In addition, the page break depends on how much space there is left on the current page.
For the complete rules for processing the tree structure, see Processing a Form [Seite 63].
Example for Form Logic
The diagram below shows the tree structure of the root node Pages and windows:
The numbering of the nodes also shows the sequence in which they are processed (from top to bottom). The first node is the root node. The successors of a node are all nodes included directly under this node in the hierarchy. For node 5 these are the nodes 6 to 9 (direct successors are only the nodes of the next hierarchy level, that is 6, 7, and 9).
A node without a successor node is also called end node. Elementary nodes can never have successors (see also Node Types: Overview [Seite 23]). If the condition of node 7 is false, neither node 7 nor node 8 are processed. Processing resumes directly with node 9.
In this example, we assume that no pages are called dynamically and that there is enough space on the page for the output.
Using SAP Smart Forms
Graphical User Interface
Use
SAP Smart Forms provide a graphical user interface that helps you create and maintain the layout and the form logic of a form: the SAP Form Builder. You need neither have any programming knowledge nor use a Script language to adapt standard forms. Basic ABAP programming skills are required only in special cases (for example, to call a function module you created or for complex and extensive conditions).
Features
The SAP Form Builder of the SAP Smart Forms consists of:
•     Form Painter for creating the layout of a form,
•     PC Editor for entering texts and fields into output areas,
•     Navigation tree for maintaining the form logic,
•     Table Painter for creating templates and tables,
•     Form check.
To define text formats, use style maintenance (transaction SMARTSTYLES;see also Smart Styles [Seite 54]).
Activities
The SAP Smart Forms initial screen is the starting point for maintaining forms, styles [Seite 54], and text modules [Seite 54]:
1.     Choose transction SMARTFORMS.
The dialog window SAP Smart Forms: Request appears.
2.     Select Form, Style, or Text module, depending on which object you want to create, display, or change.
3.     Enter the name of the object.
4.     Choose Create, Change, or Display.
Depending on the radio button you selected (Form, Style, Text module), the system branches to the Form Builder, the style maintenance (transaction SMARTSTYLES ), or to the text module maintenance.
Navigating in the SAP Form Builder
The screen capture below shows the three different areas of the SAP Form Builder: The navigation tree (hierarchy structure of a Smart Form) on the left, the maintenance screen in the middle, and the Form Painter on the right.
If you select a tree in the node, the system updates the maintenance screen and marks the relevant window in the Form Painter. You can also select a window in the Form Painter; the system them marks the relevant node in the tree.
In the tree you determine the hierarchy of the form logic (see also Form Logic: Introduction [Seite 13]); in the Form Painter you determine the layout. If you, for example, move a window in the tree, this does not effect the layout of the Smart Form.
Tree Navigation
Selecting a Node
To select a node in the tree, double-click it. The system updates the maintenance screen accordingly.
Drag&Drop
Use Drag&Drop to move (left mouse button) or copy (Ctrl + left mouse button) subtrees.
Drag&Drop is a "move" operation, consisting of a "cut" and a "paste" operation with its own clipboard. If the node you are moving can be appended either on the same level as the target node or as a successor of the target node, the context menu offers both possbilities.
Context Menu
Use the right mouse button to display a sensitive context menu in the tree (that is, depending on the current node type). The following functions exist:
•     Creating or deleting (only in change mode)
Depending on the selected node type only valid node types appear.
•     Clipboard operations (see below), such as cutting, copying to clipboard, pasting from clipboard (only in change mode)
•     Expanding and collapsing a subtree
Clipboard
There are three clipboard operations:
•     Copy
Copies the selected node with all its successor nodes into the clipboard.
•     Cut
Copies the selected node with all its successor nodes into the clipboard and deletes the copied nodes from the tree.
•     Paste
Before pasting, the system checks whether and where you are allowed to append the root node of the clipboard contents.
Maintenance Screen
On the maintenance screen you can select different tab pages depending on the node type. For more information see Node Types: Overview [Seite 23].
Form Painter
You can suppress or display the Form Painter (choose Form Painter on/off). For more information on how to work with the Form Painter see Graphical Form Painter [Seite 17].
Form Painter
Use
You use the Form Painter to design the layout of the pages of a Smart Form. You can include windows and graphics on a page, determine their positions and choose the window sizes.
The Form Painter offers the following functions:
•     Design area with ruler, cursor with help lines, and grid and main grid
•     Display of the cursor position in the ruler, which you can suppress and set
•     Two-level grid with engage function, which you can customize at will
•     When creating, changing, and moving a window, the window size appears in the ruler.
•     Detachable toolbar containing the most important functions
•     Autoscrolling when moving windows; placing windows into the background
•     Zoom factors you can set to any value and autozooming of the design area to the window size
•     Sensitive context menu
•     Placing a scanned graphic into the background of the design area (see also Printing Graphics [Seite 31])
Activities
To display or suppress the Form Painter choose Form Painter on/off.
To make detailed settings in the Form Painter (for example, step size of the grid, zoom factors, and so on), choose Settings in its toolbar.
PC Editor
You use the PC Editor to enter and format texts and fields.
Among others, the PC Editor offers the following functions:
•     Enter, delete, select, cut, and copy texts (see also Entering Text in the PC Editor [Seite 27]).
•     Assign paragraph and character formats (for a list of the available formats use the list boxes Paragraph formats and Character formats)
•     Include, change, and delete fields (see also Using Fields in the Form [Seite 42])
The PC Editor displays fields with a gray background.
Table Painter
Use
You use the Table Painter to design templates and tables in a window (see also Displaying a Table with Static Data [Seite 33]).
The Table Painter offers the following functions:
•     Drawing lines and columns
•     Inserting, cutting, copying, and deleting lines
•     Deleting cells
•     Changing cell size and moving cell separator lines
•     Splitting cells
•     Selecting table patterns
Activities
To display or suppress the Table Painter, choose Table Painter on/off on the Table tab on the maintenance screen of a table or template.
The design area does not mirror the size of your window into which you include the table. Therefore, remember to check the size in the ruler.
If you want to insert two tables one after the other, you must create two tables in the window node one after the other.
To execute a function, mark a cell and choose the function in the context menu (right mouse button).
To select a table pattern, select the Table tab in the node and choose Select pattern.
To make detailed settings in the Table Painter (for example, step size of the grid, zoom factors, and so on), choose Settings in its toolbar.
Style Builder
The screen capture shows the Style Builder that you use to define Smart Styles. On the left, you see the style tree which consists of predetermined nodes (header data, folder for paragraph formats, folder for character formats). You can navigate between the nodes and create new nodes. On the right, you see the maintenance screen with its tab pages (here, for example, standard settings for the font in the selected color blue). At the bottom you see the preview of the selected font.
For detailed information on how to create and maintain a Smart Style see Smart Styles [Seite 54].
Field List and Error List
Field List
The field list displays the following data in a tree structure:
•     all tables, structures, and fields passed via the form interface [Seite 38].
•     system fields [Seite 43] and fields you defined in the global definitions [Seite 41]
This allows you to check that you enter the correct field name when you include a field, and that the Smart Form actually knows the field.
To display the field list, in the Form Builder choose Field list on/off.
Error List
When you check the Smart Form and any errors occur, the system displays a list of errors and warnings at the bottom of the maintenance screen. To find the error or warning in the tree, select the node in the second column. The system then goes to the corresponding position in the tree and you can correct the error.
To check the entire Smart Form choose Check. If an error occurs the error list appears.
For more information on testing and checking forms see Checking and Testing a Smart Form [Seite 58].
Node Types: Overview
When you create a Smart Form, the tree structure of the Form Painter already contains two root nodes:
•     You use the successors of the Global Settings node to maintain Form attributes, the Form interface, and Global definitions.
•     You use the successors of the Pages and windows node to create the pages of your form, position elements on these pages, and determine the sequence in which you want to process these elements.
Apart from the two root nodes, each node has attributes. You can maintain these attributes on tabs on the right half of the screen. The attributes you can maintain on the tabs General Attributes, Output Options, and Conditions are the same for most of the node types (see: Shared Attributes of the Node Types [Seite 24]).
Successors of Node Pages and windows
As direct successors to root node Pages and windows you can create only page nodes. The tables below describe these page nodes and the other successors:
Output areas
Node type     Description     Possible direct successors
Page [Seite 25]
A page of the form. Direct successors of this node can be placed directly on the page.     Window, graphic, address
Window [Seite 26]
Output area on a page. There are main windows and subwindows.     All except window and page nodes
Elementary nodes (without successors)
Node type     Description
Text [Seite 26]
You use this node to print any texts (and table contents), except addresses.
Graphic [Seite 31]
You use this node to position graphics in the form. To include background graphics, use node type Page.
Address [Seite 30]
You use this node to include an address. The system reads the address data directly from the database tables and formats them for print output.
Table output
Node type     Description     Possible direct successors
Template [Seite 33]
Output of a table containing static data     All except window, page, table, and template nodes
Table [Seite 46]
Output of a table containing application data     As with template node
Flow control
Node type     Description     Possible direct successors
Command [Seite 52]
Executes special commands (next page, paragraph numbering, printer control)     (no successor)
Loop [Seite 52]
Processes successor node repeatedly.     All except window and page nodes
Alternative [Seite 51]
Branches depending on condition.     Direct successors are automatically the nodes TRUE and FALSE. The direct successors of these are all nodes except window and page nodes.
Other nodes
Node type     Description     Possible direct successors
Folder [Seite 36]
Combines successor nodes to logical groups     All except window and page nodes
Complex section [Seite 60]
Combines all attributes of the node types template, table, loop, folder     All except window and page nodes
Program lines [Seite 61]
Executes ABAP program code (for example, conversion routines).     (no successors)
Shared Attributes of the Node Types
The following tab pages are used in common by several node types:
Tabs for general node attributes
Name     Description
General Attributes     Shows contents or description of the node
Output Options     Contains attributes such as position, style, box and shading
Conditions [Seite 51]
Allows to display the node only if certain conditions are true (see also: Flow Control [Seite 50])
The node types Table, Template, Loop, Folder, and Complex section share a different tab in the place of General Attributes.
Output Options
Except for the page nodes in the subtree Pages and windows, you can always use this tab to determine a box and shading for the respective node. Nodes with text output also have the attribute Style. You use this attribute to overwrite for the current subtree the style that was set in the form.
Depending on where you insert a node, it can have additional output options (for example, if the predecessor is a template [Seite 33]).
Basic Elements of a Form
Creating Pages
Use
Each form consists of one or more pages. The first page in the tree structure is the start page (when you create a form, the start page already exists). With this page, processing of the form starts.
When you call pages repeatedly or process pages again because the main window is not filled yet, a page node creates several print pages.
See also: General Concepts on Form Printing [Seite 7].
Procedure
1.     Open the context menu for an existing page node and choose Create  Page.
2.     Enter a unique name for the node and a description (for example, business terms).
3.     Determine the format and the mode of the page counter [Seite 53] on the General Attributes tab. In the default setting, the next page is the page itself.
4.     Determine the print attributes of the page on the Output Options tab (see F1 help).
5.     Determine a background graphic for the entire page on the Background tab. For information on how to select the graphic see Printing Graphics [Seite 31]. If you do not determine an Output mode in the Output attributes box (in print preview only, on the printer as well), the system ignores the background graphic.
If you select an output mode, the user can still choose Background graphic in the print preview to display or suppress it.
Result
You can now define the page contents. For each page, the Form Painter shows an individual layout. Whether the page is included into the printout depends on whether it is evaluated during form processing [Seite 62] (a page can be omitted even though it is part of the tree structure).
Creating Windows
Use
Windows are output areas for all output data. You can set the size and position of a window graphically in the Form Painter. There are main windows and subwindows [Seite 8]. The most important difference is that the output in a main window can cover several pages.
After you created a form, a main window already exists on the first page.
Prerequisites
A page [Seite 25] exists on which you want to create a window.
Procedure
6.     Open the context menu for an existing page node and choose Create  Window.
If you create the window in the Form Painter using the context menu, you can use the mouse to position it immediately.
7.     Enter a unique name for the node and a description (for example, booked flights).
8.     On the General Attributes tab indicate whether the window is a Main window. If you want to create a subwindow, leave the checkbox empty.
For each page you can indicate only one main window.
9.     The Position and Size values in the Output options box correspond to the position in the Form Painter. If you want to, maintain other attributes [Seite 24].
Result
You can see the window in the Form Painter and in the tree structure. You can always change the specification of the main window or subwindow.
Positioning Texts on the Form
Use
You display all texts in the form using text nodes. The only exception are addresses [Seite 30], which use their own node.
Integration
The predecessor node [Seite 14] of the text node determines its use:
Examples for using text nodes
Predecessor node     Used to
Subwindow     Exactly position text on one or more pages
Main window     Display text in relation to other nodes in the main window; it may cover several pages
Template     Display texts for table cells of a static table [Seite 33]
Table     Display table contents
Header and footer [Seite 49]
Display column headings and grand totals in tables
Event node [Seite 48]
Display subtotals in a table
Features
There are the following text types:
•     Text element: to enter new text in the PC Editor [Seite 27]
•     Text module: to include a text module [Seite 28]
•     Include text: to include an existing SAPscript text [Seite 29]
Positioning the Text
The position of the text depends on the direct predecessor node (for example, you can assign text of a table cell) as well as on the processing sequence in the tree structure. In addition, you determine output of a text node in relation to the preceding node on the same level [Seite 14]. You can append the text directly to the output of that node or start it in a new paragraph or a new line (select via radiobutton).
Entering Texts in the PC Editor
Use
You use the PC Editor [Seite 19] to enter new text. The position of this text on the form is determined by the predecessor node.
To include data from the form interface (data from application tables) or system data (date, time) into the text, use system fields or user-defined fields, respectively, in the text (see Using Parameters in the Form [Seite 37]). When processing the form, Smart Forms replace these fields with the corresponding values.
Procedure
1.     To create a text node, call the context menu for that node in the tree structure that should receive the text. Then choose Create  Text.
2.     Enter a unique name for the node and a node description (for example, letter).
3.     On the General Attributes tab choose Text element as text type.
Since you edit a text element, an included text, or a text module exclusively using the text node, the system stores only information on the selected type. When you change the text type, the system therefore asks for your confirmation.
4.     Enter your text in the PC Editor
     either directly on the tab if you use the inplace version of the PC Editor
     or choose Text editor to go to the fullscreen mode of the PC Editor. If, after entering the text, you use the green arrow (F3) to leave the fullscreen editor, the system transfers the text into the inplace version.
5.     In the Text node box choose whether you want the text to start with a new paragraph or only in a new line. You can also choose to append the text directly to the end of the current paragraph.
6.     If desired, choose the Output Options [Seite 24] tab to maintain the style or box and shading of the text.
Result
The system displays the node in the tree structure, including its name and description.
Including Text Modules
Use
You use the text type Text module of the text node [Seite 26] to refer to an existing text module  [Seite 54]in the system. This allows you to easily use texts from text modules in several forms. In addition, it is not necessary to load the entire form description to maintain these texts.
You can use text modules in two ways:
•     Refer to the text module. The text then appears read-only in the PC editor and is included when you print the form.
•     Copy the text module. The system then copies the text of the module and automatically converts the text node into an editable text element.
Text modules can be used cross-client and are connected to the transport and translation systems.
Prerequisites
The text module you want to include must exist in the system. To create a text module use the SAP Smart Forms initial screen [Seite 15].
Procedure
5.     To create a text node, call the context menu for that node in the tree structure that shall contain the text and choose Create  Text.
6.     Enter a unique name for the node and a description (for example, business terms).
7.     On the General attributes tab select the text type Text module.
Since you edit a text element, an included text, or a text module exclusively via the text node, the system stores only information on the selected type. When you change the text type, the system therefore asks for your confirmation.
8.     Enter the name of the text module in the Text name field. Or click on the black arrow and enter the name of a field to be evaluated dynamically [Seite 37].
9.     If you want to change the text of the text module for the current form, choose Copy. The Form Builder changes the text type to Text element and copies the text of the module into the PC Editor, where you can edit it. In this case, the original text module remains unchanged.
10.     Use the checkbox Always copy style from text to determine that the style of the text module is of higher priority than that of the text node or any style inherited from a predecessor. This is important if you specified the name of a field in step 4 (see F1 help).
11.     If required, use the Output options [Seite 24] tab to maintain attributes for style, box and shading of the text.
Result
The system displays the node including name and description in the tree structure. It includes the relevant text itself in the moment the form is processed. If you refer to a text module, it appears in the PC Editor in read-only mode, if you copy it you can edit it.
Including SAPscript Texts
Use
You use the text type Include text of the text node to refer to a SAPscript text that already exists in the system. To identify the text, you need the text name, the text object, the text ID, and the language. Thus, you can easily use the texts in several forms. In addition, you need not load the entire form description [Seite 12] to maintain these texts.
This text type corresponds to the SAPscript statement INCLUDE. However, Smart Forms do not allow any control statements in include texts. When processing the form, they are simply ignored.
To administer application-specific form texts, applications use transaction SE75 to define their own text objects with subordinate text IDs. Use text object TEXT with text ID ST to enter general standard texts. To maintain them, use the standard text editor (transaction SO10).
If there is no need for you to use old SAPscript texts, you better use text modules [Seite 28]. They can be used cross-client and are connected to the transport and translation systems.
Procedure
1.     To create a text node, call the context menu for that node in the tree structure that shall receive the text and choose Create  Text.
2.     Enter a unique name for the node and a node description (for example, letter).
3.     On the General Attributes tab choose Include text as text type.
Since you edit a text element, an included text, or a text module exclusively via the text node, the system stores only information on the selected type. When you change the text type, the system therefore asks for your confirmation.
4.     In the Text key box, identify the include text.
     To identify individual text objects, use the search help in this field.
     The search help of the Text name field allows you include the attributes of SAPscript texts into the search.
7.     If required, use the Paragraph formats box to format the include text:
     The style assigned to the text node contains a format for the standard paragraph ('*'). If you enter a paragraph format in the Standard paragraph field, this format overwrites the style format for all standard paragraphs in the include text that use this paragraph format.
     Use the First paragraph field to set a paragraph format for the first paragraph of the include text. This format also overwrites the format set in the style. If you set the First paragraph field but leave the Standard paragraph field empty, the system uses the format set in the First paragraph field for any standard paragraphs in the include text.
6.     In the Text node box choose whether you want the text to start in a new paragraph, in a new line, or directly at the end of the current paragraph.
7.     If desired, choose the Output Options [Seite 24] tab to maintain the style or box and shading of the text.
Result
The system displays the node in the tree structure, including its name and description. The included text is included only at the moment the form is processed.
Inserting Addresses
Use
In many applications, addresses are administered using the Central Address Administration [Extern]. Depending on how the address is used, the application uses a particular address type [Extern]. The addresses are stored in the database tables of the central address administration and identified by the application via a number.
You use the address node to insert an address into the form. This guarantees that the address is formatted according to the postal rules of the sender country.
Prerequisites
Your application must administer addresses using the central address administration. Otherwise you must use the text node [Seite 26] to insert your addresses.
Procedure
1.     To create an address node, call the context menu for that node in the tree structure that you want to contain the text and choose Create  Text.
Create the address node as direct successor of the page node or use the context menu in the layout of the Form Painter. You can then position the address anywhere on the page.
2.     Enter a unique name for the node and a description (for example, customer address).
3.     Determine the address type on the General attributes tab.
For a description of how to determine the address type dynamically and how to use fields instead of fixed values, see Using Parameters in the Form [Seite 37].
4.     For organization addresses you must specify only an address number. For any other address types, you must specify a person number and an address number. To do this, use the search help.
5.     In the box Additional address specifications you can maintain other attributes to specify how you want to display the address:
     Use field Output starts with paragraph to set the paragraph format of the style that you want to use to display the address.
     If the number of lines you specify in the field Number of lines to be used is smaller than the number of lines required to display the address, the central address administration suppresses lines of the address.
     As default, the system uses as sender country the country that was specified when creating the address. You can use the parameter Sender country to overwrite this setting.
     For addresses that have a P.O. box as well as a street address, use the other fields in the box to determine which of these addresses to display.
6.     If desired, you can use the Output Options [Seite 24] tab to maintain attributes for style, box, and shading of the text. In addition, you can set values for position and size of the output area (instead of in the Form Painter).
Result
The system displays the node including name and description in the tree structure. If you insert the address as direct successor of a page or by using the Form Painter, the system displays an extra output area for the address. The address itself is inserted only at the moment the form is processed. You cannot view it in the Form Builder.
Printing Graphics
Use
You use the graphic node to display graphics, such as a company logo, on the form. For performance reasons, make sure that the graphics are held in the printer memory. SAP Smart Forms support this method, provided that:
•     The printer can be controlled accordingly.
•     There is enough memory space on the printer.
•     You activated this property in transaction SE78 (see below).
In this case, the system sends the graphics to the printer only once during one print job.
To include background graphics, use the Background graphic tab of a page node.
Prerequisites
You use the SAPscript Graphic Administration (transaction SE78) to import graphics into the SAP-System:
1.     Double-click on a graphic format in the tree structure in the forder Document server  GRAPHICS General graphics.
2.     Choose Graphic  import.
The transaction imports the graphic and stores it on the Business Document Server (BDS). Now you can display it on a form.
See also: Graphic Administration [Seite 65]
Procedure
1.     To create a graphic node, call the context menu for that node in the tree structure that you want to contain the graphic and choose Create  Graphic.
Create the graphic node as direct successor of the page node or use the context menu in the layout of the Form Painter. You can then position the graphic anywhere on the page.
In the Form Painter the system displays a small box for the newly created node.
2.     Enter a unique name for the node and a description (for example, company logo).
3.     On the General Attributes tab determine whether you want to include a colored graphic or a graphic in black and white.
4.     Use the fields Object, ID, and Name to identify the graphic. Use F4 help of the Name field to copy the values of these fields. If you copy them with ENTER, the system displays the graphic in the Form Painter.
The box for the graphic in the Form Painter also contains the name of the graphic node, which in part overlays the graphic.
5.     In the Technical Attributes box determine the graphic resolution according to what the printer supprts. Small resolutions increase the size of the graphic on the form, higher resolutions reduce the size.
6.     For graphic nodes that are displayed in a window, there is a box Horizontal position in addition to the general output options [Seite 24]. The parameters Reference point and Alignment determine the horizontal position in the window, while the vertical position is determined by the previous output in the window.
At present, you cannot overlay graphics with text. However, if you use a template node [Seite 33], you can display graphics and text side by side.
Result
The system displays the node with name and description in the tree structure. If you insert a graphic as direct successor of a page or if you used the Form Painter, the system displays the graphic. Graphics in windows are inserted only when the form is processed. You can therefore not see them in the Form Builder. In addition, the system automatically dispalys the graphic on the next page if there is not enough space left on the current page.
Displaying a Static Table
Use
Use node type Template to display a table whose layout and size (number of lines and columns) is determined before the runtime of the print program.
To create a template, define a table layout to determine the cell structure for each line. The cells are used to display the contents of the successor nodes of the template node. This allows you to position text and a graphic side by side (see Displaying Graphics in Templates [Seite 36]).
The template node is also suited for label printing.
Integration
You can use system fields or your own fields  for example, to display the current date  in table cells (see also Using Parameters in the Form [Seite 37]).
To display application data, use the table node. For this node type the number of table lines to be displayed is not known before the form is actually printed (the number depends on the volume of application data selected in the data retrieval program [Seite 38]).
Prerequisites
You can create a template node only as a successor to a window node. If you want to display the template in a particular area of the page, create a subwindow for it. Otherwise, use the main window.
Features
The node type displays a table layout [Seite 34]. You can either enter the table layout directly or use the Table Painter to define it.
To set other attributes, use the attributes the node types share [Seite 24].
Activities
To use a template, you must:
1.     Define the table layout [Seite 34].
2.     Display contents in the table cells [Seite 35].
Defining the Table Layout
Use
You use the table layout to determine:
•     The number of lines and cells
•     The height of each line
•     The width of each cell
•     The alignment of the table in the window
•     Whether and where to display separator lines or frames
Procedure
Create a template node and maintain the attributes Width, Horizontal alignment, and Vertical alignment (See F1 help).
Use the table control on the Template tab to define the layout of the lines. Each line of the template must have a definition. You can use one line in the table control to define either the layout of one template line or a common layout for several template lines:
•     Use the columns From and To to specify the lines of your template, for which the definition applies. The numbering starts with 1. The intervals in the line definition may neither overlap nor leave gaps.
•     The Height you specify applies for all cells of this line. Specify a Width for each cell you want to display. The sum of the width values must amount to the specified Width of the template.
•     You can reuse the Name of the template line for other lines of the same template. Enter it in the Reference column of the desired lines. The system then copies the values you specified for the line height and the individual cell widths.
Use the Pattern box to select the desired table pattern.
Example
You define the following lines in the table control (in the example without measurement units):
Name     From     To     Reference     Height     1.     2.     3
Line1_2     1     2          1     1     2     3
Line3     3     3          2     2     2     2
Line4     4     4     Line1_2     1     1     2     3
You use the Pattern box to specify that all cells are separated by visible lines and that the template is framed.
Result
On the form, the template may look like this:
Displaying Contents in Cells
Use
The template node defines the table layout [Seite 34]. The successor nodes of the template node determine the data to be displayed in the table cells.
Prerequisites
You already created a template node as successor of a window node and defined the table layout.
Procedure
1.     Use the context menu of the template node to create successor nodes.
For clarity reasons create one folder node [Seite 36] for each line. The folder node is an outline node that you can use to combine related nodes. For folder nodes, you need not fill in the input fields in the Output structure box (see next step).
2.     The Output options tabs of the inserted nodes now contain an additional box Output structure with the fields Line and Column. Assign each node to the cell in which you want the output to appear.
You can assign several nodes to one cell. The output sequence within the cell is determined by the sequence of the nodes in the tree.
Result
The system displays the contents in the print preview or prints them, respectively.