Printing from webdynpro

Question

Hi All,
In my webdynpro I have 2 buttons PREVIEW and PRINT.
With PREVIEW button click Iu2019m able to open my custom built adobe form in a separate window. Working fine and no issues here.
With PRINT button click, I have to send the same form directly to the local printer. I have written the below code for button event.
DATA: fm_name TYPE funcname,
      fp_outputparams TYPE sfpoutputparams,
      fp_docparams  TYPE  sfpdocparams,
      fp_formoutput TYPE fpformoutput.
CALL FUNCTION 'FP_FUNCTION_MODULE_NAME'
  EXPORTING
    i_name     = 'YICS_RECEIPT'
  IMPORTING
    e_funcname = fm_name.
fp_outputparams-device = 'PRINTER'.
fp_outputparams-nodialog u2013 abap_true.
fp_outputparams-preview = abap_false.
CALL FUNCTION 'FP_JOB_OPEN'
  CHANGING
    ie_outputparams = fp_outputparams.
CALL FUNCTION fm_name
  EXPORTING
    /1bcdwb/docparams  = fp_docparams
    i_header           = ls_header
    it_item            = it_item
    i_cmode            = ls_cmode
    it_acc             = it_acc
  IMPORTING
    /1bcdwb/formoutput = fp_formoutput.
CALL FUNCTION 'FP_JOB_CLOSE'.
Once I click on the PRINT button, Iu2019m able to see an entry in spool list with status u2018COMPLu2019 in green color, but the output is not printed to the printer. When I double click on the status Im seeing the below spool information.
Description          Value                              
Status:               Compl.                               
Last event:                                               
Message:           Front end did not get print data after timeout
Date:                 25.03.2010                           
Time:                18:10:48                             
Job status:          Waiting for spool server             
Error class:         Problem                              
Some more information:
In SE38 I have created an executable program and executed the same above code, form has been printed to the printer. Same code is working fine through GUI, but not working with webdynpro button event.
With basis help I have configured new output device ZLP01 with below parameters.
Device Type: PDF1
Device Class: Space (Standard Printer)
Access Method: G (Front End Printing with Control Tech)
Host Printer: __default
Regards,
Vijay.

Answer 1

Hi Vijay,
I'm not 100% sure - but I think your issue is that you are trying to print directly to the users local printer? And you are trying to use the standard SAP local printer setup to do that?
That uses the GUI as a conduit to the PC - the print driver that pops up in the background when you print from the GUI...
In Web Dynpro - you have no access to that conduit so no ability to directly print.
Think about how any web pages you've visited allow you to print - they all give you a preview - it's up to you as a user to then get those previews to your print device.
have a read of this reference - it may help understand the issue with "auto printing" from a browser
[why printing from a browser is problematic|http://javascript.about.com/od/events/a/print.htm]
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Chris