Spool to PDF - First page blank w/ run in background

Question

I have a report that I write to spool using NEW PAGE PRINT ON/OFF.  I use the FM 'CONVERT_ABAPSPOOLJOB_2_PDF' to convert it to PDF.  Everything works fine in the foreground.  The problem is when a background job is scheduled, and the file written to the app server, a blank page is inserted at the beginning of the PDF file.  No data is lost, just a blank page inserted. 
Has anyone seen this before?  If so, what was the fix?
Thanks in advance
Message was edited by: Thomas Branom

Answer 1

The process is the same for both foreground and background. 
Here is some of the code, please not I took out the page break for each new customer name, but the blank page still occurs when executing in background.
** Routine to write to spool
FORM write_to_spool USING rv_download TYPE xfeld.
  DATA: s_out      TYPE get_data=>type_out,
        t_temp_out LIKE STANDARD TABLE OF s_out,
        v_kunnr    TYPE kunnr,
*        v_name1    TYPE name1_gp,
        v_pos      TYPE i VALUE '0'.
  APPEND LINES OF cl_get_data->t_out TO t_temp_out.
  SORT t_temp_out BY kna1-name1 kna1-kunnr vbak-bstnk.
  FORMAT RESET.
** Turn on writing to spool
  IF rv_download = 'X'.
    NEW-PAGE PRINT ON
    NEW-SECTION
    PARAMETERS gs_pri_param
    NO DIALOG.
  ENDIF.
  LOOP AT t_temp_out INTO s_out.
** This will cause a page break at each new customer
** name, I even commented out the 'NEW-PAGE' and I still
** get a blank page at the beginning of the PDF
    IF v_name1 <> s_out-kna1-name1.
      IF NOT v_name1 IS INITIAL.
        ULINE AT /(c_line_size).
        NEW-PAGE.
      ENDIF.
      v_name1 = s_out-kna1-name1.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = 3.
    WRITE : / '|'.
    WRITE AT v_pos s_out-vbak-vbeln.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    WRITE AT v_pos(16) s_out-vbak-bstnk.
    v_pos = v_pos + 18.
    WRITE AT v_pos s_out-likp-inco1.
    v_pos = v_pos + 11.
    WRITE AT v_pos(20) s_out-likp-inco2.
    v_pos = v_pos + 22.
*      WRITE AT v_pos(20) s_out-kna1-name1.
*      v_pos = v_pos + 22.
    WRITE AT v_pos(20) s_out-kna1-ort01.
    v_pos = v_pos + 22.
    WRITE AT v_pos s_out-kna1-regio.
    v_pos = v_pos + 10 .
    WRITE AT v_pos(20) s_out-likp-lifex.
    v_pos = v_pos + 23.
    IF NOT s_out-likp-wadat IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-likp-wadat.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    IF NOT s_out-estprt IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-estprt.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    IF NOT s_out-actprt IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-actprt.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    IF NOT s_out-bolsnt IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-bolsnt.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    IF NOT s_out-cstclr IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-cstclr.
    ENDIF.
    v_pos = v_pos + 13.
    IF NOT s_out-likp-lfdat IS INITIAL.
      WRITE AT v_pos s_out-likp-lfdat.
    ENDIF.
    WRITE AT c_line_size '|'.
  ENDLOOP.
  ULINE AT /(c_line_size).
** Turn off writing to spool
  IF rv_download = 'X'.
    NEW-PAGE PRINT OFF.
  ENDIF.
** Routine to convert spool to pdf and save to file
FORM convert_pdf CHANGING rv_rc  TYPE sysubrc.
  DATA:  t_seltab     TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF rsparams,
         s_seltab     TYPE rsparams,
         s_tsp01      TYPE tsp01,
         t_tsp01      LIKE STANDARD TABLE OF s_tsp01,
         v_objtype    LIKE rststype-type,
         v_type       LIKE rststype-type,
         is_otf       TYPE char1,
         v_numbytes   TYPE i,
         v_numbytes1  TYPE i,
         v_pdfspoolno LIKE tsp01-rqident,
         v_jobname    LIKE tbtcm-jobname,
         v_jobcount   LIKE tbtcjob-jobcount,
*         t_pdf        TYPE type_t_pdf,
         t_pdf        LIKE tline OCCURS 0 WITH HEADER LINE,
         s_pdf        LIKE LINE OF t_pdf,
         v_pdflength  TYPE i,
         v_filename   TYPE string.
  FIELD-SYMBOLS <f> TYPE ANY.
** Get the spool, if no spool, then give error and exit
  SELECT * FROM tsp01 INTO TABLE t_tsp01
           WHERE rqident = sy-spono.
  IF sy-subrc <> 0.
    rv_rc = 1.
    MESSAGE s060(zb) WITH sy-spono.    "NO SPool
    EXIT.
  ENDIF.
  LOOP AT t_tsp01 INTO s_tsp01.
* Determine spool format
    CALL FUNCTION 'RSTS_GET_ATTRIBUTES'
         EXPORTING
              authority = 'SP01'
              client    = s_tsp01-rqclient
              name      = s_tsp01-rqo1name
              part      = 1
         IMPORTING
              type      = v_type
              objtype   = v_objtype.
    IF v_objtype(3) = 'OTF'.
      is_otf = 'X'.
    ELSE.
      is_otf = space.
    ENDIF.
* Convert to PDF format
    IF is_otf = 'X'.
      CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_OTFSPOOLJOB_2_PDF'
           EXPORTING
                src_spoolid              = s_tsp01-rqident
           IMPORTING
                pdf_bytecount            = v_numbytes
                pdf_spoolno              = v_pdfspoolno
                btc_jobname              = v_jobname
                btc_jobcount             = v_jobcount
           TABLES
                pdf                      = t_pdf
           EXCEPTIONS
                err_no_otf_spooljob      = 1
                err_no_spooljob          = 2
                err_no_permission        = 3
                err_conv_not_possible    = 4
                err_bad_dstdevice        = 5
                user_cancelled           = 6
                err_spoolerror           = 7
                err_temseerror           = 8
                err_btcjob_open_failed   = 9
                err_btcjob_submit_failed = 10
                err_btcjob_close_failed  = 11
                OTHERS                   = 12.
      IF sy-subrc <> 0.
        rv_rc = 1.
        MESSAGE s061(za) WITH sy-spono.    "NO SPool
        EXIT.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
      ENDIF.
    ELSE.
      CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_ABAPSPOOLJOB_2_PDF'
           EXPORTING
                src_spoolid              = s_tsp01-rqident
           IMPORTING
                pdf_bytecount            = v_numbytes
                pdf_spoolno              = v_pdfspoolno
                btc_jobname              = v_jobname
                btc_jobcount             = v_jobcount
           TABLES
                pdf                      = t_pdf
           EXCEPTIONS
                err_no_abap_spooljob     = 1
                err_no_spooljob          = 2
                err_no_permission        = 3
                err_conv_not_possible    = 4
                err_bad_destdevice       = 5
                user_cancelled           = 6
                err_spoolerror           = 7
                err_temseerror           = 8
                err_btcjob_open_failed   = 9
                err_btcjob_submit_failed = 10
                err_btcjob_close_failed  = 11
                OTHERS                   = 12.
      IF sy-subrc <> 0.
        rv_rc = 1.
        MESSAGE s061(za) WITH sy-spono.    "NO SPool
        EXIT.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
      ENDIF.
    ENDIF.
* Download the file to local pc if requested and not in background.
    IF NOT p_fname1 IS INITIAL AND sy-batch IS INITIAL.
      v_filename = p_fname1.
      CALL FUNCTION 'GUI_DOWNLOAD'
           EXPORTING
                filename                = v_filename
                filetype                = 'BIN'
                bin_filesize            = v_numbytes
           IMPORTING
                filelength              = v_numbytes1
           TABLES
                data_tab                = t_pdf
           EXCEPTIONS
                file_write_error        = 1
                no_batch                = 2
                gui_refuse_filetransfer = 3
                invalid_type            = 4
                no_authority            = 5
                unknown_error           = 6
                header_not_allowed      = 7
                separator_not_allowed   = 8
                filesize_not_allowed    = 9
                header_too_long         = 10
                dp_error_create         = 11
                dp_error_send           = 12
                dp_error_write          = 13
                unknown_dp_error        = 14
                access_denied           = 15
                dp_out_of_memory        = 16
                disk_full               = 17
                dp_timeout              = 18
                file_not_found          = 19
                dataprovider_exception  = 20
                control_flush_error     = 21
                OTHERS                  = 22.
      IF sy-subrc <> 0.
        MESSAGE s062(za) WITH p_fname1.
* MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE SY-MSGTY NUMBER SY-MSGNO
*         WITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.
      ELSE.
        MESSAGE s065(zb) WITH 'Downloaded' v_numbytes
p_fname1.
      ENDIF.
    ENDIF.
* Write the PDF file server if requested.
    IF NOT p_fname2 IS INITIAL.
      v_numbytes1 = v_numbytes.
      DESCRIBE FIELD t_pdf LENGTH v_pdflength.
      LOOP AT t_pdf INTO s_pdf.
        IF v_numbytes > v_pdflength.
          TRANSFER s_pdf TO p_fname2.
        ELSEIF v_numbytes <> 0.
          ASSIGN s_pdf(v_numbytes) TO <f>.
          TRANSFER <f> TO p_fname2.
        ENDIF.
        v_numbytes = v_numbytes - v_pdflength.
      ENDLOOP.
      CLOSE DATASET p_fname2.  "Open in perform chk_dwnld_param
      MESSAGE s065(zb)  WITH 'Wrote' v_numbytes1 p_fname2.
    ENDIF.
  ENDLOOP.
Message was edited by: Thomas Branom