Why is SAPNW allow_start_program() erroring: Can't locate allow_start.al?

Question

I get the same error with sapnwrfc-0.12 and 0.20.
I have the Java SAP GUI 7.1Rev4 installed and working.
The SAP 7.1 SDK is also installed and I can call many RFC's successfully.
The platform is Perl 5.8.8 RHEL5.
The error is:
"Can't locate auto/SAPNW/Connection/allow_start.al in @INC (@INC contains:..."
The problem is allow_start.al doesn't seem to exist anywhere and I'm doubting that it even should.
Here's the code.
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
no warnings 'once';
use Data::Dumper;
use sapnwrfc;
my $CLIENT     = '096';#$self->
my %CONNECTION = ('ashost' => '',
          'sysnr'  => '00',
          'client' => '096',
          'user'   => '',
          'passwd' => '',
          'lcheck' => '1',
          'lang'   => 'EN',
          'trace'  => '0',
          'debug'  => '0',
#print Dumper(%CONNECTION)."\n";
my $conn = undef;
eval { $conn = SAPNW::Rfc->rfc_connect(%CONNECTION) };
if ($@) {
    print STDERR "RFC Connect Failed: $@\n";
#print Dumper($conn);
#These are transport programs for files (required by CHECKOUTVIEWX)
$conn->allow_start_program('sapftp;saphttp;');
#$conn->allow_start_program('/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI7.10rev4/bin/sapftp;/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI7.10rev4/bin/saphttp');
$conn->disconnect;

Answer 1

My objective is to download documents from the SAP DMS.
Note that I'm using the RHEL5 & Perl platform, not XP & .NET.
My understanding is that I need to use BAPI_DOCUMENT_CHECKOUTVIEWX and that that RFC won't work without the sapftp & saphttp transport programs.
So that's why I'm trying to do:
$conn->allow_start_program('sapgui;sapftp;saphttp;');
If you've got a better way I'm all ears.
Here's my beta code:
sub get_Bapi_Document_Getobjectdocs {
#PURPOSE:     Fetches the documents associated with a given work order
#ASSUMPTIONS: Both the sapnwrfc shared object libraries are installed and the
#             Perl interface to them (SAPNW::Rfc) are installed and working.
#EFFECTS:    
#INPUTS:     
#RETURNS:     $cols:  Reference to List of column names (1D)
#             $rows:  Reference to List of data rows (2D)
#             $names: Reference to Hash of column names (1D)
  my ($opts) = @_;
  #Mandatory Options
  my $cols        = (exists $opts->{'-cols'})?$opts->{'-cols'}:return([],[],{});
  my $rows        = (exists $opts->{'-rows'})?$opts->{'-rows'}:return([],[],{});
  my $names       = (exists $opts->{'-names'})?$opts->{'-names'}:return([],[],{});
  #my $work_order_field = (exists $opts->{'-work_order_field'})?$opts->{'-work_ordert_field'}:'10001931';
  my $text_id     = (exists $opts->{'-text_id'})?$opts->{'-text_id'}:return($cols,$rows,$names);
  my $text_object = (exists $opts->{'-text_object'})?$opts->{'-text_object'}:return($cols,$rows,$names);
  my $text_name_components = (exists $opts->{'-text_name'})?$opts->{'-text_name'}:return($cols,$rows,$names);
  #Optional Options
  my $long_text_field        = (exists $opts->{'-long_text_field'})?$opts->{'-long_text_field'}:'work_instructions';
  my $long_text_exists_field = (exists $opts->{'-long_text_exists_field'})?$opts->{'-long_text_exists_field'}:undef;
  my $debug                  = $opts->{'debug'} || $opts->{'-debug'} || 0;
  #I've got to know where to put the long text in $rows otherwise this sub is pointless
  if(! exists $names->{$long_text_field}){return($cols,$rows,$names)}
   # use test server q0
  my $CLIENT     = '096';#$self->
  my %CONNECTION = (#'ashost' => '',
                    'sysnr'  => '00',
                    'client' => $CLIENT,
                    'user'   => '',
                    'passwd' => '',
                    'lcheck' => '1',
                    'lang'   => 'EN',
                    'trace'  => '0',
                    'debug'  => '0',
  #print Dumper(%CONNECTION)."\n";
  my $conn = undef;
  eval { $conn = SAPNW::Rfc->rfc_connect(%CONNECTION) };
  if ($@) {
    print STDERR "RFC Connect Failed: $@\n";
    return($cols,$rows,$names);
  #$conn->sap-info();
  #$conn->is_connected();
  #$conn->discover('BAPI_DOCUMENT_GETOBJECTDOCS');
  #unshift @INC, '/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI/bin';
  #unshift @INC, '/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI7.10rev4/bin';
  #unshift @INC, '/usr/sap/rfcsdk';
  #unshift @INC, '/usr/sap/rfcsdk/bin';
  #These are transport programs for files (required by CHECKOUTVIEWX)
  $conn->allow_start_program('sapgui;sapftp;saphttp;');
  #$conn->allow_start_program('/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI7.10rev4/bin/sapftp;/opt/SAPClients/SAPGUI7.10rev4/bin/saphttp;');
  #$conn->allow_start_program('');
  #SAPNW::Rfc->allow_start_program('');
  #SAPNW::Rfc::allow_start_program('');
  my $rfc_getobjectdocs;
  eval { $rfc_getobjectdocs = $conn->function_lookup('BAPI_DOCUMENT_GETOBJECTDOCS') };
  if ($@) {
    print STDERR "RFC Function Lookup Failed: '$@'\n";
    return($cols,$rows,$names);
  #$debug && print Dumper($rfc_getobjectdocs);
  my $rfc_getdetail2;
  eval { $rfc_getdetail2 = $conn->function_lookup('BAPI_DOCUMENT_GETDETAIL2') };
  if ($@) {
    print STDERR "RFC Function Lookup Failed: '$@'\n";
    return($cols,$rows,$names);
  #$debug && print Dumper($rfc_getdetail2);
  my $rfc_checkoutviewx;
  eval { $rfc_checkoutviewx = $conn->function_lookup('BAPI_DOCUMENT_CHECKOUTVIEWX') };
  if ($@) {
    print STDERR "RFC Function Lookup Failed: '$@'\n";
    return($cols,$rows,$names);
  #$debug && print Dumper($rfc_getdetail2);
  for my $i (0..$#$rows){
      my $LATEST_VERSION = 'X';
      my $DATE = strftime( '%D', localtime );
      #my $DOCUMENT_PREFIX = '0000000000000000000';
      my $PORDER_PREFIX   = '0000';
      #my $MATERIAL_PREFIX = '00000000000';
      my $WORK_ORDER_OBJECT_PREFIX0 = 'H0001          000000000000';
      my $WORK_ORDER_OBJECT_PREFIX1 = 'H0001          000000000001';
      #my $MATERIAL_KEY              = 'MARA';
      my $WORK_ORDER_KEY            = 'PORDER';
      #Construct the work_order_object_key
      my $object_key = $PORDER_PREFIX . '10001931' . $WORK_ORDER_OBJECT_PREFIX0; 
      #Does need to be in the loop?
      my $fs;
      eval { $fs = $rfc_getobjectdocs->create_function_call };
      if ($@) {
           print STDERR "Create Function Call Failed: $@\n";
           #return($cols,$rows,$names);
      #$debug && print Dumper($fs);
      #$fs->CURRENTVERSIONSONLY($LATEST_VERSION);
      $fs->CURRENTVERSIONSONLY('');
      $fs->DATE($DATE);
      $fs->OBJECTKEY($object_key);
      $fs->OBJECTTYPE($WORK_ORDER_KEY);
      #$debug && print Dumper($fs);
      # invoke the Function Module and then play with the results
      $fs->invoke;
      #my $MESSAGES = $fs->RETURN;
      #$debug && print Dumper($MESSAGES);
      my $DOCUMENTS = $fs->DOCUMENTLIST;
      #$debug && print Dumper($DOCUMENTS);
      for my $j (0..$#$DOCUMENTS){
          my $type    = $DOCUMENTS->[$j]->{'DOCUMENTTYPE'};
          my $version = $DOCUMENTS->[$j]->{'DOCUMENTVERSION'};
          my $part    = $DOCUMENTS->[$j]->{'DOCUMENTPART'};
          my $number  = $DOCUMENTS->[$j]->{'DOCUMENTNUMBER'};
          #print "$type,$version,$part,$number\n";
       #Does need to be in the loop?
       my $fs;
       eval { $fs = $rfc_getdetail2->create_function_call };
       if ($@) {
         print STDERR "Create Function Call Failed: $@\n";
         #return($cols,$rows,$names);
       #$debug && print Dumper($fs);
          $fs->GETDOCDESCRIPTIONS('X');#Input
          #$fs->GETOBJECTLINKS();#Input
          #$fs->GETSTRUCTURE();#Input
          #$fs->STATUSLOG();#Input
          $fs->GETACTIVEFILES('X');#Input
          #$fs->GETCOMPONENTS();#Input
          #$fs->HOSTNAME();#Input
          $fs->GETDOCFILES('X');#Input
          #$fs->GETCLASSIFICATION();#Input
          #$fs->GETWHEREUSED();#Input
          $fs->DOCUMENTTYPE($type);#Input
          $fs->DOCUMENTVERSION($version);#Input
          #$fs->GETLONGTEXTS();#Input
          $fs->DOCUMENTPART($part);#Input
          $fs->DOCUMENTNUMBER($number);#Input
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs);
       # invoke the Function Module and then play with the results
       $fs->invoke;
       #my $MESSAGES = $fs->RETURN;
       #$debug && print Dumper($MESSAGES);
       #my $DOCUMENTDATA = $fs->DOCUMENTDATA;
       #$debug && print Dumper($DOCUMENTDATA);
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->COMPONENTS());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->CLASSALLOCATIONS());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->DOCUMENTDESCRIPTIONS());#Output Table...what Nick Uses
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->DOCUMENTSTRUCTURE());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->CHARACTERISTICVALUES());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->GETSTATUSLOG());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->OBJECTLINKS());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->DOCUMENTFILES());#Output Table...what Nick Uses
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->LONGTEXTS());#Output Table
          #$debug && print Dumper($fs->WHEREUSEDLIST());#Output Table
          my $DOCUMENTFILES = $fs->DOCUMENTFILES;
       #$debug && print Dumper($DOCUMENTFILES);
          for my $k (0..$#$DOCUMENTFILES){
              my $application = $DOCUMENTFILES->[$k]->{'WSAPPLICATION'};
              if($application eq 'EXL'){
            #Does need to be in the loop?
            my $fs;
            eval { $fs = $rfc_checkoutviewx->create_function_call };
            if ($@) {
              print STDERR "Create Function Call Failed: $@\n";
              #return($cols,$rows,$names);
            #$debug && print Dumper($fs);
               #print "$type,$version,$part,$number\n";
               my $ARGUMENTS = [{'DOCUMENTTYPE'    => $type,
                           'DOCUMENTVERSION' => $version,
                           'DOCUMENTPART'    => $part,
                           'DOCUMENTNUMBER'  => $number,
                  $fs->DOCUMENTS($ARGUMENTS);
                  $fs->GETCOMPONENTS('X');#Input
                  #$fs->PF_HTTP_DEST();#Input
                  #$fs->HOSTNAME();#Input
                  #$fs->PF_FTP_DEST();#Input
                  $fs->ORIGINALPATH('/home/jwelter');#Input
                  $fs->WSAPPLICATION([{'WSAPPLICATION' => $application}]);
                  $debug && print Dumper($fs);
                  # invoke the Function Module and then play with the results
               $fs->invoke;
                  #$debug && print Dumper($fs->DOCUMENTFILES_IN());#Output table
                  #$debug && print Dumper($fs->DOCUMENTFILES_OUT());#Output table
                  #$debug && print Dumper($fs->COMPONENTS());#Output table
                  #$debug && print Dumper($fs->WSAPPLICATION());#Output table
                  #Error Messages
                  $debug && print Dumper($fs->RETURN());#Output
           }#if($application eq 'EXL'){
          }#for my $k (0..$#$DOCUMENTFILES){
      }#for my $j (0..$#$DOCUMENTS){
  }#for my $i (0..$#$rows){
  $conn->disconnect;
#  if($debug){
#    #Column Names
#    foreach(@{$cols}){print "$_\t"}
#    print "\n";
#    #Data
#    foreach my $row ( @{$rows} ){
#      foreach ( @{$row} ){
#     if( defined $_ ){print "$_\t"}else{print "\t"}
#      print "\n";
#  }#if($debug){
  return ($cols,$rows,$names);
}#sub get_Bapi_Document_Getobjectdocs {