The move from SAPConsole to MI
Commercial applications of bar code have extended to virtually every industry. SAP in 1999 came up with a product called SAPConsole. SAP Console helped in sending the Barcode data from scanner to SAP system. This is now extended to MI with SAP NetWeaver framework. This weblog aims at understanding technical know how of SAP Console and the reason for move towards MI. SAPConsole first came with SAP R/3 4.6B version and higher and was mainly used for the Logistics Execution System (LES) application area. This weblog aims at understanding: 1. How any handheld devices (Scanner) can be connected to the SAP using SAPConsole 2. Delve into the technical component requirements for using SAPConsole including the Telnet and Web servers 3. Configuration Required in SAP for Reading Barcodes 4. The shift from SAPConsole to SAPNetweaver (BI). The First question that needs to be answered is what is SAPConsole? SAPConsole is a translator. It translates Graphical-based (GUI) screens into character-based screens. 
It does not contain any business logic, external databases, or complex functionality. SAPConsole supports standard ABAP/SAPGui application, which enables standard development of radio frequency applications by ABAP/4 developers and efficient testing and maintenance of application locally in a standard SAPGui environment. SAPConsole can be used with SAP GUI > 4.6B. SAPConsole is part of the front end R/3 installation CD for releases 4.6B and 4.6C. Now SAP delivers an integrated RF solution with mySAP SCM. Technical requirement for SAPConsole: 1.Windows NT/2000 workstation or server attached to the network 2.SAPGUI 4.6B or higher 3.SAPConsole Application 4.Telnet server that supports VT220 emulation 5.RF device that supports VT220 emulation Installation step: 1.Install the SAPConsole on the specific NT server that will be responsible for the communication with the RF-Devices. SAPConsole is part of the front end R/3 installation CD for releases 4.6B and 4.6C. Give the server Details of the SAP Server, the SAPConsole should connect to in the configuration. 2.Install the Telnet server on the same server where SAPConsole is installed. 3.Install the Telnet client on a different machine. Give the Telnet server details while configuring the client. SAP Configuration involved:: Starting with version 4.6B, SAP Introduced several new transactions namely, mobile data Entry specifically for RF operation Logistics Execution System (LES) application area. As of 46C, there are 49 mobile Data entry transaction. Transaction for monitoring RF monitor by supervisors can be done using LRF1. These are some basic configurations required for Mobile Data Entry. 
1. Define a RF Queue 
2. Assign the user to the Queue. These are the user who will be using RFID. Any RFID will connect to SAP R/3 using SAPConsole. SAPConsole has the userid password details of the server. The user id specified in the SAPConsole should be present in this configuration. 
3. The Menu gives the Screen that should emulate on the RFID screen and the sequence in which they should emulate. Every user is attached to a menu. 
The above are the Standard screens available in the SAP Logisitics module. We can also create customized screen depending on the business requirement and emulate them over RFID Screen. The GUI screens should be created keeping in mind the size of the RFID screen. The Screen size generally available is 16 row x 20 column character screen. You cannot translate a full GUI screen onto a 16 x 20 text screen. Benefits and Limitation of SAPConsole: The benefits of SAPConsole are: 1. Version 4.6B and above provides “ready to use” RF transactions 2. All development is accomplished using ABAP in SAP’s development environment 3. No 3rd party middleware 4. Ability to customize Mobile Data Transactions through use of exits (every screen has one!) 5. Works well with slower connections due to minimal data transmission from server to client 6. Less complication when upgrading. Most, if not all, of your ABAP code will upgrade. 7. Menu and screen management is available in the customizing application (IMG) and does not require And the limitations being 1. If the SAP system is not available, neither is SAPConsole (i.e. The Data Collection System). 2. No support for automated fail-over. 3. For a GUI screen to appear on a 16 row x 20 column character screen, the GUI screens must be developed with that in mind, similar to reformatting legacy screens to fit RF terminals. You cannot translate a full GUI screen onto a 16 x 20 text screen. (You can, but your users would not like it!) The movement from SAPConsole to Mobile Infrastrucutre To overcome the limitations cited above, SAPNetweaver framework has Mobile Infrastructure in the People Integration layer. Mobile Infrastructure can be used for wireless data collection. The Interface can be created using Web Dynpro and ported over the Mobile device. Web Dynpro application provides connectivity of mobile device to SAP system
It does not contain any business logic, external databases, or complex functionality. SAPConsole supports standard ABAP/SAPGui application, which enables standard development of radio frequency applications by ABAP/4 developers and efficient testing and maintenance of application locally in a standard SAPGui environment. SAPConsole can be used with SAP GUI > 4.6B. SAPConsole is part of the front end R/3 installation CD for releases 4.6B and 4.6C. Now SAP delivers an integrated RF solution with mySAP SCM. Technical requirement for SAPConsole: 1.Windows NT/2000 workstation or server attached to the network 2.SAPGUI 4.6B or higher 3.SAPConsole Application 4.Telnet server that supports VT220 emulation 5.RF device that supports VT220 emulation Installation step: 1.Install the SAPConsole on the specific NT server that will be responsible for the communication with the RF-Devices. SAPConsole is part of the front end R/3 installation CD for releases 4.6B and 4.6C. Give the server Details of the SAP Server, the SAPConsole should connect to in the configuration. 2.Install the Telnet server on the same server where SAPConsole is installed. 3.Install the Telnet client on a different machine. Give the Telnet server details while configuring the client. SAP Configuration involved:: Starting with version 4.6B, SAP Introduced several new transactions namely, mobile data Entry specifically for RF operation Logistics Execution System (LES) application area. As of 46C, there are 49 mobile Data entry transaction. Transaction for monitoring RF monitor by supervisors can be done using LRF1. These are some basic configurations required for Mobile Data Entry. 1. Define a RF Queue 2. Assign the user to the Queue. These are the user who will be using RFID. Any RFID will connect to SAP R/3 using SAPConsole. SAPConsole has the userid password details of the server. The user id specified in the SAPConsole should be present in this configuration. 3. The Menu gives the Screen that should emulate on the RFID screen and the sequence in which they should emulate. Every user is attached to a menu. The above are the Standard screens available in the SAP Logisitics module. We can also create customized screen depending on the business requirement and emulate them over RFID Screen. The GUI screens should be created keeping in mind the size of the RFID screen. The Screen size generally available is 16 row x 20 column character screen. You cannot translate a full GUI screen onto a 16 x 20 text screen. Benefits and Limitation of SAPConsole: The benefits of SAPConsole are: 1. Version 4.6B and above provides “ready to use” RF transactions 2. All development is accomplished using ABAP in SAP’s development environment 3. No 3rd party middleware 4. Ability to customize Mobile Data Transactions through use of exits (every screen has one!) 5. Works well with slower connections due to minimal data transmission from server to client 6. Less complication when upgrading. Most, if not all, of your ABAP code will upgrade. 7. Menu and screen management is available in the customizing application (IMG) and does not require And the limitations being 1. If the SAP system is not available, neither is SAPConsole (i.e. The Data Collection System). 2. No support for automated fail-over. 3. For a GUI screen to appear on a 16 row x 20 column character screen, the GUI screens must be developed with that in mind, similar to reformatting legacy screens to fit RF terminals. You cannot translate a full GUI screen onto a 16 x 20 text screen. (You can, but your users would not like it!) The movement from SAPConsole to Mobile Infrastrucutre To overcome the limitations cited above, SAPNetweaver framework has Mobile Infrastructure in the People Integration layer. Mobile Infrastructure can be used for wireless data collection. The Interface can be created using Web Dynpro and ported over the Mobile device. Web Dynpro application provides connectivity of mobile device to SAP system
the MI framework is different from the existing
WenDynpro for Mobile. MI is an OFFLINE framework
where the WebDynpro for Mobile is for connected
devices.
regards
jo
Nice document very well explained.
Thx.
Yogi.
As far as MI (People Integration)is concerned according to my understanding you never do webdynpro programming ..it is a offline solution based on generic sync and smart sync ..in both cases there are java apis in MDK for doing that.
your article on sapconsole is very informative but comparison of same with MI is very confusing.
firstly, thanx a lot for all the info.
But i am a bit confused, by SapConsole, u mean SapWebConsole??
In the screen shot sequence you mentioned that the user is assigned to menu MENU00 and later the 'Define Menu Management' deals with MAIN00 options 1,2,3,4. Which menu actually contains the screen program? And where to find the link between them?
Thank you,
Vijay
Thanks
Jeff
In your case, as you don't have any WM implemented within SAP, I think just to print barcodes of materials you don't have to use SAPconsole or WebSAPConsole. Rather, I would suggest to use RFC's to get material descriptions or any other information for the data being passed to SAP using presentation and reading logic developed in Dot Net or J2EE.
Prasad
Check out: http://www.abacomobile.com/products/mobile_suite.htm
Thank you so for this documentation.It has given me a way look forward.