Help Wanted: Testing the new Chromium Browser Control (BETA) in SAP BC 6.5
Hi all,
Ever since Microsoft decided to stop the development of Internet Explorer and built a complete new browser from scratch (Edge), we have been looking at an alternative browser control that can be hosted in SAP Business Client to become more independent from MS Internet Explorer. The alternative to a MS control – hosting a Chrome control – is now more feasible than ever before, because the whole browser is built on top of open source projects.
Based on a proof of concept (POC), we decided to implement this new control based on an SAP Business Client 6.5 browser architecture that is no longer hard-wired with the IE control – with a view to potentially incorporating this in a future release (date not known.)
Please note this initiative will not enable users to consume SAP BC on Mac or Linux. It’s still purely Windows-based.
For some background information, see CefSharp .
We have now reached the stage where we are looking for customers to help us test this. If you are interested, please simply mail my colleague Sandra Thimme or me at :
Please include:
- Customer number
- Contact name
We will then send you a Test and Evaluation Agreement (TEA) . Once this is returned to us, we will provide details of how to get, install, and configure the Business Client test version along with the Chromium browser control.
The test period will begin in September. We are looking for approximately 10 testers and would love to hear from you.
Hi Julie, Does this mean that Chrome Browser would need to be installed on my desktop as well?
Thanks
Todd
Hi Todd,
there is no need to install the Chrome browser on your machine.
Best Regards,
Thomas
Is this NWBC only, or can be used in SAP GUI?
Thanks, Igor
Hi Igor,
it is NWBC only.
Best Regards,
Thomas
hi Julie, I would love to help you test this, given that I use the latest sap BC daily and I have been asking for a different render-engine.
But as I mentioned, I'm not a customer and I do not have any valid s-user to create oss messages.
I do however have valid FBA and NDA with SAP.
can we work something out? cc @sandra.thimme
Hey Julie,
somehow this went past my radar, only noticed it today!
So, did you get the 10 testers you wanted? How are things working out so far?
best
Joachim
Hi Joachim, sent you a (SAP COmmunity) DM. Please just let me know the answers and I'll disucss it with the PO.
Best wishes Julie.
I just found out (after my system got upgraded) that access to it via Business-Client (connection type NWBC) seems no longer possible:
I get Dumps CX_UR_NOT_SUPPORTED_DEVICE in CLUR_NW7_SERVER===============CP - a comment says "Quirks mode not longer supported (Release 7.52 SP0 and higher) + Note 0001672817";
(That note doesn’t specifically mention Sap BusinessClient, though – maybe it’s an unwanted side-effect?)
So we need this Chromium-Version of BC6.5 publicly available quickly, don't we?
best
Joachim
Is is possible, that your SAP system (FQDN) is entered in "Compatibilty View" in IE? Otherwise this would be a showstopper for me. In this case we do not have the universal client for the system with 7.52...
Hey Alexander,
thanks for the idea, but no, I didn't mess with "Compatibilty View" in IE - that list is empty.
Yes, it is quit an uncomfortabel situation - I now have the latest backend, but can't use my modern frontend (BC6.5) any more 🙁
Also, the incident I have opend with SAP goes un-noticed for days allready 🙁
best
Joachim
That's "nice"...
The problem with "Chromium CEF for .Net", that there is no actually an official company behind. Chromium - is clear from Google, but CEF and cefsharp - they are seems to be the "one-man" projects... cefSharp sticks with Chromium 57 (they have a showstopper bug), not the latest and greatest 62.
IE is almost dead, Edge cannot be embedded (yet). I would say, SAP should have a team/few people, who will be able to embed the latest chromium release in BC. Independently on oss projects release cycle. Otherwise we will see the problems like that.
Also, because there are the security problems. You have a just normal browser in BC, so you should react immediately with updates, if there are any issues...
Hi Alexander,
I do agree regarding the problems you mentioned. SAP Business Client should be used always with the latest version of Chromium / CEF available. Respective actions to make secure operations possible have already been taken. However the maintenance strategy will be rolled out at release of the feature.
Also I'd like to mention, that at least CEF is used by many other well known applications and Software vendors. So there are some stakeholders being interested in a good maintenance of this open source framework.
Best regards,
Richard