In this recipe, we will see how the form output may be suppressed and returned as internal table to our calling program and then how a PDF is generated within the program. We will set values to some fields in the control structure of the Smart Form and use it with the CONVERT_OTF_2_PDF function module.
For generating PDF output without showing the Smart Form on the screen, follow these steps:
- First, we define two structures
cont_parametersandmyoutputbased on the dictionary structuresssfctrlopandssfcresclrespectively.
- Then, we assign
'X'to thesetotfandno_dialogfields of the control structure.
- The dynamic call of the Smart Form function module is then carried out.
- Appropriate variables are then defined. The most important is the internal table
pdf_contentused for storing the converted PDF output of the form. Thefilesizeanddoc_archivetables are necessary for calling the function moduleCONVERT_OTF_2_PDF.
- The function module
CONVERT_OTF_2_PDFis then called. TheOTFparameter passes the value of the fieldotfdataof themyoutputstructure.
The control structure fields no_dialog and the getotf are assigned the value 'X'. This ensures that the form output is suppressed but the form generated is returned to the program in otf format. The call to the Smart Form function module (stored in the variable myfunction) returns to the program the otf format in the otfdata field of the myoutput structure.
We then pass this otfdata to the function module CONVERT_OTF_2_PDF. The function module converts the smart form otf to a PDF and stores it in the internal table pdf_content passed to the function module for table lines. The PDF file may then be saved on the desktop using the method CL_GUI_FRONTEND_SERVICES=>GUI_DOWNLOAD, or e-mailed to another user.