SAP Library - Find your answers

To lock/unlock a group (or all) the printers, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Call tcode SPAD
2. Click Utilities, For output devices, Export devices
3. Goto Import and Export of Device Descriptions and export the file to a local folder.(Mention the Path in the filed as C:\Documents and Settings3\Desktop\New Folder3.txt

Check (Tick mark) the following:

Frontend computer: Select
Operation - Export: Select
Options - Execute Export: Select
Options - Generate Log: Select
Options - Export Printer Configuration: Select

Output device: Give * for all the printers. If you want only the printers that start with S, you should give s*

4. Click the Execute button
5. Open the saved text file and replace all the PADISABLED values with = “X” (It should be displayed as - PADISABLED = "X")
6. Follow the same process and Import the file.
7. Save.

This will lock all the printers. To unlock, follow the same process and change the PADISABLED value to "".

Parallel printing to all the SAP device printers

If you have a situation where reports need to be send to multiple printers, you can configure a pool device type. A pool device type contain a list of SAP printers which the reports will be directed to.

Do this in transaction code SPAD for spool administration.

For example, in SPAD, type ZXXX next to the field 'Output devices',

Click the button Output devices.

In change mode, click the Create button.

Specify the Device type of your printer.

Click the tabstrips 'HostSpoolAccMethod'.

In the field "Host spool access method" set to "P: Device Pool".

Click the tabstrips 'DevicePool'

Click the options "Send to all devices in pool".

Type in the list of the SAP printers device you want the report to go to in this pool under the section 'Pool Device List'.

Now, when the users send a print to the new device for e.g. ZXXX, it will print to all the spool device you have specify.

The above step is done using SAP 4.6c

Mass Lock All Printers with SPAD

If you have lots of printers (50 or more) and need to lock them for maintenance, you can used this mass locked printers tips to locked or unlocked all the SAP printers at one go.

To mass Lock all the printer in SAP:

Go to transaction code SPAD

On top of the screen menu click Utilities -> For output devices -> Export devices

On the screen Import and Export of Device Descriptions:

Export/Import file name: c:\temp\printer.txt

Frontend computer: Tick

Export: Tick

Export Export: Tick

Output device: Choose the Selection options Pattern and type a *
(* for all or a* for all printers starting with a)

Click the Execute button

Open the text file do a replace all of PADISABLED = "" to PADISABLED = "X"

Then import the same file.

or

Another way is to go through each output device in SPAD and click on 'Lock Printer in SAP System' which is in the DeviceAttributes tab

If you have lots of printers (50 or more) and need to lock them for maintenance, you can used this mass locked printers tips to locked or unlocked all the SAP printers at one go.

To mass Lock all the printer in SAP:

Go to transaction code SPAD

On top of the screen menu click Utilities -> For output devices -> Export devices

On the screen Import and Export of Device Descriptions:

Export/Import file name: c:\temp\printer.txt

Frontend computer: Tick

Export: Tick

Export Export: Tick

Output device: Choose the Selection options Pattern and type a *
(* for all or a* for all printers starting with a)

Click the Execute button

Open the text file do a replace all of PADISABLED = "" to PADISABLED = "X"

Then import the same file.

or

Another way is to go through each output device in SPAD and click on 'Lock Printer in SAP System' which is in the DeviceAttributes tab

If you have a situation where reports need to be send to multiple printers, you can configure a pool device type. A pool device type contain a list of SAP printers which the reports will be directed to.

Do this in transaction code SPAD for spool administration.

For example, in SPAD, type ZXXX next to the field 'Output devices',

Click the button Output devices.

In change mode, click the Create button.

Specify the Device type of your printer.

Click the tabstrips 'HostSpoolAccMethod'.

In the field "Host spool access method" set to "P: Device Pool".

Click the tabstrips 'DevicePool'

Click the options "Send to all devices in pool".

Type in the list of the SAP printers device you want the report to go to in this pool under the section 'Pool Device List'.

Now, when the users send a print to the new device for e.g. ZXXX, it will print to all the spool device you have specify.