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Install NLINK for use with an SAP System

Install NLINK for use with an SAP System

Owned by Darcy Curtin
Last updated: Aug 15, 2023 by Rakesh

Follow these steps to set up an NLINK installation to connect to an SAP system.

Step-by-step guide

To setup the NLINK Server to connect to an SAP system the following files and Installation programs will be necessary:

  • NLINK Installation
  • SapNwRfc.ini File
  • SAP logon credentials

Installation of the SAP GUI is optional. If it is already installed you may be able to use it for trouble-shooting.

The basic installation and setup procedure is as follows:

  1. Download and install NLINK.

  2. Populate the sapNwRfc.ini file (see below).

  3. Use the NLINK Management Module (NMM) to test the connection to SAP.

About the SAPNWRFC.INI File

Use the NLINK Management Module (NMM) to access and edit the INI file. Choose Edit >> SAPNWRFC.ini File from the NMM menu.

Location and content structure           

  1. SapnwRfc.ini should be located in NLINK config folder. By default NLINK config folder is “C:\Program Files\Junot Systems\Config” assuming NLINK is installed in folder “C:\Program Files\Junot Systems”
  2. SapnwRfc.ini should in UTF-8 format.
  

Editing the sapnwrfc.ini File          

The sapnwrfc.ini file contains a DEFAULT section that specifies some global properties, followed by SAP connection information organized into DESTINATION entries. Each destination specifies one particular method of connection between NLINK and SAP.

If you are using the NLINK SAP RFC/BAPI, Query or Transaction CoNNector or IDOC (for sending IDOC to SAP) CoNNectors , and you connect directly to an application server (e.g., not load-balanced, single-sign-on (SSO) or via SNC) then you do not need to edit the sapnwrfc.ini file. You can fill out all the information you need in the appropriate External System Attributes.

If you are using the NLINK RFC Listener CoNNector or IDOC CoNNector (to receive IDOCs from SAP), and  no advanced parameters need to be specified (e.g. not  using SNC or SAPRouter) then you do not need to edit the sapnwrfc.ini file. You can fill out all the information you need in the appropriate External System Attributes.

In all cases you will need one or more destination entries.

Each destination has a number of parameters that indicate how NLINK should find the SAP system. You can have any number of destinations in a single sapnwrfc.ini file, as long as all the destination names are unique.

You will probably need to get some of the parameter information from an SAP system administrator. If the SAP GUI is already installed and has a valid connection set up, you can also usually find the parameters you need there.

Put each destination parameter on its own line with an equals sign (=) between the parameter name and its value. You may include comment lines by starting with ”#” or ”/*” or ”//”. Anything on a line following those markings will be ignored. Include an empty line after each destination section.

The default file provided during the NLINK installation contains documentation about the various connection types and parameters.

  

 

The DEFAULT section of the sapnwrfc.ini file includes a directive for settings the trace file directory, RFC_TRACE_DIR. However, this value is not currently honored by the SAP library. In NLINK 6.0.0.42 (or earlier) look for trace files in the C:\windows\system32 directory. For NLINK 6.0.0.43 (or later) the SAP trace files will be in directory specified in RFC_TRACE_DIR

Examples

Load-Balancing Logon

DEST=BIN
MSHOST=hs0311

Server (Registering) Program Logon

DEST=LISTENHS03
GWHOST=hs0311
GWSER=sapgw53
PROGRAM_ID=listener_hs03

The DEST name in the sapnwrfc.ini file does not need to match the name of the SM59 destination configured in the SAP system. However, The PROGRAM_ID here must match the program id in the SAP destination exactly.

 

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