Direct Link installation technical reference

Installations of the SAP GUI for Windows and the Direct Link client involve several key files and environment variables, which are listed below as an aid to any required troubleshooting:

SAP GUI application files	Default location
SAPgui.exe	C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP\FrontEnd\SAPgui
saplgpad.exe
saplogon.exe
SAPnwrfc.dll	C:\Windows\SysWOW64
SAP GUI configuration files	Default location	Environment variable with file path
SAPUILandscape.xml	C:\Users\<`username`>\AppData\ Roaming\SAP\Common
saplogon.ini	C:\Users\<`username`>\AppData\ Roaming\SAP\Common	SAPLOGON_INI_FILE (user-created)
SAP RFC library file	Default location	Environment variable with file path
sapnwrfc.ini	C:\Program Files (x86)\ACL Software\Direct Link	RFC_INI
Direct Link application file	Default location	Environment variable with file path
SAPAgent.dll	C:\Program Files (x86)\ACL Software\Direct Link	PATH

The Direct Link installer replicates SAP system information

When you install the Direct Link client, the installer acquires SAP system information, including connection information, from the SAP configuration file used by the SAP GUI. The SAP GUI could be using the traditional .ini configuration file, or the more recent .xml file:

saplogon.ini
SAPUILandscape.xml

Regardless of which SAP configuration file is in use, the Direct Link installer replicates SAP system information and stores it in the SAP RFC library file: sapnwrfc.ini.

SAP system information from sapnwrfc.ini populates the Direct Link Logon dialog box, allowing users to connect to specific SAP systems.

Note

In earlier versions of SAP, sapnwrfc.ini was named saprfc.ini.

Format of the SAP RFC library file (sapnwrfc.ini)

The SAP RFC library file (sapnwrfc.ini) must follow these format rules:

Parameter names must be uppercase. For example: DEST
Parameter names must be immediately followed by the equal sign. For example: DEST=
Parameter values must immediately follow the equal sign. For example: DEST=IDES_ECC_6.0
Each parameter name-value pair must be immediately followed by a CRLF line break

Here is an example of correctly formatted information for an SAP system in sapnwrfc.ini:

DEST=IDES_ECC_6.0
TYPE=A
ASHOST=54.200.154.154
SYSNR=01
ABAP_DEBUG=0
USE_SAPGUI=2
RFC_TRACE=0

The Direct Link installer search sequence

The Direct Link installer replicates information from the first SAP configuration file it finds based on the following search sequence:

	File	Location searched
1	SAPUILandscape.xml	C:\Users\<`username`>\AppData\Roaming\SAP\Common
2	saplogon.ini	C:\Users\<`username`>\AppData\Roaming\SAP\Common
3	saplogon.ini	The path specified in the SAPLOGON_INI_FILE environment variable (user-created)
4	File not found	The Direct Link installation fails with an error message.

What if both SAP configuration files are present?

If both saplogon.ini and SAPUILandscape.xml are present in default locations on the computer where you are installing the Direct Link client, the SAP system information in SAPUILandscape.xml is replicated and stored in sapnwrfc.ini.

Connection information from saplogon.ini is also replicated, and stored in a non-functional backup file: saprfc_from.ini.