Hello,
Since 2.4 (and maybe prior), the SAP function editor (SE37) will generate a complete C or VB program to interact with the SAP function from either Unix or a workstation. The workstation only needs the RFC lib installed. Here are the choices in SE37:
RFC_ANSIC_CL_EXP EN Complete ANSI C client example
RFC_ANSIC_SR_EXP EN Complete ANSI C server example
RFC_MSVB_CL_EXP EN Complete Vis.Basic client exa.
RFC_MSVB_SR_EXP EN Complete Vis.Basic server exa.
SAP also has downloadable examples of Excel code that will retreive customer master (KNA1) and the like from R/3.
Mike