ABAP (Advanced business application programming)
ABAP is the fourth-generation programming language and technical module of SAP,
which is used to develop the applications related to SAP.
This is the core programming language that is used in SAP ERP software. Since it
is the fourth-generation language, hence also known as ABAP/4.
provides various important features such as data sharing, exception handling,
enable to make enhancements.
Roles and responsibilities of ABAP consultant:
Design, code, test, and implement custom programs and reports using ABAP to meet
business requirements.
Perform enhancements and modifications to standard SAP programs as needed.
Table Definitions: Create and maintain database tables, views, and data elements using
the SAP Data Dictionary.
Data Migration: Develop programs for data migration and transformation during system
upgrades or implementations.
Enhancements: Implement enhancements using BADI and user exits to customize
standard SAP behavior.
Debugging: Troubleshoot and debug ABAP programs to identify and resolve issues.
Tuning: Optimize ABAP code for performance, including SQL tuning and minimizing
database calls.
RICEFW
RICEFW stands for Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements, Forms and
Workflows. These are the six categories of development work that are commonly carried
out in SAP projects. Let's take a closer look at each category:
1. Reports: Reports are used to retrieve data from the SAP system and present it in
a user-friendly format. Reports can be simple or complex and can range from a
few lines of code to hundreds of pages.
2. Interfaces: Interfaces are used to transfer data between the SAP system and
other systems or external parties. Interfaces can be inbound or outbound and can
be either real-time or batch.
3. Conversions: Conversions are used to convert data from one format to another.
Conversions can be used to convert data from a legacy system into SAP or to
convert data from one SAP system to another.
4. Enhancements: Enhancements are used to add functionality to the SAP system
that is not available out of the box. Enhancements can be small or large and can
range from a simple screen modification to a complex new module. An example
of an enhancement is the addition of a custom field to a standard SAP screen.
5. Forms: Forms are used to create printed or electronic documents in the SAP
system. Forms can be used to create invoices, purchase orders, or shipping
documents. A form could be a simple layout of customer information or a
complex form with dynamic fields and images.
6. Workflows: Workflows are used to automate business processes in the SAP
system. Workflows can be used to route documents for approval, trigger events
based on certain conditions or send notifications to users.
The requirements which cannot be satisfied by standard SAP application are called gaps.
Based on the category of the gap, objects are created in the form of a RICEFW item.
Each gap will have one RICEFW object and the total inventory of RICEFW objects is
considered as the task list of deliverables to be developed and managed.
ABAP Programs:
The ABAP programs are executable unit or library that provides reusable code to other
programs.
Executable Programs: The executable programs can run directly or can start directly by
entering the name of the program.
Non-executable Programs: The non-executable programs cannot be run directly. These
programs contain the source code that can only be used by the other application
programs.
Each ABAP program has a program type which must be determined in the program
attributes when the program is created.
There are seven program types from which you can choose: executable program, module
pool, function group, class pool, interface pool, subroutine pool, and include program.
Custom reports, include programs, Module pool programs and Subroutine pools can be
created in the tcode SE38.
Function groups can be created in SE37.
Classes and Interface pools can be created in SE24.
DATA DICTIONARY
Data Dictionary is a central source of information for the data in a information
management system. Its main function is to support the creation and management of
data definitions.
Objects which can be created in SE11:
Database table
View
Data type
Type group
Domain
Search help
Lock object
Domain:
A domain describes the technical attributes of a field, such as the data type or the
number of positions in a field. The domain defines primarily a value range describing the
valid data values for the fields referring to this domain.
Data Elements:
They describe the data type attributes (such as given Dictionary data type, number of
places) and information that is relevant for the screen such as title of unstructured data
objects (variables/fields).
Structures:
Describes the structure and functions of any structured data objects, that is of data
structures with components of any type.
Table types:
Describes the structure and functions of internal tables in the ABAP program.
View:
A view is a logical view on one or more tables, that is, a view is not actually physically
stored, instead being derived from one or more other tables.
Search Help:
A search help is an object of the ABAP Dictionary with which input helps (F4 helps) can
be defined.
Database table:
In ABAP Dictionary, the term "database table" is the database-independent definition of
a database table. In Open SQL, only those database tables can be accessed that are
defined in ABAP Dictionary.
There are 3 different categories in data dictionary:
1) Transparent tables
2) Pool tables
3) Cluster tables
Transparent table:
Transparent tables store the data directly and it exists same structure in database and
dictionary with same data & fields. We can read tables directly from database.
Pooled Table:
It is a special table in SAP ABAP dictionary. The data from the tables are stored together
in a table pool. Pooled tables are used to store the internal controlling information.
Cluster table:
Cluster tables are logical tables that are to be assigned to a table cluster after they are
maintained. Cluster tables help to control the data, store as temporary data, texts.
To create database table:
▪ Start with the name in the home screen of tcode se11 which should start with
either Y or Z because we can only create custom tables and a-x are sap tables
which are standard tables.
▪ Fill the short description.
▪ Attributes column will be filled automatically which is general information of
username, package, date of creation.
▪ Next, fill out the Delivery and Maintenance section.
Delivery class:
The delivery class controls the transport of table data when installing or
upgrading, in a client copy and when transporting between customer systems.
These are the following delivery classes:
• A: Application table (master and transaction data).
• C: Customer table, data is maintained by the customer only.
• L: Table for storing temporary data.
• G: Customer table, SAP may insert new data records but may not overwrite or
delete existing data records. The customer namespace must be defined in table
TRESC. (Use Report RDDKOR54 here).
• E: System table with its own namespaces for customer entries. The customer
namespace must be defined in table TRESC. (Use Report RDDKOR54 here.)
• S: System table, data changes have the same status as program changes.
• W: System table (e.g. table of the development environment) whose data is
transported with its own transport objects (e.g. R3TR PROG, R3TR TABL, etc.).
Data Browser/ Table View Maint.:
This indicator specifies whether it is possible to display/maintain a table or view
using the maintenance tools Data Browser (transaction SE16) and table view
maintenance (transactions SM30 and SM31).
Display/maintenance not allowed
o No display or maintenance in SE16
o Not possible to Generate maintenance dialog in SE54
o SM30 maintenance is also not allowed
Display/maintenance allowed to limited extent
o SE16N allows display but not maintenance
o Maintenance dialog is possible to generate
o SM30 maintenance and display is not allowed
Display/maintenance allowed
o SE16N, SE54, SM30 allowed
After entering delivery and maintenance section, enter all the fields required with their
respective data elements or data types.
Maintain key elements.
The key fields of a table must be located together at the beginning of the table, that is,
no non-key fields are allowed between two key fields.
Technical settings:
Data class in technical settings
The data class defines the physical area of the database (for ORACLE the TABLESPACE) in
which your table is logically stored. If you choose a data class correctly, your table will
automatically be assigned to the correct area when it is created on the database.
The most important data classes are (other than the system data):
• APPL0 Master data
• APPL1 Transaction data
• APPL2 Organizational and customizing data
Master data is data, which is frequently read, but rarely updated. Transaction data is data
which is frequently updated. Organizational und customizing data is data which is
defined when the system is initialized and then rarely changed.
There are two more data classes available, USR and USR1. These are reserved for user
developments. The tables assigned to these data classes are stored in a tablespace for
user developments.
Size category
The size category determines the probable space requirement for a table in the
database.
Buffering status
Definition
The buffering status specifies whether a table may be buffered.
This depends on how the table is used, for example on the expected volume of data in
the table or on the type of access to a table.
After creation of the table save and check for errors.
Log Display where errors and warnings are found:
Warnings can be ignored; Errors can’t be ignored.
Sometimes there can be an error as follows if there is a change in field length or domain
or fields are changed this can be resolved as follow:
STRUCTURE CHANGE AT THE FIELD LEVEL:
If you change the structure of the table at any point of time after the table activation,
then you will get an error which can be resolved after adjusting and activating the
table in se14.
This is database utility t-code where database structure can be converted to another
format.
1) We can delete the database table.
2) We can adjust and activate the table which will help in converting to another
format.
To create TMG (Table maintenance generator):
TMG is a tool to generate a table maintenance program i.e. it will generate a program
to maintain (Create, Edit & Delete) entries in a table.
Table maintenance generator is a user interface tool which is used to change the entry
of the table or delete an entry from the table or create an entry for the table.
1) Go to SE11 and enter the table name.
2) Next, On the menu bar you can find utilities option.
3) There we can find Table Maintenance Generator.
4) This will take us to SE56 t-code where we can create a table maintenance.
5) Fill in the required details.
Authorization Group: If the table needs to be maintained by only particular group of
people, then the Authorization group needs to be filled otherwise fill it as NC. To
maintain the authorization group, refer SU21.
Function group: It is the name to which the generated maintenance modules will
belong to.
Maintenance screens: Provide the desired screen numbers. Maintenance can be done
in 2 ways:
1. Maintenance and Overview both on one screen
2. Maintenance on one screen and Overview on another screen
6) After selecting the Maintenance Type, select the Find Scr. Number from
application tool bar.
7) Select any of the options.
8) The default screen number which is free will be assigned if you go with Propose
screen number.
9) After filling these fields, SAVE it.
10) Now the TMG is successfully generated.
11) You can start maintaining the table like create/update/delete from SM30.
To disable the input of any fields of a table:
Input fields can also be disabled from taking user inputs.
We can achieve this by doing some screen alterations.
1) Go to SE11 and enter the table name.
2) Next, On the menu bar you can find utilities option.
3) There we can find Table Maintenance Generator.
4) From TMG go to application tool bar.
5) Next you will find Environment.
6) Click on Modification and then Maintenance Screens.
7) Choose the screens present from that list.
8) Now it will be taken to SE55 which is to change the screens.
9) We can find the section where elements for inputs and outputs are.
10) Go to General and deselect the check boxes of the desired fields from the Input
column for which inputs should be disabled.
11) Save it and activate the program.
12) Then you can find that the fields are disabled from SM30.
To give automatic entries for fields:
This can be achieved using EVENTS present for the TMG.
1) Go to SE11 and enter the table name.
2) Next, On the menu bar you can find utilities option.
3) There we can find Table Maintenance Generator.
4) From TMG go to application tool bar.
5) Next you will find Environment.
6) Click on Modification and then Events.
7) Now it will be taken to SE55 which is to change the screens.
8) 05 is the form number for Creating a new entry.
9) Click on New Entries from menu bar.
10) Give the form name and click on save.
11) Editor will be displayed.
12) Start a subroutine to give the field names which should get an automatic entry.
13) Save and activate it.
14) Come back and save the previous screen.
15) Now, you can check the automatic entries in the fields which are created from
then.
