ABAP Training

ABAP Performance Tuning

ABAP Training

ABAP Performance Tuning

3 Major Areas

Select statements
Internal table usage
Database index

ABAP Training

ABAP Performance Tuning

Select Statements

Ensure that data is selected with primary key /secondary index support
with the fields in the select statements WHERE clause in the same order
as fields in the index
Avoid negative WHERE clause (NE) because negative where clauses
disable the index
Avoid long selects within AT SELECTION-SCREEN event

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Select Statements Where Clause Fields

Select up to 1 rows when 'where' clause fields <> 'primary key fields
E.G. Select MATNR UPTO 1 rows from VBAP
Where VBELN = 0001500080
Select single when 'where' clause fields = 'primary key fields'
E.G. Select single AUDAT VBTYP from VBAK
Where VBELN = 0001500080

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Joined Select Statements

Select with join instead of nested select statements, if the number of

records to be fetched is more than 5. Ensure that the join fields are the
keyed fields
Limit tables in a join to three tables

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Select Statements Contd..

Select fields only instead of select *, when no. Of fields < 1/3rd of total
fields in table or no. Of fields getting selected less than or equal to 16.
Use SAP standards views for multiple table data selection
Data should not be selected within loop .. Endloop statements. Instead
use the select statement in join or for for all entries

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Select Statements Contd..

Select with where condition instead of checking them yourself with

check-statements in transparent tables, else use the check statement in
the pooled/cluster tables.
For a buffered table, if a program does require the latest data from a
table it is better to qualify the SELECT statement with BYPASSING
BUFFER specification
Accesses to cluster type tables via non-key selection criteria should be
avoided if possible

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Select Statements Contd..

Select using an aggregate function (SUM, MIN, MAX, COUNT) instead of

computing the aggregates yourself
Use select into table than select + append statement

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Internal Table Usage

Check whether the internal table has records in it before executing the
validation checks and related processing steps for that internal table.
Example before for all entries in itab1, loop at itab1
It is more efficient to use the AT statements ( AT NEW, AT END OF, AT
LAST ...) for summing and control breaks purpose. Avoid using ON
CHANGE OF
If using loop at WHERE statement never use internal tables events
such as AT new inside the loopEndloop

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Internal Table Usage Contd..

All internal table reads with binary search only, after sorting it on the
'with key' fields
To add data to an internal table and keep it sorted, use a READ with
BINARY SEARCH followed by an INSERT rather than using the APPEND
statement followed by the SORT statement
E.G. Read table INT_table with key INT_table
binary search.
If SY-SUBRC <> 0.
Insert INT_table index SY-TABIX.
ENDIF

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Internal Table Usage Contd..

When deleting records from an internal table, if possible, WHERE should

be used together with FROM...And/or to ... to enhance performance
even more
E.G. Delete ITAB [from ...] [to ...] where
When nested loops, include a 'read table itab2 with key binary serach
transporting no fields + 'loop at ' itab2 from sy-tabix + key fields not
equal to exit check)

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Internal Table Usage Contd..

Specify the sort fields explicitly in a sort statement

Use 'if itab[] is initial' instead of 'describe table itab lines n + if n ge 0
..')
Key access to multiple lines use LOOP WHERE which is faster than
LOOP/CHECK. Performance can be further enhanced if the LOOP WHERE
is combined with FROM i1 and/or TO i2
For copying internal tables of same structure use TAB_DEST[] =
TAB_SRC[]

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Internal Table Usage Contd..

Avoid unnecessary moves by using the explicit workarea for internal

table operations
Internal tables of same structure can be compared in logical expressions
just like other data objects. If tab1[] = tab2[]. ... ENDIF
Use DELETE itab WHERE, instead of LOOP AT itab WHERE DELETE
itab. Endloop

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Database Index

The purpose of an index is to quicken the scanning process when

searching for specific records in a table.
An index is a copy of a table reduced to particular sorted fields to enable
faster access to needed data.

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Creating Indexes

Indexes may be developed when the required access to a database

table is based on fields other than the primary key of the table
Only include fields in an index if they reduce the selected data
significantly
As indexes are adjusted each time table contents are changed,
create secondary indexes discerningly to minimize the impact on the
system

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Creating Indexes Contd..

Place the most common columns at the beginning of an index. The

most common columns are those where reports are selecting
columns with no ranges - the WHERE clause for these columns is an
equal to expression. Rearrange columns of an index to match the
selection criteria. For example, if a SELECT statement is written to
include columns 1 and 2 with equal to expressions in the where
clause and column 3 and 4 are selected with value ranges, then the
index should be created with columns in the sequence of 1, 2, 3, 4.
Place columns toward the end of the index if they are either
infrequently used in SELECTS or are part of reporting SELECTS that
involve ranges of values

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Creating Indexes Contd..

Indexes should be small (few fields). Some optimizers are able to

combine two or more indexes to execute a query. This is not possible
with wide indexes
Multiple indexes of one table should be disjoint (have few common
fields), in order not to confuse the optimizer which index to use

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Using Indexes

When selecting data from a table, look at the structure of all of the
available indexes and tailor the WHERE clause to take advantage of the
most selective index. Use all fields in the WHERE clause in the same
order for an index, as skipping one field disables the index
Be sure to order the columns in the WHERE clause of a SELECT in the
same order as an index table

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Time Costs for Key Access

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ABAP Training

ABAP Performance Tuning

When To Use Which Table

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Explicit Binary Search

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Memory Costs

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Points to Be Considered

Each index slows down the inserts into the table. Updates are only
slowed down if indexed fields are updated. On the other hand, the
indexes increase the efficiency of reads. These tradeoffs must be
weighed against one another. In general, frequently updated tables
should have only few indexes while frequently selected tables might
have more
Remove unused indexes or ones that change due to report design
changes

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Points of Caution

The creation of an index can affect performance adversely

The most suitable index for the select criteria might not be the index
chosen for use by the database optimizer. Validate the use of table
indexes by performing a SQL trace
Creating indexes should be done carefully and jointly with the SAP
database administrator

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ABAP Training

ABAP Performance Tuning

Performance Tuning Tools

Extended syntax check

Runtime analysis

SQL trace

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Extended Syntax Check

Transaction code - SLIN or go through

Choose program check extended program check
The system checks the entire program and allows you to run additional
checks with a greater scope than the normal syntax check

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ABAP Performance Tuning

Runtime Analysis

Transaction code SE30

Allows you to examine the performance of any transaction, ABAP
program, or function module that you create in the ABAP workbench
Is intended for fine-tuning individual transactions, programs, and
function modules

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ABAP Performance Tuning

SQL Trace

Transaction code ST05 (performance trace tool)

Allows you to monitor the database access from reports and transactions

Allows you to see how the OPEN SQL statements that you use in ABAP
programs are converted to standard SQL statements

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ABAP Performance Tuning

SQL Trace Contd..

The SQL trace tells you:

The SQL statements executed by your program.
The values that the system uses for particular database access and
changes.
How the system converts ABAP open SQL statements (such as SELECT)
into standard SQL statements.
Where your application executes commits.
Where your application repeats the same database access.
The database accesses and changes that occur in the update part of
your application

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