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ABAP DICTIONARY
Abap Dictionary is a central repository where we define and maintain the objects which are related to database. Define means creation of objects Maintenance means changing and deleting the objects.

The objects are,

Database table:
It is an object which stores data in the form of rows and columns. Each row is called as record, and each column is called as field. So, to define a table we have to define the fields first. So, to define a field, we have to specify the below things:

FIELD = DATA ELEMENT + DOMAIN

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Domain:
It is an object which specifies technical information such as data type and length for a field. It also specifies sign, lower case, conversion routine, fixed values, and value table.

Data element:
It is an object which specifies semantic information such as field description, field labels (short, medium, long and heading) for a field.

Advantages of data element and domain:

Reusability: The same data element and domain can be reused by multiple table fields, instead of creating again and again. These are also used in creating foreign key relationship, search help, ale-idocs.

Key field: A field which is used to identify the record uniquely is called a key field. In a table there
should be at least one key field. We can create ____ number of key fields.

Steps to create domain:

1. Go to SE11 2. Select Domain 3. Give a name, ex zcno 4. Click on Create 5. Provide short description 6. Provide data type as CHAR and length as 10 . 7. Press enter 8. Save, check and activate

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Steps to create data element:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Go to SE11 Select data type Give a name, ex zcno Create -> select data element Provide short description Provide domain name as zcno Press enter Click on field label tab, specify short, medium, long and heading labels Save, check and activate

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Steps to create a table:

1. Go to SE11 2. Provide the table name zcust_table 3. Click on create 4. Provide description 5. Specify delivery class as A 6. Specify display maintenance allowed 7. Click on fields tab 8. Provide the field name, data element name as below

9. 10. Click on save 11. Click on technical settings button 12. Provide the details as data class -> APPL0, size category -> 0 13. Click on save and click on back

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14. Save and activate the table

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Creating records into the table:

Go to SE11 Give the table name and click on change Click on utilities -> table contents -> create Provide the cno, cname, city Repeat the same procedure and create the records

Displaying the table contents:

Click on utilities -> table contents -> display Click on execute button The records will be displayed

Note: Sometimes we may get unpredictable errors in a table, due to adding or deleting the fields in a
table. To solve the error follow the below steps. Go to SE14Provide the table name Click on edit button Click on activate and adjust database button

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Components of a TABLE :

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Delivery class:
It specifies the type of the data that stored in a table. The data can be business data or system data. Business data means application data (master and transaction data). The following options are available.

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Display maintenance:
It specifies whether the data should only be displayed or it can also be maintained. Data maintenance means creation, deletion, and changing. There are 3 options available. Display maintenance allowed: Data is displayed and maintained Display maintenance not allowed: Data is not displayed and not maintained Display maintenance allowed with restrictions: Data is displayed, but maintenance is given only for some users based on restrictions.

Data class: It specifies the physical area of a table inside the database

Depending on the table we are supposed to select the required option. The options available are,

Master data: The data which never changes or which changes very rarely is called master data.
Ex: cno, cname, city etc.

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Transaction data: The day to day business data or the data which changes every day is called
transaction data. Ex: customer bank transaction data

Organization data: The data which is related to organization or company like how many company
codes, plants, sales organization etc, is called organization data.

Size category: It specifies the max. Number of records that can be stored in a table.
The possible options are available as below.

In the real time we always set size category as 0 OR 1, because we have to use small amount of memory. Suppose if the memory is not sufficient the system will automatically assign the same memory area as per the size category mentioned above.

Buffer/cache memory: It is a temporary memory to store the data. It is mainly used to increase
the system performance. The functionality of buffer is defined as below. The Tables request for the data The system will check whether the data is available in cache/buffer memory If it is available the data will be immediately given back to th e table, thereby increasing the system performance Suppose if the data is not available, the request will be sent to database, and the response will be given back to buffer or cache memory to store a copy for future references After the copy is stored then the data will be given back to the table

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Buffering options:
Buffering not allowed: Data is not stored in buffer Buffering allowed but not switched off: Used by SAP Buffering switched on: Data is stored in buffer

By default buffering not allowed will be selected.

Buffering types:
Single record buffer: Only first record or records which are read will be stored in the buffer Fully buffered: All the records will be stored in the buffer Generic Area: The key fields data is called generic area. Only generic area data i.e. key fields data will be stored in the buffer

Log Data Changes: This Checkbox would define whether changes to the data records of the table
are to be logged/recorded or not. If checkbox is selected, then every change (Update/Delete) to an existing data record is recorded in the Standard Database Log table DBTABLOG.

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CLIENT NUMBER
It is a unique number which is used to provide security to the data at the database level. In the real time, Based on the client no only, usernames will be created and the access will be given. In the real time, normally we use the client number (100,120), (200,220), (300,320). The field name, data element, and domain for client number is MANDT.

Types of tables based on client number

Ex on Client dependent table:

1. Create a table by name zcust_table_dp with below fields.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Create some records in the table and display them. Now login to another client. Ex 810 client Open the table and display the data The data will not be available, because it is a client dependent table

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STRUCTURES IN ABAP
It is a container of reusable fields Structures are defined in data dictionary Once the structures are defined we must include them in tables There are two options for including the structures in tables Include structure Append structure

Difference between include structure and append structure:

Ex on include structure:
Step 1: Create a structure by name zaddr with fields city, country, postal code 1. Go to SE11Select data type provide a name zaddr 2. Click on create and provide the description 3. Specify the fields and data elements

4.

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5. Save and activate Steps 2: Include the structure in a table as below 1. Open any table which is already created

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2. Provide the field name as .include, data element as structure name zaddr(which is created above) 3. Enter 4. The fields will be automatically copied

Ex on append structure: Business requirement: Add a custom field MNAME (middle name) to the standard SAP table KNA1 .
1. Open the table kna1 in display mode 2. Click on append structure button 3. A pop-up is displayed, click on create icon 4. Provide the append name zapp1 and press enter 5. Provide the field name as mname and data element as zmname 6. Save, activate and click on back 7. Check the field in the table, it will be available at the bottom

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Currency and Quantity fields

Currency and quantity fields are used to store currency amounts data and quantity data respectively. So, for every currency and quantity field we have to specify the corresponding units like INR or USD or EURO etc or KGS or EA or PC etc . CURR: It is the data type which is used to store the currency amount or price fields. CUKY: It is the data type which is used to store the corresponding units (INR or USD or EURO ) for the currency fields. QUAN: It is the data type which is used to specify the quantity for a material or stock. UNIT: It is the data type which is used to specify the units(KGS or EA or PC) for the quantity fields.

Ex on currency/quantity fields:
1. Open any table which is already created. 2. Add the below fields 3. Click on Currency/Quantity fields tab and specify Ref Tab Name an d Ref Field Name.

a. 4. Save and activate the table

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Foreign key relation

The relation between two tables for validating the data is called foreign key relation. Validation means checking whether the value is correct or not.

Check table:
A table which stores master data is called a check table.

Foreign Key Table :

A table which is linked with check table for validating its own data is called foreign key table

Foreign key relation :

A relation between two or more tables for validating the data is called foreign key relation.

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Steps for foreign key relation:

Step 1: Create a table by name zcustomers with fields customer number and customer name, also create some records. Step 2: Create another table by name zcustomers_bank with fields cno, bankid and bankname. Step 3: Create the foreign key relation as below 1. Open the table zcustomer_bank 2. Select cno field 3. Click on foreign keys button or Icon 4. Provide the check table name as zcustomer(master data table) 5. Click on generate proposal button 6. Click on copy button 7. Save and activate Step 4: Unit testing Click on utilities -> table contents -> create Enter the invalid customer number and click on save The error message will be displayed

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Real time ex on foreign key relation:

Domain with field values:

It is an option to maintain some Fixed values inside the domain for validation It is used for validation at the domain level We have to maintain some fixed values at the domain, so that all the table fields will be referring to this domain will be checked against with the fixed values If, suppose we enter a wrong value for a field which refers this domain, then the system will check your value with fixed values. If the value is not available, then the system will raise the error message This option is only used whenever the number of values are less than 10 or 15 If the values are more than 15, we go for foreign key relation The main advantage of domain with fixed values is reusability

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Ex on Domain with field values

1. Open the table zcustomer_bank 2. Add an extra field by name gender with data element and domain as zgender 3. Now go to the domain zgender. 4. Click on value range tab 5. Maintain the fixed values as below

a. 6. Save and activate the domain and the table 7. Go to unit testing 8. Enter the invalid value for gender 9. The error will be displayed

VALUE TABLE:
A table name defined at the domain level so that all the table fields will be referring to the domain will be checked or validated with a single table called as value table. The main advantage of value table is to automate the system for foreign key relation i.e. the system will automatically display check table name to generate foreign key proposal. We should just click on YES button, so that value table is converted as check table. Steps for value table: STEP1 : Create a table zzcustomer with field cno and cname, also create some records STEP2 : Define the check table name at domain level as below. Now check table is called as value table 1. Go to the domain zcno 2. Click on value range tab

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3. Provide the value table as zzcustomer 4. Save and activate, domain and table STEP3 : Create another table by name zzcustomer_bank with fields cno, bankid, bankname STEP4 : Maintain the foreign key relation as below Open zzcustomer_bank table Select cno field and click on foreign key button A pop-up displayed as below with value table to be proposed for check table

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If we click on yes, foreign key relation will be automatically displayed If we click on no, it will not be displayed

Differences between check table and value table

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Domain properties:
SIGN: It is used to store the sign of a number, whether it is positive sign or negative sign Lower Case: This option is used to store a value in the combination of capital and small letters By default SAP will convert all letters into capital letters If we dont want to convert all letters into capital letters, please select lower case option Conversion Routine: It is a sub-program or function module which is used to convert a value from internal format to external format and vice versa

Conversion routine function modules:

Go to any domain, ex: MATNR The conversion routine will be displayed, ex: MATN1 Double click on MATN1 Two function modules will be displayed as below CONVERSION_EXIT_MATN1_INPUT: This function module is used to convert material number from external format to internal format. CONVERSION_EXIT_MATN1_OUTPUT: This function module is used to convert material number from internal format tot external format.

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Table Maintenance Generator (SM30):

It is a standard SAP program created in the form of function mod ules to maintain mass or bulk amount of data instead of maintaining each and every record. Maintenance means creation, deletion and modification. It is also used for validating the table data using the concept of events. Steps for TMG: 1. Create any table by name zcust with mandt, cno, cname and land1 2. Save and activate the table 3. Click on utilities -> select table maintenance generator 4. Provide the details as below 5. Authorization group = &NC& 6. Function group = zcust (table name) 7. Maintenance type as one step 8. Click on find screen number button 9. A pop-up is displayed, just press enter 10. The screen number will be automatically proposed 11. Click on create icon 12. The TMG will be created in the form of function modules Activating TMG: Go to SE80 Select function group from the list Provide function group name (table name) and press enter Right click on function group name and select activate

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Unit testing: Go to SM30 Provide the table name Click on maintain button Enter customer number, name and country for a single record or bulk amount of records. Click on save, the data will be saved

Validations with TMG:

Sometimes we want to validate the data by writing program logic. In such cases we use events in TMG and validate the data The validation are possible using the concept called events There are around 39 events available For each event we need to provide a routine name (sub-program name ) Inside the routine we have to write the ABAP code for validating the data

Events in TMG:
Open the table Click on utilities and select TMG Click on environment -> modification -> events A new screen will be displayed Click on new entries button Click on help button on the first row, first column The 39 events will be displayed

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Double click on any Event Name. Ex : 05 Provide the routine name for above event in the second column and press enter

New sub-program which will be created for writing the logic Ex on validation: Business Requirement:

Raise an error message whenever a new record or customer is created without providing the country or land1.
1. Create a table by name zkna1 with kunnr, land1, name1 fields 2. Create a TMG as discussed above 3. Click on environment -> modifications -> events 4. Click on new entries button 5. Select the event 05 (creating a new record) and provide sub-routine name (sub-program name)

6. 7. Click on editor icon

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8. Press enter 2 times (sub-program will be created automatically) 9. Write the below ABAP code Form znew_rec. If zkna1_land1 = . Message please enter country type E. Endif. Endform. 10. Save and activate 11. Click on back, save 12. Click on back, save 13. Click on save 14. An information message will be displayed as function group cant be processed 15. Click on back -> back -> back 16. Go to SE80 and activate function group 17. Got SM30 and test it Assignment Create a table by name zlfa1 with vendor number, name, date and user name. Create TMG and validate the TMG so that date and username automatically saved.

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