ABAP Objects: Application Development from Scratch

Thorsten Franz is a software architect at AOK Systems GmbH. For ten years, he has been working as a developer, coach, consultant, and trainer and has managed the rollout of ABAP development projects. He was also responsible for architecture and development management in a large strategic project in cooperation with SAP AG. His work revolves around the development of SAP-based applications and frameworks, as well as application integration. He is particularly interested in the SAP NetWeaver platform and the options to make it available for new applications. His current focus is on enterprise architecture and includes topics such as SOA, Web Services, Composite Applications, NetWeaver for Java, and Web Dynpro.In previous projects, Thorsten worked with many different components, frameworks, and technologies of the SAP world, such as HCM, BI, FS-PM, CRM, BP, Workflow, ALE, BDT, and BRF. He has given several presentations on these subjects at the SAP Developer's Summit 2002 in Las Vegas. Tobias Trapp is a software developer at AOK Systems GmbH. His areas of expertise include ABAP development, XML and Web 2.0 technologies. He has more than ten years of experience in software development on various platforms, and using different programming languages for both custom and standard software.His current work focuses on error management, printing and document processes, as well as programming in a large ABAP development project. In addition, he is interested in all aspects of SAP programming, agile development methods, knowledge management, and operations research. He also participates in the SAP Mentor program.You can often find him on the SDN, as a speaker at the SAP Community Day, or in lectures on SAP programming for students. Furthermore, he is the author of the book XML Data Exchange using ABAP (SAP PRESS 2006).

1 ... Introduction ... 17 1.1 About this Book ... 18 1.2 Sample Application and Technical Prerequisites ... 21 2 Designing Application Systems ... 23 2.1 Requirements ... 24 2.2 General Architectural Considerations ... 39 2.3 Using the Standard SAP System ... 49 3 Application Object ... 51 3.1 What Is an Application Object? ... 52 3.2 Modeling the Application Object at the Database Level ... 56 3.3 Implementing Object Persistence ... 75 3.4 Transaction Concept ... 95 3.5 Best Practices ... 102 4 Classes, Interfaces, and Exceptions ... 113 4.1 Advantages of ABAP Objects ... 114 4.2 Exceptions ... 116 4.3 Basic Principles of Object-Oriented Design ... 122 4.4 Classic Modularization Units ... 130 4.5 Best Practices ... 132 5 Application Architecture ... 135 5.1 Requirements for Application Architecture ... 135 5.2 Software Structuring from a Technical Perspective ... 137 5.3 How To Structure a Software System ... 141 5.4 Package Concept ... 148 5.5 Composition of Packages ... 161 5.6 Best Practices ... 179 6 Application Layer ... 187 6.1 Application Logic ... 188 6.2 Customizing ... 196 6.3 Search Services ... 204 6.4 Workflows ... 209 7 ... GUI Programming ... 229 7.1 Ergonomic Examples and Dialog Standards ... 230 7.2 Table Maintenance Dialog and View Cluster ... 238 7.3 Area Menus ... 258 7.4 Object-Oriented Screen Programming ... 261 7.5 Web Dynpro ... 306 7.6 Best Practices ... 327 8 SAP Business Partner ... 331 8.1 Background Information ... 331 8.2 Business Partner Extension ... 336 8.3 SAP Locator Extension ... 369 8.4 Key Transactions ... 388 9 ... Application Programming Techniques ... 391 9.1 Implementing the Application Log ... 392 9.2 Parallel Processing of Applications ... 417 9.3 Key Transactions ... 445 10 Information Acquisition ... 447 10.1 SAP Service Marketplace ... 447 10.2 ABAP Keyword Documentation ... 450 10.3 SAP Design Guild ... 451 10.4 Internal Workings of AS ABAP ... 451 10.5 Knowledge Management ... 459 10.6 Key Transactions ... 461 A Managing Development Projects ... 465 A.1 Roles in Development Projects ... 465 A.2 Quality Management ... 467