At a time where the SCN website is due to have a clean face, SAP employee and SAP mentor Mark Finnern delights us, yet again, with a highly useful post titled “Top 25 SCN Blogs of all Time“. In case you have missed it, here is your opportunity to know which are the most popular SAP SCN weblogs, of all time. This ranking has been produced taking in consideration the number of user views, counted on the last 8 years. So these are the most viewed weblogs, which obviously reflect which SAP subjects users are more interested in.

Mark Finnern also adds a few observations that sustain this thorough list:

Wow there are some well known names and some surprises in the list, not the least the number one blog post by Steffen Weber. With 178K almost twice as many hits as the famous often updated originaly named XI FAQ post by Michal Krawczyk. Looks like the Excel Macro File referenced in Steffen’s blog post does come really handy. Congratulations Steffen for having written the most viewed post of the last 8 years.

I have to smile seeing that Michal’s XI/PI FAQ post is #2. I had long discussion with him why this kind of content should be moved to a wiki page so that everyone can improve it. His argument is that you need a curator, otherwise the quality isn’t there. Number of views he got is proofing his point, comments of certain links not working anymore can be counted for the wiki camp, but this is not the blog post to bring up that argument again, but to celebrate the top blog posts of SCN.

Thomas Jung can ad the title Master of SCN blogging to the long list of his career achievements, as 6 of his posts are in the top 25. I am always at awe seeing the beauty and quality of his posts. I remember the early beginnings when Brain McKellar nudged him after seeing his excellent BSP forum answers to post blogs. I am so glad he did oh and we miss Brian on SCN.

Love it that a Crystal Report post by Blair Wheadon is #5. It is a beautiful proof, that the BOBJ community has found a home on SCN. Being posted only 2 years ago in December 2009 it is also the youngest blog post on the list. Really amazing that it is on rank #5 already. Well done Blair.

Just wow that there are still 3 Roberto Negro posts in this top 25 list. He used to dominate the BW space, as it was called back in the mid 2000s. He moved on and is unfortunately not working in the SAP space anymore. Really bummed that he nver made it to a TechEd, or at least I don’t remember. I hope the hammock he once offered me is still standing somewhere in Italy waiting for me to relax in. Roberto we really miss you here, please come back.

Manfred Lutz and Ingo Hilgefort are the other two bloggers that have more than one post in the list. We have over 3000 SCNers who have written at least one post, To be in the top 25 is quite the achievement. Thank you all for putting the effort in.

Top 25 SCN Blogs of all Time

1. SAP NetWeaver Portal Reporting for Collaboration Rooms
This Blog describes how to create consolidated and ordered reports out of standard SAP NetWeaver Portal collaboration room raw data files.
Steffen Weber in Knowledge Management (KM), Standards, SAP NetWeaver Platform

2. XI/PI FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Exchange Infrastructure – Frequently Asked Questions
Michal_Krawczyk_PIXI in SAP Process Integration (PI)

3. Sending E-Mail from ABAP – Version 610 and Higher – BCS Interface
Yesterday I posted a weblog on how to send E-Mails from ABAP in releases <= 46D using the API functions. Today we are going to look at releases >= 610 and the BCS Interface.
Thomas Jung in ABAP, Application Server

4. Web Dynpro ABAP Demonstration Videos
Web Dynpro, with its strong graphical modeling environment, provides an interesting challenge for authors of all types of written materials on the subject. Often videos can fill that gap. This weblog describes several hours of newly released Web Dynpro ABAP videos.
Thomas Jung in ABAP, Beginner, Enterprise Portal (EP), Web Dynpro

5. Crystal Reports in Visual Studio 2010
An overview of how Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 customers will receive Crystal Reports.
Blair Wheadon in SAP Crystal Reports, Interoperability .NET

6. New Blog Series: ABAP Trial Version for Newbies
New Blog Series: ABAP Trial Version for Newbies With the new build of the SAP NetWeaver 2004s ABAP Trial Version (SP11), we in SAP NetWeaver Product Management are eager to introduce, through a series of blogs, SAP ABAP technology to those with limited ABAP experience.
Manfred Lutz in ABAP, Application Server, Beginner, Web Dynpro

7. BusinessObjects and SAP Part I
This is Part I of a series on BusinessObjects and SAP products.
Ingo Hilgefort in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse, Business Intelligence (BusinessObjects), Business Process Expert

8. How do you activate ABAP Proxies?
Have you got the error message “Unable to connect to the Integration Builder, when you are trying to create a ABAP PROXY from a R/3 system? This blog show the steps to be executed to make sure you are able to build ABAP Proxies.
vijaya kumari in SAP Process Integration (PI)

9. SAP NetWeaver 7.0 – Java and ABAP Trial Version on Linux – VMware Edition – Tips & Tricks
Here you find the required steps missed out in the official Documentation. How to get the Application Server running, install the License and connect from Windows.
Gregor Wolf in ABAP, SAP NetWeaver Platform

10. BSP a Developer’s Journal Part XIV – Consuming WebServices with ABAP
In this BSP Developer’s Journal we once again look at a technology that just does ride on the edge of the BSP environment. We look at how we can call WebServices with ABAP.
Thomas Jung in Business Server Pages, ABAP, Application Server

11. LOGISTIC COCKPIT DELTA MECHANISM – Episode one: V3 Update, the ‘serializer’
This is the first episode of a series (of three) concernig delta mechanism in the Logistic Cockpit for BW. Here you can find a short overview examining the conception and technical background of delta extraction related to logistic flows towards BW system by using the Serialized V3 Update.
Roberto Negro in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse

12. Basic ABAP OO eLearnings
I frequently receive requests for learning materials on basic ABAP Object Oriented concepts. In response I have created a 5 part eLearning series that is intended to be accessible to anyone just starting out with ABAP OO.
Thomas Jung in ABAP, Beginner, Business Server Pages, Web Dynpro

13. Troubleshoot the SAP NetWeaver 2004s BI Frontend Installation
This aim of this blog is to discuss how to configure your browser parameters as well as discuss how to install the latest SAP NetWeaver 2004s BI Frontend Components. Keep in mind that it is always best to keep your frontend patches up to do date. This article covers most of the issues I’ve seen when working with different browsers and frontend components specifically related to installation of frontend components.
Prakash Darji in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse, Enterprise Portal (EP)

14. LOGISTIC COCKPIT – WHEN YOU NEED MORE – First option: enhance it !
Through this weblog we will go on in our tour around the logistic data extraction world: after having familiarized with the data flows that the system can run for every available update methods in LBWE and before approaching all the other extraction mechanisms managed by SAP Business Warehouse, now it’s necessary facing this question: what’s happen if a standard logistic datasource (and its related information set) is not enough for our needs ?
Roberto Negro in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse

15. Web Dynpro ABAP exercises from TechEd 2007
For those who are looking to improve their Web Dynpro ABAP skills, here is the content of the hands-on session for Web Dynpro ABAP at TechEd 2007. Based on the ESM (Enterprise Sales Model), the exercises are structured so that the result of one task forms the foundation for the next exercise. The download contains all required objects, the ESM data generator, the example solutions, the templates, and the document ‘CD255 Developing User Interfaces with Web Dynpro ABAP’. All you need is a local installation of the latest ABAP Trial Version.
Manfred Lutz in ABAP, Application Server, Web Dynpro

16. Gravity – Collaborative Business Process Modelling within Google Wave
Gravity is a prototype developed by SAP Research in Brisbane, Australia and SAP NetWeaver Development providing real-time, cloud-based collaborative business process modelling within Google Wave. Google Wave is Google’s new real-time collaboration platform that combines features of e-mail, social networking, wikis and instant messaging in one integrated browser-based client.
Alexander Dreiling in Service-Oriented Architecture, Business Process Expert, Business Process Management, Business Process Modeling, Business Rules Management, Composition Environment (CE), Consumer Products, Insurance, Interoperability, SAP NetWeaver Platform, SAP Research, Enterprise Social Systems

17. Update Your ABAP Development Skills to SAP NetWeaver 7.0
If the title of this blog sounds familiar, then chances are good that you have attended session CD251 at one of the TechEds this year. Now find out how some of the core content of this TechEd Session has been made available as an Online SDN E-Learning.
Thomas Jung in ABAP, Service-Oriented Architecture, SAP Process Integration (PI), SAP TechEd, Web Dynpro

18. BusinessObjects and SAP – Installation and Configuration Part 1 of 4
In this blog series I am describing the steps that are required to install and configure the BusinessObjects solution on top of a SAP BI system (Part #1).
Ingo Hilgefort in Analytics, Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse, Business Intelligence (BusinessObjects), Community Day, ERP, SAP NetWeaver Platform, SAP TechEd

19. ABAP Proxies in XI(Client Proxy)
The other way of interfacing XI is through proxies. From WAS 6.20, proxy generation feature enables application systems to communicate with XI using proxies. Proxy generation enables you to create proxies in application systems. Proxies encapsulate the creation or parsing of XML messages and the communication with the relevant runtime components required to send or receive the messages.
Ravikumar Allampallam in SAP Process Integration (PI)

20. Generic Extraction via Function Module
Short overview about the extraction api, using custom defined function modules.
Siegfried Szameitat in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse

21. Aspirant to learn SAP XI…You won the Jackpot if you read this!-Part I
My inbox is flooding with many mails soliciting the direction to start their career into SAP XI. I am too lethargic to reply for everyone as it is a bit lengthy process to explicate it in a mail. You can ask me, Why am blogging so late? I told you already am lazy to pen lengthy stuff:)…But…One day I got a mail from an graduate student asking me to guide him…!!….Alas! Iam amazed and impressed with that mail….I guess SDN Community has accomplished its goal in global marketing and inspiring all sorts of people across the globe……Kuddos to SDN!…
Sravya Talanki in SAP Process Integration (PI)

22. LOGISTIC COCKPIT DELTA MECHANISM – Episode three: the new update methods
This third episode describes in detail all the elements required to help make an aware selection of the right new update method (after the serialized V3 update mechanism replacement) for the applications related to the Logistic Cockpit.
Roberto Negro in Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse

23. Http* Errors in XI
There are many forum discussions about Http Errors. This blog is collective information about most common HTTP errors occurring during XI implementations and possible tips to solve the problems.
Krishna Moorthy P in SAP Process Integration (PI)

24. SAP’s definitive strategy for planning technologies moving forward: What’s the word on BPC, BI-IP and SRC?
This blog discuss SAP’s direction for planning products. It describes SAP’s official stance, and provides a bit more insight into Business Planning and Consolidation 7.0, version for SAP NetWeaver.
Ryan Leask in Analytics, Enterprise Data Warehousing/Business Warehouse, Business Intelligence (BusinessObjects), Business Process Expert, Business Process Management, Business Process Modeling, Business Solutions, Enterprise Performance Management, SAP NetWeaver Platform

25. First steps to work with Change Request Management scenario
This blog describes how to create a test landscape to practice with the Charm scenario in Solution Manager 7.0 without creating interferences with real TMS landscapes. Also you will find tips and tricks for the common mistakes in the configuration of this scenario.
Dolores Correa in SAP Solution Manager

Many thanks again to Mark Finnern for this great contribution. Here is Mark’s career summary.

Mark Finnern is the Chief Community Evangelist of the SAP Community Network focusing on the SAP Mentor initiative. He is an SAP veteran, has implemented SAP FI/CO at many customers in Germany and the US. Was the co-inventor of the Pre-Configured Client (PCC), which at times was used by 90% of all US SAP customers to save implementation time. It evolved into SAP’s Best Practices and All-In-One offerings. He is the proud owner of a Traffic Monitoring System patent. Mark was the driving force behind community features of the SAP Community Network: Blogs, points recognition system, wiki, Community Day now Inside Track. Mark Finnern has a bachelor’s degree in Business oriented Computer Science from the Fachhochschule in Furtwangen Germany. He is also the founder and host of the Future Salon with its new tag line: Creating a world that works for all.

Source: http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/27705

If you have managing responsibilities over an SAP system, it might happen that you’ve had to assess the status of your user licenses. SAP licenses are not cheap and one should always have the system tight, obviously with some room for contingencies. That is, if you do care about your employer, who’s probably paying for the SAP invoices.

This article describes 5 different ways on how you can effectively keep a control on the existing SAP licenses:

1. Keep a constant communication channel open with your SAP account executive
2. Actively use the SAP Support Portal
3. Actively use the SAP License Administration Workbench
4. Take Advantage of Software Audit Tools
5. Bring in a Software Audit Service

Source: Panayna Inc

It sometimes seems difficult to find your ways in the SAP neverending web of information. Anyone who works with SAP knows that a big part of their job is to constantly search and digest the best piece of information (ideally) they can find. These mostly originate from various sources and most of the times, in what refers to blogs, at least half of them are low quality.

Being that said, I’ve decided to write this post and reveal which are my top SAP fellow blogs, whom I follow and recommend that you visit.

1. SAP Community Network Blogs

SAP blogs are by far the most complete and extensive source of information. It also has the advantage of being supported by SAP and its contents managed and updated by SAP employees, SAP mentors and other credible SAP professionals. The downside to it is that you’ll need an SAP user in order to view it fully or be able to post comments.

Link: http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/weblogs

2. SearchSAP

Owned by TechTarget, SearchSAP is a very complete website and blog with more than tutorials or how-to’s on SAP. It contains news, expert advice, technical tips and career guidance, latest applications as well as future ERP system plans with breaking news coverage from independent editors. I recommend this website and its rich content.

Link: http://searchsap.techtarget.com/

3. JonERP.com

Jon Reed’s blog is widely known and is a complete source that I recommend for any SAP professional. Jon actively blogs about several SAP emerging areas, SAP market trends, with a special focus on SAP career – Jon Reed’s blog has a special SAP Career Center page, designed for people wanting to know more about careers on SAP and how to enhance it. Jon also is consistently posting new podcasts and webcasts.

Link: http://www.jonerp.com

4. Pixelbase

Michael Koch is the driver of Pixelbase, which I recommend that you  follow and visit on a regular basis. Michael is an experienced independent consultant and he’s also a well known SAP Mentor. Pixelbase is the commercial face of Michael’s activity, however, you’ll find that there is much to learn from the blog, covering topics such as SAP Web Development (ITS, BSP, WebDynpro for ABAP), custom SAP Development (ABAP and ABAP OO), RIA (Adobe Flex), Interfaces (ALE, IDOCS, XML), SAP CRM development and Data Migration, as well as conference coverage, among others.

Link: http://www.pixelbase.co.uk/

5. Feeding the SAP EcoSystem

Peter Russo is the main blogger and webmaster of Feeding the SAP EcoSystem blog. Unlike others, this blog focuses more on SAP products and Peter includes his personal experiences in each post he writes. Benefiting from the fact that he appears to attend lots of SAP events, he also transmits these experiences to the blog, which are obviously enriching for any of us. It is ideal if you want to understand what’s going on in the SAP world and also where SAP is going in the future.

Link: http://www.feedingthesapecosystem.com

6. Blag’s Bag of Rants

Blag is Alvaro Tejada Galindo’s nickname on twitter (@blag),. Alvaro is a senior ABAP Consultant, SAP Mentor, Programming Geek, Blagbert/Programming books author. Alvaro is Peruvian and lives in Montreal, Canada. If you want technical, Blag’s blog is the place to go.

Link: http://blagrants.blogspot.com/

7. Friday Morning Report

The Friday Morning Report is owned and managed by Craig Cmehil, a well known SAP community evangelist that works for SAP AG as a Director for Social Media Relations. Hence, Craig is very active in his blogging, tweeting and moderating discussions over at the SCN website and blogs.

Link: http://fridaymorningreport.tv/

8. SAP WEB 2.0

This is an interesting blog that I also follow. It focuses in cloud computing solutions and 3 main areas:  Web 2.0 by SAP, Web 2.0 in SAP and Web 2.0 with SAP. It is worth taking a look!

Link: http://www.sapweb20.com/blog/

9. SAP Bloggers Corner

SAP Bloggers corner is intended to promote conversation about what SAP is doing in the market. The main attraction of this blog is the livestream feature, podcasts and broadcasts, published on a regular basis.

Link: http://sapbloggerscorner.com/

10. ERP Genie

I think this was the first SAP blog I visited, ever since I started in the SAP world. It is very rich in content covering SAP podcasts (from Jon Reed), Job  Board, Foruns, FAQs, whitepapers  and tutorials, etc.  You can also browse the blog based on your user/consultant profile, i.e., Functional or Technical. The blog also contains a very complete section on SAP General. It’s a really good starting point for anybody and definitely a blog that you want to come back.

Link: http://www.erpgenie.com/

Hope you liked this blog list; these are just a few of the ones I follow on a regular basis. What are your favourite blogs?

Following my first post “How to do a Support Package Stack Upgrade – Part 1“, on which I explained the basic concepts such as Support Packages and the OSS Notes, in this post I’ll explain the step by step process on how to achieve this somewhat complex and easy to fail operation.

As I said in part 1, preparation and organization play a critical part in this process. You should also have a complete check-list of whatever cut-over activities you’ll need to perform after the SP upgrade. A Z developments inventory is also a very good idea, if you want to avoid losing any previous developments.

The Check List

An organized check list will help you with the whole Support Package upgrade. Here’s an example you can follow:

Preparation

• Confirm new Patches are available for upgrade (estimated 30 minutes);
• Download all the files in the support stack XX (estimated 30 minutes);
• Ensure system has already been validated for additional packs  (check with your teams for time estimate );
• Acquire passwords for: (estimated 15 minutes)
  • JSPM
  • SDM
  • Admin for client 000
  • J2EE admin
  • <sid>adm credentials
  • Config tool admin
  • File server and O.S. admin (might be necessary)
• Send system messages and lock all users beforehand (estimated 20 minutes);
• Ensure that J2EE administrator user is unlocked (estimated 5 minutes);
• Ensure that you have at least 10GB of available space in hard disk (estimated 2 minutes);
• Perform a backup of the EPS adn IN Kernel folder:
  • Usr\sap\trans\eps\in (estimated 5 minutes);
  • Usr\sap\<sid>\sys\exe\nuc (estimated 5 minutes);
  • Usr\sap\<sid>\sys\exe\run (estimated 5 minutes);
  • Usr\sap\<sid>\scs01\exe (estimated 5 minutes);
  • Usr\sap\<sid>\DVEBMGS00\exe (estimated 5 minutes);
• IF cluster fail CI over to DB (estimated 15 minutes);

Execution – ABAP

• Extract and move all the ABAP patch files into the right location (e.g. [drive]:\use\sap\trans\eps\in) (estimated 2 minutes);
• Perform SAINT/SPAM Update to patch XX (estimated 15 minutes);
• Import SAP_Basis patch XX using SPAM (estimated 45 minutes);
• Import SAP_ABA patch XX using SPAM (estimated 15 minutes);
• Import PI_Basis patch XX using SPAM (estimated 15 minutes);
• Import SAP_BW patch XX using SPAM (estimated 15 minutes);
• Import BI_CONT to patch XX using SPAM (estimated 30 minutes);
• Import ST_PI patch XX using SPAM (estimated 15 minutes);

Execution – JAVA

• Extract and move all the Java patch files into the right location (e.g. [drive]:\use\sap\trans\eps\in) (estimated 2 minutes);
• Logon as <sid>adm when deploying patches through JSPM;
• Perform JSPM update to patch XX (select single packs for this one) (estimated 15 minutes);
• Using JSPM, update all the components to patch XX (Select Support Package stack) (estimated 120 minutes);

Execution – Additional Patching

• Unpack Kernel archive and update it to latest patch (e.g. SP11 has patch 95) (estimated 15 minutes);
• Unpack IGS archive and update it to latest patch (e.g. SP11 has patch 7) (estimated 15 minutes);
• Confirm additional patches that need to be installed (estimated 15 minutes);
• Extract and move all the additional patch files into the right location (e.g. [drive]:\use\sap\trans\eps\in);
• Upgrade patch levels (estimated 250 minutes);
• Run SGEN (depends on server type) (estimated 300 – 400 minutes);

Post Processing

• Create SPAU Resolutions (estimated 2 minutes);
• SPAU Analysis (estimated 120 minutes);
• OSS Reapplication (estimated 80 minutes);
• Unlock Users (estimated 15 minutes);

Please note that the estimated times that I put here are assmunign that no unexpected errors occur. You know as well as I do that should something go wrong, these times can increase substantially. In my opinion, this is why it is so important to have a well organized Check List. Not only it will help you get an overview of all the tasks in hands and their sequence, but it will also help narrow down a potential error.

Please come back soon; on the next posts I will go into detail on how to perform a SAP system Support Package Stack Upgrade.

I ran into a curious post by Sergio Ferrari which allows us to calculate how many lines of ABAP code we have in our systems. More than a curiosity, this simple tool can help us determine if our system is too overloaded with custom code or not.

The author excluded ABAP generated by special frameworks, like Report writer, SAP Query, Web Dynpro, LSMW,  and so on. He opted to do the filtering by Source System, Owner and Package. The release covered by this tool is ECC 6.0 an the following are also out of scope of this tool:

• BSP’s
• Adobe Forms, Smartforms and SAPScript
• XSLT/Web Services

This utility was named ZSDN_simple_ABAP_SLOC_COUNT, and aims to be an an indicator. The author didn’t want to give it too much relevance, the idea is solely to be an useful tool and help us estimate the upgrade effort or to evaluate the amount of work allocated for each of our packages.

As a curiosity, the post also includes the following information, related to lines of code in known software systems:

• Windows XP:      45 million lines of code
• Windows Vista:  50 million lines of code
• Mac OS:              86 million lines of code
• SAP (ABAP):      238 million lines of ABAP

Copy the code from the textearea below and paste it in a new report in transaction code SE38.

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Report  ZSDN_SIMPLE_ABAP_SLOC_COUNT
*& Author: Andrea Olivieri, Sergio Ferrari
*&         Techedge SpA
*& Version: 1.0  - 2009/01/20
*& Title   How many lines of custom ABAP code are inside your system?
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REPORT  zsdn_simple_abap_sloc_count_n LINE-SIZE 255.

* Global Data Type [ GDT   ]
TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_repository,
         devclass  TYPE tadir-devclass,
         name      TYPE trdir-name,
         object    TYPE tadir-object,
         srcsystem TYPE tadir-srcsystem,
         author    TYPE tadir-author,
         subc      TYPE trdir-subc,
         sloc      TYPE i,
       END OF ty_repository.
DATA: l_repository TYPE ty_repository.
DATA: t_repository TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_repository.

* defining the selection-screen
TABLES: tadir.
SELECT-OPTIONS: xpack   FOR tadir-devclass,
                xobject FOR tadir-object,
                xauthor FOR tadir-obj_name.

INITIALIZATION.
  PERFORM init_select_options.

START-OF-SELECTION.
  PERFORM get_obj_set.
  PERFORM upd_obj_set_count_class_sloc.
  PERFORM count_prog_sloc.

END-OF-SELECTION.
  PERFORM alv.

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&      Form  init_select_options
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       INCLUDE OBJECTS:  PROG, FUGR and CLAS
*       EXCLUDE PACKAGES: $TMP and from A to W
*       EXCLUDE USERS:    SAP, SAP*, DDIC
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM init_select_options.

* Include objects: PROG, FUGR and CLAS
  IF xobject[] IS INITIAL.
    xobject-sign   = 'I'. xobject-option = 'EQ'. xobject-low = 'PROG'.
APPEND xobject.
    xobject-sign   = 'I'. xobject-option = 'EQ'. xobject-low = 'FUGR'.
APPEND xobject.
    xobject-sign   = 'I'. xobject-option = 'EQ'. xobject-low = 'CLAS'.
APPEND xobject.
  ENDIF.

* Exclude packages: $TMP and from A to W
  IF xpack[] IS INITIAL.
    xpack-sign   = 'E'. xpack-option = 'BT'. xpack-low = 'A'. xpack-high
= 'WZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ'. APPEND xpack.
    xpack-sign   = 'E'. xpack-option = 'EQ'. xpack-low = '$TMP'. APPEND
xpack.
  ENDIF.

* Exclude objects belonging to users: SAP* and DDIC
  IF xauthor[] IS INITIAL.
    xauthor-sign   = 'E'. xauthor-option = 'EQ'.     xauthor-low =
'SAP'.  APPEND xauthor.
    xauthor-sign   = 'E'. xauthor-option = 'EQ'.     xauthor-low =
'SAP*'. APPEND xauthor.
    xauthor-sign   = 'E'. xauthor-option = 'EQ'.     xauthor-low =
'DDIC'. APPEND xauthor.
  ENDIF.
ENDFORM.                    "init_select_options

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&      Form  get_obj_set
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       Get from TADIR
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM get_obj_set.
  DATA: l_tadir TYPE tadir.

  SELECT * FROM tadir INTO l_tadir
           WHERE pgmid      EQ 'R3TR'
           AND   obj_name   IN xauthor
           AND   object     IN xobject
           AND   devclass   IN xpack
            AND srcsystem   NE 'SAP'
           AND   author     IN xauthor.               "#EC CI_SGLSELECT
    IF NOT l_tadir-obj_name CP '_______________________________*'.
      MOVE-CORRESPONDING l_tadir TO l_repository.
      l_repository-name     = l_tadir-obj_name.
      l_repository-devclass = l_tadir-devclass.
      APPEND l_repository TO t_repository.
    ENDIF.
  ENDSELECT.
*
  SORT t_repository BY devclass name.

ENDFORM.                    "get_obj_set

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&      Form  upd_obj_set_count_class_sloc
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       ...and Compute SLOC for CLAS
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM upd_obj_set_count_class_sloc.
  TYPE-POOLS: sedi.
  TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_irdir,
          name LIKE trdir-name,
          devc    LIKE tadir-devclass,
        END OF ty_irdir,
        BEGIN OF ty_itab,
          repname LIKE sy-repid,
          devc    LIKE tadir-devclass,
        END OF ty_itab,
        BEGIN OF ty_crdir,
          name LIKE trdir-name,
          subc LIKE trdir-subc,
          devc    LIKE tadir-devclass,
        END OF ty_crdir.

  DATA: save_tabix      TYPE sy-tabix,
        l_class         TYPE sobj_name,
        l_pgmid         TYPE pgmid,
        l_object        TYPE trobjtype,
        class_name      TYPE programm,
        class_pool_name TYPE programm,
        lclskey         TYPE seoclskey.
  DATA: sourceline      TYPE string.
  DATA: l_1st_char      TYPE c.

  DATA: l_irdir         TYPE ty_irdir,
        l_itab          TYPE ty_itab,
        l_itab1         TYPE ty_itab,
        l_crdir         TYPE ty_crdir.
  DATA: t_irdir TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_irdir,
        t_itab  TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_itab,
        t_itab1 TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_itab,
        t_crdir TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_crdir.

  DATA: l_sloc          TYPE i.

  LOOP AT t_repository INTO l_repository.
    save_tabix = sy-tabix.
    CASE l_repository-object.
      WHEN 'PROG'.
        SELECT SINGLE subc FROM trdir INTO l_repository-subc WHERE  name
= l_repository-name.
        IF sy-subrc = 0.
          MODIFY t_repository FROM l_repository INDEX save_tabix
TRANSPORTING subc .
        ENDIF.
      WHEN 'FUGR'.
        CONCATENATE 'SAPL' l_repository-name INTO l_irdir-name.
        l_irdir-devc = l_repository-devclass.
        APPEND l_irdir TO t_irdir.
        l_repository-name   = l_irdir-name.
        l_repository-object = 'PROG'.
        SELECT SINGLE subc FROM trdir INTO l_repository-subc WHERE  name
= l_repository-name.
        IF sy-subrc = 0.
          MODIFY t_repository FROM l_repository INDEX save_tabix
TRANSPORTING name object subc.
        ENDIF.
        CLEAR l_irdir.
      WHEN 'CLAS'.
        DATA source_new TYPE sedi_source.
        DATA l_inctype(5).

        class_name = l_repository-name.
        l_pgmid = 'R3TR'.
        l_object = l_repository-object.
        l_class = class_name.
        CALL FUNCTION 'SEO_CLASS_GET_CP_NAME'
          EXPORTING
            pgmid                 = l_pgmid
            object                = l_object
            obj_name              = l_class
          IMPORTING
            progname              = class_pool_name
          EXCEPTIONS
            no_class_or_interface = 1.

        IF sy-subrc = 0.
          SELECT SINGLE subc FROM trdir INTO l_repository-subc WHERE name
= class_pool_name.
        ENDIF.

        lclskey-clsname = cl_oo_classname_service=>get_clsname_by_include(
class_name ).

        CLEAR l_class.
        CONCATENATE l_repository-name '%' INTO l_class.

        SELECT name FROM  trdir INTO TABLE t_crdir WHERE  name  LIKE
l_class.
        IF NOT t_crdir[] IS INITIAL.
          LOOP AT t_crdir INTO l_crdir.
            l_inctype = l_crdir-name+30(5) .
            REFRESH source_new.
            CALL FUNCTION 'SEO_CLASS_GET_INCLUDE_SOURCE'
              EXPORTING
                clskey                       = lclskey
                inctype                      = l_inctype
              IMPORTING
                source_expanded              = source_new
              EXCEPTIONS
                _internal_class_not_existing = 1
                not_existing                 = 2
                OTHERS                       = 3.
            CHECK sy-subrc = 0.

*           Compute SLOC !
            LOOP AT source_new INTO sourceline.
              l_1st_char = sourceline.
              IF    sourceline IS INITIAL
                 OR l_1st_char = '*'.
                DELETE source_new INDEX sy-tabix.
              ENDIF.
            ENDLOOP.
            l_sloc = LINES( source_new ).
            ADD l_sloc TO l_repository-sloc.
          ENDLOOP.
          MODIFY t_repository FROM l_repository INDEX save_tabix
TRANSPORTING sloc subc.
        ENDIF.
      WHEN OTHERS. CONTINUE.
    ENDCASE.

  ENDLOOP.

  IF t_irdir[] IS NOT INITIAL.
    LOOP AT t_irdir INTO l_irdir.
      REFRESH t_itab1.
      CALL FUNCTION 'GET_INCLUDES'
        EXPORTING
          progname = l_irdir-name
        TABLES
          incltab  = t_itab1.

*     append lines of t_itab1 to itab.
      LOOP AT t_itab1 INTO l_itab1.
        l_itab-repname = l_itab1-repname.
        l_itab-devc    = l_irdir-devc.    "Sometimes it's false
        APPEND l_itab TO t_itab.
        CLEAR l_itab.
      ENDLOOP.
    ENDLOOP.
  ENDIF.

  DATA: l_trdir TYPE trdir.

  LOOP AT t_itab INTO l_itab.
    SELECT SINGLE * FROM  trdir INTO l_trdir
           WHERE  name  = l_itab-repname
            AND    cnam  NOT LIKE 'SAP%'
            AND    cnam  <> 'DDIC'.
    CHECK sy-subrc = 0.

    MOVE-CORRESPONDING l_trdir TO l_repository.
    l_repository-devclass = l_itab-devc.
    l_repository-object   = 'PROG'.
    APPEND l_repository TO t_repository.

  ENDLOOP.

  SORT t_repository BY name object devclass.
  DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES FROM t_repository COMPARING name object
devclass.

ENDFORM.                    "upd_obj_set_count_class_sloc
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&      Form  count_prog_sloc
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       text
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM count_prog_sloc.
  DATA: l_prog     TYPE c LENGTH 30.
  DATA: isource    TYPE TABLE OF string.
  DATA: l_1st_char TYPE c.

  LOOP AT t_repository INTO l_repository WHERE object = 'PROG'.
*   Compute SLOC !
    l_prog = l_repository-name.
    READ REPORT l_prog INTO isource.
    DATA: l_source_line TYPE string.
    LOOP AT isource INTO l_source_line.
      l_1st_char = l_source_line.
      IF    l_source_line IS INITIAL     "Empty
         OR l_1st_char = '*'.            "Comment
        DELETE isource INDEX sy-tabix.
      ENDIF.
    ENDLOOP.
    l_repository-sloc = LINES( isource ).

*   Update SLOC into t_repository
    READ TABLE t_repository WITH TABLE KEY name     = l_repository-name
                                       devclass = l_repository-devclass
                                       object   = l_repository-object
                                       srcsystem = l_repository-srcsystem
                                       author    = l_repository-author
                                       subc      = l_repository-subc
                        TRANSPORTING NO FIELDS.
    IF sy-subrc = 0.
      MODIFY t_repository FROM l_repository INDEX sy-tabix TRANSPORTING
sloc.
    ENDIF.
  ENDLOOP.
ENDFORM.                    "count_prog_sloc

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&      Form  alv
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*       text
*----------------------------------------------------------------------*
FORM alv.
  DATA: gr_table     TYPE REF TO cl_salv_table,
        gr_display   TYPE REF TO cl_salv_display_settings,
        gr_functions TYPE REF TO cl_salv_functions,
        gr_sorts     TYPE REF TO cl_salv_sorts,
        gr_agg       TYPE REF TO cl_salv_aggregations.
  TRY.
*     Create ALV table
      cl_salv_table=>factory( IMPORTING r_salv_table = gr_table CHANGING
t_table = t_repository ).
*     Set zebra layout
      gr_display = gr_table->get_display_settings( ).
      gr_display->set_striped_pattern( cl_salv_display_settings=>true ).
*     Display all standard function
      gr_functions = gr_table->get_functions( ).
      gr_functions->set_all( abap_true ).
*     Sort
      gr_sorts = gr_table->get_sorts( ).
      gr_sorts->add_sort( columnname = 'DEVCLASS' subtotal = abap_true ).
      gr_sorts->add_sort( columnname = 'NAME'     subtotal = abap_false ).
*     Totals
      gr_agg = gr_table->get_aggregations( ).
      gr_agg->add_aggregation( 'SLOC' ).
*     Display table
      gr_table->display( ).
    CATCH cx_salv_msg.
      WRITE: / 'Exception CX_SALV_MSG'.
    CATCH cx_salv_not_found.
      WRITE: / 'Exception CX_SALV_NOT_FOUND'.
    CATCH cx_salv_data_error.
      WRITE: / 'Exception CX_SALV_DATA_ERROR'.
    CATCH cx_salv_existing.
      WRITE: / 'Exception CX_SALV_EXISTING'.
  ENDTRY.
ENDFORM.                    "alv

Additional links and resources:

• Source lines of code (wikipedia)

SAP enhancement packages represent a new software delivery strategy that allows system administrators to get upgrades for SAP ECC 6.0 (ERP 2005) without having to fully upgrade the existing release. With the introduction of enhancement packages, SAP has changed the methodology for implementing new functionalities.

1 – SAP enhancement packages strategy

SAP enhancement packages  for ECC 6.0 include functional and technical enhancements, industry specific enhancements, uniformizations and simplifications. To browse through the available changes included in each SAP enhacement package, please go to http://service .sap.com/erp-ehp. Enterprise Services (ES) bundles are also now delivered with enhancement packages. Each one of these bundles  include a set of enterprise services to support end-to-end business processes (e.g. Order Product) across the SAP Business Suite. To learn which ES bundles are available please go to the Enterprise Services Wiki.

New SAP enhancement packages include the entire content and functionality of previous versions. SAP will continue to provide Support Packages for ECC 6.0, contaning legal changes and corrections, on a regular basis and during the defined maintenance period. SAP has also planned to deliver enhancement packages to other SAP applications like CRM or SCM.

2 – Must know before installation

There are two major features which differentiate SAP enhancement packages from older technologies:

Selective installation of software components: each enhancement package will contain the new versions of existing software components. Only the funcionality you want to use will be updated.
Selective activation of new functionality: new funcionality must be explicitly switched on and activated.

2.1 – Selective Installation

SAP enhancement packages allows updates to parts of the ECC system. It is now possible to update the ECC server or the Web AS. New HCM features are updated via the EA-HR component on the ECC server. The whole procedure is now more automated and controled by the Solution Manager – Maintenance Optimizer.

As part of the ongoing development of the Netweaver platform, SAP leverages the Enhancement and Switch Framework to enable new functionality. Ths installation of enhancement packages has no effect on the underlying layer of the SAP Netweaver platorm.

The installation process is detached from activation, which means that we can now provide the more recent functionality in the system as well as continue with the regular maintenance activities. To maximize performance and reduce effort, SAP enhancement packages should be applied in a queue, together with any necessary Support Packages. Note that after an enhancement package is installed and activated, it won’t be possible to revert this. SAP recommends that customers should have a Sandbox system to perform pretesting of new functionality, upgrades and patches.

3 – Installation

Effortwise, the system administration folks can look at enhacement packages as support packages. As explained above, both should be included in one queue. There are, however, some dependencies that need to be higlighted – SAP Solution Manager Maintenance Optimizer will treat them automatically. The following tools are used for installation, depending on the type of software component:

• ABAP software components are installed using SAINT;
• Java software components are installed using JPSM;
• Portal Content and Business Packages are installed using JPSM;
• PI content is uploaded from the Integration Repository;
• BI content is applied as common Support packages.

3.1 – Prerequisites

• To use the Maintenance Optimizer, it is necessary to have the SAP Solution Manager aligned to the highest support package level in your system landscape. More information on the SAP Solution Manager at help.sap.com (SAP Solutions -> SAP Solution Manager);
• Make sure that the latest versions of SPAM and SAINT are updated in your systems;
• Read SAP note 1052522 to know in detail which Support Packages are required to install enhancement package 2;
• Note that software components included in SAP enhancement package 2 for SAP ECC 6.0 contain new developments as well as corrections. So by looking at the system after applying the enhancement packages, there will be some software components in version 600 (with SP level 10) as well as software components in versopn 602 (with SP level 0 which contain equivalent correction to SP level 10 of the same component in version 600);

3.2 – Select the Software Components

Select the software components which correspond to the business functions needed.

• More on SAP enhancement package 2 in SAP Note 1052470
• More on SAP enhancement package 3 in SAP Note 1083576.

3.3 – Identify and download SAP enhancement packages using SAP Solution Manager Maintenance Optimizer

Create a new maintenance transaction for upgrading your system with SAP enhancement package 2 for ECC 6.0. A guided procedure is used to lead the user through the initial upgrade process. Select all the systems which will be affected by the upgrade. Afterwards, select the Technical Usages to apply for the systems. The SAP Solution Manager will automatically calculate all the necessary Support Packages and new software components needed for the chosen technical usages.

• Read more about the SAP Solution Manager Maintenance Optimizer at service.sap.com/solman-mopz.

3.4 – Update ABAP software components using SAINT

SAP reccomends importing the SAP enhancement package and required support packages in one import queue. It might be necessary to adjust modifications after applying an update or support package. This can be done at once if you use a single queue.

• More on SAINT at help.sap.com (SAP Netweaver > SAP Netweaver 7.0 > “Access the SAP Netweaver Library”)

3.5 – Update Java Components and Portal Content using JSPM

You can use the document result of the SAP Solution Manager Maintenance Optimizer in the JSPM tool, to create a single import queue.

• More on JSPM at help.sap.com (SAP Netweaver > SAP Netweaver 7.0 > “Access the SAP Netweaver Library”)

3.6 – Update PI Content

The PI or ESR-Content corresponding to the PI version in use must be installed.

• More information on PI Content in chapter 2 of the eSOA Master Guide.

3.7 – Update Library

The more detailed application documentation will be installed on the server, through the chosen business functions. This means that only the relevant SAP library will be updated, according to the components you have updated.

• More on SAP Library at SAP Note 1066110.

4 – Additional Links and Resources

• SAP Enhancement Master Guide
• Enterprise SOA Master Guide
• SAP Service Marketplace
• Standard test case templates
• Introducing SAP enhancement packages for SAP ERP
• SAP Enhancement Packages for Business Suite and SAP NetWeaver
• Survival Tips for the EHP Installer for SAP ERP

4.1 – Support Package Stack Equivalence Level

Note – to check installed Enhancement Packages in a system and their level, use transaction code SPAM.

Alvaro Tejada Galindo, also known as @Blag is a Senior ABAP Consultant from Lima – Perú. He started learning programming at the age of 20. He started with Visual Basic 6.0 and C++ and he also learned some Pascal, Euphoria and Java. In the past 10 years, Alvaro has been involved in ABAP development, also learn scripting languages like Ruby and PHP.

In this post, similarly to what he did back in 2007, 2008 and 2009, @Blag compiled a list of what he considered the best and most useful SDN posts in 2010. Let me also take this opportunity to thank @Blag for his contribution, it is really very useful besides it’s what I consider rich content.

Ranting

• The Grinch who stole the Questions - Julius Bussche
• Geek’s Dictionary: What is the Walldorf Kiss of Death? – Thorsten Franz
• Kiss of Death for Web Dynpro Java – The Follow-Up Questions – Thorsten Franz
• Can we reinvent the grey haired ABAPer? – John Moy
• Should SDN be used for cross-blogging? – Michael Nicholls
• “Request-A-Blog” from a SAP Mentor – Richard Hirsch
• Goodbye Simplicity, Hello Obfuscation – &SAP_EDIT – Chris Paine
• A Blogger’s Carol – Jim Spath

WebDynpro

• Silverlight Islands in Web Dynpro Java 7.20 – Yariv Zur
• Wave Islands in Webdynpro ABAP – Uwe Fetzer
• Web Dynpro ABAP: Display tiff images – Elvez
• ABAP Class using Singleton pattern – used in WDA Enhancements. – ashish shah
• Web Dynpro Forms using HCM Processes and Forms – Brad Pokroy
• The death of Web Dypro Java has been greatly exaggerated… – Wolfgang Hilpert
• Technology Stability in a World of Constant Change – Michael Bechauf
• WebDynpro UIs – Usable? - Pete Lagana

Beyond SAP

• Are there SAP user groups in Latin America? – Jim Spath
• Meet the Mentors – Alvaro Tejada Galindo
• Ode to Marilyn Pratt: Honoring the Advocate on Ada Lovelace Day – Moya Watson
• Twenty Four ^2 – Jim Spath
• Consuming ABAP Webservices in Flex – Neil Gardiner
• SAP Mentors setting the tone for consulting? – Dennis Howlett
• I too want to become a famous blogger – Muthu Ranganathan
• SAP SDN Blog Reader for iPad, iPhone and Android devices – Helmut Tammen

SAP Developer Network

• SAP Mentor Monday: Highlights 2009 from SAP Mentors – Mark Finnern
• Turning a new page… – Craig Cmehil
• My UNOFFICIAL underground SCN promo fan video – Chris Solomon
• Meet David Branan Community Support Angel – Marilyn Pratt
• Powered by YOU: SCN By The Numbers – Mark Yolton
• Congratulations to the current Topic Leaders (2009-2010) – Laure Cetin

Business Server Pages

• Single Sign On to BSP pages – Holger Bruchelt

Emerging Technologies

• smartJSON – Lightweight JSON Library For ABAP – Wiktor Nyckowski
• iPhone App for searching HELP.SAP.COM – John Moy
• Mobile Augmented Reality in SAP – Ivan Femia
• SAP River, Gateway and more at Innovative Community Day Bangalore – Dipankar Saha

Community Projects

• unofficial Timeline of SAP – Sergio Ferrari
• Community Project ZGEOCODE – Gregor Wolf

Business Process Expert

• Want Fries With That? – Martin Lang

Widgets

• SAP Mentor Directory 2010 – Anil Bavaraju

Beginners

• Web Dynpro ABAP on TV for beginner (Hello World) – Holger Stumm
• Video: Why & How To Blog on SAP Community Network? – Natascha Thomson
• Growing in your SAP Career – Somnath Manna
• Asking Good Questions in the Forums to get Good Answers – Rob Burbank

ABAP

• ABAPdoc v2 – Onno Bagijn
• Macros – Good or Evil? – Gerd Rother
• Twibap: the ABAP Twitter API – Uwe Fetzer
• The ABAP Workbench and the Test-Driven Development Cycle in EHP1 - Stephen Pfeiffer
• xlsx2abap – Read and edit your Excel files from ABAP – Ivan Femia
• Enterprise Geeks to planet earth: “Houston, we have a problem” – Dennis Howlett
• Against All Odds – Programming of Communicating (S)ALV Grid Controls – Uwe Schieferstein
• Re-learn ABAP: Transition from Procedural to OO ABAP – Eric
• Calling a function module is now FM Droid – Raúl Vides Mosquera Pumaricra
• abap2xlsx – I’m no longer a baby, I grow up and now I’m a fully featured tool – Ivan Femia
• Just When You Thought You Knew Everything about ABAP Date Calculations… – Rob Burbank
• Calling a function module (abap code) – Raúl Vides Mosquera Pumaricra
• ABAP Trial Version 7.02 available in SCN! – Horst Keller
• ABAP Testing and Troubleshooting Tools – Which Features Are In Which Releases? – Olga Dolinskaja
• ABAP Debugger Scripting: Basics – Stephen Pfeiffer
• ABAP Debugger Scripting: Advanced – Stephen Pfeiffer

Carreer Center

• Nuke that code, let us start over – Vijay Vijayasankar

Standards

• SCRUM as example for new approaches in application development – Marcel Salein

SAP Education

• How do you know the consultant you get is the consultant you interviewed? – Kevin Wilson
• SAP Certification: The Certification 5 Report – Dennis Howlett
• SAP Communities, SAP Mentors, what’s in it for me ? How to convince my boss to
  let me access it ? (SAP Inside Track debriefing & Invitation to TechEd Networking Sessions) – Martin Gillet

SAP SAPPHIRE

• Where will you be ? – Abesh Bhattacharjee
• Blue Shirt Brigade aka SAP Mentors at #SAPPHIRENOW #ASUG2010 – Mark Finnern
• Sapphire Now 2010 in Orlando – My First Sapphire – Simon To
• My Sapphire experience @Orlando and the people who made it special : Part – 1 – Abesh Bhattacharjee
• My Sapphire experience @Orlando and the people who made it special : Part – 2 – Abesh Bhattacharjee

Higher Education

• SAP Mentors, Certification Five geek out with Bill McDermott – Dennis Howlett
• I would get SAP certified if…. – Vijay Vijayasankar

CRM

• Create your own BOL Object – Harel Gilor

SAP TechEd

• Why I want to go to TechEd – Chris Paine
• #nataschatoteched: An SAP Mentors case study – Ted Sapountzis
• Zen and the Art of Community – David Hull
• Life After Demo Jam – Matt Harding
• SAPTechEd in Vegas…Win, lose, or draw? – Susan Keohan

Community Day

• A Scrapbook of SAP Inside Track Vancouver – Jason Cao
• We made it! SAP Inside Track Istanbul – Abdulbasit Gulsen
• SAP Inside Track Sydney, Australia 2011 – Graham Robinson

Service-Orientes Architecture

• Semantics of Web Services – Tobias Trapp

Business Intelligence

• The BW – HANA Relationship – Thomas Zurek

Mobile

• SAP’s Mobile Strategy: Really? – John Appleby
• Caffeine – ABAP to Go – The Motivation – Daniel Vocke
• Android and RESTFul web service instead of SOAP – Michael Hardenbol
• Mobile apps or HTML? – Tobias Hofmann

Open Source

• Barcodes in SAP with the Barcode Writer in Pure Postscript. – Robert Russell
• Call a function module in the ABAP Editor: Stop Crying – Start Laughing. – Andrea Olivieri

Analytics

• What does SAP mean by “In-Memory”? – Ethan Jewett

SAP xApps

• Release : SAP MII Backuper v 1.0 – Abesh Bhattacharjee

Code Exchange

• Creating your own project on Code Exchange – Rui Nogueira

SAP Business Workflow

• What not to WF – Susan Keohan
• Santa baby, hurry down the chimney tonight… – Susan Keohan

Source: blag’s SDN weblog

SAPLAB reader Bruce Zivan sent us an email message suggesting to include an interesting fact sheet. For all of us who are involved in large SAP implementations, working with clients that work hard to keep in high SP levels, these are some curious and interesting facts that we can learn about. They will show us a broader picture in terms of the impact that certain SAP Support Packages have in an SAP module.

The original message was the following:

Dear Mr. Caldas,

Since I believe you are running SAP ERP 6.0, I thought you would be interested in this new SAP Support Package Stack 17 Fact Sheet.
This Fact Sheet contains important facts and impact estimates that could help you prepare for implementation.

You can download the fact sheet here: http://go.panayainc.com/rs/panayainc/images/SAP_Support_Package_Stack_17_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Please let me know if you need any more information.

Regards,

Bruce Zivan
Business Development Executive
Panaya Inc. – Cut 50% of your SAP upgrade cost with automation software.
Tel US: + 1 415 329 0200
E-mail: bruce.zivan@panayainc.com
Web: www.panayainc.com

Even though this e-mail might have some commercial purpose, nevertheless I considered this fact sheet useful to share it here in SAPLAB.

Imagine that you’re working configuring a certain SAP module, touching several tables and configuration spots. Sometimes it might happen that someone else is maintaining the same table that you need access. This standard Function Module could be useful in these cases, since you might not know an alternative way to contact the user locking the table or other SAP object. Since the system will display who is locking the table, you will know for whom to send the message.

Here’s how it goes.

Trying to access the table

When trying to maintain a certain table, the user will receive the following warning:

Sending a system message using a standard SAP function module

Once you’ve identified the user, access SE37 – assuming you have permission! In SE37 call SAP standard function module TH_POPUP.

Fill in the following input parameters:

- CLIENT: the system client on which you’re working on. If you don’t know this, take a look at the lower right status bar;
- USER: the user for which you want the message to be delivered;
- MESSAGE: the text message you want to deliver to the user;
- MESSAGE_LEN: allows you to define a message length. Leave it empty;
- CUT_BLANKS: allows you to specify if you want to trim existing spaces. Leave it empty.

To submit the message just hit “Execute (F8)”

What the user receives

When you click on “Execute (F8)”, the destination user receives the following message as a pop-up:

This is just a simple system tool that can help you in a day to day basis, working with SAP.

Gingle is an SDN community user which posted a series of very useful weblog posts. As soon as you start reading the posts, you can see that some of the challenges described by Gingle are familiar. Whoever has tried the endeavor of installing a Mini-SAP, installing a Netweaver Developer Workplace or simply installing a SAP MaxDB Instance, you’ll know that sometimes things can get ugly. In my opinion, the easier the How-to, the better chance we have in a successful installation.

In this post I include some links to external sources like SDN, as well as some links to some of my own posts, hoping to help anyone who’s trying to accomplish an SAP product installation end to end.

1. Netweaver Sneak Preview (NSP) installation – Part 1

Gingle starts his series of posts by explaining which components are necessary, how and where to download them and how to unzip them, etc. The post includes a series of comprehensive screenshots and step-by-step approach to guide you into success.

2. Logical System & Virtual Machine – Part 2

Continuing his previous post as described in point 1., Gingle explains how to setup the Logical System and Virtual Machine. Again, Gingle was thorough in his explanation, including step by step details and lots of screenshots to help us progress.

3. License & Profiles – Part 3

In this post, the whole License and Profiles procedure is well explained and documented. Well done Gingle!

4. Transport System – Part 4

Probably as a SAP Consultant, you never had to deal with this kind of configuration. Just in case you need it.

5. HTTPS & Sapcrypto – Part 5

What is HTTPS & Sapcrypto? Learn about and also why and how you should configure it.

6. SPAM & Kernel – Part 6

Gingle intended on importing some transports and performing some upgrades, SAP always recommends the Support Package Manager – SPAM, to be the latest. Learn how.

7. Upgrade to SP6 – Part 7

This post explains which component versions to consider, how to download them and how to install them. Again, step by step approach and lots of screenshots.

8. BI Content – Part 8

According to the author (Gingle), after a successful upgrade to SP6, it seemed only natural to attempt to install BI Content.

9. The CE2 Installation- Part 9

In this post, Gingle explains how to install the Netweaver Composite Environment 7.2 Trial Version.

10. Install a Local SAP Netweaver Developer Workplace

A detailed explanation on how to successfully install your own local SAP Netweaver Developer Workplace. Please be sure to go through the necessary prerequisites.

11. How To Do a Support Package Stack Upgrade – Part 1

Learn how to apply a Support Package upgrade on your system.

12. How to Tune the Performance of KM

This SAP How-to guide provides recommendations for improving the performance of Knowledge Management (KM) in SAP NetWeaver 2004.

13. TREX Installation on EP7

This how-to tutorial explains the TREX Basis Installation as well as the some post configuration activities, needed for the TREX to work.

14. How to Use Portal Session Notification with Your Own Custom Applications

The SAP Enterprise Portal offers a mechanism called Session Release Notification. This feature is used by SAP applications running inside the portal to close their sessions in case the user closes the browser window, navigates away from the application or logs-off from the SAP Portal.

15. How to Install a SAP (Max)DB Instance

Learn how to easily install a SAP MaxDB Instance.

16. Configure Single Sign-On (SSO) on the Portal and the ERP

Learn how to easily configure Single Sign-On (SSO) on the Portal and the ERP.

17. How Many Lines of ABAP Code In Your System?

This is just a fun and easy way to benchmark how many lines of ABAP code exist in your system.

18. How to do a System Trace?

When you work with SAP Enterprise Portal, sometimes it’s useful to use the System Trace tool, enabled by the ERP system.

19. Single Sign-On with your SAP OSS User

If you have a company issued SAP OSS user and use it all the time (like myself), this post is for you.

20. Configuring SAP Connect (SCOT)

From SAP WAS 6.10, SAP directly supports SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). This means that the emails can be exchanged directly between SAP system and any SMTP compliant mail server. Learn how to configure it.

21. Configuring UWL for Guided Procedures on C.E.

This tutorial covers the configuration of the Universal Worklist (UWL) for Guided Procedures actions. It shows how to configure the UWL in the SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment when the Guided Procedures are executed locally.

22. Configuring UWL for Guided Procedures on C.E.

This tutorial covers the configuration of the Universal Worklist (UWL) for Guided Procedures actions. It shows how to configure the UWL in the SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment when the Guided Procedures are executed locally.

Please comment if you found this post useful! Many thanks in advance.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that today I’m releasing version 2.0 of the SAPLAB.org blog. Since the beginning of this project, roughly and more seriously about 2 years ago, I tried as much as possible to update the blog with useful and practical information around several SAP subjects. While doing this, I always tried to add my own personal flavor and experience to it, without, obviously, compromising any client sensible information.

The result and feedback has been good and now I’ve decided to raise this project to a new level. Besides the new look and feel, which is now more web 2.0 friendly, new functionalities will come and also more posts in the following weeks. Please be aware and keep visiting the blog! Please click here to subscribe the newsletter, which will bring updates to your e-mail.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all returning visitors, as well as new visitors landing in SAPLAB. Please take your time to browse through the blog and don’t forget to leave your comments. It’s what gives life to this project!

Sincerely, kind regards.

Antonio Caldas

This is the first part of a series of posts that I’ll submit in the following days as soon as I can (!), covering the Support Package Stack Upgrade process. Directly or indirectly, many of you have already been in projects were you’ve heard this term. Weather you seek deep technical knowledge or just an overview of the process, understanding the necessary involved components and roles, this post is definitely for you.

First of all, and for the beginners’ sake, I want to start by defining what is a SAP Support Package. In the same context, it is also important to understand what is a SAP Online Support System (OSS) Note. On a normal day, in the more than 140.000 SAP system installations worldwide, errors occur within these systems. Normally business critical situations happen less frequently but since SAP is composed by several pieces of software designed by humans, divided into Application Areas or Modules, there are quite a few bugs, errors and misconceptions which go through to clients’ live systems.

So SAP provides a support portal on which clients can report these situations, categorizing them accordingly and assigning them with a different priority (most frequent are medium and high). The way these tickets are dealt with is also according to the type of agreement the company has with SAP – the bigger SAP clients usually have little response time. But they pay for it.

The so called Online Support System – OSS – is the system SAP uses to manage these tickets and interaction flow with the Clients.

SAP Notes

When an identified issue is considered by SAP as a software defect, it will be solved by change of code, table configuration, etc, and it’s correction will be issued by SAP in the form of a SAP Note. SAP notes are an excellent way to keep our systems up to date with SAP so it’s a common task for a SAP Basis administrator to make sure the systems he works on are aligned with the most current versions implemented. Typically, large companies have predefined dates on which they apply what we’ll cover on the next point – the Support Packages.

SAP Support Packages

SAP Support Packages are bundles or collections of SAP notes (typical volume of grouped notes is 200). They’re also referred to as “Support Pack (SP)”. Support Packages are compiled periodically and are a set of SAP applications or specific components which are made available in the SAP Support Portal. SPs can be implemented using basis transaction codes like SPAM (Support Package Manager) or SAINT (SAP Add-On Installation Tool). For the JAVA stack of WAS a tool called Java Support Package Manager (JSPM) is used for SP deployment. So it is already clear that as a Basis Administrator, you will have to deal with the ABAP Stack (for the backend) and the JAVA Stack (for the front-end).

Before starting with the Support Package Stack (SPS) upgrade, please make sure to cover the following points:

1. Ensure that a full back of the system up has been performed.
2. Read thoroughly the related SAP documentation. I recommend that start by reading the standard SAP documentation available in the SAP Support.
3. Lock all SAP users except the ones used for the upgrade during the entire process.
4. Ensure that the front-end server is in the correct version of the JAVA runtime environment.
5. Ensure that you have the correct patching on the Oracle database.
6. You should also have a complete check-list of whatever cut-over activities you’ll need to perform after the SP upgrade. A Z developments inventory is also a good idea.

Preparation and organization play a critical part in this process!

On my next post I’ll describe the Support Package Upgrade process step by step, covering the SPAM execution, the ABAP Stack, the JAVA Stack and the Kernel Upgrade.

Please comment and visit SAPLAB.org for the rest of the series. Thanks!

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