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Year: 2012

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ABAP – Screen Elements Naming Convention

It’s been a while since I put a post out about code, and since I’ve been spending a lot of time creating screens lately, I thought I’d drop a quick tidbit out there for any of you programmers out there.  Lately, I’ve been creating screens to work as a configuration screen for one of our applications.  What this means is that there are lots of screen elements, radial buttons, etc in order to make it look good.  I have a table behind the scenes to hold all the information, but like normal screen design, you don’t make a table that goes 1 to 1 with the screen, it’s too inefficient.

Why do you care about any of this? Well, by following a standard naming convention, you can make life really easy on yourself.  Let me give you an example.  I have a screen with about 100 radial buttons (30 rows, some with 2 options, some with 3, some with 4).  Well, by following a naming convention with a standard prefix, putting the field name in the same spot, and adding the occasional suffix, you can dynamically read the field name and make it work for everything you put on the screen without having to read every line.

In your PBO, you can do something like this:
LOOP AT SCREEN.
CLEAR: FIELD, VIS, I, Z_CONFIG_WA.
if screen-input = 0.
continue.
endif.
CASE SCREEN-NAME+0(3).
WHEN ‘CH_’.
FIELD = SCREEN-NAME+3(4).
READ TABLE Z_CONFIG INTO Z_CONFIG_WA WITH KEY FIELD = FIELD GRPNAM = GRP.
IF SY-SUBRC <> 0.
READ TABLE Z_CONFIG INTO Z_CONFIG_WA WITH KEY FIELD = FIELD.
ENDIF.
IF Z_CONFIG_WA-FIELD IS NOT INITIAL.
ASSIGN (SCREEN-NAME) TO <FIELD>.
CASE Z_CONFIG_WA-VISIBLE.
WHEN ‘3’.
<FIELD> = ‘X’.
WHEN ‘4’.
<FIELD> = ”.
ENDCASE.
ENDIF.
…
ENDCASE.
ENDLOOP.

Now, some of the key things to notice, one is that the loop continues if you can’t input anything.  this is purely to speed things up.  Next, by using the position, you can check for the prefix.  In this example, it’s CH_

Next, it finds the key field name to plug into the configuration table.  Next up, it checks to make sure that the table entry exists in the custom configuration table.  As long as it finds an entry, we use a field symbol to assign the value to the screen field.

The awesome part of this is that as long as you maintain a consistent naming scheme, you can set the values for multiple screens and reuse the code.

anyway, I hope this is useful for you.

If there’s anything we can do to help you out, please use the Contact Us Button above and let us know what we can do for you .

Thanks for reading,

Mike

Big Development Projects – Don’t Get Discouraged

I’ve been working on the latest piece of software for JaveLLin Solutions, and recently hit that frustrated/burned out point on it.  This piece is called Proximity, and the basics have already been designed for the transactions.  However, we are doing a major overhaul, adding some additional functionality and adding a configuration screen to give the user flexibility.  Now, I’ve been working on the redesign for the past few weeks.  Yesterday, I thought I had it wrapped up except for minor tweaks.  I handed it off to my partner (he’s done the specifications for this one), and he came back with a rather extensive list of things to add/update.  While is great, we are getting a better product, more robust solution, and just an overall system that should be easy to sell…  so how could this possibly be a problem???

The problem comes in purely from the amount of time I’ve spent, and of course, the disappoint of not being complete with something I thought was finally completed.  So, how do you avoid this letdown?  Let’s start with a few simple things you can do to get refreshed…

1.  Take some time away from this project.  While normally I recommend single tasking everything, sometimes when you’ve been working on the same initiative for weeks, you need to recharge the batteries.  Take me for example.  After I got the news, I almost picked up the keyboard again and angrily started hacking out the updates.  While this could work, my head isn’t in the game.  This would lead to not doing my best work.  So I’m taking the day off and doing some marketing stuff.  In fact, that’s why I’m blogging right now 🙂

2.  Try not to get too invested in your work.  For me, this is nearly impossible, but I’m trying really hard.  After spending weeks doing some great work and fun new enhancements, so suddenly get broadsided with a big new list of things to work on, can hit you personally.  Go back to number point 1…  and then review the changes.  Remember that this isn’t personal, it’s all about making the best product possible.

3.  Review the changes and determine what needs to happen right now, compared to what can wait.  Often things are nice to have, compared to required.  it’s important as a small shop to properly prioritize what needs to happen.  This means looking at what is currently being used by a customer (something you’ve already sold), what has “legitimate” leads for purchase (actual customer interest in the product, have looked at the product so far and decided they will purchase given some additional cleanup/functionality), then what is just something you “believe” customers will want.  Now I am very guilty of doing everything in that third bucket.  While this belief that customers will want it is important to brainstorm new ideas, the important thing is what customers REALLY want.  Of course, this becomes more challenging if you don’t have any actual customers yet.  Regardless, prioritize…  development time is a vital resource, be sure to use it wisely…

4.  Finally, find a way to re-energize yourself about the project.  Get excited about you’ve done, and how these little tweaks will make it even better.  Convince yourself, in any way that it takes, that this is the best use of your time =)

5.  Make the changes, and finish the project =)

I’m certainly open to additional methods you have any.  I’d love to hear from you.

Mike

Variant Configuration – Exploding Variant Configuration BOM Completely

Recently, I learned a new trick from my friends at Elogic, and I since I didn’t want to forget it, the easiest way is to share it with all of you 🙂  I had a request from the business to know every components, exploded all the way down to the lowest level, so they knew what materials would need to be created in the new test system.  Initially, I couldn’t think of a good way aside from looking at the planned/production orders.  Then Lawrence showed me this trick for exploding variant configuration BOM completely…

  1. Ensure that your configuration profile does not explode only configurable assemblies.
  2. Go to  transaction CAVC_TEST transaction and click on the CAVC_O_ORDER_BOM_INIT button.  Fill in the sales order and item.  Click Execute.
  3. Click on the highlighted button below, then click the Execute button.
  4. Click on the highlighted button below:
  5. Press Shift-F8 when the List screen (below) appears.
  6. Save the Component list wherever you want.

 

Well, hope you find this useful.  this is brand new transaction to me, so I’ll have to continue playing with it.

In the meantime, if you need more in depth help, press the contact us button above and let us know what we can do to help you.

thanks for reading,

Mike

 

Variant Configuration Performance Tuning

This lesson is timely because I’m dealing with this issue right now at my current client.  Their model uses class nodes in the bill of material VERY heavily, so we’ve been noticing awful performance in CU50.  SAP does provide some solutions for variant configuration performance, take a look at the following note to get some additional ideas:

Note 917987 – General performance in variant configuration

Now, we have done a few things in an attempt to improve the performance.  First, we were using class type 200 with a reference characteristic.  I learned, for class nodes this is actually a no no, unless you check a box in configuration to redundantly store the characteristic value.  Here’s what SAP’s help says about it:

Class Maintenance

Using Reference Characteristics Only

This constellation cannot access the database directly to read the assignment records. All classified objects are processed sequentially.

In order to change it, you must check that little box up top for redundant storage.  Now the drawback of this approach is twice as many table entries.  For that reason, we chose to move the characteristic to be NOT a reference cstic.  The only issue this causes is that value for material number (in our case) will not be populated automatically.  Not a huge deal.

Now, we changed all of that stuff, and still no change.  this was disappointing.  After some debugging, we (using transaction SE30 for performance tuning) we found that the issue was with table KSSK.  Surprise, Surprise, it holds the class connections.  So we handed it off to basis.  They began by running statistics on all of the tables listed in the above OSS note.  Still no help…  finally, we needed basis to reorganize the tables and indexes for KSSK & INOB.  This may sound like a lot of mumbo jumbo, but if you ask your basis person it will make sense to them =)

Short story is that sometimes you can get performance without changing your model.  Now I don’t regret the changes we did, they will still be beneficial, but don’t forget about the technical aspects.

As always, if you need further help in variant configuration, please press the contact us button above and let us know how we can help,

thanks for reading,

Mike

Variant Configuration – Delete Class Assignment

After yesterday’s post, I thought I’d throw this one in there too.  In your Development environment you may find that you need to delete class assignment of a class or another material inside of CL24N or CU42.  It could be you need a smaller class, or just accidentally linked a material that shouldn’t have been connected.  Why isn’t the issue.  You got yourself in a pickle, it’s dev, so you’re willing to live with the potential inconsistencies in order to get your model right.  After all, like we discussed yesterday, you absolutely, positively do NOT do this in production.  Then you use ECM or make a new material and replace it like any other engineering type change.  Ok… now that I have that out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff =)  You can use SE38 to put the breakpoint here straightway (it’s by far the fastest way).

Program: LCLFMF2D

Form: LOESCHEN

          if sy–subrc is initial.
call function l_check_function
exporting
cucp_var_class_type       = allkssk–klart
cucp_root_object_key      = allkssk–objek
cucp_root_object_table    = sobtab
cucp_datuv                = rmclf–datuv1
cucp_aennr                = rmclf–aennr1
exceptions
deletion_allowed          = 1
deletion_allowed_with_ecm = 2
others                    = 3.
case sy–subrc.

 

Set sy-subrc = 1

Then execute the remainder of the code (F8).  That’s all there is to it 🙂

it’s scary that it could be that easy to delete class assignment, even though SAP transactions won’t let you do it =).

If you ever need more help in VC or SM, please use the contact us button above and let us know what we can do to help.

thanks for reading,

Mike

Variant Configuration – Deleting Class with Assignments

Just recently run into a fun little challenge, and my newest VC mentor pointed me in the right direction.  (Thanks Lawrence =) ).  In the dev system, you will often create models, do some testing, and then realize you did the wrong thing (sometimes a simple change, sometimes an epic failure.  ha ha ha).  If you reach the epic failure and need to perform deleting class that is assigned to some orders or materials, you can override the system.  This the little tidbit can help you get rid of stuff in your model that should no longer be there.

DISCLAIMER.  Do not do this in production.  This is an ugly way to make this happen, so it should only be done in development.  It will likely leave sales order line items/production orders in an inconsistent state.  So please use this technique as a last resort.

Go to transaction CL6M (delete class with assignment).

enter in the data you want to delete, but before pressing execute, go to the transaction box and enter /H then hit enter.  This will drop you into debug.  As an alternative, you can place these breakpoints using SE38.

Program: RMCLKDEL
Form: CLASS_ALLOCATION

find the line:
IF NOT VERWKZ IS INITIAL.

You will need to change the variable: verwkz =to initial.

NEXT:

Find the following code in the listed form:

Form: VERWENDUNG_KLASSE_KONF

* Verwendung in Konfiguration
CALL FUNCTION ‘CUCP_CONFIGURATIONS_EXIST’                 “051516
EXPORTING  CUCP_VAR_CLASS_TYPE   = KLART     “051516
CUCP_CLASS            = KLAH-CLASS”051516
CUCP_DATE             = DATUV     “051516
EXCEPTIONS USED_IN_CONFIGURATION = 1.        “051516
IF SY-SUBRC GT 0.                                         “051516

You will need to change the variable sy-subrc to 0 or initial

* ÄNDERUNG AUF DIREKZUGRIFF AUF ANWEISUNG DURCH DIE STÜCKLISTEN  3.1H
* Grund: tote Positionen
CALL FUNCTION ‘CLEX_BOM_CHECK_USAGE_CLASS_DIR’
EXPORTING
CLASS_NAME = KLAH-CLASS
CLASS_TYPE = KLART
EXCEPTIONS
NOT_USED   = 1
OTHERS     = 2.

*… Fehlernachricht ausgeben, falls Klasse verwendet wird.
CHECK SY-SUBRC NE 1.

Finally, change the variable sy-subrc = 1.

now you can execute (F8) the remainder of the program and your class will be deleted.  If you have open sales orders you wish to continue using/testing with, you should go in change mode and visit the configuration.  You may show an inconsistency depending on the class and it’s location in the structure.  Be sure to delete any inconsistencies and validate the cstics and values you still need in the configuration.

Once again, if you need any VC help, please use the contact form above and let us know how we can help,

Thanks for reading,

Mike

Variant Configuration – CU60E – Uploading to a Variant Table

Hey everyone, I figured it was about time I drifted back to VC for a while.  I’ve been posting about business and service a lot lately, so here’s a little tidbit that has come in very handy for me.  Often time when you’re loading in a variant table, there can quite a few entries.  So SAP built in a pretty little cool utility.  It’s CU60E.  The only problem with it is that isn’t intuitive exactly how it works, so here’s how you can make use of it.

1.    The characteristics in your file must be listed in the same order as they appear in the variant table.

2.    The file must be saved in a ‘;’ delimited file (Use CSV, and then do a find a replace).

3.    Validate the CSV file to make sure there are no quote marks included.  If there are, they need to be deleted.

4.    The upload should only be done for the initial load of the table.   When it runs, it wipes out the existing contents, and uploads the file.  You cannot append to an existing table using this transaction.

If you follow those 4 simple steps, you’ll be able to upload to any variant table using CU60E.

happy configuring!

Remember, if you need any help with variant configuration, service management or production planning, please use the contact us button above, and let us know how we can help,

thanks,

Mike

1.    the variant table.

2.    The file must be saved in a ‘;’ delimited file (Use CSV, and then do a find a replace).

3.    Validate the CSV file to make sure there are no quote marks included.  If there are, they need to be deleted.

4.    The upload should only be done for the initial load of the table.   When it runs, it wipes out the existing contents, and uploads the file.  You cannot append to an existing table using this transaction.

Inspection Characteristics – How to Add to a Material

While testing my software applications I often run into new pieces of master data that I’m not familar with.  Not that long ago, I had to learn how to assign Inspecting Characteristics to a material (so they would show up in a production order).  Since my blog is also my searchable notebook, I thought I’d share it with the world =)  Please note, this approach isn’t the only way to do this…  but for my testing, it works.  Feel free to experiment further.

Step 1.  Make sure that the material master has a quality view and you select Inspection Setup:  Select inspection type 03

Step 2.  Create a Master Inspection Characteristic (MIC)

Go to transaction QS21.  You will need to probably create a few MIC’s.  First we will create a Quantitative one.

Enter in the plant and press enter

Enter in the info shown above (you can enter more, but consider this the base amount of data).  Hit enter or press control indicators

Hit enter after filling in the above data

Enter in the above data and press enter.

Now press the Quantitative button and enter in the above data.

Enter in a catalog and press enter.

Save it and you’re first MIC is done.

To do a Qualatative Characteristic

go to QS21 again and enter in the plant

Fill in the above data and press Control Indicators

Fill in the data and press enter

Fill this in.  Press Enter and Save.

You now have 2 MIC’s.  Feel free to create as many as you want/need.

Step 3.  Add the MICs to the routing

TXN CA02 to pull up a routing.  enter in the material and plant.

Go to the Operations you want to add it to.

Highlight the operation to add the characteristics to and press Inspection Characteristics

And badda bing, badda bang, badda boom, you have inspection characteristics loaded into your routing.

Next time you make a production order, you’ll see these.

If you need more help from us, just press contact us above, and we’ll be happy to help you,

Thanks for reading,

Mike

Service Management – Using IW72 to monitor the Service Order List

How about another simple tidbit on service order.  Using the Service order List.  You can use IW72 or IW73 (if you only want to display).  Now if you notice this screen has a LOT of options.  It gives you an incredible amount of control allowing you see only what you need to see.  The top portion lets you limit if it’s Outstanding, In Process, or Completed (TECO).  In addition, you can control by dates, numbers, customers, etc…  This is highly valuable when you have a lot of notifications and multiple people processing them. 

Once you have all your selections in, I encourage you to save it as a variant.  No sense in reinventing the wheel.

Next up, press execute and let’s see the results.

Now, by default there are always set fields that will be displayed.  If you’re not aware, there is a huge catalog of fields that you can display.  Priority, start and end dates, status, etc…  Pretty much anything you want to know about about the service order aside from long text.  Just press the variant button, add the fields you want, you can even save sums and sorts.  Maybe I’ll do a reporting post to show you the fun parts of ALV in the future.

Now, on top of all this, you can also select a group of orders to Release (green flag), TECO (checkered flag).  If you use the menu option:  Order–>completion–>complete (Business) is also an option.

For most clients, this is a great tool out of the box.  Occasionally, customers need a fancier work list, but most times, IW72/IW73 is more than sufficient.  However, if you’re looking to gather true metrics, I recommend checking out our Service management Dashboard: Broadsword.

Well, it’s a nice easy lesson for today…  but for no point in frying your brain today.  I’m sure you’re busy thinking about Christmas shopping anyway =)

If you need some Service help, press the contact us button above and let us know how we can make your service business better,

thanks,

Mike

Service Management – Service Order Number Range

Here’s a simple little post that I often forget, so why not add it to my notebook (or to everyone else, my blog).  Whenever you create a new service order type, you must remember to set the service order number range.  Relatively easy, but it does work a little different than setting the number ranges in SD, so I thought I’d run you through it quick.  Here’s where you go in configuration.  (the shortcut is txn: OION)

Select configure number ranges

Then press Edit Groups

Now once you are here, scroll all the way to the bottom until you find the section called Not assigned.

if you see any order types in this section it means they have not been assigned to a number range (I know, rocket science, right?)  So, press click on the order type and press the select button.  Then scroll up to the number range you want to assign this order to.  Click the check box in front of it, then press the Element/Group button.  Viola…  (if you don’t see the number range, you’ll have to back up to the previous screen and check the intervals.

Now, the biggest thing to remember with all of this is that if you transfer the new order type, you most likely haven’t (and shouldn’t) transport the number range assignment.  Number ranges are one of those all or nothing type transports.  So, in the new client, remember to repeat these steps to avoid shortdumps =)

thanks for reading, and as always, if you need Service management or Variant configuration help, click the contact us button above and let us know how we can be of service,

Mike