IBM Global Business Services

ABAP Dictionary Changes

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Objectives
The participants will be able to:
Explain why an Object must be activated and demonstrate how to activate an Object.
Describe how SAP handles Version Management.

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Activation
An object must be fully activated in the SAP system in order to be used by other
objects
Data Objects(Eg:
Tables, Data
elements,Domains
etc.)

ABAP Dictionary
Activation Icon

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Mass Activation
The mass activation program RADMASG0 can either be run online or
scheduled as a background job

Online

Background

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Table Activation
ABAP programs and Screen Painter screens always use the current
version of a table activated in the Dictionary.
ABAP Programs

Screen Painter

?
Consistency

Checks

Log Entries

Updates

A data object is automatically checked for consistency (among data types) when
the object has been changed.
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ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Change Key of Value Table

Changing the primary key of a value table that is being used by a domain,
requires a lengthy process because of the embedded links between the domain
and the value table.

Tables
YANGIE1
YEMPLOY

YZIPCODES
Value Table
1

Domain
YZIP
NUMC 10
6

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Versions
An object in the ABAP Dictionary can exist in various versions
There are two VERSIONS of an object that can exist in the ABAP Dictionary:
Active & Modif.

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Version Management
Several temporary versions of an active object can be stored when a CTS is open.
Historical versions are created every time a CTS is released.

Active Version
Historical
Version

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Version Management (Contd.)

Display

Compare

Retrieve stored version of object

REMOTE compare

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Demonstration
Creation of an ABAP report program and assigning the same to a package.

Subsequently releasing the same program and then making further changes to
the program.
Then going to the version management for the program and viewing the
differences between the current active version and the one released previously.

10

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Practice
Creation of an ABAP report program and assigning the same to a package.

Subsequently releasing the same program and then making further changes to
the program.
Then going to the version management for the program and viewing the
differences between the current active version and the one released previously.

11

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Locks on Dictionary Objects

When you activate an object any locks on the object are automatically released

12

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

SPDD Transaction
Versions of repaired SAP standard objects can be compared with new
SAP standard objects by using the transaction SPDD

13

ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Summary
An object must be fully activated in the SAP system in order to be used by other
objects
When an object is changed and re-activated, all other objects currently linked to
the changed object are automatically updated
Changing the primary key of a value table that is being used by a domain,
requires a lengthy process because of the embedded links between the domain
and the value table
The various versions of an object in the ABAP Dictionary can be viewed via the
menu path Utilities Version management.
Versions of modified (repaired) SAP standard objects can be compared with new
SAP standard objects by using the transaction SPDD.

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ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013

IBM Global Business Services

Questions
Why should SAP Objects be activated ?

How are different versions of programs maintained in SAP ?

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ABAP Dictionary Changes |

Dec-2008

IBM Corporation 2013