Saturday, February 6, 2016

Active Component Framework

A SAP component which is responsible for integration of active components in web based user interfaces of SAP is called Active Component Framework (ACF). It enables usage of technologies like Adobe Forms or MS Office components in SAP technology like WebDynpro.

Implementation of the ACF contains ActiveX controls, JavaBeans, and applets that run in Web browsers or in SAP NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC). What the ACF does is to provide services to process mass data while fetching the data from the backend and reset modified data state), displaying data in-place or outside a browser or the NWBC, integrating components in the Web Dynpro programming model (data binding, event handling), keeping the status of a component when a new page is loaded.

Web Dynpro ABAP (WD4A) provides the following ACF based UI elements for developers of user interfaces: Gantt, Network, OfficeControl, InteractiveForm, AcfExecute, AcfUpDownload, FlashIsland, SilverlightIsland and ActiveX.

Technically the AFC is installed with SAP GUI. However it can be also download from SAP SMP via support.sap.com/patches -> "Browse our Download Catalog" -> "SAP Technology Components" -> "ACF" -> Download the latest available ACF patch. Also see following SAP Notes for the same.

766191 - Installation of Active Component Framework
891202 - Installing Active Component Framework for NW04S SP04

In closing words I need to say that as whole software world is moving to light wave option of HTML5 based UIs also SAP is shifting away from UIs based on such an active components. SAP is heavily investing in their Fiori based UI.

Useful links:
846952 - Erase ACF from client PC

1150277 - Prerequisites for using ACF

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