Streaming for Process Chains

User cases where a near-real-time data replication is required can be fulfilled within BW function called Streaming for Process Chains.

Feature of Streaming for Process Chains is only available on SAP BW systems of version 7.5 on HANA.

How the process chain set to streaming mode works? In contrary to synchronous mode (where loading takes in place in dialog mode) and in contrary to background mode (where one run of teh PC waits certain time before next run, and in case 1^st run is not yet finished it is cancelled by the 2^nd run) the streaming mode allows the “runs” of the PC are “put” to the queue. From there the PC runs are “picked” and executed without interruption of previous runs. Basically, the next run of the PC “waits” till current run is finished before new run starts.

What it takes to setup such a streaming scenario?

In case of target infoprovider regular cube the data source that feeds it needs to be flagged as real-time support. Means field REALTIME in table ROOSOURCE must be X. As this is not a case by default in biz content standard SAP delivered datasources one need to flag it manually e.g. by custom ABAP program.

As RDA (Real-time Data Acquisition) adapter set on DTP cannot be used for newer BW infoprovider – aDSO there are 2 options of leveraging ODP-SAPI Operational Data Provisioning (ODP) and SAP Landscape Transformation OPD-SLT.

In short, for OPD-SAPI a particular extractor’s Update Mode need to be set to “Direct Update”. PSA layer is not needed. Data can be visible in ODQMON queue. DTP that transfer the data is type of regular delta-DTP. Then such the DTP is included in streaming enabled PC. The PC is set like this in maintenance screen of the PC in menu: Process Chain -> Attributes -> Streaming for Process Chain.

In case of ODP-SLT this is not delta data transfer but replication of full data from source (e.g. ECC table). An ODP datasource needs to be setup in the source system with its subscription. After that regular delta-DTP is needed. Again, the DTP is used within streaming enabled PC.

In case BW system is, BW/4HANA based there is one more option to use Open ODS Views object as data target. If existing data flow leveraging the streaming is being migrated to BW/4HANA the SAP Note 2447916 described a migration process.

Technically Streaming for Process Chains are enabled by populating field STREAMING (Streaming for Process Chains) in table RSPCCHAINATTR. The STREAMING field can have following values:

blank             Normal processing, no streaming

X        Streaming on

Z        Streaming will be switched off

Y        Streaming will be switched on

W       Streaming off

 

More information:

Online docu for BW 7.5

Online docu for BW/4HANA

Streaming process chains

2447916 - BW4SL - Real-Time Data Acquisition (RDA)

Reading master data – Transformation Rule type for Open Hub

Within transformation in SAP BW there is a set of so called Rule Types. One of them is called Read Master Data. This rule type serves to read master data table of a characteristic from the source with a key and a value and contains the corresponding InfoObject as an attribute. The attribute of the IO is read and assigned to target InfoObject.

However, availability of this rule type depends on type of destination. In case the destination type is Open Hub the Read Master Data rule type is not available. Reason why it is like that is explained in SAP Note 1083266. It points to technical reason. Whatever it means the fact is that as long as the destination is the Open Hub it is not available.

More information:

1083266 - Rule type for reading master data for open hub destination

Online docu

ABAP code Syntax highlighting in SAP GUI

Settings of ABAP editor that is represented by t-codes like SE24, SE38, SE37, SE80, etc. can be customized in SAP GUI. For developers the settings related to code syntax highlighting are quite important. Via maintaining the settings it is possible to set things like background color (e.g. to my favorite black). The settings are available within any container of the ABAP Edit – in to-codes mentioned above. There in right down corner there is a small icon representing Editor’s option.

 

 

 

 

Here one can configure all possible setting from fonts/color, code completion/templates, formatting, keyboard keys, print etc.

The settings itself is stored in file abap_spec.xml stored under folder (on WINDOWS OS) c:\users\<usr>\AppData\Roaming\SAP\SAP GIU\ABAP Editor.

As there are many settings to customized one may prefer to get settings customized already. There is a repositories available at github having few settings set on. These themes are called ab4 themes:

https://github.com/lucattelli/ab4-themes

https://github.com/zs40x/SE80_ABAP_Editor_Settings

https://github.com/hyoyeob/SAPGUI_THEME-SETTING

https://github.com/dbrauner/abap-dracula-theme

SAP TCI Notes - Transport based Correction Instructions

While searching on SAP support site one may encounter type of SAP Notes having a Transport-Based Correction Instructions (TCI). Normally the SAP Notes are delivering a fix (correction) of some issues within SAP software. Software correction within SAP Note can be delivered via following channels:

·        SAP Notes automatic correction instructions

·        SAP Notes manual correction instructions

·        Support Packages (SP)

Since 2016 SAP offers one more type of the correction delivery. The TCI corrections are a new type of a channel to ship ABAP corrections with SAP Notes. On top of either manual or automatic correction instructions the TCI correction are having a set of additional attributes.

ABAP transport associated with a TCI Note has set of attributes needed for its installation like software component version, minimal SP, languages etc. TCI has its validity that restricts it to restricted to a certain SP range. Dependencies to other corrections and SPs can be defined. It is created out of correction code line and integrated into standard correction and upgrade process. The TCI is dedicated functionality affected only.

All these are enabling faster consumption of the TCI comparing to regular SAP Note with either manual or automatic correction instructions. Person who does the correction implementation does not need to have developer skills as all normally manual activities performed by the system during installation process. The TCI can be de-implement or rolled back. It supports of all transport enabled ABAP objects such as DDIC, table Content, MIME objects etc. No need for manual adjustment activities unlike during SP import and upgrade for SAP standard objects (t-codes SPAU and SPDD).

The TCI are available for NetWeaver system starting from SAP NetWeaver 7.00 SP09 and above. This type of correction is not activated in the SAP NetWeaver by default. It needs to be enabled. See SAP Note 1995550 for details on how to do it.

 

More information:

Online docu

Central Note about TCI: 2187425 - Information about SAP Note Transport based Correction Instructions (TCI)

1995550 - Enabling SNOTE for transport based correction instruction

2543372 - How to implement a Transport-based Correction Instruction

2764122 - How to check if a TCI note can be de-implemented or not

2489679 - How to identify TCI Note

Difference between SAP notes

Difference between SAP Note and KBA article