ABAP Objects - Percent of WF'ers using ABAP OO?

Wed Feb 23 11:24:29 EST 2011

Rick,

OK, fair enough. 

I wasn't suggesting you should either, nor would I recommend it as it ruined an afternoon for me some years ago trying to achieve this. 

I felt like Frankenstein when I did mange to make a BOR instance survive being 'containerised' in this way from an ABAP OO Method call. 

To be honest, I cheated: I ended up using a reference variable passed through in an ABAP_PARMBIND Container that actually pointed to a BOR Object instance held as a Public attribute on the ABAP OO instance used as part of the Method call. So, in other words, I only succeeded in passing a pointer to a valid BOR instance that was still known by the ABAP OO instance my code was working with. But, the pointer did actually work in that I could immediately execute BOR macros using it without having to resort to typecasting it and there was a valid reason for doing this, although I forget why now.

Yes...I know, that takes a bit of thinking around...and it's all related to memory management that really ruins your day when the code compiles but when you debug you find the dreaded words 'FREED STACK' written where you were hoping to see a useful instance instead!

Mike GT

From: Rick.Sample at graybar.com
To: sap-wug at mit.edu
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:25:33 -0600
Subject: RE: ABAP Objects - Percent of WF'ers using ABAP OO?

Whoa! I never stated anything about passing a BOR objects 'into' an ABAP OO objects or vs versa. Sorry if I did not communicate that well. Maybe it is just early and I misread what Rina was saying. 

I 'thought' she was referring to binding the WF-BOR (with its display method) to a Task. And then binding another ABAP OO (with its display method) to the same Task. Then, you would have to two links on the Task in the Description pane with two different Display method links. 
Like, in the default Display BOR method, open VA03. One Display method from the BOR and the other Display from the ABAP OO. 

I use one or the other in a task for this WF so I don't have that issue. 

I have used multiple BOR object in past for HR work, like the W-4 object, employee object, etc. All providing its own Display link and method call and find that handy so the intended user can review the data. 

p.s. for others:
I apologize if I come across as a little 'off' or long winded. Just me trying to dig for answers and give credit where credit is due. And I always keep myself open and available in forum or sent directly to me. I just pass along any of my findings and hope it sheds light on a subject that someone may be able to use.  

Rick

From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Madgambler
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 7:53 AM
To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
Cc: SAP Workflow Users' Group
Subject: Re: ABAP Objects - Percent of WF'ers using ABAP OO?

Rick,

The concept of 'passing' anything between BOR and ABAP OO is probably going to cause you a monumental headache. 

Containers based on the SWCONT structure are just too far behind their newer ABAP_PARMBIND equivalents to understand the concept of an ABAP OO instance. 

'TYPE REF TO data' simply did not exist back then. Just as 'TYPE BOXED' is going revolutionise the Data Dictionary (at long last!) and hasn't quite hit us yet in the current world. 

But you may have hit that iceberg already...

Mike GT

Sent from my iPhone

On 23 Feb 2011, at 13:38, "Sample, Rick" <Rick.Sample at graybar.com> wrote:

Hi Rina,

You will only get the display method link if you pass in an objects. Any object you pass into a task with a display method will create the link. I only have my ABAP object used in task tsxxxx, so I only see one. 

Did I miss read this, or this what you referring to? 

Rick

From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Rina Spector
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 9:58 PM
To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
Subject: Re: ABAP Objects - Percent of WF'ers using ABAP OO?

Dear Rick ,

Good  for you if you are  happy  with your craft .

Hopefully  you  had at least 2  display methods to implement  so no  one asks why  there   are  2   links that  point to the same  VA03.

I  also  do this mixture  not so sure any one except me will find  where to  look  what ,

Best Regards 

Rina spector 

On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 8:48 PM, Sample, Rick <Rick.Sample at graybar.com> wrote:
All interested parties,

Like I said, I am at the beginning of completing my first prod app in ABAP OO. Low priority thing to test the waters for our company and  expand our knowledge. So I was poking a lot of people to get an idea of the best place to start.
Thanks ALL for input. Especially Mike, Mike, and Jocelyn.

Yes, I am still waiting for my book "Practical Workflow for SAP 2nd Edition". (Can't wait for my royalty checks for plugging the book!)

At this point, I just kept my design as simple and light weight as possible. I will expand on my (small) frame work / interfaces for all my known common functions (best I can anyway) and refactor / evolve  when and where needed. It is a low priority project, not the never ending story, so I had to take my best shot and go with what I know.

Didn't touch the exits, type linkages, etc. to create events in ABAP OO, I just caught the standard BOR BUS2032.CREATE / CHANGE and instantiate the object when the flow starts. I already had that in place, so I know this works. Good enough for now. I will need GOS so I can't get away from using BOR anyway.

I have kicked off a Sales Order WF by using BOR events, using an ABAP OO class as the core business code warehouse for this project. Simple functionality at this point, but it fills the requirements.

So Gavin, add (1) to that list not employed by SAP to use ABAP OO.

Bottom line, did I 'need' ABAP OO for anything I did. Absolutely not. Just to get me feet wet type experience and see what I can leverage from OO. It was actually kinda fun. A lot of digging in the SWT* packages for some simple how to code like get/set container, raise event, etc. Basic WF functionality but in OO.

Reference Jocelyn Dart "Why use ABAP OO with Workflow".
Thanks Jocelyn. Excellent tutorial to make 'something' actually work.

Rick Sample

To quote an idiot:
"There are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
 We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.
 But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know."
 - Former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
(It all makes sense... if you don't think about it.)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu
> [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On
> Behalf Of Madgambler

> Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 4:22
> PM
> To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> Cc: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> Subject: Re: ABAP Objects - Percent of
> WF'ers using ABAP OO?
>

> Rick,
>
> So that post looks like it was written for
> Netweaver 2004s. If SAP had seen
> anything worthwhile in delivering that
> promise I think it has long since
> evaporated. Around about the same time
> as they changed tack and poured effort
> into Java stuff I would have thought.
>
> Certainly when we upgraded to ECC 6
> there was no mention at all of re-pointing
> our extensive use of Workflow towards
> ABAP OO. So between your post snippet
> and the ECC 6 push either the money ran
> out or the will or both.
>
> On the brighter side Mike P tells me that
> we should expect a new SE24-type editor
> for Workflow Classes at some point soon
> which would a step in the right direction at
> least.
>
> Although, I admit, I still miss the line editor
> on the old R/2 days now and then and am
> sometimes a little lost in the new multiple-
> coloured collapsible section editor
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 21 Feb 2011, at 21:25, "Sample, Rick"
> <Rick.Sample at graybar.com> wrote:
>
> > Hi Mikes,
> >
> >> From all I have read, and that's quite a
> bit. BOR was never intended
> >> to be the model for object oriented
> design. And indeed states that in
> >> its own SAP Help files. "The BOR
> object model will be integrated into
> >> ABAP Objects in the next Release by
> migrating the BOR object types to
> >> the ABAP class library."
> >>
> http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/help
> data/en/c3/225b5654f411d194a6
> >> 0000e8353423/frameset.htm
> > Sounds fairly straight forward to me. But
> as of yet, not so integrated.
> >
> > My reading / translation, all standard
> BORs will be rolled up into ABAP Objects,
> ported over with something like
> cl_BUS2032.
> >
> > Hate to sound like the kids in the back
> seat, asking if we are there yet, but this is
> exactly the answers (direction) I am
> seeking. Where we going, when, how long
> will it take to get there, will there be ports
> (as stated in the help file), standards for
> mixing the two, etc.
> > I understand, some have confidentiality
> clauses. (Just tell me. I
> > promise, I won't tell anyone)
> >
> > Any recent official word from SAP on
> this subject? If we know, we know. If we
> are still winging it (SAP that is) and
> checking the wind direction, that's cool
> too. I understand, it's a BIG ship. But I am
> sure there are several others that would
> start if better direction from SAP.
> >
> > As far as BOR goes, anyone who will
> work in our WF dept, MUST have BOR
> experience at this point in time. That's not
> going away any time soon because of all
> the BOR code that we have developed.
> And until I am 100% confident that I can
> bang out something quick in ABAP
> Objects, if a high priority comes down the
> pipe line, it will most likely be written in
> BOR.
> >
> > Rick
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu
> >> [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On
> >> Behalf Of Madgambler
> >> Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011
> 12:48 PM
> >> To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> >> Cc: SAP Workflow Users' Group
> >> Subject: Re: ABAP Objects - Percent
> of WF'ers using ABAP OO?
> >>
> >> Mike,
> >>
> >> Interestingly that's where we disagree
> most.
> >>
> >> I don't believe it is in a client's interest
> to ignore any future
> >> adjustments of BOR functionality out of
> hand and branch out with an
> >> ABAP OO 'ported' version based on a
> snapshot of the current standard
> >> object.
> >>
> >
>
> __________________________________
> _____________
> SAP-WUG mailing list
> SAP-WUG at mit.edu
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/sap
> -wug

_______________________________________________
SAP-WUG mailing list
SAP-WUG at mit.edu
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/sap-wug

_______________________________________________
SAP-WUG mailing list
SAP-WUG at mit.edu
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/sap-wug
_______________________________________________ SAP-WUG mailing list SAP-WUG at mit.edu http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/sap-wug 		 	   		  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/sap-wug/attachments/20110223/7277f1d5/attachment.htm