Purpose With Call you can call a function from a GuiXT script or from an InputScript. The function can either be an SAP function module on the SAP application server, or a local dll-function (on the frontend PC), implemented in VC++ or a similar language. For function modules we use SAP's RFC (Remote Function Call) interface technology.

Please observe that the Call-command via RFC requires the component "InputAssistant".

Further functions (like automatic format conversion, bundling of calls) are provided by the "Open Call" interface of GuiXT, see below.

Examples Call  "BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL"   in.USERNAME="MEYER"   out.LOGONDATA="UserLogonData"

The SAP function module "BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL" is called via RFC.


Call "ImgName" dll="guiexits" in="&F[Material]" out="Matfilename"

The dll-function ImgName is called locally.
Format RFC call  
Call "funcname" in.Name1="value1" in.Name2="value2" ... out.Name1="vname1" out.Name2="vname2" ...  ... table.Name1="tab1" table.Name2="tab2" ...  

dll call:
Call "funcname" dll="dllname" in="par1" in="par2" ... out="par1" out="par2" ...

Please observe:

  • Up to 20 parameters (In+Out+Tables) are  possible
  • You first name the "In" parameters, then "Out",  then "Table"
Format of the OpenCall Interface Call "functionname" export.name1="vname1" export.name2="vname2" ... import.name3="vname3" import.name4="vname4"   ....

Please note:

  • The function module /GUIXT/Call is required for this; you can import it into your SAP system with the transport request sap.trans.guixtutilities.zip
  • You can find explanations and examples in the articles Tips, Tricks and Samples
  • The total number of parameters (export + import) is limited to a maximum of 20
  • The order of the parameters: first the "export" parameters, then the "import" parameters.
  • An SAP DDIC structure ddicname can be specified with export.name(ddicname)="vname".
    This is only needed for an import parameter or for a table without structure definition in the called function interface. If specified, the interface maps the structure components by name to the corresponding fields of the DDIC structure.

When converting existing call instructions to the Open Call interface, please note the following:

  • The notation is based on the SAP syntax and designates as export those parameters that are exported to the function module and as import those that are imported from the function module.
  • export as well as import always specify variable names, never direct values
  • Structures and tables are also addressed with export and import; use GuiXT structure variables or table variables here.
Format of the OpenCall Interface for ABAP OO Remote Method Call Call "classname.methodname"  object="objname" export.name1="vname1" export.name2="vname2" ... import.Name3="vname3" import.name4="vname4"   ....

Calls the method "methodname" of the specified object. The object must belong to the class "classname". If object= is not specified, a static class method is called.
The object ID is the content of the GuiXT variable V[objname]. The object itself is created in the ABAP OO environment. The mapping between the specified object ID (GuiXT context) and the ABAP OO object is automatically performed in the OpenCall interface.

Example:

....

// start a request bundle
 Call bundledRequests="Start"   

// Create ALV object
 Call cl_salv_table.factory export.t_table(sflights)="mytable" export.r_salv_table="alv"

// allow all standard functions
Call cl_salv_table.get_functions object="alv" export.value="functions"
Call cl_salv_functions_list.set_all object="functions" export.value="TRUE"

// Set Title
 Call cl_salv_table.get_display_settings object="alv" export.value="display"
Call cl_salv_display_settings.set_list_header object="display" export.value="title"

// Set popup position
 Call cl_salv_table.set_screen_popup object="alv" _
  export.start_column="col1" export.start_line="row1" export.end_column="col2" export.end_line="row2"

// display popup
 Call cl_salv_table.display object="alv"

// run all calls
 Call bundledRequests -dialog
Additional options
destination= In the case of RFC. Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

The destination must be described in the file saprfc.ini; please see the SAP RFC documentation for details. The file saprfc.ini is either in the SAP GUI working directory "...\SAPworkdir", or you use the environment RFC_INI to name the saprfc.ini file.

connection= In the case of RFC. Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

Sets the RFC connection string for the given call. Example: connection="ASHOST=myhost.com SYSNR=00". The user, password, language and client are automatically added, if not specified in the given string.

 
-try In the case of RFC. Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

If the function ends with an "exception", no error message is shown to the user. Instead, the system variable V[_exceptionid] obtains the name of the exception and V[_exception] a text. With  if Q[ok] you can query, after  call, if the function has ended normally. Example:

Call "RPY_TABLE_READ"  -try  in.TABLE_NAME="&V[structid]" ...
if not Q[OK]
  Return "E: Structure &V[structid] not found in data dictionary" -statusline
endif

If the function module issues an error message in addition to the exception, the information on error handling is available in the following fields:

V[_rfcmsgtype] Message type, usually 'E'
V[_rfcmsgid] Message area
V[_rfcmsgno] Message number
V[_rfcmsgv1] Variable 1
V[_rfcmsgv2] Variable 2
V[_rfcmsgv3] Variable 3
V[_rfcmsgv4] Variable 4

Example:

Call "TAX_NUMBER_CHECK" in.COUNTRY="&V[country]" in.TAX_CODE_1="&V[taxcode]" in.NATURAL_PERSON_FLAG=""
  if V[_exceptionid=NOT_VALID]
     Message type="E" id="&V[_rfcmsgid]" number="&V[_rfcmsgno]" _ var1="&V[_rfcmsgv1]" var2="&V[_rfcmsgv2]" var3="&V[_rfcmsgv3]" var4="&V[_rfcmsgv4]" -statusline
     Return
endif
-currentUser In the case of RFC: Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

The call is executed with the user that is currently logged on.

Please note: For Single Sign On, this option requires special SNC specifications in the GuiXT profile (RFC Options), for example:
 ifCurrentuser=Yes SCN_MODE=1 SNC_PARTNERNAME="p:CN=&database, O=myCompany, C=US"
 For details, see the Tips, Tricks and Samples section under "Remote Function Call (RFC)".

Call "RPY_TABLE_READ"  -currentUser  in.TABLE_NAME="&V[structid]" ...

-dialog In the case of RFC: Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

The call is executed in a way that allows user dialogs.
cache= In the case of RFC: Please specify the options immediately after the function name.

You may specify  cache="transaction", cache="transaction" or  cache="file". Effect: Before executing the RFC GuiXT checks whether a previous call of the same function has already used the same input parameters. If yes, the output parameters are read from an internal cache instead of executing the RFC. If no, the RFC is executed and its output parameters are stored into the internal cache.

The input parameters are the values specified with  in.xxx= plus the content of all tables specified with table.xxx=. If a table "abc" is not read by the called function module, but returned only, you should clear it before executing the Call, for example with  Set text[abc] "".  Otherwise the table content becomes part of the cache key, not leading to wrong results, but to a less efficient cache.

The output parameters are the variables specified with out.xxx= plus the content of all tables specified with table.xxx=.

If the total cache key length is more than 8000 bytes,  the  cache= option will be ignored.

With cache="transaction" you make use of a cache that is cleared by GuiXT for each new transaction call. This means that for a transaction that the user starts with /N..., or by choosing it in the SAP menu, all data will be freshly read from the SAP system. With cache="session" you  make use of a cache that is kept during the session for all transactions within one SAP mode.

The session cache cache="session" can be used for user profile data or for customizing data, whereas the transaction cache is well suited for application data such as a customer address, which in principle can be changed at any time, but does not require to be read several times during one transaction.

The file system cache cache="file" works in combination with VersionNumber. The local file system is used as RFC cache so that the result values of the RFC are available even after a new SAP GUI logon.

You can clear the cache on your own using the  ClearCallCache cache="transaction" and  ClearCallCache cache="session" command. For example, you may use ClearCallCache cache="transaction" in the initial screen of a transaction, if the user is able to return to the initial screen with F3 or F12 from within the transaction instead of entering /N... . In this case (F3 or F12) the SAP application technically does not start a new transaction and thus the transactions cache is not cleared by GuiXT.

In order to reset the file system cache. either use ClearCallCache cache="file" or increase the VersionNumber.
Additional options for the case of the
Open Call interface 
-bundle Bundles this call with other calls to form a single RFC call, so that only one single network communication step takes place
bundledRequests="start" Sets the -bundle option for all subsequent calls
bundledRequests="stop" Stops setting the -bundle option for all subsequent calls
bundledRequests Call bundledRequests now bundles all previous calls specified with the -bundle option and processes them on the SAP application server
-parallelProcessing Addition for Call bundledRequests: Depending on the number x of the maximum number of alternative modes defined in SAP, processing is carried out in x-1 processes. The standard in the SAP system is x=6, the maximum number x=16. The sequence of processing is not defined.
serverGroup= Addition for Call bundledRequests:  Processing takes place on the specified group of application servers defined in the SAP system (SAP transaction: RZ12)
importFromBundle= The results of the call with the specified number 1,2,3... are read from the total result set and placed in the variables specified as import.
if Q[ok]can be used to query whether a call with the specified number exists in the call bundle.

With importFromBundle="*" all call results are imported.

If no Call bundledRequests has yet been executed, this is implicitly triggered by the first Call importFromBundle= statement.
deleteBundledRequests The entire result set of the previously bundled calls is deleted.
Each bundled Call also implicitly deletes the result set of the previous bundle.
Calling an SAP function module Passing parameters
Call "funcname" in.Name1="value1" in.Name2="value2" ... out.Name1="vname1" out.Name2="vname2" ... table.Name1="tab1" table.Name2="tab2" ...  

Restrictions

  • Tables may consist of character-type or packed decimal fields fields (ABAP-Types C, P, N, D, T) 
  • The default table width is 4000. No restriction on the number of lines. If necessary, you can specify a different width between 1 und 32000 for each table in the call statement:
    table.Name1(width:8000)="tab1"

Handling of tables

  • Tables are handled in InputScripts like texts. For example, you can use the  CopyText statement. 
  • They are transferred in both directions
  •  You may use data dictionary based structures to address single fields within a structure

Example 1:
We call the SAP standard function  BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL"  to read the user group (User master record).

Call  "BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL"   in.USERNAME="&V[_user]"   out.LOGONDATA="UserLogonData"
Set V[UserGroup] "&V[UserLogonData](BAPILOGOND-CLASS)"

Now the variable V[UserGroup] contains the SAP user group.

Explanation (see also the interface definition in transaction SE37):

  • The system variable &V[_user] is passed as importing parameter USERNAME 
  • The variable &[UserLogonData]  obtains the value of the exporting parameter LOGONDATA
  • According to structure definition  BAPILOGOND  you find the user group in component  CLASS

 

Example 1:
We change a user parameter by importing and exporting all user parameters via BAPIs

// User parameter id to be changed, and new value:
Set V[Paramid] "ND9"
 Set V[Paramva] "Printer2400"

// Read user parameters
 Call "BAPI_USER_GET_DETAIL" in.USERNAME="&V[_user]" table.PARAMETER1="ipt"

// Clear output parameter table
 Set text[opt] ""

// "found" indicator
 Set V[found] ""

// Loop through all user parameters
 Set V[i] 1

Label next_parameter
 CopyText fromText="ipt" toString="p" line="&V[i]"

if Q[ok]

  Set V[parid] "&V[p](BAPIPARAM1-PARID)"
    if V[parid=&V[Paramid]]
       Set V[p](BAPIPARAM1-PARVA) "&V[Paramva]"
       Set V[found] "X"
 endif

// add parameter to new parameter table
 CopyText fromString="p" toText="opt" -appendLine

// next line
 Set V[i] &V[i] + 1
 goto next_parameter

endif

// parameter not found: add parameter line
if not V[found=X]
  Set V[p](BAPIPARAM1-PARID) "&V[Paramid]"
  Set V[p](BAPIPARAM1-PARVA) "&V[Paramva]"
  CopyText fromString="p" toText="opt" -appendLine
endif

// Write back parameters
Call "BAPI_USER_CHANGE" in.USERNAME="&V[_user]" in.PARAMETERX="X" table.PARAMETER1="opt"

 
dll Call
The function is defined, for example, with 2 IN and 3 OUT parameters of the type

__declspec(dllexport) int funcname(char* p1, char* p2, char* p3, char* p4, char* p5)

All parameters (in= and out=) are passed in the specified order. The maximum length of each individual string is 4000 characters. Please make sure to specify enough parameters in the script, otherwise the dll function will access an invalid address.

Example 1: Call "alphanum"

Adds leading 0000... to a numeric field.

Parameters:

  • In: The string to which the 0000... should be prefixed
  • In: Length of the output string, maximum 250
  • Out: String with prefixed 0000...

Invocation:

Call "alphanum" dll="guixtstring.dll" in="&[Material]" in="8" out="NumMaterial"

Examples of results:

In In Out
12345 8 00012345
12345 10 0000012345
A100 8 A100
8 00000000

Example 2: Call "StripQuotationMarks"

Removes the quotation marks from a string.

Typically, when generating ASCII text files, double quotation marks are placed around the characters. In SAP ERP, these quotation marks are undesirable.

Parameters:

  • In: The string with quotation marks
  • Out: The string without quotation marks

Example:

Call "StripQuotationMarks" dll="guixtstring.dll" in="&[QMaterial]" out="SMaterial"

In Out
"abcde" abcde
abcde abcde
"abcde "abcde
abcde" abcde"
""

Compiled DLL and Visual Studio Sample Project
You can download and freely use or extend the DLL and the source code. Please note that you choose the correct target platform in the project depending on whether you want to build for the 32bit or 64bit version of GuiXT or the SAP GUI.

Download Visual Studio Project
Download guixtstring.dll (32bit)
Download guixtstring.dll (64bit)
Tips
& Tricks
  • In order to debug an RFC call with the ABAP workbench you may use

    ProcessingOption debugRFC="On"
      Call ...
    ProcessingOption debugRFC="Off"

     
  • You can specify the RFC user and password in the GuiXT profile. The password is stored in the GuiXT profile in encrypted format.
     
  • The "GuiXT Controls" component supports calling functions that are implemented in VBScript, JavaScript, VB.NET or C#.

 
Components GuiXT + InputAssistant (with dll: just GuiXT necessary)