Data access
techniques
CIS mobile itself, CIS add-on methods and CIS reports
all need to access data in the SAP system.
We describe the following data access techniques:
- CIS ABAP interface
- RFC select interface
- BAPIs and
functions modules
- SAP GUI scripting
- ABAP reports
There are further
possibilities to access SAP data from VB.NET, such as "SAP .NET connector",
"SAP Netweaver Gateway" and several other products. Here we
restrict ourselves to the above five possibilities which
- represent a
high-performance and easy to handle set of interfaces
- do not require the
installation of additional components
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Description
of the access techniques
CIS ABAP interface
In VB.NET you call an ABAP routine which is contained in the function
module /GUIXT/CISADDON_INTERFACE. All input parameters are passed
as strings in a predefined order. Example:
Parameter 1: customer number
Parameter 2: order number
Parameter
3: order item number
The ABAP routine returns a table of strings. In most cases each of these
strings contains several fields, separated from each other by a
tab character (CSV format). Other possible formats are: data in text
format, data in XML format.
RFC select interface
The function module /GUIXT/SELECT_INTERFACE is called as an interface to
the SAP
database "Select".
BAPIs and
function modules
A function module e.g. a BAPI is called via RFC.
SAP GUI scripting
The SAP automation interface "SAP GUI scripting" for SAP transactions is
used via a special VB.NET interface. All data that are available through
SAP transactions can be reached. The SAP GUI screens are processed in
the background.
ABAP reports
The function module /GUIXT/SELECT_INTERFACE is used to start
ABAP reports, returning its output in text or in HTML format.
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Bundling
The techniques
- CIS ABAP Sinterface
- RFC select
interface
- ABAP reports
allow "bundled" processing;
this means that multiple access calls can be carried out in a single
network call. |
Comparison
CIS ABAP interface
- Requires ABAP
knowledge
- Excellent performance
achievable
- Complex select
statements and SAP standard module calls are possible
- Authorization checks,
if necessary, implemented in ABAP
- Quick implementation
- Very variable
- Well suited for CIS
report implementation
RFC Select Schnittstelle
- No ABAP knowledge
necessary
- Excellent performance
achievable
- Complex select
statements only by defining database views in the SAP system
- Authorization checks,
if necessary, implemented in VB.NET
- Quick implementation
- Best suited if all
data are read in a single SAP table or view
BAPI and function
modules
- Requires ABAP
knowledge if you create your own function modules
- Excellent performance
achievable but often requires your own programming
- Authorization checks,
if necessary, in VB.NET (BAPI) or ABAP
(own function modules)
- No access call
bundling
- In many cases suitable
BAPIs are missing or too slow so that you need to implement your own
function modules
SAP GUI Scripting
- Knowledge of SAP
transactions is required
- Only moderate performance, identical
with SAP GUI access times
- Authority checks
automatically integrated in the SAP transaction
- No knowledge of SAP
database structures is required; only the user interface is needed
- All data which can be
displayed in any SAP transaction are available
- Grid and tree displays
can be used
ABAP reports
- SAP standard reports
or your own reports (e.g. SAP query reports) can be used
- The HTML report output
can be used for testing purposes but may lack the look and feel you want to
end up with
- If standard reports
are used data extraction from the list format can be tedious
- Authority checks
automatically integrated in the SAP report processing
- No knowledge of SAP
database structures is required
- Reports that use the "ALV
grid" output can be used
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