SAP NEWS-30-LDB documentation, setup help and usage info

Logical Databases and Selection Screens in Release 3.0

1 Checkbox parameters
2 Matchcode selection with logical databases
3 SUBMIT WITH SELECTION-TABLE
4 Self-programmed F1 and F4 on selection screens
5 Date calculations in variants
6 SUBMIT : Runtime information from function module
7 No more blank selection screens
8 New OK code field SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM on selection screens
9 Integration of data model
10 Function modules: User's own GUI status on selection screen
11 PARAMETERS as radio buttons
12 Size of selection screens increased to 200 lines
13 SELECTION-SCREEN NEW-PAGE no longer used
14 Selection screen versions instead of template screens
15 Blocks (with or without boxes) on selection screens
16 Ability to set comments on selection screens at runtime
17 User's own pushbuttons on selection screens
18 Dynamic selections on selection screens
19 Ability to set box title at runtime
20 Symbolic positions with SELECTION-SCREEN statements
21 User's own pushbuttons in the application toolbar
22 Nested blocks on selection screens
23 Return to the selection screen after F3 in basic list
24 Passing report-specific selections to the database
25 Simplified SELECT-OPTIONS on the selection screen
26 Field selection.
27 Passing dynamic selections with SUBMIT
28 User-specific variables in variants

ABAP_MODIFICATION_1 Checkbox Parameters

PARAMETERS now has an addition called
AS CHECKBOX which can be used to display a parameter on the selection screen as a checkbox.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_2 Matchcode Selection with Logical Databases

The addition AS MATCHCODE STRUCTURE of PARAMETERS makes it possible to use matchcode selection for a logical database (for example, xxx). The standard selection screen contains a box with input fields for matchcode ID and search string. In the
database program , selected records can be processed in the subroutine
PUT_xxx_MATCHCODE . Matchcode selections are a particularly good way of improving performance, since they can be used to restrict the amount of data selected significantly.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_3 SUBMIT rep WITH SELECTION-TABLE seltab .

The addition WITH SELECTION-TABLE seltab makes it possible to specify values passed by WITH clause to the parameters or selection criteria of a report in an internal table. Here, the table seltab has the structure of RSPARAMS . The function module RS_REFRESH_FROM_SELECT_OPTIONS can be used to fill the table with the contents of the current parameters or selection criteria (this
FM replaces the key word REFRESH seltab FROM SELECT-OPTIONS ). For further information, see the documentation on SUBMIT .

ABAP_MODIFICATION_4 Self-Programmed F1 and F4 on Selection Screens

Self-programmed input help ( F4 ) and documentation ( F1 ) is now available for both database-specific and report-specific parameters and selection criteria. For database-specific objects, this is done using an addition ( VALUE-REQUEST ... or HELP-REQUEST ... ) with PARAMETERS and SELECT-OPTIONS . For report-specific objects, the event to be processed is specified directly at F1 or
F4 ( AT SELECTION-SCREEN
ON VALUE-REQUEST FOR ... or AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON HELP-REQUEST FOR ... ).

ABAP_MODIFICATION_5 Date Calculations in Variants

In addition to the variables available in table TVARV for parameters or selection criteria in variants (for retrieving values from table TVARV at runtime), it is now possible to calculate dates or periods for parameters/selection criteria of the type date at runtime. Examples include "current date", "last day of previous month", and "first quarter of current year".

ABAP_MODIFICATION_6 SUBMIT : Runtime Information from Function Module

The function module RS_SUBMIT_INFO returns information about the current report execution process in the structure RSSUBINFO . It is specifically intended for use during the processing of selection screens . It indicates, for example, whether the selection screen is processed when the report is executed, when variants are defined, or when scheduling a background job. This is important, for example, if the user uses his or her own GUI status on the selection screen.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_7 No More Blank Selection Screens

Previously, selection screens were generated and processed even if no parameters or selection criteria were defined. To reduce the number of selection screens, this is no longer the case. Events previously triggered by the selection screen ( AT SELECTION-SCREEN , AT SELECTION-SCREEN OUTPUT ) are not processed.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_8 New OK Code Field SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM on Selection Screens

The previous OK code field SY-UCOMM had the drawback of being destroyed by every CALL SCREEN . For this reason, it has been replaced by the field SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM from ABAP Dictionary. Unlike SY-UCOMM , the structure SSCRFIELDS must be declared using TABLES when reading or manipulating SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM .
Only the procedure for setting SY-UCOMM in the program has changed; SY-UCOMM must now be set instead. Setting SY-UCOMM
in the program, however, no longer fulfills the intended purpose, and SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM now needs to be set instead.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_9 Integration of the Data Model
In transaction SE36 (Logical Databases), the set of views that refer to a logical database table can be displayed by selecting "Edit" -> "Data Model" -> "Views and Entities". The relevant entities are displayed from the Enterprise Data Model (EDM). After choosing the views, "Data Model" -> "Graphics" can be selected to display the convex wrapper of the relevant entities in the EDM.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_10 Function Modules: User's Own GUI Status on Selection Screen

Function modules RS_SET_SELSCREEN_STATUS and
RS_EXTERNAL_SELSCREEN_STATUS .

These function modules make it possible to set a separate status for the selection screen or to deactivate function codes from the standard status (for example, if the 'Print' function for the report is not required).

While the function module RS_SET_SELSCREEN_STATUS requires the desired status to belong to the user interface for the report, the function module RS_EXTERNAL_SELSCREEN_STATUS makes it possible to set a status that has been defined externally in a function group.

When a separate status is set, it is best to first get information about the current situation using the function module RS_SUBMIT_INFO (see point 6). In this way, the 'Execute' key is not provided instead of the 'Save' key when defining variants.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_11 PARAMETERS as Radio Buttons

Addition RADIOBUTTON GROUP group with
PARAMETERS .

By using this addition, PARAMETERS can be combined together in radio button groups on the selection screen. For further information, see PARAMETERS .

ABAP_MODIFICATION_12 Size of
Selection Screens Increased to 200 Lines

Selection screens can now be up to 200 lines long. Since the scrollbar can be used to scroll within a screen, the continuation screens 1001, 1002 ... are no longer necessary.

Advantages: Since all SELECT-OPTIONS and PARAMETERS are on one screen, it is no longer necessary to check carefully that the incorrect field is actually on the current screen when handling errors. Also, the addition 'OBLIGATORY' now applies for all
SELECT-OPTIONS or PARAMETERS that were previously on a subsequent screen. This reduces the total number of generated selection screens

Necessary actions: In theory, none. However, new pages previously forced by the SELECTION-SCREEN NEW-PAGE statement may have to be replaced by something else, such as a block (see also points 13 and 14).

ABAP_MODIFICATION_13 SELECTION-SCREEN
NEW-PAGE Is No Longer Used

Since continuation screens are no longer used (see point 12), the key word SELECTION-SCREEN NEW-PAGE is no longer required, but is retained for syntax reasons. However, it now starts a new line instead of a new page.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_14 Selection Screen Versions Instead of Template Screens

The option to define non-standard selection screens by specifying the number of a model screen (belonging to the database access program
SAPDBxyz ) in the report attributes no longer exists. This has been replaced by selection screen versions. Like model screens, these have a three-character name that is specified on the report attributes screen. By pressing F4 here, it is possible to get a list of all the selection screen versions for the underlying logical database.

The selection screen versions are defined in the database INCLUDE
DBxyzSEL using the expressions
SELECTION-SCREEN , BEGIN/ END OF VERSION , and SELECTION-SCREEN EXCLUDE ... . The latter is used to specify any objects to be excluded from the selection screen version.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_15 Blocks (with or without Boxes) on Selection Screens

The expression SELECTION-SCREEN BEGIN/END OF BLOCK block is used to define logical blocks on selection screens. The addition ... WITH FRAME makes it possible to create a box round the block and, for each TITLE addition, a text can be defined for the box. If the new event AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON BLOCK block contains an error dialog, only the fields in that block become ready for input.

The boxes previously created round the database-specific or report-specific parts of the selection screen are no longer required, si
nce the new expressions allow better and more individual grouping options.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_16 Ability to Set Comments on Selection Screens at Runtime

Besides numbered texts, the expression
SELECTION-SCREEN COMMENT now makes it possible to specify field names up to eight characters long. These fields are then created automatically as output fields on the selection screen. The texts must be defined in these comment fields at runtime and can be changed while processing the selection screen.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_17 User's Own Pushbuttons on Selection Screens

The key word SELECTION-SCREEN PUSHBUTTON ... USER-COMMAND ucom can be used to create pushbuttons on the selection screen. As with
SELECTION-SCREEN COMMENT , the text can be defined either statically in the form of a text symbol or dynamically by specifying a field name up to eight characters long.

The field SSCRFIELDS-UCOMM can be read using the accompanying user command ucom in AT SELECTION-SCREEN .

ABAP_MODIFICATION_18 Dynamic Selections on Selection Screens

In the database INCLUDE DBxyz , the logical database and the statement SELECTION-SCREEN DYNAMIC SELECTIONS FOR TABLE dbtab can be used to define 'dynamic selections' for the table dbtab of the logical database xyz . In this case, the key 'Dynamic Selections' appears on the selection screen, if the table dbtab is used in the report. After pressing this key, the user can enter selections for the fields expected by the logical database. The result is passed directly from the logical database to the
SELECT statement.

Latest notes: The set of fields for which free selections are to be allowed can be defined by the logical database in the form of a selection view. These are defined in the workbench or in the editing functions of logical databases. To aid identification, the origin (
'SAP' or 'CUS' for ' customer '), the name of the logical database, and a name can be used (which must always be 'STANDARD'
for the described functions on the selection screens). When reading the field list, the system first searches for the set with the origin
'CUS' . If it finds nothing, it then searches for the origin 'SAP'
. This allows customers to define the optimal set to suit their requirements, if the SAP standard is not suitable.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_19 Ability to Set Box Texts at Runtime

The title of a box defined using
SELECTION-SCREEN BEGIN OF BLOCK ... WITH FRAME TITLE ... can be set and modified at runtime.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_20 Symbolic Positions with SELECTION-SCREEN Statements

In all variants of SELECTION-SCREEN which expect format specifications, the position of the object can be defined on the selection screen symbolically ( POS_LOW or
POS_HIGH for the positions where the input fields of SELECT-OPTIONS are produced).

ABAP_MODIFICATION_21 User's Own Key in Application Toolbar

The key word SELECTION-SCREEN FUNCTION KEY n ( n must be between 1 and 5) makes it possible to activate up to five function keys on the selection screen. The texts for these must be set at runtime. The keys appear in the application toolbar.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_22 Nested Blocks on Selection Screens

Blocks defined using the language construct
SELECTION-SCREEN BEGIN/ END OF BLOCK can be nested. For blocks in boxes, the nesting depth is restricted to 5 levels.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_23 Return to the Selection Screen After F3 in Basic List

If F3 is used to exit a basic list created by a program (and the program was executed from the selection screen), the system displays the
selection screen again with the old content.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_24 Passing Report-Specific Selections to the Database

Report-specific selections with a reference field belonging to a logical database table for which dynamic selections are defined are passed directly to the database. In exceptional cases, this can be suppressed by using the addition NO DATABASE SELECTION for the key word SELECT-OPTIONS .

ABAP_MODIFICATION_25 Simplified SELECT-OPTIONS on the Selection Screen

Addition NO INTERVALS with
SELECT-OPTIONS and SELECTION-SCREEN
BEGIN OF BLOCK .

These additions tcan be used o display and manipulate SELECT-OPTIONS
on the selection screen.

The function module SELECT_OPTIONS_RESTRICT restricts the number of valid selection options per SELECT-OPTIONS at runtime. The option 'E' (= 'Exclude from selection') can also be switched off. This makes it possible to simplify the entry of selections on the selection screen.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_26 Field Selection

The additions FIELDS f1 ... fn in the case of
GET and GET LATE plus FIELD SELECTION FOR TABLE dbtab in the case of
SELECTION-SCREEN .

These make it possible to specify a list of fields required in the program for tables defined for this purpose in the logical database. Only these fields are then filled with values, which leads to considerable improvement in performance.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_27 Passing Dynamic Selections with SUBMIT

The addition FREE SELECTIONS ... can be used with SUBMIT to pass dynamic selections directly.

ABAP_MODIFICATION_28 User-Specific Variables in Variants

User-specific values can be set for certain parameters and selection criteria intended for that purpose by the application.

SAP NEWS-30-LDB documentation, setup help and example usage