Now developers can get a detailed look at the functions of the SAP Business Connector (BC), using the practical examples and sample scenarios in this exceptional new technical reference guide

Beginning with the initial system administration steps – connecting and monitoring one or more R/3 Systems – you’ll move quickly to the development arena. Learn how to use out-of-the-box solutions (such as BAPI calls via XML) and how to implement your own custom transformations and programming services (integrated BC function packages). The examples and solutions provided are designed for immediate use, with only minor modifications. Screenshots and flow charts, along with comprehensive notes on source coding, complement the text. Plus, you’ll learn about IDoc-based communication and more.

Highlights

• Administering the BC
• Technical Functionality
• Connecting R/3 Systems
• Monitoring
• BAPIs and XML
• Calling Function Modules
• Establishing Inbound and Outbound Communication Channels
• BC Services
• Explanation of Included Services
• Activating Services
• Developing Custom Services
• IDocs
• Conversions (e.g. IDoc to XML)
• Communication Paths (e.g. FTP and e-Mail)

About the Author(s)

Patrick Theobald has been with the Würth Industrie Service GmbH in Bad Mergentheim (Germany) since 1999. As Project Manager his focus is on the conception and realization of genuine time interfaces between SAP and various types of subsystems. He is also involved in user development in C#, Java, and ABAP.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ... 3

2. Installation, Administration Environment, and XML Basics ... 5
... 2.1 Installation and administration ... 5
...... 2.1.1 First steps in administration ... 5
...... 2.1.2 Package management ... 7
...... 2.1.3 Security ... 8
...... 2.1.4 Superposed SAP systems ... 8
... 2.2 XML Basics ... 9

3. RFC and BAPIs ... 11
... 3.1 Calling RFC Function Modules ... 11
...... 3.1.1 Testing Mappings in the Browser ... 12
...... 3.1.2 Designing Output Templates ... 13
... 3.2 Calling RFC Function Modules with XRFC ... 15
...... 3.2.1 Overview of XRFC ... 15
...... 3.2.2 XRFC Envelope ... 16
... 3.3 BAPIs: Encapsulating Business Logicwith BizTalk ... 18
... 3.4 Using Services from within anABAP Program ... 20
...... 3.4.1 A Prototype RFC Module ... 21

4. Services ... 23
... 4.1 Folders, Flow Steps, Maps and Pipelines ... 23
...... 4.1.1 Simple Flow Service ... 25
...... 4.1.2 Testing and Debugging ... 28
... 4.2 Web Services ... 28
...... 4.2.1 BC as a Web Service Client ... 29
...... 4.2.2 Publishing Your Own Web Services ... 29
... 4.3 Non-Linear Flow Services ... 31
... 4.4 SAP-Specific Services ... 34
... 4.5 Services in Java ... 36

5. IDocs ... 41
... 5.1 Setting Up a Test Environment ... 41
... 5.2 IDocs in a System Group ... 42
... 5.3 XML/FTP Scenario with-Status Confirmation ... 43
...... 5.3.1 Step 1: Transferring IDocs to the destination system ... 44
...... 5.3.2 Step 2: Status confirmation from BC ... 45
...... 5.3.3 Step 3: Status confirmation from destination system ... 47
...... 5.3.4 Summary ... 50
... 5.4 Manipulating Format and Content ... 50
...... 5.4.1 Manipulating individual values ... 51
...... 5.4.2 Complete Conversion ... 53
...... 5.4.3 Summary ... 54

6. Advanced Topics ... 55
... 6.1 Clients ... 55
...... 6.1.1 Java ... 55
...... 6.1.2 Visual Basic ... 57
...... 6.1.3 .NET ... 57
... 6.2 External Databases ... 58
... 6.3 Scheduling Services ... 60
... 6.4 Documentation ... 60

7. Further Reading ... 63
... 7.1 ABAP ... 63
... 7.2 Administration ... 63
... 7.3 Interface programming ... 63
... 7.4 XML and Web services ... 63

Index ... 65