ABAP on SAP HANA. Part I.

First
Program in ABAP HANA
By
SAP Yard
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May 19, 2016
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Introduction to SAP ABAP on HANA

We have heard enough about SAP HANA, in-memory concept,

software/hardware innovation etc. In this article, we do not want to beat around
the theories. As an ABAP developer, we would like to know how we can view
ABAP objects (programs/FMs/tables) in HANA Studio and how we can
create/change those objects there. This is the first part in the series of posts
which would specifically target our SAP Technical folks, our ABAPer
community.

As an ABAPer, I had these queries. I am sure, many of my ABAPer friends

would have similar if not same questions. Hope these answers would provide
some light to your existing knowledge about ABAP on SAP HANA. At the end
of the last question of this article, you will learn and create your first ABAP
program from HANA Studio and also execute it successfully to view the output.

Read more SAP HANA from space level.

Let’s move on.

Questions:
1. What is HANA Studio and what is the need of HANA Studio?

2. What is ADT and what is the need of ADT?

3. Seems ADT does the same thing like SE80 T-code. Then why do we really
need ADT?

4. What are perspective in HANA Studio?

5. In which perspective can we create/change/display ABAP programs?

6. How do we view ABAP programs in HANA Studio?

7. Can we edit the same program in GUI and in HANA Studio?

8. How can we write ABAP programs using ADT?

Also Read: SAP HANA at Ground Zero

The below explanations are as per our understanding. We would like to appeal
our experienced ABAPers to throw some more light to the below answers if they
know more about it.

Q: What is HANA Studio and what is the need of HANA Studio?

1. HANA as a database has evolved manifold in the last few years. In order to
keep pace with these hardware and software innovations, HANA Studio is
introduced. HANA Studioprovides the right environment for HANA
administration, modeling and data provisioning.

Studio is needed so that the developers can create models, procedures etc
using the Eclipse-based tool in HANA. Studio is also utilized to develop SQL
Script which writes Application logic that would push down data-intensive
queries and logic to HANA database and improves the overall performance of
the system.

Studio also provides monitoring and other tracing facilities.

Also, the Studio gives freshness to developers who were bored with the blue

GUI screen editor. (on a lighter note)

Hopefully, you have some idea of HANA Studio and its need.

Q: What is ADT and what is the need of ADT?

2. ABAP Development Tool is the full form of ADT. ADT provides eclipse
base ABAP Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

ADT does not come by default. It has to be installed as a plugin on Eclipse (in
Studio -> Help -> Add New Software).

We need ADT because with ADT in Eclipse, the HANA Studio becomes super
powerful. You can connect to different ABAP systems from single Eclipse
User Interface. Isn’t it cool? With ABAP perspective in the studio, you
can implement end-to-end in-memory solutions in Studio with the same UI.

One entry point and multiple benefits. Don’t you like it?

It is easy to create a testing Environment with a hosted Citrix XenDesktop from

CloudDesktopOnline.com You can also go for Integrated SharePoint with SAP
HANA with the help of SharePoint experts from Apps4Rent.

Q: Seems ADT does the same thing like SE80 T-code. Then why do we
really need ADT?
3. You are right. Both ADT and SE80 have same source code repository and
locking mechanism and thus both compliment each other. But ADT is more
powerful than SE80. Some advanced features like creating external views for
exposing HANA view to ABAP DDIC* (external views), creating Database proxy
procedures* are available only when using ADT.

SE80 has been with SAP from birth. ADT is new and still has some enhanced
features. SAP is continuously working on more exclusive features which would
be possible only from ADT in future. So, ADT is the future

Also Read : ‘View the HANA Views from different angles’

Q: What are perspective in HANA Studio?

4. In layman’s term, perspectives are predefined layouts for different roles.
For example, we have ABAP perspective for ABAP developers. Java perspective
for Java developers. Debug perspective for debugging. Modeler for modeling in
SAP HANA. Administration console for Admin tasks etc. So, every member of
the team would use the perspective as per his job role, responsibilities and
activities they need to perform.
Q: In which perspective can we create/change/display ABAP
programs?

5. You guessed it right!! ABAP perspective. So obvious, right?

Bonus question . Can we directly write and execute ABAP program in

HANA studio?

No, it has to be connected to an ABAP system first. So, what helps Eclipse to
connect to ABAP system? The answer is ABAP Project. Did you expect this

answer? ABAP project helps to connect the Eclipse base IDE to ABAP
backend system. The project provides eclipse based frameworks for creating,
processing and testing development objects.

In short, ABAP project represents a system logon and contains all ABAP
development objects of the related system.
Check this image below. Project S4H_800_SIMPLE3_SAPYARD is our project
which is connected to our S4H system.
Similarly, we can have multiple projects pointed to multiple systems from
one HANA Studio UI.
Q: How do we view ABAP programs in HANA Studio?
6. Check there is an ABAP program YSAPYard in ABAP system (Left side). We
can see the same program from our Project which is connected to the same
ABAP system. Expand the System Library and go to your custom package and
program.
Check, we can view the same program in GUI and HANA Studio.

Q: Can we edit the same program in GUI and in HANA Studio

simultaneously?
7. No, we cannot edit the same program simultaneously. Both ADT and SE80
have same source code repository and locking mechanism (as mentioned in
answer 3), therefore, we cannot interfere when other is editing it at the same
time.

You get the below error in ADT if you try to edit the already opened program (in
GUI).

Finally, the much-awaited question by the ABAPer..

Q. How can we write ABAP programs using ADT and execute it?
8. Select the Package where you want to save your program. Right-click on it
and select ABAP Program.
Give the name and description of the program. Do not forget, the Z* or Y*
naming convention holds good even while creating custom objects from ADT.
You need to choose the transport where you want to save your program.

Write your program and check the syntax and activate it. Most of the icon are
similar to GUI. Done, your program is ready in Studio. Actually, you created the
program just like in SE38/SE80, just the front end was different. You can go to

your ABAP system and check, the new program exists there.

Execute the RUN icon in HANA studio and your program would show the output.
Congrats, you created your first program in SAP HANA and executed it
successfully. Although this was a dummy program, in actual projects as well,
the process remains the same.
In subsequent posts, we would build real-time programs, learn about ABAP
trace in SAP HANA Studio, Debugging in ADT, Optimized access on
internal tables, Code Inspector, SQL Monitoring, ADBC, AMDP, CDS etc.