ABAP Interview

Questions And Answers Set - 1

What is an ABAP?
ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) is a high level programming language
created by the German software company SAP. It is currently positioned as the language for
programming SAPs !eb Application Server" part of its #et!eaver platform for building business
applications. Its synta$ is somewhat similar to %&B&'.
What is an ABAP data dictionary?
ABAP ( data dictionary describes the logical structures of the ob)ects used in application
development and shows how they are mapped to the underlying relational database in
tables*views.
What are domains and data element?
+omains,+omain is the central ob)ect for describing the technical characteristics of an attribute of
an business ob)ects. It describes the value range of the field. +ata -lement, It is used to describe
the semantic definition of the table fields li.e description the field. +ata element describes how a
field can be displayed to end/user.
What is foreign key relationshi?
A relationship which can be defined between tables and must be e$plicitly defined at field level.
0oreign .eys are used to ensure the consistency of data. +ata entered should be chec.ed
against e$isting data to ensure that there are now contradiction. !hile defining foreign .ey
relationship cardinality has to be specified. %ardinality mentions how many dependent records or
how referenced records are possible.
!escri"e data classes#
1aster data, It is the data which is seldom changed. 2ransaction data, It is the data which is often
changed. &rgani3ation data, It is a customi3ing data which is entered in the system when the
system is configured and is then rarely changed. System data,It is the data which 4*5 system
needs for itself.
What are inde$es?
Inde$es are described as a copy of a database table reduced to specific fields. 2his data e$ists in
sorted form. 2his sorting form ease fast access to the field of the tables. In order that other fields
are also read" a pointer to the associated record of the actual table are included in the inde$. 2he
inde$es are activated along with the table and are created automatically with it in the database.
!ifference "etween transarent ta"les and ooled ta"les#
2ransparent tables, 2ransparent tables in the dictionary has a one/to/one relation with the table in
database. Its structure corresponds to single database field. 2able in the database has the same
name as in the dictionary. 2ransparent table holds application data. Pooled tables. Pooled tables
in the dictionary has a many/to/one relation with the table in database. 2able in the database has
the different name as in the dictionary. Pooled table are stored in table pool at the database level.
What is an ABAP%& Query?
ABAP*( 6uery is a powerful tool to generate simple reports without any coding. ABAP*( 6uery
can generate the following 5 simple reports, Basic 'ist, It is the simple reports. Statistics, 4eports
with statistical functions li.e Average" Percentages. 4an.ed 'ists, 0or analytical reports. / 0or
creating a ABAP*( 6uery" programmer has to create user group and a functional group.
0unctional group can be created using with or without logical database table. 0inally" assign user
group to functional group. 0inally" create a 7uery on the functional group generated.
What is B!' rogramming?
2ransferring of large*e$ternal*legacy data into SAP system using Batch Input programming. Batch
input is a automatic procedure referred to as B+%(Batch +ata %ommunications). 2he central
component of the transfer is a 7ueue file which receives the data vie a batch input programs and
groups associated data into 8sessions8.
What are the functional modules used in se(uence in B!'?
2hese are the 5 functional modules which are used in a se7uence to perform a data transfer
successfully using B+% programming, B+%9&P-#9G4&:P / Parameters li.e #ame of the
client" sessions and user name are specified in this functional modules. B+%9I#S-42 / It is used
to insert the data for one transaction into a session. B+%9%'&S-9G4&:P / 2his is used to close
the batch input session.
What are internal ta"les?
Internal tables are a standard data type ob)ect which e$ists only during the runtime of the
program. 2hey are used to perform table calculations on subsets of database tables and for re/
organi3ing the contents of database tables according to users need.
What is I)S?
!hat are the merits of I2S8/ I2S is a Internet 2ransaction Server. I2S forms an interface between
;22P server and 4*5 system" which converts screen provided data by the 4*5 system into ;21'
documents and vice/versa. 1erits of I2S, A complete web transaction can be developed and
tested in 4*5 system. All transaction components" including those used by the I2S outside the 4*5
system at runtime" can be stored in the 4*5 system. 2he advantage of automatic language
processing in the 4*5 system can be utili3ed to language/dependent ;21' documents at
runtime.
What is !ynPro?
+ynPro is a +ynamic Programming which is a combination of screen and the associated flow
logic Screen is also called as +ynPro.
What are screen ainter and menu ainter?
Screen painter, Screen painter is a tool to design and maintain screen and its elements. It allows
user to create G:I screens for the transactions. Attributes" layout" filed attributes and flow logic
are the elements of Screen painter. 1enu painter, 1enu painter is a tool to design the interface
components. Status" menu bars" menu lists" 0/.ey settings" functions and titles are the
components of 1enu painters. Screen painter and menu painter both are the graphical interface
of an ABAP*( applications.
What are the comonents of SAP scrits?
SAP scripts is a word processing tool of SAP which has the following components, Standard te$t.
It is li.e a standard normal documents. 'ayout sets. / 'ayout set consists of the following
components, !indows and pages" Paragraph formats" %haracter formats. %reating forms in the
4*5 system. -very layout set consists of ;eader" paragraph" and character string. ABAP*(
program.
What is A*+ rogramming in ABAP? When is this grid used in ABAP?
A'< is Application 'ist viewer. Sap provides a set of A'< (ABAP 'IS2 <I-!-4) function
modules which can be put into use to embellish the output of a report. 2his set of A'< functions is
used to enhance the readability and functionality of any report output. %ases arise in sap when
the output of a report contains columns e$tending more than =>> characters in length. In such
cases" this set of A'< functions can help choose selected columns and arrange the different
columns from a report output and also save different variants for report display. 2his is a very
efficient tool for dynamically sorting and arranging the columns from a report output. 2he report
output can contain up to ?@ columns in the display with the wide array of display options.
What are the events in ABAP%& language?
Initiali3ation" At selection/screen" Start/of/selection" end/of/selection" top/of/page" end/of/page" At
line/selection" At user/command" At P0" Get" At #ew" At 'AS2" A2 -#+" A2 0I4S2.
What is ')S and what do you know a"out it?
2he %hange and 2ransport System (%2S) is a tool that helps you to organi3e development
pro)ects in the ABAP !or.bench and in %ustomi3ing" and then transport the changes between
the SAP Systems and clients in your system landscape. 2his documentation provides you with an
overview of how to manage changes with the %2S and essential information on setting up your
system and client landscape and deciding on a transport strategy. 4ead and follow this
documentation when planning your development pro)ect.
What are logical data"ases? What are the advantages% dis-advantages of logical
data"ases?
2o read data from a database tables we use logical database. A logical database provides read/
only access to a group of related tables to an ABAP*( program. Advantages, i)chec. functions
which chec. that user input is complete" correct"and plausible. ii)1eaningful data selection.
iii)central authori3ation chec.s for database accesses. iv)good read access performance while
retaining the hierarchical data view determined by the application logic. dis advantages, i)If you
donot specify a logical database in the program attributes"the G-2 events never occur. ii)2here is
no -#+G-2 command"so the code bloc. associated with an event ends with the ne$t event
statement (such as another G-2 or an -#+/&0/S-'-%2I&#).
What is a "atch inut session?
BA2%; I#P:2 S-SSI&# is an intermediate step between internal table and database table.
+ata along with the action is stored in session ie data for screen fields" to which screen it is
passed" program name behind it" and how ne$t screen is processed.
,ow to uload data using 'A)) ?
2hese are the steps to be followed to :pload data through %A22, %reation of the %A22 test case
A recording the sample data input. +ownload of the source file template. 1odification of the
source file. :pload of the data from the source file.
What is Smart -orms?
Smart 0orms allows you to create forms using a graphical design tool with robust functionality"
color" and more. Additionally" all new forms developed at SAP will be created with the new Smart
0orm solution.
,ow can I make a differentiation "etween deendent and indeendent data?
%lient dependent or independent transfer re7uirements include client specific or cross client
ob)ects in the change re7uests. !or.bench ob)ects li.e SAPscripts are client specific" some
entries in customi3ing are client independent. If you display the ob)ect list for one change re7uest"
and then for each ob)ect the ob)ect attributes" you will find the flag client specific. If one ob)ect in
the tas. list has this flag on" then that transport will be client dependent.
What is the difference "etween macro and su"routine?
1acros can only be used in the program the are defined in and only after the definition are
e$panded at compilation * generation. Subroutines (0&41) can be called from both the program
the are defined in and other programs . A 1A%4& is more or less an abbreviation for some lines
of code that are used more than once or twice. A 0&41 is a local subroutine (which can be
called e$ternal). A 0:#%2I&# is (more or less) a subroutine that is called e$ternal. Since
debugging a 1A%4& is not really possible" prevent the use of them (I8ve never used them" but
seen them in action). If the subroutine is used only local (called internal) use a 0&41. If the
subroutine is called e$ternal (used by more than one program) use a 0:#%2I&#.
What is the differences "etween structure and ta"le in data dictionary in ABAP?
Structure and table both are =*= matrices but there are many differences between table and
structure.
B. 2able can store the data physically but a structure dose not store.
=. 2able can have primary .ey but a structure dose not have.
5. 2able can have the technical attribute but a structure dose not have.
structure doesnt contain technical attributes.
structure doesnt contain primary .ey.
structure doesnt stores underline database level.
What is the difference "etween collect and sum?
S:1.
!hen processing an internal table in a bloc. starting with '&&P and concluded by -#+'&&P "
S:1 calculates the control totals of all fields of type I " 0 and P (see also ABAP*( number types )
and places them in the '&&P output area (header line of the internal table or an e$plicitly
specified wor. area).
!hen you use S:1 in a '&&P with an e$plicitly specified output area" this output area must be
compatible with the line type of the internal table.!hen using '&&P to process a sorted e$tract
(see S&42 )" the control total of f at the end of the group appears in the field S:1(f) / / if f is type
I " 0 or P .
%&''-%2.
%&''-%2 is used to create uni7ue or compressed datsets. 2he .ey fields are the default .ey
fields of the internal table itab .
If you use only %&''-%2 to fill an internal table" %&''-%2 ma.es sure that the internal table
does not contain two entries with the same default .ey fields.
If" besides its default .ey fields" the internal table contains number fields"the contents of these
number fields are added together if the internal table already contains an entry with the same .ey
fields.
If the default .ey of an internal table processed with %&''-%2 is blan." all the values are added
up in the first table line.
If you specify wa I#2& " the entry to be processed is ta.en from the e$plicitly specified wor. area
wa . If not" it comes from the header line of the internal table itab .
After %&''-%2 " the system field SC/2ABID contains the inde$ of the / e$isting or new / table
entry with default .ey fields which match those of the entry to be processed.
%&''-%2 can create uni7ue or compressed datasets and should be used precisely for this
purpose. If uni7ueness or compression are unimportant" or two values with identical default .ey
field values could not possibly occur in your particular tas." you should use APP-#+ instead.
;owever" for a uni7ue or compressed dataset which is also efficient" %&''-%2 is the statement
to use.
If you process a table with %&''-%2 " you should also use %&''-%2 to fill it. &nly by doing this
can you guarantee that the internal table will actually be uni7ue or compressed" as described
above and %&''-%2 will run very efficiently.
If you use %&''-%2 with an e$plicitly specified wor. area" it must be compatible with the line
type of the internal table.