Floorplan Manager (FPM) in A Nutshell PDF

Floorplan Manager (FPM) in a
Nutshell
Applies to:
SAP NetWeaver 7.03
Summary
A brief (and not too technical) overview of Floorplan Manager the UI framework for the Business Suite.
Author: Celeste Hoefkens

Company: SAP AG
Created on: 11 April 2011
Author Bio
Information Developer for Floorplan Manager.
SAP COMMUNITY NETWORK SDN - sdn.sap.com | BPX - bpx.sap.com | BA - boc.sap.com | UAC - uac.sap.com
2011 SAP AG 1
Floorplan Manager (FPM) in a Nutshell
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Essentials of FPM ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Structure of an FPM Application .................................................................................................................................. 3
FLUID .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Ways of Adapting FPM Applications ............................................................................................................... 6
FPM and the Business Object Layer (BOL) .................................................................................................... 7
Reference ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Floorplans and GUIBBs ............................................................................................................................................... 8
Concepts and Terminology .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Useful Acronyms in FPM............................................................................................................................................ 10
Copyright........................................................................................................................................................... 11
2011 SAP AG 2
Introduction
Floorplan Manager (FPM) is a UI framework, that is, a set of tools, templates and classes, which ensures a
more consistent look and feel to the user interfaces of SAP applications. Applications built using FPM
conform to the latest SAP UI and Accessibility guidelines.
FPM is now mandatory for the creation of most user interfaces in the Business Suite applications. The figure
below shows FPMs integration into SAPs UI technologies:
FPM is based on Web Dynpro for ABAP and takes full advantage of its configuration framework. FPM is
ideal for customers as it provides a modification-free way of adapting existing UIs and allows for easy
creation of new UIs.
Essentials of FPM
Structure of an FPM Application

An FPM application consists of the following parts:
Floorplan component
Provides the overall structure of the application, such as page (screen) layout, the position of
toolbars and their elements, and the provision of toolbar buttons for accessing the various layers of
an application interface. Amongst other things, the floorplan component also takes care of
navigation, message handling, and data-loss handling.
FPM provides you with templates for three floorplan types (see Reference section):
o Overview Page
o Object Instance
o Guided Activity
UIBB/GUIBB component
User Interface Building Blocks (UIBBs) are responsible for the layout of the content on the page, for
example, the layout of a particular list or form. They provide the communication link between the
application (developed outside of FPM) and the FPM framework. UIBBs can be divided into the
following categories:
o Freestyle
An individual view of a WD component, developed by the application developer.

o Generic User Interface Building Block (GUIBB)
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Since most content (data) on a page is displayed in a list, table, or form format, FPM
provides its own templates for these formats. These templates are a special type of UIBB
known as a Generic UIBB (GUIBB). FPM provides several GUIBBs, including the Form
GUIBB, the List GUIBB, and the Tree GUIBB, amongst others (see Reference section).
Each GUIBB has its own particular feeder class, an interface between the application and
the user interface. It is in the feeder class that the application developers write the code for
the business logic.
An FPM application is actually composed of configurations of these components. There is always a
configuration of a floorplan component and usually one or more configurations of the GUIBB components
which provide the page content. The floorplan component may also contain freestyle UIBBs.
In an FPM application, the business logic is separated from the UI. The developers of an application take
care of the business logic, and the FPM framework takes care of the user interface. Every FPM application
takes part in the FPM Event Loop a well-defined sequence of events detailed in the FPM Phase Model.
The FPM Event Loop is controlled by a central FPM Runtime (primarily, the class IF_FPM).
For more information on the Phase Model, see the FPM Wiki:
https://wiki.wdf.sap.corp/wiki/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=626624202).
FPM enables the use of an Application-Specific Configuration Controller (AppCC) and several APIs which
developers use to change the application dynamically at runtime.
The following diagrams further explain the structure of an FPM application. Figure 1 shows the location of the
parts of an application which can be configured using FLUID (the FPM configuration editor) and the parts of
an application that are coded by the application developers.
Figure 1
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Figure 2
Figure 2 shows where the parts of an FPM/WD ABAP application are composed, that is, within the FPM
framework or within the application. Note that the Administrator is able to configure those parts within the
FPM framework only.
FLUID
FLUID (Flexible UI Designer) is the FPM configuration editor. You use it to design or adapt the user interface
of your FPM application by configuring the floorplan and GUIBB components. This WYSIWYG editor is easy
to use and enables a customer to make changes to an FPM application modification-free (that is, without
code changes). For example, a customer can easily change headers and labels, add extra columns to a
table, hide certain fields, and add toolbar elements.
Note: Freestyle UIBBs cannot be configured with FLUID; freestyle UIBBs can only be configured using the
standard WD ABAP configuration editor.
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Ways of Adapting FPM Applications

Customers may decide that SAP-delivered applications require some tailoring to their needs. FPM offers the
following means for adaptation:
WD ABAP Configuration Framework
FPM is based on WD ABAP and takes full advantage of its adaptation framework. Applications can be
adapted by various personnel on various levels, as shown in the picture below:
Access to the different levels depends on the authorization profile of the user. For example, a developer
must have the S_DEVELOP authorization profile.
Context-Based Adaptation (CBA)
FLUID provides the administrator of an application with an easy way of adapting applications based on
contexts such as country or role, so-called Context-Based Adaptation (CBA). See the FPM Wiki for
more information.
WD Enhancement Concept
The general SAP NetWeaver Enhancement Framework works with FPM applications too.
Field Extensibility
Developers can create additional fields and add them to the UI using the Application Enhancement Tool
(AET). FPM applications provide access to the AET (via the Repositories Panel in FLUID).
You can find a more detailed description on adapting FPM applications on SDN at:
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/c0a2b7c2-1598-2e10-45bc-
c556df3b9576?QuickLink=index&overridelayout=true
FPM applications provide easy access to the Web Dynpro configuration framework in the form of toolbar
buttons on the applications at runtime, such as the Customize Page button. It allows developers,
administrators and end-users to access the various levels of an application in order to make changes. These
toolbar buttons are only available through the inclusion of a user parameter, FPM_CONFIG_EXPERT (see
Concepts and Terminology section).
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FPM and the Business Object Layer (BOL)

The FPM framework supports the following business object models:
Business Object Layer (BOL)
Business Object Programming Framework (BOPF)
Service Provider Infrastructure (SPI)
Object models provide a uniform faade to access the business logic. FPM provides special generic feeder
classes to interact with the object models.
For more information on this, see the FPM Cookbook on the FPM Wiki.
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Reference
Floorplans and GUIBBs

The FPM framework currently provides the following components for floorplans and GUIBBs:
Floorplans:
FPM_OIF_COMPONENT A component for the Object Instance floorplan type.
An OIF floorplan is used in applications which allow the user to carry out
business object maintenance such as viewing, deleting, and editing
business objects. Each activity is normally presented on a separate tab
page (view switch).
FPM_GAF_COMPONENT A component for the Guided Activity floorplan type.

Applications using a GAF floorplan type enable the user to carry out an
activity by progressing through a series of steps in a roadmap; each step is
presented on its own page (screen). The following screenshot provides an
example of a GAF roadmap:
FPM_OVP_COMPONENT A component for the Overview Page floorplan type.

An application based on an OVP floorplan allows the user to view, edit,
delete, and create all the data regarding a single instance of an object (such
as a sales record). Different activities are normally displayed on separate
pages. The OVP has highly flexible page layout possibilities and end-user
personalization features.
The OVP floorplan supersedes the OIF floorplan.
GUIBBs (Generic User Interface Building Blocks):

FPM_LIST_UIBB_ATS For displaying data in a list (table) format with rows and columns. The
FPM_LIST_UIBB List ATS component supersedes the List Component and offers more
sorting, filtering, grouping, and personalization features.
FPM_TREE_UIBB For displaying data in a hierarchical list (table) format with rows and
columns similar to a List ATS component with the addition of a master
column containing collapse/expand nodes and a field on which the data
is grouped.
FPM_FORM_UIBB For displaying data in a form format. The Form GL2 component
supersedes the Form component and offers more layout features.
FPM_FORM_ UIBB_GL2
The Form Repeater component displays tabular data in a repeating form
FPM_FORM_REPEATER_UIBB
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format. Each row of the table is actually displayed in a form format.

FPM_SEARCH_UIBB For displaying a search component; a component that allows you to
input search criteria and retrieve the results.
FPM_LAUNCHPAD_UIBB For displaying a launchpad. Launchpads are lists of navigational links
that are also capable of accepting and providing parameters.
Launchpads are created external to FPM (transaction LPD_CUST) but
can be displayed in FPM applications using this component.
FPM_POWL_UIBB For displaying Personal Object Worklists. These are configured external
to FPM but can be displayed in FPM applications using this component.
FPM_TABBED_UIBB For displaying data in a Master/Detail format; the Tabbed GUIBB is able
to embed other (G)UIBBs.
FPM_COMPOSITE_UIBB For displaying data in several formats at the same time; the Composite
GUIBB is able to embed other (G)UIBBs.
Concepts and Terminology
Concept or Term Meaning

ACT (Application An FPM application itself, the ACT allows you to create FPM applications in a very
Creation Tool) quick and simple manner. Note, however, that the application is empty the ACT
provides only the floorplan (layout) for the application. The content, provided by
the UIBBs, must be added afterwards.
There is also a BOL-based ACT which you can use to create an application with
content already included.
Feeder Class The link between the application and the GUIBB; provides all the necessary
methods and corresponding signatures to standardize the communication
between the application and the GUIBB. Not all GUIBBs require the use of a
feeder class (for example, the POWL UIBB).
Floorplan A combination of UI patterns arranged in a specific order in an application. A
floorplan allows the user to accomplish a certain activity, such as searching for,
identifying, and maintaining data for an object.
FLUID (Flexible UI The configuration editor for FPM applications. Using FLUID, you can configure the
Designer) floorplan and GUIBB component configurations in FPM applications. Freestyle
UIBBs are configured using the standard Web Dynpro configuration editor.
FPM and Page Builder An FPM application consisting of a single UIBB may be displayed in a CHIP which
can be added to a Page Builder page or a side panel in an OVP floorplan
configuration, another WD ABAP Web UI technology. For this purpose, FPM offers
a single UIBB floorplan, the UIBB CHIP Wrapper (UCW).
For more information on Page Builder, see the SAP NetWeaver Library:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73ehp1/helpdata/en/57/93f0b3f7f84c1387877b3d3
b4a102a/frameset.htm
FPM Parameter: This parameter is responsible for the appearance of the toolbar buttons at runtime
which allow users to access the various levels of an application (eg. configuration
FPM_CONFIG_EXPER
or customizing level). It can be added to a users profile. The parameter may be
T
set to the following values:
X Expert Mode. Provides access to the configuration level for a developer. A
developer may also access the customizing level.
A Admin Mode. Provides access to the customizing level. No access to the
configuration level is possible.
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Hierarchy Browser Before you adapt a configuration, its a good idea to make copies of it. The Web
Dynpro Hierarchy Browser is a tool which displays a hierarchical view of an
application, showing the individual configurations within an FPM application. This
tool allows you to make copies of the application configuration and its individual
component configurations.
Reuse UIBB (RUIBB) UIBBs which provide not only the UI but the business logic too. Currently, FPM
offers the FPM_NOTES_WRAPPER and FPM_ATTACHMENTS_WRAPPER -
templates for producing components which allow the user to manage notes and
attachments, respectively.
Wiring Refers to the transfer of information between individual UIBBs on a page. Wiring
can be configured via FLUID in the Wire Schema panel or by using the Graphical
Wire Editor (GWE) which uses a more user-friendly, graphical interface.
Useful Acronyms in FPM
Acronym Meaning
ACT Application Creation Tool
AET Application Enhancement Tool
AppCC Application-Specific Configuration Controller
CBA Context-Based Adaptation
FLUID Flexible UI Designer
FPM Floorplan Manager
GUIBB Generic User Interface Building Block
UI User Interface
UIBB User Interface Building Block
WD Web Dynpro
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Copyright
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Floorplan Manager (FPM) in a

Author: Celeste Hoefkens

Structure of an FPM Application

An individual view of a WD component, developed by the application developer.

Ways of Adapting FPM Applications

FPM and the Business Object Layer (BOL)

Business Object Programming Framework (BOPF)

Service Provider Infrastructure (SPI)

Floorplans and GUIBBs

FPM_GAF_COMPONENT A component for the Guided Activity floorplan type.

FPM_OVP_COMPONENT A component for the Overview Page floorplan type.

GUIBBs (Generic User Interface Building Blocks):

format. Each row of the table is actually displayed in a form format.

Concepts and Terminology

Concept or Term Meaning

Useful Acronyms in FPM

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