ABAP Objects

Andreas Blumenthal Jrgen Heymann

SAP AG
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 1

ABAP Objects
ABAP Objects as a strategic SAP technology
 Programming with objects, classes, and interfaces in ABAP  Interoperability with other object systems

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 2

Positioning ABAP Objects

 Benefits of object orientation  Current situation
 

External interoperability ABAP programming

 What are ABAP Objects ?  Benefits of ABAP Objects

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 3

Benefits of Object Orientation

 Encapsulation - outside vs. inside  Explicit interfaces  Control of complexity and dependencies  Reuse - of components and by inheritance  Maintainability  Interoperability across languages (Java, VB, ...) and object systems (DCOM/CORBA)  Foundation for patterns and frameworks
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 4

Current Interoperability Technology

 BOR (Business Object Repository)
  

Foundation for DCOM/CORBA connection Fully featured standard object model Medium level object wrappers for business functionality written in standard ABAP

 BAPIs (Business APIs)

  

Defined within the BOR Function-oriented, stable interfaces to R/3 applications Support for Internet applications

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 5

Current ABAP Programming

 Complexity reduction by powerful high-level programming constructs
   

Procedural abstraction (function library) Data abstraction (type pools, complex data types) Logical databases for hierarchical data access Event-oriented programming with logical databases and interactive reporting Fully integrated SQL interface In-memory tables: fast key access, sorted and/or nested, group control, ... ...
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 6

What Are ABAP Objects ?

 Complete integration of a fully featured object model into the ABAP programming language  100% upward-compatible extension of ABAP/4


Bottom up: use objects in existing ABAP programs (reports, module- and function-pools) Top down: call forms and functions from within objects All ABAP language constructs are available within objects Fully integrated into the ABAP Workbench

  

 Class library for global classes (will absorb BOR)

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 7

Benefits of ABAP Objects

 Identical object model for external access and internal usage  Seamless object model from analysis through design to implementation  Kernel-embedded foundation for objects


Make OO benefits available for the implementation of the worlds largest business application True two-way interoperability: ABAP <=> Java, ABAP <=> VB, ... Speed, speed, speed !

 

 Enabling technology for GUI programming with frontend controls (ActiveX, JavaBeans)
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 8

ABAP Objects
 ABAP Objects as a strategic SAP technology

Programming with objects, classes, and interfaces in ABAP

 Interoperability with other object systems

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 9

Fundamentals: Objects vs. Data & Functions

 Objects occur 'naturally' in the world. We want to model our software accordingly


E.g.: Transportation company: trucks (various kinds), loads (various), etc.

 Functions and data

 

Big common data structure and some common functions Lots of CASE statements, sparsely filled data structures

 Objects: car, truck, load,

 

Various kinds of everything, objects for truck, load, Object: data and functions that belong together to model / implement a specific concept Fewer CASE statements, densely filled data, cohesion
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 10

Fundamentals: What Is an Object ?

 Objects have
  

...state, described by its attributes ...behavior, described by its methods ...identity to distinguish them from other objects with same state and behavior

 Objects can interact with each other...

  

...by accessing (public) attributes ...by calling methods ...by raising or handling events

 Objects are instances of classes

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SAP AG 1997

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The ABAP Object

 Classes
 

...specify behavior of same kind of objects ...define how objects can be accessed from outside (public vs. protected vs. private) ...hide implementation details ...may be specialized in subclasses

 

CLASS class DEFINITION [ INHERITNG FROM superclass ]. [ PUBLIC SECTION. ...<definition of public components> ] [ PROTECTED SECTION. ...<definition of protected components> ] [ PRIVATE SECTION. ...<definition of private components> ] ENDCLASS. CLASS class IMPLEMENTATION. [...<method implementations> ] ENDCLASS. SAP AG 1997
C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 12

An Example
CLASS CTruck DEFINITION. PUBLIC SECTION. DATA: VehicleId TYPE I READ-ONLY. METHODS: LoadParcel IMPORTING Parcel TYPE REF TO CParcel, UnloadParcel PRIVATE SECTION. DATA: ParcelTab TYPE REF TO CParcel OCCURS 0. ENDCLASS. CLASS CTruck IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD LoadParcel. APPEND Parcel TO ParcelTab. -- do more stuff ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS. PROGRAM xy. DATA: Parcel TYPE REF TO CParcel, Truck1 TYPE REF TO CTruck, Truck2 TYPE REF TO CTruck. -- get input data for parcel from somewhere CREATE OBJECT Parcel. CALL METHOD Parcel->SetPars EXPORTING Weight = In_weight. --- deal with multiple instances CALL METHOD Truck1->UnloadParcel IMPORTING Parcel = Parcel. CALL METHOD Truck2->LoadParcel( Parcel ). SAP AG 1997
C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 13
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Some Important Points

 Objects are created dynamically


Storage management, garbage collection

 Access to objects via object reference only!!!

  

Distinguish instances by object reference Only and explicit means of dependency Sharing always and only via (object) references (similar to field-symbols; all other ABAP types are value-based!)

 Internal data hidden from users



Private data accessible only by the objects methods

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 14

Component Definitions
 Attributes
    

...store the internal state of an object (data) ...can be references to other objects can be: read-only, virtual, class attributes can be constants Virtual attributes: Attribute from the outside, inside the object Set- and Get-methods. Dynamic control of Set-/Get-methods.

{DATA|CLASS-DATA} attr TYPE type [ VALUE val ] [ READ-ONLY ] [ VIRTUAL [ SET-METHOD set-method] [GET-METHOD get-method] ]. CONSTANTS const TYPE type VALUE val.
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 15

Component Definitions
 Methods
 

are operations on objects (the functionality) are the only way to change the state of an object (other than public attributes) ...have parameters and can raise exceptions (similar to function modules) ...can pass back a return value No method-name overloading!

 

{METHODS|CLASS-METHODS} method [ IMPORTING ...<list of import parameters> ] [ EXPORTING ...<list of export parameters> ] [ CHANGING ...<list of import/export parameters> ] [ EXCEPTIONS ...<list of exceptions> ] [ RETURNING result TYPE t ].

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 16

Using Attributes and Methods

CLASS c1 DEFINITION. PUBLIC SECTION. DATA: v1 TYPE I, o1 TYPE REF TO c1. METHODS: m1 IMPORTING a1 TYPE REF TO c1, m2 IMPORTING a1 TYPE REF TO c1 RETURNING result TYPE I. PRIVATE SECTION. DATA: v2 TYPE I. ENDCLASS. PROGRAM xy. DATA o1 TYPE REF TO c1. --- attribute can occur anywhere a normal variable can occur CREATE OBJECT o1. x = o1->v1 + sin( o1-> v1 ). CALL FUNCTION 'abc' EXPORTING p1 = o1->v1 . --- some method calls CALL METHOD o1->m1 EXPORTING a1 = o1. CALL METHOD o1->m1( o1 ). -- short form for 1 exporting arg y = obj1->m2( x ). -- result can be used in expressions SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 17

Component Definitions
 Events...


...occur at a particular point in time, e.g. change in state of an object ...can be raised to inform other interested objects ...can pass parameters

 

EVENTS event [ EXPORTING

...<list of export parameters> ].

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 18

Event Handling
 Events are handled by classes
 

General publish-subscribe model Syntax similar to Visual Basic event handling

 Event handlers...
 

...are methods for handling events from other objects ...are declared with reference to the event to be handled (signature from there) must be registered explicitly

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 19

Event Handling Example

Sender
*---- proxy class for GUI control CLASS CButton DEFINITION. PUBLIC SECTION. METHODS: SetLabel IMPORTING Txt TYPE . EVENTS: Clicked EXPORTING DoubleClick TYPE I. ENDCLASS.

Handler
CLASS CWindow1 DEFINITION. PUBLIC SECTION. "--- handle events by implementing "--- event handler methods METHODS: OKClicked FOR EVENT Clicked OF CButton IMPORTING DoubleClick, CanClicked FOR EVENT Clicked OF CButton. DATA: OKBtn TYPE REF TO CButton. ENDCLASS. CLASS CWindow1 IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD Init. CREATE OBJECT: OKBtn, CanBtn. SET HANDLER: OKClicked FOR OKBtn, CanClicked FOR CanBtn. ENDMETHOD. METHOD OKClicked. IF DoubleClick = 1. ENDMETHOD.

CLASS CButton IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD AnyMethod. RAISE EVENT Clicked EXPORTING DoubleClick = 0. ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS.

ENDIF.

METHOD CancelClicked. "--- DoubleClick not visible R ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS. SAP AG 1997
C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 20

Class Component Definitions

 Class attributes...
  

...are data on class level, independent of object / instance ...are always there like global variables / functions ...have global lifetime, with scope tied to class

 Class methods...
 

...can only access class attributes ...can be called like global functions, but are tied to class

*--- class attribute definition CLASS-DATA: var TYPE t . *--- class method definition CLASS-METHODS: cm <parameter syntax like methods>.

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 21

Using Class Components

*---- Transaction controller for nested transactions ---CLASS TACtrl DEFINITION. PUBLIC SECTION. --- class method to create new controller instance CLASS-METHODS: CreateNew RETURNING TaObj TYPE REF TO TACtrl. CLASS-DATA: Current TYPE REF TO TACtrl READ-ONLY. METHODS: Commit, Abort. -- instance methods PRIVATE SECTION. CLASS-DATA: TAStack TYPE REF TO TACtrl OCCURS 0. ENDCLASS. CLASS TACtrl IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD CreateNew. DATA NewTA TYPE REF TO TACtrl. CREATE OBJECT NewTA. APPEND NewTA TO TAStack. Current = NewTA. ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS. PROGRAM xy. --- start nested transaction CALL METHOD TACtrl=>CreateNew. CALL METHOD TACtrl=>Current->Commit.

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 22

Inheritance
 A class can be derived from another
  

Only specify what is different / added Add attributes and methods Redefine / override existing methods (in any section) = change implementation, slight change of interface possible Single inheritance on class

CLASS class DEFINITION INHERITING FROM superclass. SECTION. --- added attributes and methods DATA: METHODS: --- override / redefine existing method METHODS m REDEFINITION
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ENDCLASS.

SAP AG 1997

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Using Inheritance
 Polymorphism on object references
CLASS DrawableObject DEFINITION PUBLIC SECTION. METHODS: Draw. ENDCLASS. CLASS Polygon DEFINITION INHERITING FROM DrawableObject. PUBLIC SECTION. METHODS: AddPoint IMPORTING P TYPE T_Point, Draw REDEFINITION. PRIVATE SECTION. DATA: PointTab TYPE T_Point OCCURS 0. ENDCLASS. CLASS Polygon IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD Draw. DATA: Point TYPE T_Point. LOOP AT PointTab INTO Point. CALL METHOD DrawableObject=>Draw( Point ). ENDLOOP. ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS.

DrawableObject

Point
PROGRAM xy.

Polygon

Bitmap

DATA: DObj TYPE REF TO DrawableObject. DATA: DObjTab TYPE REF TO DrawableObject OCCURS 0. --- create drawable objects --- draw all of them LOOP AT DObjTab INTO DObj. CALL METHOD DObj->Draw. ENDLOOP.
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SAP AG 1997

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Interfaces
 Interfaces define the interaction between different objects  Polymorphism independent of class / inheritance  Classes can implement multiple interfaces  Uniform access through interface reference

ArchiveMgr

IArchive

Plan

Customer

Material
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 25

Interface Definition
 Interfaces...


can define same components as class - without implementation ...may enclose multiple other interfaces (hierarchy) have separate name spaces for their components Components of enclosed interfaces are not visible in the toplevel interface (black boxes); there is a mapping/aliasing feature

  

INTERFACE interface. [ INTERFACES ...<list of comprised interfaces> .] [ ...<definition of interface components> ] ENDINTERFACE.
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 26

Interfaces
 Implementation of interfaces
   

A class can implement many interfaces Interfaces are implemented side-by-side in a class (like COM) No name conflicts on the class level No semantic conflicts at class level and interface composition

 Using interfaces
 

Access by interface reference like object reference An interface reference only exposes the components of that interface Assignment / cast to another interface possible

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 27

Interface Example
INTERFACE IArchive DEFINITION. DATA: ObjID TYPE T_OID VIRTUAL. -- fast EVENTS: Saved, . METHODS: SaveYourself IMPORTING . ENDINTERFACE. CLASS Customer DEFINITION. INTERFACES: IArchive, IWorkflow, . ENDCLASS. CLASS Customer IMPLEMENTATION. METHOD IArchive~GET_ObjID. CALL FUNCTION Archive_Get_OID IMPORTING IArchive~objid. -- no more recompute SET DIRECT READ ACCESS FOR IArchive~ObjID. ENDMETHOD. METHOD IArchive~SaveYourself. --- save all own data into RAISE EVENT IArchive~Saved . ENDMETHOD. ENDCLASS. SAP AG 1997

CLASS CArchiveMgr. DATA: IAObj TYPE REF TO IArchive. DATA: IATab TYPE REF TO IArchive OCCURS 0. METHOD AddToArchive IMPORTING IAObj APPEND IAObj TO IATab. ENDMETHOD. METHOD DoArchive. --- archive all objects in table LOOP AT IATab INTO IAObj. WRITE: / Wrote:, IAObj->ObjID. CALL METHOD IAObj->SaveYourself . ENDLOOP. ENDMETHOD.
CArchiveMgr

Plan1

iaTab

IArchive

Plan2

Material

Customer

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 28

Interfaces and Classes

Object reference
class 1 specific

Class 1 Part

Interface 1

Interface 2
Interface reference

Comprising Interface 3 Interface 4 Implementing Class 1 Inheriting from Class 2 Interface 5

if 3 specific

Interface 3 Interface reference

interface 1

Interface reference

interface 2 if 4 specific

Interface 4 Interface reference

Object reference

class 2 specific

Class 2 Part
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Interface reference

interface 5

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 29

Naming and Visibility

 Class components...
 

share a common name space within the class ...may be

 public = visible to all  protected = visible to subclasses and implementation  private = visible to the class implementation only


...depend on instance data or not

 Interface components
 

Separate name space for interface components Interfaces are visible as a whole (like view)

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 30

Miscellaneous


Avoid naming conflicts, selectively make components visible

{CLASS DEFINITION | INTERFACE }. INTERFACES i. ... ALIASES a FOR i~a. {ENDCLASS|ENDINTERFACE}.

Constructor (Destructor)
CLASS class DEFINITION. ... METHODS CONSTRUCTOR IMPORTING p TYPE t . ENDCLASS. "--- name / syntax TBD

Friends
CLASS c1 DEFINITION EXPOSING PRIVATE COMPONENTS TO c2. ... PRIVATE SECTION. ENDCLASS. CLASS c2 DEFINITION ACCESSING PRIVATE COMPONENTS OF c1. ... PRIVATE SECTION. ENDCLASS.
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SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 31

The ABAP Object Model

 Summary
    

Classes and interfaces Attributes, methods, and events Classes can implement interfaces Interface composition Single inheritance for classes, multiple composition + aliasing for interfaces Event handling

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 32

ABAP Objects
 ABAP Objects as a strategic SAP technology  Programming with objects, classes, and interfaces in ABAP

Interoperability with other object systems

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 33

Interoperability: DCOM and CORBA

Client / Server Client / Server

Visual Basic

Component Connector DCOM

*Script, ... CORBA Java

ABAP Objects

CORBA Bridge
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Interoperability Features
 Transparent two-way mapping between ABAP Objects and external object models  Automatic generation of proxies and stubs  Location transparency:


CREATE OBJECT obj DESTINATION dest

 Delta management for mass data

For details see presentation on Distributed Objects

SAP AG 1997

C01 Technology Days `97, Karlsruhe (Blumenthal & Heymann) / 35