1. What are the layers of data description in R/3?

The external layer.

The ABAP/4 layer.
The database layer.
2. Define external layer?
The external layer is the plane at which the user sees and interacts with the data,
that is, the data format in the user interface. This data format is independent of the
database system used.
3. Define ABAP/4 layer?
The ABAP/4 layer describes the data formats used by the ABAP/4 processor.
4. Define Database layer?
The database layer describes the data formats used in the database.
. What is a Data !lass?
The Data class determines in which table space the table is stored when it is
created in the database.
". What is a #i$e !ate%ory?
The i!e cate"ory describes the probable space re#uirement of the table in the
database.
&. 'o( )any types of si$e cate%ories and data classes are there?
There are fi$e si!e cate"ories %&'4( and )) data classes only three of which are
appropriate for application tables*
APP+&' ,aster data %data fre#uently accessed but rarely updated(.
APP+)' Transaction data %data that is chan"ed fre#uently(.
APP+-' .r"ani!ational data %customi!in" data that is entered when system is
confi"ured and then rarely chan"ed(.
The other two types are*
/0
/0) ' 1ntended for customer2s own de$elopments.
*. What are control tables?
The $alues specified for the si!e cate"ory and data class are mapped to database'
specific $alues $ia control tables.
+. What is the f,nction of the transport syste) and (or-bench or%ani$er?
The function of the transport system and the 3or4bench .r"ani!er is to mana"e
any chan"es made to ob5ects of the ABAP/4 De$elopment 3or4bench and to
transport these chan"es between different AP systems.
1.. What is a table pool?
A table pool %or pool( is used to combine se$eral lo"ical tables in the ABAP/4
Dictionary. The definition of a pool consists of at least two 4ey fields and a lon"
ar"ument field %6A0DATA(.
11. What are pooled tables?
These are lo"ical tables, which must be assi"ned to a table pool when they are
defined. Pooled tables can be used to store control data %such as screen se#uences
or pro"ram parameters(.
12. What is a table cl,ster?
A table cluster combines se$eral lo"ical tables in the ABAP/4 Dictionary. e$eral
lo"ical rows from different cluster tables are brou"ht to"ether in a sin"le physical
record. The records from the cluster tables assi"ned to a cluster are thus stored in
a sin"le common table in the database.
13. 'o( can (e access the correction and transport syste)?
7ach time you create a new ob5ect or chan"e an existin" ob5ect in the ABAP/4
Dictionary, you branch automatically to the 3or4bench .r"ani!er or correction and
transport system.
14. Which ob/ects are independent transport ob/ects?
Domains, Data elements, Tables, Technical settin"s for tables, econdary indexes
for transparent tables, tructures, 6iews, ,atchcode ob5ects, ,atchcode 1ds, +oc4
ob5ects.
1. 'o( is con0ersion of data types done bet(een ABAP/4 1 DB layer?
8on$ersion between ABAP/4 data types and the database layer is done within the
database interface.
1". 'o( is con0ersion of data types done bet(een ABAP/4 1 external
le0el?
8on$ersion between the external layer and the ABAP/4 layer is done in the AP
dialo" mana"er D9:P.
1&. What are the Data types of the external layer?
A88P, 8har, 8+:T, 8/;9, 8/00, DAT, D78, <+TP, 1:T), 1:T-, 1:T4, +A:=, +8>0,
+0A3, :/,8, P078, ?/A:, 0A3, T1,, /:1T,6A08.
1*. What are the Data types of the ABAP/4 layer?
Possible ABAP/4 data types*
8* 8haracter.
D* Date, format 9999,,DD.
<* <loatin"'point number in D./B+7 P07811.: %@ bytes(.
1* 1nte"er.
:* :umerical character strin" of arbitrary len"th.
P* Amount of counter field %pac4edA implementation depends on h/w platform(.
* Time tamp 9999,,DD>>,,.
6* 8haracter strin" of $ariable len"th, len"th is "i$en in the first two bytes.
B* >exadecimal %binary( stora"e.
1+. 'o( can (e set the table spaces and extent si$es?
9ou can specify the extent si!es and the table space %physical stora"e area in the
database( in which a transparent table is to be stored by settin" the si!e cate"ory
and data class.
2.. What is the f,nction of the correction syste)?
The correction system mana"es chan"es to internal system components. uch as
ob5ects of the ABAP/4 Dictionary.
21. What are local ob/ects?
+ocal ob5ects %De$ classCT,P( are independent of correction and transport system.
22. What is a De0elop)ent class?
0elated ob5ects from the ABAP/4 repository are assi"ned to the same de$elopment
class. This enables you to correct and transport related ob5ects as a unit.
23. What is a data dictionary?
Data Dictionary is a central source of data in a data mana"ement system. 1ts main
function is to support the creation and mana"ement of data definitions. 1t has
details about
3hat data is containedD
3hat are the attributes of the dataD
3hat is the relationship existin" between the $arious data elementsD
24. What f,nctions does a data dictionary perfor)?
1n a data mana"ement system, the principal functions performed by the data
dictionary are
,ana"ement of data definitions.
Pro$ision of information for e$aluation.
upport for s/w de$elopment.
upport form documentation.
7nsurin" that the data definitions are flexible and up'to'date.
2. What are the feat,res of ABAP/4 Dictionary?
The most important features are*
1nte"rated to aABAP/4 De$elopment 3or4bench.
Acti$e in the runtime en$ironment.
2". What are the ,ses of the infor)ation in the Data dictionary?
The followin" information is directly ta4en from the Data dictionary*
1nformation on fields displayed with <) help.
Possible entries for fields displayed with <4 help.
,atchcode and help $iews search utilities.
2&. What are the basic ob/ects of the data dictionary?
Tables
Domains
Data elements
tructures
<orei"n ;eys
2*. What are the a%%re%ate ob/ects in the data dictionary?
6iews
,atch codes
+oc4 ob5ects.
2+. 2n the ABAP/4 Dictionary 3ables can be defined independent of the
,nderlyin% database 43/56.
True.
3.. ABAP/4 Dictionary contains the 7o%ical definition of the table.
31. A field containin% c,rrency a)o,nts 4data type !8RR6 ),st be
assi%ned to a reference table and a reference field. 9xplain.
As a reference table, a system containin" all the $alid currencies is assi"ned or any
other table, which contains a field with the currency 4ey format. This field is called
as reference field. The assi"nment of the field containin" currency amounts to the
reference field is made at runtime. The $alue in the reference field determines the
currency of the amount.
32. A field containin% :,antity a)o,nts 4data type ;8A<6 ),st be
assi%ned to a reference table and a reference field. 9xplain?
As a reference table, a system table containin" all the $alid #uantity units is
assi"ned or any other table, which contains a field with the format or #uantity units
%data type /:1T(. This field is called as reference field.
The assi"nment of the field containin" #uantity amounts to the reference field is
made at runtime. The $alue in the reference field determines the #uantity unit of
the amount.
33. What is the si%nificance of 3echnical settin%s 4specified (hile creatin%
a table in the data dictionary6?
By specifyin" technical settin"s we can control how database tables are created in
the database. The technical settin"s allows us to
.ptimi!e stora"e space re#uirements.
Table access beha$ior.
Bufferin" re#uired.
8han"es to entries lo""ed.
34. What is a 3able attrib,te?
The table2s attributes determine who is responsible for maintainin" a table and
which types of access are allowed for the table. The most important table attributes
are*
Deli$ery class.
Table maintenance allowed.
Acti$ation type.
3. What is the si%nificance of Deli0ery !lass?
The deli$ery class controls the de"ree to which the AP or the customer is
responsible for table maintenance.
3hether AP pro$ides the table with or without contents.
Determines the table type.
Determines how the table beha$es when it is first installed, at up"rade, when it is
transported, and when a client copy is performed.
3". What is the )ax. no. =f str,ct,res that can be incl,ded in a table or
str,ct,re.
:ine.
3&. What are t(o )ethods of )odifyin% #AP standard tables?
Append tructures and
8ustomi!in" 1ncludes.
3*. What is the difference bet(een a #,bstr,ct,re and an Append
#tr,ct,re?
1n case of a substructure, the reference ori"inates in the table itself, in the form
of a statement include....
1n case of an append structure, the table itself remains unchan"ed and the
reference ori"inates in the append structure.
3+. 3o ho( )any tables can an append str,ct,re be assi%ned.
.ne.
4.. 2f a table that is to be extended contains a lon% field> (e cannot ,se
append str,ct,res (hy?
+on" fields in a table must always be located in the end, as the last field of the
table. 1f a table has an append structure the append line must also be on the last
field of the table.
41. !an (e incl,de c,sto)i$in% incl,de or an append str,ct,re (ith Pooled
or !l,ster tables?
:o.
4-. 3hat are the two ways for restrictin" the $alue ran"e for a domainD
By specifyin" fixed $alues.
By stipulatin" a $alue table.
43. #tr,ct,res can contain data only d,rin% the r,nti)e of a pro%ra) 43/56
True.
44. What are the a%%re%ate ob/ects in the Dictionary?
6iews
,atch 8ode.
+oc4 .b5ect.
4. What are base tables of an a%%re%ate ob/ect?
The tables ma4in" up an a""re"ate ob5ect %primary and secondary( are called
a""re"ate ob5ect.
4". 3he data of a 0ie( is not physically stored> b,t deri0ed fro) one or
)ore tables 4t/f6
True.
4&. What are the 2 other types of ?ie(s> (hich are not allo(ed in Release
3..?
tructure 6iews.
7ntity 6iews.
4*. What is a @atch !ode?
,atch code is a tool to help us to search for data records in the system. ,atch
8odes are an efficient and user'friendly search aid where 4ey of a record is
un4nown.
4+. What are the t(o le0els in definin% a @atch !ode?
,atch 8ode .b5ect.
,atch 8ode1d.
E50. What is the max no of match code Id's that can be defined for one Match code
object?E
A match code 1d is a one character 1D that can be a letter or a number.
E51. Can we define our own Match Code ID's for S! Matchcodes?E
9es, the number & to F are reser$ed for us to create our own ,atch 8ode 1ds for a
AP defined ,atchcode ob5ect.
2. What is an 8pdate type (ith reference to a @atch code 2D?
1f the data in one of the base tables of a matchcode 1D chan"es, the matchcode
data has to be updated. The update type stipulates when the matchcode is to be
updated and how it is to be done. The update type also specifies which method is to
be used for Buildin" matchcodes. 9ou must specify the update type when you
define a matchcode 1D.
3. !an )atchcode ob/ect contain 2ds (ith different ,pdate types?
9es.
4. What are the ,pdate types possible?
The followin" update types are possible*
/pdate type A* The matchcode data is updated asynchronously to database
chan"es.
/pdate type * The matchcode data is updated synchronously to database
chan"es.
/pdate type P* The matchcode data is updated by the application pro"ram.
/pdate type 1* Access to the matchcode data is mana"ed usin" a database $iew.
/pdate type +* Access to the matchcode is achie$ed by callin" a function module.
. What are the t(o different (ays of b,ildin% a )atch code ob/ect?
A match code can be built in two different ways*
+o"ical structure* The matchcode data is set up temporarily at the moment when
the match code is accessed. %/pdate type 1, 4(.
Physical tructure* The match code data is physically stored in a separate table in
the database. %/pdate type A, , P(.
". What are the differences bet(een a Database index and a )atch code?
,atch code can contain fields from se$eral tables whereas an index can contain
fields from only one table.
,atch code ob5ects can be built on transparent tables and pooled and cluster
tables.
&. What is the f,nction of a Do)ain?
A domain describes the technical settin"s of a table field.
A domain defines a $alue ran"e, which sets the permissible data $alues for the
fields, which refers to this domain.
A sin"le domain can be used as basis for any number of fields that are identical in
structure.
*. !an yo, delete a do)ain> (hich is bein% ,sed by data ele)ents?
:o.
+. What are con0ersion ro,tines?
:on'standard con$ersions from display format to sap internal format and $ice'
$ersa are implemented with so called con$ersion routines.
".. What is the f,nction of a data ele)ent?
A data element describes the role played by a domain in a technical context. A data
element contains semantic information.
"1. !an a do)ain> assi%ned to a data ele)ent be chan%ed?
9es. 3e can do so by 5ust o$erwritin" the entry in the field domain.
"2. !an yo, delete data ele)ent> (hich is bein% ,sed by table fields.
:o.
63. Can you define a field without a data element?
9es. 1f you want to specify no data element and therefore no domain for a field, you
can enter data type and field len"th and a short text directly in the table
maintenance.
64. What are null values?
1f the $alue of a field in a table is undefined or un4nown, it is called a null $alue.
65. What is the difference between a structure and a table?
tructures are constructed the almost the same way as tables, the only difference
usin" that no database table is "enerated from them.
66. What is a view?
A $iew is a lo"ical $iew on one or more tables. A $iew on one or more tables i.e.,
the data from a $iew is not actually physically stored instead bein" deri$ed from
one or more tables.
67. How many types of iews are there?
Database 6iew
>elp 6iew
Pro5ection 6iew
,aintenance 6iew
6!. What is "oc#in$?
3hen two users simultaneously attempt to access the same data record, this is
synchroni!ed by a loc4 mechanism.
6%. What is database utility?
Database utility is the interface between the ABAP/4 Dictionary and the underlyin"
the AP system.
7&. What are the basic functions of 'atabase utility?
The basic functions of database utility are*
8reate database ob5ects.
Delete database ob5ects.
Ad5ust database ob5ects to chan"ed ABAP/4 dictionary definition.
7(. What is )epository *nfo. +ystems?
1t is a tool with which you can ma4e data stored in the ABAP/4 Dictionary a$ailable.
7,. *f a standard domain has fi-ed values assi$n how we can add custom
values it.?
,ost of the time answer will be we will need an access 4ey to modify the same. But
the correct answer is we can create append for domain $alues as we do for
tables/structures