SWITCH FRAMEWORK By - Abhishek Chatterjee

Why Switch Framework? The new enhancement concept of the ABAP Workbench (Enhancement Framework) enables the integration of different concepts for modifying and enhancing development objects. In the long-term, the new Enhancement Framework is to replace or incorporate the existing enhancement and modification concepts. The main purpose of the Switch Framework is to simplify an ABAP-based system landscape by adopting one or more industry solutions in a standard system. With minor exceptions, you no longer need to install an industry solution - you can activate it when required What can be achieved through Switch Framework? As the name suggests Switches enable any objects to be turned on and off depending on the requirements. Switchable Objects by package assignment Enhancement Implementations Appends, SI-, CI-includes for dictionary structures Fixed value appends to domains Append Search Helps Secondary Indexes Switch Business Configuration Sets Practically almost all the objects provided by SAP can be switched depending on whether you assign them to the switchable package or not.

Flow of Switch Framework Package containing the switchable objects

Business Function Set (Industry Solution)

Business Function

Switch

Implementation of Switch Framework Lets consider a practical scenario where we need to implement Switch framework. Lets say you have a screen exit for purchase requisition in which you have to add a custom screen in ME52N item detail section. Now to populate data into the screen objects, we need to implement few user exits and enhancement spots. Once all the code is in place for all the enhancements everything is ready and good to go. Once we implement this scenario many standard stuff becomes dependent on our enhancements. Now there is a requirement from client stating that a problem in the standard section say item overview table needs to be solved. After some research you find out that the problem does not pertain to your enhancements but some other standard SAP stuff. The only option over here is to raise an OSS note and notify SAP regarding this. SAP comes back saying that there are lots of enhancement implementations which are hampering their research of the problem. So they come back saying that we need to deactivate the enhancement spots in order to give them clean access to the problem. How do we achieve this? We have 2 options to achieve this 1. Find out all the enhancement implementations and comment the code. 2. Implement Switch Framework and turn the Enhancement Implementations off. The choice is entirely up to you whichever you feel comfortable in. But I would suggest you to go with Switch framework, because it is a much better, efficient and reliable way to achieve this scenario. So lets start the fun The implementation of Switch is divided in few stepsStep 1 Create the package from SE80 and assign the objects in that package. Step 2 - Create the Switch using Transaction code SFW1

Step 3 Assign the package to the Switch and save it.

Step 4 Create a business function Transaction SFW2. Dont forget to check the Reversible checkbox, otherwise you wont be able to switch it off once you turn it on.

Step 5 Save the Business Function and go to SFW1 to assign the business function to the switch.

Step 6 Again go to SFW2, and assign the switch in the business function.

Step7 Save the business function and Go to SFW3 and create the Business function set.

Step 8 Again go to SFW2 and assign the Business function set to the Business function.

Step 9 Activate the Switch, Business Function and Business Function Set. Now heres a trick. The activation of these programs is through some background jobs which need special authorization. So be ready to catch hold of concerned person to provide necessary authorization.

Step 10 Finally the moment has arrived. Go to transaction SFW5. You would find your Business Function Set. Select that business function set and activate it.

Once these are activated, go to your respective enhancements and in the properties tab, you would notice that a Switch is assigned and is turned off.