DATA DICTIONARY

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Purpose

The ABAP Dictionary serves as

the central
description of data used in R/3 system .

It Supports the creation and management of

Metadata.

New or modified information is automatically

provided for all the system components.

It ensures data integrity, data consistency and

data security.

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Integration in the ABAP

workbench

The ABAP Dictionary is completely integrated in the

ABAP Workbench.

ABAP Dictionary objects can be changed any number

of times before being activated and made available
to the operative components of the system

Objects can have both an active and an inactive

version in the ABAP Dictionary at the same time.

Inactive ABAP Dictionary objects have no effect on

the

runtime

system

(ABAP

processor,

database

interface).
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Integration in the ABAP

workbench

For Example You declare a variable in your

program

DATA: MARA_TAB TYPE MARA.

Only structure MARA_TAB is declared in the
program. All the information about this structure,
such as the field names, data

types and field

lengths, are copied from table MARA, which is

defined in the ABAP Dictionary. This information
about

table

MARA

is

called

from

the

ABAP

Dictionary when the program is generated.

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Object Types

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Tables

Tables can be defined independently of the

database in the ABAP Dictionary.

The table definition is translated from the

ABAP

Dictionary

to

definition

of

the

particular database.

When the table is activated, a physical table

definition is created in the database for the
table definition stored in the ABAP Dictionary.

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Reference Fields and Reference

Tables

You must specify a reference table for fields

containing

quantities

(data

type

QUAN)

or

currency amounts (data type CURR).

This reference table must contain a field with

the format for the currency key (data type
CUKY) or unit of measure (data type UNIT).
This field is called the reference field of the
output field. The reference field can also reside
in the table itself.

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A field is only assigned to the reference field at

program runtime.

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Components of Tables

Table fields : Define the field names and data

types of the fields contained in the table

Foreign keys : Define the relationships between

the table and other tables.

Technical

settings

Controls

how

the

table

should be created in the database.

Indexes : Speeds up data selection, secondary

indexes can be created for the table

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Include structure

In addition to listing the individual fields, you can

also include the fields of another structure in
tables .

Only flat structures can be included.

Include structures can be included at any line of

the field definitions of the table.

The components of the structure now becomes the

component of the table.

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Append structures

An

append

structure

is

structure

that

is

assigned to exactly one table or structure.

It is used to give enhancements to the already

existing SAP tables by adding fields at the last.

An append structure could be added only at the

last of the table .

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Foreign keys

Foreign keys are used to maintain the referential

Integrity between dependant tables.

Foreign keys can also be used to link several

tables in a view or a lock object.

The dependant table is called foreign key table

and the referenced table is called the check table.

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Technical settings

The technical settings of a table define how the table

will be handled when it is created in the database .

The most important parameters are

Data class: Defines the Tablespace.

Size category : Defines the size of the extents

created for the table.

The

Buffering

type

should

be

specified

if

the

buffering is switched on.

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Buffering

Full buffering
All the records of the table are loaded into the
buffer when one record of the table is accessed.

Generic buffering
When a record of the table is accessed, all the
records having this record in the generic key
fields are loaded into the buffer.

Single-record buffering
Only the records of a table that
accessed are loaded into the buffer.

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are

really
13

Indexes

Indexes

are

used

for

faster

Access

in

the

Database.

Two types of indexes:

Primary indexes
Secondary indexes
Primary indexes are created automatically from

the key fields of the table.

Secondary indexes are created by the user

specifying the fields in the table.

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Views

A view is used to project and select the fields

from more than one table as a single structure.

View does not store the data physically of its

own.

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Types of Views

Database Views

Projection Views

Help Views

Maintenance Views

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Database Views

Database Views are used to project the particular fields

from the different tables using conditions.

A corresponding view is created in the database and

hence the technical setting should be maintained.

The foreign key relationship is not required for joining.

Always inner join is performed.

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Projection Views

It is used to project only the particular fields of

a table.

The selection of records is not possible.

The maintenance status could be set to read

and change the records.

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Help Views

A help view is created if a view with outer join

is needed as selection method of a search help.

Foreign key relationship should exist between

the tables.

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It always implements an outer join.

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Maintenance View

Its used for maintaining complex database

objects as a single logical unit.

It implements outer join.

Foreign key relationship should exist between

the tables.

Insertion and deletion is possible in the view.

SM30 is the transaction used for maintaining it.

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Types

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Data Elements

Structure

Table types

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Data elements

Data elements describes an elementary data

type.

The elementary data type could be either a

domain or built in data types.

Its used to maintain the field labels.

Its used to describe the documentation for

the particular data element. (F1 Help)

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Structure

A structure is a sequence of any other data

types from the ABAP Dictionary, that is, data
elements, structures, table types, or database
tables.

When you create a structure in the ABAP

Dictionary, each component must have a name
and a data type.

In an ABAP program, you can use the TYPE

addition to refer directly to a structure.

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Table type

Table types are construction blueprints for internal

tables that are stored in the ABAP Dictionary

When you create a table type in the ABAP Dictionary,

you specify the line type, access type, and key.

The line type can be any data type from the ABAP
Dictionary, that is, a data element, a structure, a
table type, or the type of a database table.

In an ABAP program, you can use the TYPE addition

to refer directly to a table type.

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Domain

A domain defines a value range for a data

element.

Fields or components that refer to the same

domain are also changed when the domain is
changed which ensures consistency.

A conversion routine can be assigned to a

domain.

This

conversion

routine

converts

values from display format to internal format

for the fields or components that refer to this
domain.
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Conversion routines

The following function modules are assigned to

conversion routine xxxxx:

conversion_exit_xxxxx_input
conversion_exit_xxxxx_output

conversion_exit_xxxxx_input is used to convert to

the form stored in the database.

conversion_exit_xxxxx_output is used to convert

the format stored in the database to the display
format.

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Search helps

Search helps are used to provide the Input Help

for the fields in the screen.

There are two types:

- Elementary search help
- Collective Search help

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Elementary search help

(example)

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Collective Search Help

A collective search help combines several

elementary search helps.

You only have to specify the search helps that are

to be combined in the collective search help.

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Collective Search Help

(Example)

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Lock Objects

Lock object is created and maintained by data dictionary

When two users simultaneously attempt to access the

same

data

record,

this

is

synchronized

by

lock

mechanism

Lock Mode
E Exclusive
S Shared
X Exclusive, But not Cumulative

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Transactions

SE11 - ABAP Dictionary

SE13 - Dictionary Technical settings

SE14 - Database Utility

SE15 - Object Navigator ( Repository Information

System )

SE16 - Data Browser

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Reference

The
learning
material
contained
in
this
PowerPoint
Presentation is prepared with the help of http://help.sap.com/
and sap press book. All rights reserved by SAP AG.
Unless otherwise specifically stated, this learning material is
intended for the sole purpose of class room session, internal use
and for knowledge transfer to the Consultants.
However, for detailed information on this learning material,
http://help.sap.com / sap press book may be referred.
Kaavian is not liable for any legal liability or responsibility for
the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information
disclosed in these learning materials.
No portion of the learning materials
shall be modified,
reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, whether
by electronic, photocopier or otherwise without the written
permission of Kaavian. In no event shall Kaavian be liable for
any damage whatsoever resulting in any action arising in
connection with the use of learning material.
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