Kevin Neale

October 31, 2022 20 minute read

Add Find Method to the ABAP Editor Patterns

As promised in my previous blog Reusing Class Methods Should Be Easier, I am going to show how this object lookup program can be added to the ABAP editor pattern options. I have organised this blog so that, if you are an expert, you only need to read the overview and drill down to the details for specifics, but, if you prefer to read the detail immediately, you can click on this link and read the whole process step by step. You can copy and paste most stuff from this blog.

This exercise will teach the following skills if you are new to ABAP.

SE11 How to create Structures and Table Types for method communication.
SE24 How to create Classes and Methods including Event Handler Methods.
SE37 How to create a Function Module with a Modal Dialog popup screen.
How to add a dynamic pattern into your ABAP editor.

OVERVIEW

First create the communication structures with SE11.

Name: ZCAS_FIND_OBJECT_INPUT
Description: Input format for function Z_FIND_OBJECT_EDITOR_EXIT
Input structure field list.

Name: ZCAS_FIND_METHOD_OUTPUT
Description: Output structure for function
Output structure field list.

Then create a table type for each, named: ZCAT_FIND_METHOD_INPUT and ZCAT_FIND_METHOD_OUTPUT respectively.
Table types.

Next create a class called ZCL_COLOUR. (I prefer the English spelling but that’s up to you. )
Add the following attributes:
Add the ZCL_COLOUR class attributes.

Create another class called ZCL_FIND_OBJECT
Add the following methods:
Add the ZCL_FIND_OBJECT class methods.

The parameters and code for each method is as follows:
GET_DATA parameters.
GET_DATA Code.
PROCESS parameters.
PROCESS Code.
OUTPUT Code.
FORMAT_CALL parameters.
FORMAT_CALL Code.
SET_COLUMN_PROPERTIES parameters.
SET_COLUMN_PROPERTIES Code.
SET_HEADER parameters.
SET_HEADER Code.
HANDLE_DOUBLE_CLICK parameters.
HANDLE_DOUBLE_CLICK Code.

Add the attributes.
Add the ZCL_FIND_OBJECT class attributes.

Create a function module called Z_FIND_EDITOR_OBJECT_EXIT.
Add the table parameter

BUFFER	TYPE	RSWSOURCET

and the exception

CANCELLED	Cancelled by user

Enter the code.
Enter the globals.
Create the modal dialog screen something like this.
The data elements must be named like this and the flow logic must be like this.
Create a Dialog Box status like this linking the two buttons to [Enter] and [F12] respectively.

Finally, add the dynamic pattern to your ABAP Editor and call it Z_FIND_OBJECT and paste in *$&$MUSTER like this.

THE DETAILS STEP BY STEP

In SE11 – Create the communication structures

Set the option to Structure

Select%20Type

Make the description something like, Input structure for Find Object.

Copy and paste the fields below into the components

CLSNAME	Types	SEOCLSNAME
CMPNAME	Types	SEOCMPNAME
CMPTYPE	Types	SEOCMPTYPE
MTDTYPE	Types	SEOMTDTYPE
MTDDECLTYP	Types	SEOMTDDECL
ATTDECLTYP	Types	SEOATTDECL
EXPOSE	Types	SEOEXPOSE
STATE	Types	SEOSTATE
ATTVALUE	Types	SEOVALUE

Select Extras -> Enhancement Category from the menu

Enter past the annoying nonsense.

Choose Cannot Be Enhanced (There is no reason to allow enhancement. Any future changes can be a modification in your own environment.)

Click the Activate button

Create the object entry as local. There is no reason to transport this to the Quality Assurance or Production system.

Then repeat this process for the Output structure with the following description and fields.

Output structure for Find Object.

CLSNAME	Types	SEOCLSNAME
CMPNAME	Types	SEOCMPNAME
CMPTYPE	Types	VAL_TEXT
MTDTYPE	Types	VAL_TEXT
ATTDECLTYP	Types	VAL_TEXT
EXPOSE	Types	VAL_TEXT
STATE	Types	VAL_TEXT
ATTVALUE	Types	SEOVALUE
COLOUR	Types	LVC_T_SCOL

After that, Create the Table types for the two structures as follows:

Note: This is the same name as the structures but with the fourth character changed from an S to a T.

Choose table type:

Table%20type

Enter the Structure name and Description and Click the Activate button.

Again, make it local then do the same for the output structure.

Next, go to SE24 and create the class ZCL_COLOUR.

Enter the description, “Colour Assist” accept the defaults and click Save.

Make it local.

Click the Attributes tab and paste in the following values.

NONE	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		0
BLUE	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		1
GREY	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		2
YELLOW	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		3
DARKBLUE	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		4
GREEN	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		5
RED	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		6
ORANGE	Static Attribute	Public	Type	I		7

Click the Activate button.

Then click [Continue].

Create the ZCL_FIND_OBJECT class.

Enter the description “Find an object by description pattern”, accept the defaults and click Save.

Keep it local.

Paste the following methods:

GET_DATA	Static	Public
PROCESS	Static	Public
OUTPUT	Static	Public
FORMAT_CALL	Static	Public
SET_COLUMN_PROPERTIES	Static	Private
SET_HEADER	Static	Private
HANDLE_DOUBLE_CLICK	Static	Private

Note: The last method “HANDLE_DOUBLE_CLICK” must be set as an Event Handler Method.

To do this, select the method HANDLE_DOUBLE_CLICK and click the Goto Properties icon.

Enter a description “Handle the user’s double click event”, check the Event Handler for and enter the Class and Event as follows then click Change.

Paste the following descriptions for the methods or enter your own.

Get the possible objects
Prepare the selection for display
Display the list
Format the method to return to the ABAP editor
Set up column properties
Set column headers

Note: As you paste in the following parameters and code activate the class by using [Ctrl]+[F3] frequently to confirm that nothing was stuffed up during the paste.

Click on the GET_DATA method and then click the [Parameters] button and paste the following parameters in.

IV_CLS	Importing	Type	VSEOCOMPDF-CLSNAME		Object Type Name
IV_CMP	Importing	Type	VSEOCOMPDF-CMPNAME		Component name
IV_MTH	Importing	Type	FLAG		Component type Method
IV_DAT	Importing	Type	FLAG		Component type Data
IV_EVT	Importing	Type	FLAG		Component type Event
ET_INPUT	Exporting	Type	ZCAT_FIND_OBJECT_INPUT		Input format for function Z_FIND_OBJECT_EDITOR_EXIT

Click [F11] to save the click on the methods button and double-click GET_DATA to enter the following code.

  method get_data.
    data:
      lv_typ            type vseocompdf-cmptype,
      lv_cls            type vseocompdf-clsname,
      lv_cmp            type vseocompdf-cmpname.

    clear at_output.
    if iv_cls is initial.
      move '%' to lv_cls.
    else.
      move iv_cls to lv_cls.
      translate lv_cls using '*%'.
    endif.
    if iv_cmp is initial.
      move '%' to lv_cmp.
    else.
      move iv_cmp to lv_cmp.
      translate lv_cmp using '*%'.
    endif.
    case abap_true.
      when iv_mth.
        move 1 to lv_typ.
      when iv_dat.
        move 0 to lv_typ.
      when iv_evt.
        move 2 to lv_typ.
    endcase.
    select clsname, cmpname, cmptype, mtdtype, mtddecltyp,
           attdecltyp, exposure, state, attvalue
    from   vseocompdf
    where  clsname    like @lv_cls
    and    cmpname    like @lv_cmp
    and    cmptype    eq   @lv_typ
    and    exposure   eq   2
    and    state      ne   2
    into   table @et_input.
  endmethod.