Today we released a new version of the ABAP Development Tools for Eclipse. ADT Version 2.24 is now general available on the SAP Tools Updatesite: SAP Development Tools for Eclipse
You can also download the ABAP development tools als zip-package via the Service marketplace (valid S-user required). Just navigate to the SAP Software Download Center and 'Search for Software Downloads' using the keywords 'ABAP Eclipse'. You will again find 2 versions of 2.24. The version 2.24_Juno is in case you want to use the older eclipse version Juno. But we strongly recommend to move to Eclipse Kepler.
The new version comes along with the latest software fixes and also with some nice new features which I will explain to you in the next sections:
Proposal of non-keywords in the ABAP Editor
A very useful feature in the eclipse ABAP editor is the proposal of keywords during typing. That means you start typing a keyword in the editor and the tool proposes automatically the matching keywords for you. With ADT 2.24 we enhanced this feature a bit so that the content assist also proposes non-ABAP keywords such as element names or type definitions. This enables you to add the corresponding names or definitions that are already used in this particular development object. Note that only non-ABAP keywords that are already used in the same development object are proposed.
To activate this functionality, select Preferences: ABAP Development > Editors > Source Code Editors > Typing > Also suggest non-keywords
Breadcrumb View
The new breadcrumb functionality helps you to orientate yourself within the source code of a development object. This is especially helpful when working in the full screen mode of the editor when you don't have the project explorer and the outline view for your orientation.
You can also use the breadcrumb to inspect the structural information of a development object. Just by clicking the small triangle in the breadcrumb path you see the elements of the picked object. It provides you with the same structural information as the Outline View.
And you can also use this feature to navigate to other development artifacts just by clicking on an item in the provided list of components:
You can display the breadcrumb bar in the source code editor of the following development objects:
- ABAP classes
- ABAP interfaces
- ABAP programs
- ABAP includes
- ABAP function group main includes
- ABAP function group includes
- ABAP function modules
Feature Explorer
Now to the highlight of the new client. With ADT version 2.24 we offer a new learning experience for ABAP in Eclipse newbies.
We often hear that learning ABAP in Eclipse is not so easy for the experienced ABAP developer coming from SE80 because some tasks are a bit different than in the ABAP workbench.
Maybe you know this:
- I have installed Eclipse but I didn't see a Connect button to my ABAP system ???
- I'm missing the navigation. Double-Click is just highlighting my code ???
- Where the hell is the pretty printer ???
When you are stuck with such questions than the new ADT Feature Explorer will help you.
The Welcome section of the new view in eclipse explains the idea behind the tool:
But it is not for newbies only. Also the more experienced ABAP in Eclipse developer will find the one or other feature he or she has not discovered so far.
So we invite you all to join the first discovery tour with the ADT Feature Explorer !
Check-out the blog from thomasalexander.ritter to learn more about it: Get more out of ABAP in Eclipse with the Feature Explorer
This first tour is just the beginning of a longer journey. Other tours with new features to discover will follow the next couple of months.
And don't miss the ABAP in Eclipse Fan mission on SCN:
Become an ABAP in Eclipse Fan and earn the AIE Fan Badge
Hope you love it.
Regards Thomas.
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