SOAP Consumption of Easy Query

Christoph Lenschow — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:51:59 GMT

This blog complements the blog "Easy queries on SAP Netweaver" written by Uwe Fisher giving detailed information about a SOAP based consumption of 'Easy Query' as delivered with SAP NetWeaver BW 7.30 SP5.

An easy way to consume the data from 'Easy Query' is to use an automatically generated Web service via SOAP. The Simple Object Access Protocol is a common and well known protocol. which can be used by several other programs and languages. Due the fact that SOAP is XML based it is possible to use it several ways e.g. calling the Web Service via JAVA to display the data.

The first thing to do is to download the WSDL for the Web Service of the query you want to use. Therefore you have to go to the Easy Query Management (Transaction 'EQMANAGER'). There you can select the specific Query and jump to the SOA Manager via the button "Start SOA MANAGER" in the toolbar.

Within the SOA Manager you have to choose a binding you want to use (or create a new one) and after that you have to open the WSDL document for your selected binding. You can now ether download the WSDL and store them on your computer or save the URL. (Note: If you want to use the URL directly please implement note 1649833)

The WSDL document contains the whole information about the Web Service you want to use. Let’s have a closer look to the document itself. Use the Internet Explorer to open it. Within this document you find the fields which the Web Service returns. It also mentions the type of the parameters so that you can implement you application in the right way.

Each Web Service defines a couple of tables which he returns:

ETGridDATA
This Table contains the query information. Here you will find all values of your query. The columns were dynamically built out of the structure of your Query. So you will find the characteristics and key figures plus the formatted once here. The rows contain the specific values. The type of this table changes with every Web Service.
ETColumnDescription
This table includes the technical name the type and also the description for every characteristic and key figure you use in the query.
ETRowDescription
This table contains specific information for each cell in the query. A cell is specified via RowID and ColumnID. For this cell you can retrieve information if this value is a sum or if this value is part of a hierarchy. If there is a hierarchy you also receive information about the parent and the hierarchy level this cell belongs to.
ETMessageLog
This table contains messages if they occur in the call stack. You can handle errors which you receive in this table so that your application becomes more stable or you can simply display them so that the user knows that something doesn’t work right.
ESQueryProperties
This structure contains information about the query e.g. owner or creation date.
EQueryOutdatedOrInvalid
When this flag is true, something is wrong with the query.

It is also possible to use input variables. If you want to use them you have to provide the values for Sign (normally ‘I’ – Including), Option (‘EQ’ – Equal, ‘BT’ – Between, ‘CP’ – Contains Pattern), Low (value) and high (value if needed). The parameters need to be passed to the Web Service so that they can send to the backend. Feel free to visit the ‘Easy Query API’ (http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/27/02f6e4306346f3baad0cfd4af56bf0/content.htm) documentation to gain more information about it.

At the end of the WSDL you find the information about the binding. You will find a web address in the binding section. This is the information you need to connect to the system which the Web Service wants to call for Function Module to retrieve the data.

With this information you should be able to understand the Web Service. You can now use it in your application. Of cause you have to implement the connection and internal structures by yourself.

Let’s verify the result of the Web Service by using Microsoft Office InfoPath2007©. You can open a new form which is based on a Web Service.

On the next screen you have to choose if your service receive or send data or does both. On the next screen you need to provide the location of your service. You can ether choose an URL or if you download the WSDL to your computer you can use the location on your directory or you enter the URL from the Web Service directly. Select an operation you want to use and enter a name for the connection and continue.

Now you see a simple template. On the right sight under the folder ‘dataFields’ you can find the well known structures mentioned above. Drag and drop the ‘item’ folder under ‘ETGridData’ into the lower box. Select ‘Repeating Table’ in the context menu.

Now run your template via ‘Preview’ in the toolbar.

In the preview click ‘Run Query’ to start the Web Service and receive the data. After logging into the system you will see that the data occur in a table like format.

You build your first application which uses a Web Service based on ‘Easy Query’. Of course the table is the easiest way to show the data. However there are a lot of other options to display the result in a nice way. Just try it out!

BW 7.30: Mass Maintenance for Analysis Authorizations

Christoph Lenschow — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:10:40 GMT

In Release 7.30 a new feature for analysis authorization has been introduced. Mass maintenance will improve the daily work of every authorization administrator. Transaction RSECSY is just one of a number of clever innovations.

Analysis authorizations are special authorizations in BW. With these authorizations it is possible to develop a very complex and individual concept to grant and deny access to the data in your InfoProviders. It is possible to save the structure of a hierarchy of your products and to save the name or personnel number of your employees. Transaction RSECADMIN is the entry point for all main use cases. Mass Maintenance will also be available there.

In Mass Maintenance can search for all analysis authorizations in various ways, for example by a simple name pattern or by a complex search via special entries in authorizations. Another use case would be to clean up the authorization, adjusting all authorizations that contain InfoObjects that are not authorizations relevant. The complex search delivers this kind of search feature too.

When you find the authorizations you want to work with, you get an overview of all flat and hierarchy parts of these authorizations. You also see the users that are assigned to them. Of course you can change every single entry and assign the changes to all authorizations in you work area or just create new authorization entries. All functions contained in single maintenance are available here too. You can also switch to Single Maintenance (RSECAUTH) by double-clicking on the authorization name or to the InfoObjects view (RSD1) by double-clicking on the InfoObject name.

Once you have finished, you can activate all authorizations and test them immediately. Authorizations can also be transported here.Changing authorizations is not the only feature however. You can also search for users and maintain the assignment of authorizations. If you create a special authorization needed by 50 users for example, you just need to enter the authorization once, after which every single user can use it. You also have the option of using a complex search to find the users you want. You can search for users with special names as well as for users which special authorizations. You will also see how the authorization is assigned to the user, either manually, using a role or generated.

The main advantage of this feature is that it allows you to change several objects at once. This will save a lot of time and helps to keep the authorizations consistent. It also provides a complex search that allows you to find all authorizations that have a number of similar properties.

christoph.lenschow

SOAP Consumption of Easy Query

BW 7.30: Mass Maintenance for Analysis Authorizations

Disclaimer
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/index?rid=/webcontent/uuid/b0b72642-0fd9-2d10-38a9-c57db30b522e

christoph.lenschow

SOAP Consumption of Easy Query

BW 7.30: Mass Maintenance for Analysis Authorizations

Disclaimerhttp://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/index?rid=/webcontent/uuid/b0b72642-0fd9-2d10-38a9-c57db30b522e

Disclaimer
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/index?rid=/webcontent/uuid/b0b72642-0fd9-2d10-38a9-c57db30b522e