Round peg - square hole. So how will I fit? I've been working on it for awhile. And yes, I do program using objects. That's a start. So what really do I think about? It's the start of a different way of thinking. Or is it really? Don’t we already think that way? A house is an object. An Office is an object. A car is an object.
Delete, backspace, bold, underline. Wait. Delete is an object – I umh think. Backspace, maybe. But bold and underline wouldn’t those be attributes of an object? The object would be format.
WOW! My mind is in a twitter. (Get it twitter) OK so I’m working on lack of sleep here. I am / is / was a structural programmer. I worked on one of the most structured language there was – RPG.
Here’s a typical program.
Parameter: xyz like abc.
Start-of-selection.
Get_data.
Display_data.
End-of-selection.
Look familiar? Feel familiar. I bet it feels comfortable and easy to follow. It’s kind of like putting on an old pair of jeans or a coat you that you have had for a while or that blanket just out of the dryer.
SCRATCH.
The nails are going across the board. OK – Enough already! Are you serious? Familiar – really you like familiar? What fun is familiar? And this is SAP – ripping that blanket out from under you is the normal way of doing things.
Only they didn’t. Not this time. When it came to the ABAP programming they didn’t MAKE you change the way you are doing things. They couldn’t rip the blanket out from under us. There is just too much of the legacy code. Yes, I said it structured programming is legacy programming. Now you may hit me over the head with something.
And so…
I’ve been reading these blogs. This is a better way of doing xyz. No this is a better way of doing it. No actually 123 is the best way! Are you kidding? They all are good ways. If you want to program structurally your whole life on SAP, you probably could. Old code just doesn’t die that quickly. And moving forward – ah what’s the incentive for programming using objects? Let me just say that you’ll have a fun time trying to convince your boss that you need them. It’s much easier now these new fangled things have come along. You know like Web Dynpro. Smile! That one is my favorite.
OK – your boss is behind you. You aren’t arguing with a dead horse – you are not a diehard structural programmer. And so you are ready to embark on this journey of learning objects.
But… But.. BUTTTTT…
How you sputter? That’s kind of what I was and still am doing. I'm slowly learning about objects, and then will apply what I learn. I am reading this blog and doing my homework. So how can I start? Well pretend I’m in front of you ticking off points on my fingers. There are SAP classes. There is SAP e-learning. There are SAP books. There are SCN forums. There is more information on just objects on the internet.
WAIT. STOP. Slam on those brakes.
Silence – oh wonderful silence. Here’s an idea: What about just doing it?
Can you look back at the first bit of ABAP code you wrote? Was it completely right? Did anyone care as long as it did what it needed to? I cringe just thinking about it.
Go back even further. How about the first time you road a bike? I’m sure you being perfect didn’t fall? Me, I fell many times. I still have a scar from stitches. MMmmm... Bikes don't fly so well...
So here it goes. I’m not perfect, I’m not the best, I’m just someone who wants to learn, use, and continue to learn about objects. (AND PROGRAMMING, and many, many, other things.) My true Object type friends may say I’m not doing it right. And Hey, yes, they may be right. BUT I am giving it a try. In the end my program (+objects) does what it needs to do. It will get you the correct answer. I’ll learn from it, and hopefully my next project will be better.
So what am I doing with this strange blog? There are other more technical ones out there. Me – I like the KISS theory. I’m introducing you to a group of blogs that I’m going to write. I’ll focus on moving from structured programs to object programs by taking Michelle sized steps. My little steps. My ideas may be a little wild. And I’m sure there will be comments. But I’d love for you to take this journey with me. Try to avoid thinking it’s too hard, or why should I use it, and just do it. Do it when it makes sense. The more you write in objects, the more things will start to make sense to do them that way.
Also I’m looking forward to learning from your comments at the bottom of the blogs! It should be fun. And I bet I learn a LOT.
