ALE ports

[Former Member]

Hi ABAPers,

I was asked a question. Could you please provide me the answers.

How many ports are there in ALE?

Which are those used in ABAP?

[christian_wohlfahrt]

Hi,

with a first look I found about 1700 objects. There are more specific parts inside... and more than this is used, because you can design own interfaces...

Quiz?

Christian

[Former Member]

Hi Christian,

I heard there are 6 ports and two of them are used in ABAP. Correct me if I am wrong.

Himanshu.

[Former Member]

Hi Himanshu,

Actually there are sveral types of ports in ALE (See transaction WE21).

Each type is stored in it's specific table (all tables have a name like EDIPO*).

Therefore how many ports is answered with as much as the name definition of 10 characters (per type) will allow.

So i think you want to know how many different types there are.

This is dependend of the type of SAP system you're on.

A SAP system with release 4.6 has the following types:

- Transaction RFC

- File

- CPI-C

- Internet

- ABAP (Programming Interface)

- XML

SAP Releases with kernel 6.xx has the same but divides XML into 2:

- XML File

- XML HTTP

Hope this answers your question.

Regards,

Rob.

[Former Member]

Hi Rob,

Thank you very much.

I am sorry that I didn't mention the types of ports.

Also, which of these can be used for ABAP. Is it all or some specific.

Himanshu.

[Former Member]

Hi Himanshu,

The use of ports is actually defined in the ALE layer of SAP, but you can use them all in your ABAP code (when you fill the CONTROL RECORD (an EDIDC structure).

Ports are use to define the way data is send (or received) from another partner (e.g. other system).

- Port type Transactional RFC defines an RFC Destination.

- Port type File defines a file and directory (and a function module that does the record handling for your output file)

- Port type CPI-C defines an SAP R/2 system and transmission parameters.

- Port type Internet, allthough in the system is no longer supported (See SAP note 315083).

- Port type ABAP-PI defines a function module that will do the transmission. This is often used if you want total control over the sending (or receiving) process.

- XML defines a file and directory (and a function module) specific to XML formatted files. The XML-HTTP leaves out the file and can transmit directly to a website location.

So ports can be used in your own ABAP code, unless you write your own transmission interface connected to an ABAP-PI port.

However, you never need the port in your ABAP code, because transmission is defined in the ALE layer. This is very good, because when you then change the transmission method you do not have to change the program's that generate or proces messages to/from other partners.

Regards,

Rob.