ALE service layer

[Former Member]

Hi,

Can any boby tell me what the ALE service layer do in ALE.

[Former Member]

Hi,

This layer provides ALE with an interface to R/3 to originate or receive messages containing data to or from external (or other R/3) systems.

Processing in the ALE layer consists of the following steps.

Receiver determination. If the receivers are not known, they are determined from the customer distribution model. If a receiver is not found, processing ends. For each receiver identified in this step,

the following steps are executed.

1)IDoc filtering. If an IDoc filter is specified in the distribution model for a receiver, values in the filter are compared against the values in the IDoc data records. If a data record does not

meet the filter criteria, it is dropped.

2)Segment filtering. For each sender and receiver combination, a set of segments that are not required can be filtered out.

3)Field conversion. Field values in data records are converted by using the conversion rules specified for the segment. Values can be converted to global values or converted to specific values for the receiver. For example, storage location 0001 can correspond to storage location 1000 in the receiving system. The rules specified here are also available in the EIS (Executive Information System) module.

4)Version change for segments. Segments are version−controlled. A new version of a segment always contains fields from the preceding version and fields added for the new version. Thus, the segment can communicate with a back−level system by blanking out the new fields. Read

the version specified in the Seg. Release in IDoc Type field of the partner profile to determine the version of the segment to be generated.

5)Version change for IDocs. IDocs, like the segments, are also version−controlled. A new version of an IDoc always contains segments of the preceding version and segments added in the new version. Thus, the IDoc can communicate with a back−level system by deleting segments that do not exist in the version specified. The version is determined from the Basic Type field of the partner profile.

6)Communication IDocs generated. The final IDoc generated for a receiver after all the conversions and filtering operations is the communication IDoc. One master IDoc can have

multiple communication IDocs, depending on the number of receivers identified and the filter operations performed. Communication IDocs are saved in the SAP database. At this point, a tangible IDoc that can be viewed by using monitoring tools has been created in the system.

The IDoc gets a status record with a status code of 01 (IDoc Created).

7)Syntax check performed. The IDoc goes through a syntax check and data integrity validation. If errors are found, the IDoc gets a status code of 26 (Error during Syntax Check

of IDocOutbound); if no errors are found, the IDoc gets a status code of 30 (IDoc Ready for DispatchALE Service).

8)IDocs dispatched to the communication layer. In the ALE process, IDocs are dispatched using the asynchronous RFC method, which means that the sending system does not wait for data to be received or processed on the destination system. You read the setting in the Output

Mode field of the partner profile to determine the timing of the dispatch. If the mode is set to Transfer IDoc Immed., IDocs are immediately transferred to the communication layer; if not,

they are buffered until the next run of dispatch program RSEOUT00. After IDocs have been transferred to the communication layer, they get a status code of 03 (Data Passed to Port OK). This status does not necessarily mean that IDocs have been dispatched to the destination

system.

[Former Member]

Hi,

This layer provides ALE with an interface to R/3 to originate or receive messages containing data to or from external (or other R/3) systems.

Processing in the ALE layer consists of the following steps.

Receiver determination. If the receivers are not known, they are determined from the customer distribution model. If a receiver is not found, processing ends. For each receiver identified in this step,

the following steps are executed.

1)IDoc filtering. If an IDoc filter is specified in the distribution model for a receiver, values in the filter are compared against the values in the IDoc data records. If a data record does not

meet the filter criteria, it is dropped.

2)Segment filtering. For each sender and receiver combination, a set of segments that are not required can be filtered out.

3)Field conversion. Field values in data records are converted by using the conversion rules specified for the segment. Values can be converted to global values or converted to specific values for the receiver. For example, storage location 0001 can correspond to storage location 1000 in the receiving system. The rules specified here are also available in the EIS (Executive Information System) module.

4)Version change for segments. Segments are version−controlled. A new version of a segment always contains fields from the preceding version and fields added for the new version. Thus, the segment can communicate with a back−level system by blanking out the new fields. Read

the version specified in the Seg. Release in IDoc Type field of the partner profile to determine the version of the segment to be generated.

5)Version change for IDocs. IDocs, like the segments, are also version−controlled. A new version of an IDoc always contains segments of the preceding version and segments added in the new version. Thus, the IDoc can communicate with a back−level system by deleting segments that do not exist in the version specified. The version is determined from the Basic Type field of the partner profile.

6)Communication IDocs generated. The final IDoc generated for a receiver after all the conversions and filtering operations is the communication IDoc. One master IDoc can have

multiple communication IDocs, depending on the number of receivers identified and the filter operations performed. Communication IDocs are saved in the SAP database. At this point, a tangible IDoc that can be viewed by using monitoring tools has been created in the system.

The IDoc gets a status record with a status code of 01 (IDoc Created).

7)Syntax check performed. The IDoc goes through a syntax check and data integrity validation. If errors are found, the IDoc gets a status code of 26 (Error during Syntax Check

of IDocOutbound); if no errors are found, the IDoc gets a status code of 30 (IDoc Ready for DispatchALE Service).

8)IDocs dispatched to the communication layer. In the ALE process, IDocs are dispatched using the asynchronous RFC method, which means that the sending system does not wait for data to be received or processed on the destination system. You read the setting in the Output

Mode field of the partner profile to determine the timing of the dispatch. If the mode is set to Transfer IDoc Immed., IDocs are immediately transferred to the communication layer; if not,

they are buffered until the next run of dispatch program RSEOUT00. After IDocs have been transferred to the communication layer, they get a status code of 03 (Data Passed to Port OK). This status does not necessarily mean that IDocs have been dispatched to the destination

system.