Bidi Migration & Unicode/ Non-unicode systems

[Former Member]

Hello Experts,

We currently have a 4.6C system which requires a BIDI migration and a gui upgrade because we're working in HE language. We also have an ECC system which is defined as Non-Unicode.

We are re-implementing on a new ECC system which is defined as Unicode, which will replace the 2 existing systems and we'll need 2 types of data transfers:

1) Migration of existing master & trans. data

2) On-going interfaces between the legacy systems and the new system(probably using XI)

My questions are:

1) Do we need to perform the Bidi Migration in a special way

2) How do we need to write the data migration programs (special features and/or considerations)

3) How do we need to define the interfaces to support non-unicode / unicode data transfer

Your answers will be greatly appreciated

Einat

[Former Member]

Hello Einat,

For upgrading an SAP version (higher than 4.6) for Unicode compliance you have to keep an close eye on different statements. In general you should adjust your programs to the modern ABAP syntax. This means: replace all obsolete statements (e.g. OCCURS clause) and FM (e.g. WS_UPLOAD -> GUI_UPLOAD).

Using transaction UCCHECK you can check all (customer) programs for Unicode constraints.

A very important and critical declaration and statement is FIELD-SYMBOLS and ASSIGNING clause respectively. This can't be used as before because of the field gaps of a DATA structure.

Those "gaps" are causing the most problems, specifically when your programs are designed using pointers (FIELD-SYMBOLS).

For interfaces, you have to keep an eye on the statement OPEN DATASET (loading data from the application server). Uploads from the presentation server have to be accomplished by FM GUI_UPLOAD.

Here a short summary of the restrictions in Unicode programs:

- Character and Numeric Type Operands

- Access Using Offset and Length specifications

- Assignments

- Comparisons

- Processing Strings

- Type Checks and Type Compatibility

- Changes in database operations

- Determining the length and distance

- Other Changes

I hope this gives you a slight impression. The SAP Press book Unicode in SAP Systems can tell you much more details.

Have success,

Heinz

[Former Member]

UCCHECK is used in the pre-task and in the post-task.......

Regards,

Alfredo.