Difference Between Check Table & Value Table. Also what is search help exit

[Former Member]

Hi Friends,

1) Can anyone explain what is the difference between Check Table and Value Table. Why they are used??

2) What is a Type Group? Use of it?

3) what is search help exit? Why and how do we use it?

4) What is Update Function Module? Why, when & how do we use it?

Note : I will reward points for good answers with examples.

Regards,

Pradeep

[Former Member]

Hi

Value Table

This is maintained at Domain Level.

When ever you create a domain , you can entered allowed values. For example you go to Domain SHKZG - Debit/credit indicator. Here only allowed values is H or S.

When ever you use this Domain, the system will forces you to enter only these values.

This is a sort of master check . To be maintained as a customization object. This mean that if you want to enter values to this table you have to create a development request & transport the same.

Check table

For example you have Employee master table & Employee Transaction table.

When ever an employee Transacts we need to check whether that employee exists , so we can refer to the employee master table.

This is nothing but a Parent & Child relationship . Here data can be maintained at client level , no development involved.

As per DBMS what we call foregin key table, is called as check table in SAP.

There is 1 more important Difference in Value Table and Check Table is that:

1. The contents of the check will be used as an input help(F4 Help) for a particular field on which a check table is assigned.

But the contents of Value Table are never used in Input Help.

The Heirarchy which decides from where to used the Input Help is:

1. Input help defined explicitly in ABAP Program or Dialog Module.

2. Input Help Attached to the referenced Database Table field.

3. Using the contents of Check Table as an input help if neither (1) or (2) help are there.

4. Input help from Fixed value or Value range given in Domain.

[Former Member]

Hi

Value Table

This is maintained at Domain Level.

When ever you create a domain , you can entered allowed values. For example you go to Domain SHKZG - Debit/credit indicator. Here only allowed values is H or S.

When ever you use this Domain, the system will forces you to enter only these values.

This is a sort of master check . To be maintained as a customization object. This mean that if you want to enter values to this table you have to create a development request & transport the same.

Check table

For example you have Employee master table & Employee Transaction table.

When ever an employee Transacts we need to check whether that employee exists , so we can refer to the employee master table.

This is nothing but a Parent & Child relationship . Here data can be maintained at client level , no development involved.

As per DBMS what we call foregin key table, is called as check table in SAP.

There is 1 more important Difference in Value Table and Check Table is that:

1. The contents of the check will be used as an input help(F4 Help) for a particular field on which a check table is assigned.

But the contents of Value Table are never used in Input Help.

The Heirarchy which decides from where to used the Input Help is:

1. Input help defined explicitly in ABAP Program or Dialog Module.

2. Input Help Attached to the referenced Database Table field.

3. Using the contents of Check Table as an input help if neither (1) or (2) help are there.

4. Input help from Fixed value or Value range given in Domain.

[Former Member]

Value table :

Value table is a domain level checking .In some cases you can see when you define a domain that all the table fields or structure components referring to this domain should be checked against a certain table. This information can be stored in the domain by entering a value table.A check is not implemented by simply entering a value table! The check against the value table only takes effect when a foreign key has been defined

Check table :

Check Table is the dependent table to which the relationship is defined using foreign keys. The contents of the check table field are shown in the input help for the referenced field.. While creating a table if you want to be sure that a field can have some values and these are in a certain table, you can give IT this table as CHECK TABLE.

Important Difference

The contents of the check will be used as an input help(F4 Help) for a particular field on which a check table is assigned. But the contents of Value Table are never used in Input Help.

Type group

If you want to define global constants, you have to use a type group. The name of

the type group can only contain a maximum of five characters. In the type group,

you can define constants using the CONSTANTS statement. As types, you are

provided with the integrated ABAP types or the global types of the Dictionary.

In order to be able to use the types of a type group in a program, make the type

group known using the TYPE POOL statement. From these lines on, you can use

all constants of the type group.

The definition of a type group is a piece of ABAP code that is either maintained

via the Dictionary (SE11) or via the ABAP Editor (SE38).

Realization:

The first statement for the type group zmytp is always:

TYPE-POOL zmytp.This is followed by the definition of data types with the statement TYPES, as

described under local program data types. Furthermore, cross-program constants

can be declared using the CONSTANTS statement. All names of this data type

and constants must begin with the name of the type group and an underline:

zmytp_

In an ABAP program, type groups must be made known with the following

statements before they are used:

Search Help Exit

A search help describes the standard input help process. In exceptions it could be necessary to deviate in some points from this standard. Such a deviation from the standard can also be implemented with a search help exit.

The input help process should look as much the same as possible throughout the entire system. Search help exits should therefore only be used for exceptions.

A search help exit is a function module that has a predefined interface. A search help exit is called at certain times by the help processor. The administrative data of the help processor are passed to the search help exit using the interface.

You can store your own program logic that manipulates this administrative data in the search help exit. Individual steps of the input help process can be skipped with a search help exit.

Search help exit F4UT_OPTIMIZE_COLWIDTH adjusts the column width in the hit list to the contents of the column. It makes sense to use this search help exit when the columns of the hit list have to be made very wide for extreme cases (e.g. for name fields), but normally they will contain much smaller values.

Each search help exit must have the same interface as function module F4IF_SHLP_EXIT_EXAMPLE (is used as pattern for all the search help exits to be created). You can find more information about the interface in the documentation for this function module.

Calling the Search Help Exit

If a search help exit is assigned to a search help, the help processor calls it at the following times:

Before Displaying the Dialog Box for Selecting the Required Search Path.

It is only called for collective search helps. Using the search help exit, the set of elementary search helps available can for example be restricted depending on the context.

Before Displaying the Dialog Box for Entering Search Conditions.

You can either influence the dialog for entering search conditions or skip it altogether here. You can also influence how the selection screen looks.

Before Selecting Data.

The data selection can be partly or completely copied from the search help exit. This can become necessary if the data selection cannot be implemented with a SELECT statement for a table or a view.

Before Displaying the Hit List.

You can influence the display of the hit list in this step with the search help exit. You can reduce the number of values displayed here. For example, you can display only values for which the person calling the input help has authorization. You can also copy the complete hit list from the search help exit.

Before Returning the Values Selected by the User to the Input Template.

It could be advisable to intervene at this time if control of the further transaction flow should depend on the value selected. A typical example is setting set/get parameters.

Search help SFLIGHT is used to find flight data. When they look for flights, the staff of travel agencies normally need information about whether there are still seats available on the flight. The selection method of the search help (view on tables SCARR, SFLIGHT and SPFLI) does not directly contain this information. The selection method only contains information about the number of seats available on the flight and how many seats are already reserved.

From this information, search help exit SAPBC_GLOBAL_F4_SFLIGHT computes the number of seats still available and returns the results in a parameter of the search help. The number of seats still available can thus be displayed in the hit list.

You therefore only have to program one action in the search help exit for the call before displaying the hit list.

A search help exit is a function module for making the input help process described by the search help more flexible than possible with the standard version. This function module must have the same interface as function module F4IF_SHLP_EXIT_EXAMPLE. The search help exit may also have further optional parameters (in particular any EXPORTING parameters).

A search help exit is called at certain timepoints in the input help process.

Note: The source text and long documentation of the above-specified function module (including the long documentation about the parameters) contain information about using search help exits.

Function modules are provided in the function library for operations that are frequently executed in search help exits. The names of these Function modules are provided in the function library for operations that are frequently executed in search help exits. The names of these function modules begin with the prefix F4UT_. These function modules can either be used directly as search help exits or used within other search

help exits. You can find precise instructions for use in the long

documentation for the corresponding function module.

-

---

Hope this helps.

An example operation is deleting duplicates from the values being returned in a search help comparing only a few fields of the return table. This can be done here.

reward Points if helpful

[Former Member]

Reward points..

[Former Member]

hi,

check table : check table will be at field level checking.

Table which has foreign key of another table as its primary key eg : dept,is known as check table.

For example you have Employee master table & Employee Transaction table.

When ever an employee Transacts we need to check whether that employee exists , so we can refer to the employee master table. This is nothing but a Parent & Child relationship . Here data can be maintained at client level , no development involved . As per DBMS what we call foreign key table, is called as check table in SAP.

value table : This is maintained at Domain Level.

When ever you create a domain , you can entered allowed values. For example you go to Domain SHKZG - Debit/credit indicator. Here only allowed values is H or S.

When ever you use this Domain, the system will forces you to enter only these values.

This is a sort of master check . To be maintained as a customization object. This mean that if you want to enter values to this table you have to create a development request & transport the same.

There are important Difference in Value Table and Check Table is that:

1. The contents of the check will be used as an input help(F4 Help) for a particular field on which a check table is assigned.

But the contents of Value Table are never used in Input Help.

The Hierarchy which decides from where to used the Input Help is:

1. Input help defined explicitly in ABAP Program or Dialog Module.

2. Input Help Attached to the referenced Database Table field.

3. Using the contents of Check Table as an input help if neither (1) or (2) help are there.

4. Input help from Fixed value or Value range given in Domain.

Type group : Type - pool statement is used to create a type group in ABAP Dictionary. It is the first statement in the definition.Type group is used to declare constants &Types and these must begin with name of the typepool and underscore.

e.g. TYPE-POOL owntypes.

TYPES num TYPE P DECIMALS 2.

TYPES name(14) TYPE C.

search help :

The input help (F4 help) is a standard function of the R/3 System. It permits the user to display a list of possible values for a screen field. A value can be directly copied to an input field by list selection.

The fields having an input help are shown in the R/3 System by the input help key to the right of the field. This key appears as soon as the cursor is positioned on the corresponding screen field. The help can be started either by clicking on this screen element or with function key F4.

If the number of possible entries for a field is very large, you can limit the set of displayed values by entering further restrictions.

The display of the possible entries is enhanced with further useful information about the displayed values. This feature is especially useful if the field requires the entry of a formal key.

Since the input help is a standard function, it should look and behave the same throughout the entire R/3 System. The development environment therefore provides tools for assigning a standardized input help to a screen field.

update function module : Unlike transactions and executable programs, dialog modules do not start a new SAP LUW. Calls to update-task function modules from a dialog module use the same update key as the ones in the calling program. The result is that calls to update function modules from a dialog module are executed only if a COMMIT WORK statement occurs in the calling program.

If you place a COMMIT WORK in a dialog module, it does commit changes to the database (for example, with UPDATE).However, it does not start the update task. The function modules are not actually executed until a COMMIT WORK statement occurs in the calling program.

If you use dialog modules, try to avoid including calls to update function modules in subroutines called with PERFORM ON COMMIT. In general, any occurrence of PERFORM ON COMMIT(with or without update-task function calls) in a dialog module can be problematic.

This is because dialog modules have their own roll area, which disappears when the module finishes. Consequently, all local data (including data used for parameter values when calling an update function module) disappears as soon as the commit in the main program is reached.

Regards,

Rajyalakshmi.A

[Former Member]

Hi,

1.Difference between a check table and a value table

Value Table

This is maintained at Domain Level.

When ever you create a domain , you can entered allowed values. For example you go to Domain SHKZG - Debit/credit indicator. Here only allowed values is H or S.

When ever you use this Domain, the system will forces you to enter only these values.

This is a sort of master check . To be maintained as a customization object. This mean that if you want to enter values to this table you have to create a development request & transport the same.

Check table

For example you have Employee master table & Employee Transaction table.

When ever an employee Transacts we need to check whether that employee exists , so we can refer to the employee master table.

This is nothing but a Parent & Child relationship . Here data can be maintained at client level , no development involved.

As per DBMS what we call foregin key table, is called as check table in SAP.

There is 1 more important Difference in Value Table and Check Table is that:

1. The contents of the check will be used as an input help(F4 Help) for a particular field on which a check table is assigned.

But the contents of Value Table are never used in Input Help.

The Heirarchy which decides from where to used the Input Help is:

1. Input help defined explicitly in ABAP Program or Dialog Module.

2. Input Help Attached to the referenced Database Table field.

3. Using the contents of Check Table as an input help if neither (1) or (2) help are there.

4. Input help from Fixed value or Value range given in Domain.

2.V1 and V2 Update Modules

An update is divided into different modules (see also Update Request). Each module corresponds to an update function module.

There are two types of module.

The SAP System makes a distinction between primary, time-critical (V1) and secondary, non-time-critical (V2) update modules. The system also supports collective runs for function modules that are used on a regular basis.

This distinction allows the system to process critical database changes before less critical changes.

V1 modules describe critical or primary changes; these affect objects that have a controlling function in the SAP System, for example order creation or changes to material stock.

V2 modules describe less critical secondary changes. These are pure statistical updates, for example, such as result calculations.

The V1 modules are processed consecutively in a single update work process on the same application server. This means that they belong to the same database LUW and can be reversed. Furthermore, V1 updates are carried out under the SAP locks of the transaction that creates the update (see The SAP Lock Concept). This ensures that the data remains consistent; simultaneous changes to the objects to be updated are not possible.

All V2 updates are carried out in a separate LUW and not under the locks of the transaction that creates them. If your SAP System contains a work process for V2 updates, these are only carried out in this work process. If this is not the case, the V2 components are processed by a V1 update process.

All V1 modules of an update must be processed before the V2 modules.

Let us assume that a transaction makes planning changes to a material and balance sheet, and updates two sets of statistics.

Each of these changes is represented by means of an update module (call update function module) in the update request - the two planning changes by a V1 update module (time critical), and the statistical changes by a V2 update module (less critical). (The V1 modules have priority, although the V2 modules are usually also processed straight away).

3.1) Elementary search helps describe a search path. The elementary search help must define where the data of the hit list should be read from (selection method), how the exchange of values between the screen template and selection method is implemented (interface of the search help) and how the online input help should be defined (online behavior of the search help).

2) Collective search helps combine several elementary search helps. A collective search help thus can offer several alternative search paths.

3)An elementary search help defines the standard flow of an input help.

4) A collective search help combines several elementary search helps. The user can thus choose one of several alternative search paths with a collective search help.

5)A collective search help comprises several elementary search helps. It combines all the search paths that are meaningful for a field.

6)Both elementary search helps and other search helps can be included in a collective search help. If other collective search helps are contained in a collective search help, they are expanded to the level of the elementary search helps when the input help is called.

CREATION:

Go to SE11 Tcode

select search help

give the 'z' search help name and create

select the selection method ur table name eg : 'mara'

dialog module 'display value immediately'.

add the field whatever u want and lpos = 1 and spos = 1 and check import and export parameter.

where left position when displaying and spos = search position

and then save and activate ..

See the links:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/cf/21ee38446011d189700000e8322d00/content.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/cf/21ee45446011d189700000e8322d00/content.htm

https://forums.sdn.sap.com/click.jspa?searchID=3173469&messageID=2176485

https://forums.sdn.sap.com/click.jspa?searchID=3173469&messageID=3601619

pls go through this for search help creation

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw2004s/helpdata/en/41/f6b237fec48c67e10000009b38f8cf/content.htm

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/cf/21ee2b446011d189700000e8322d00/content.htm

Search Help Exits:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/cf/21ee52446011d189700000e8322d00/content.htm

http://www.sapdevelopment.co.uk/dictionary/shelp/shelp_exit.htm

https://forums.sdn.sap.com/click.jspa?searchID=4390517&messageID=1712818

Cheers,

vasavi.

[Former Member]

thanks all.

[Former Member]

Hi,

You will finf the following links helpful:

Regards,

Prashant.

[Former Member]

Check table and Value tables are maintained for maintaining primary and foriegn key relationships.