(Lab preview) Data Preview Tools - We need your feedback

[raghuvirab]

At ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse, we are developing simple and elegant data preview tools which offers functionality similar to SE16, and also an advanced free-styled open SQL editor to execute and preview results.

Here is a “lab preview” of the Modeled Data Preview editor that we are building, where the users can preview data in any Dictionary Tables, views. The video is 4 minute in length.

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-44175

Here is a “lab preview” of the freestyle open-SQL Data Preview editor that we are building, where the users can write complex open-SQL queries and preview its results rapidly. The video is 2 minute in length.

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-44324

__________________

Modeled Data Preview

Some highlights of the modeled data preview would be

• Users can specify the size of the previewed result-set.
• Users can add any number of filters. (Internally it would simply mean an AND condition in the WHERE clause)
• Specify any comparators, e.g. EQUALS, LIKE and also IN (as in the above snapshot)
• Sorting (results are fetched from backend up sorting)
• Local filter can be used to further filter in the previewed result set
• Graphically view all the distinct values. Table chart, bar chart and pie chart would be supported
• View the logs of all the queries executed
  

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Open SQL Data Preview

Some highlights of the open SQL data preview editor would be

• Users need not create any report programs to execute the open SQL query
• Users need not create the ABAP types to hold the result set of the SELECT query(The tool will take care of it internally)
• Users can progressively build and test the open SQL query. Once ready, simply paste the query into your ABAP program

__________________

Could you please give us your feedback on these tools

• How often do you see yourself using these tools?
• Do you think it will help increase your productivity?
• What features do you think are currently missing?

• Overall, how do you like these tools? How would you rate these tools on a scale of 10? (10 = "excellent value")

You can be very honest about your feedback 🙂

[raghuvirab]

Hi, Raghuvira,

Thank you for wonderful tool!

It is great opportunity to test and compare different selects on TEST / PROD systems and choose suitable one.

I rate it as 11 of 10

But I have few wishes:

1)

I need a posibility to run SQL console from anywhere in a project.

For example, add menu item "Open SQL console" not only in context menu of certain project,

but also in context menu of any object in Editor View and in Project Explorer View

(like "open with" or "where used" items)

I use SQL console quite often and it is very uncomfortably to scroll Project Expolorer and right-click on certain project to call SQL console

2)

Unfortunately, in result list of SQL Console there is no base select\copy functions

It would be convenient to:

  - select single cell / several adjacent cells / whole row / several rows

  - copy selected cell(s) / row(s) in clipboard

  - conversion exits as previously requested (with possibility to quickly turn it on/off)

3)

in se16 there is a nice feature - you can click F4 icon on the right side of the cell, which have search help to view all possible values with descriptions.

It would be great to have such function here.

4)

I have a solution of problem "5000 records only".

I agree that 5000 records is quite enough for most tasks,

but there are 2 exceptions:

  - download into local file

  - estimate full execution time (not only for first 5k records)

I suggest such solution:

On the right of the Run button we need to add drop-down list

with label like "Send to" or "Output into"

and 3 possible values:

  - result list (5k only)    - works like now

  - local file             - download all selected records (not only 5k) to choosen (via dialog) file on presentation server

  - null (estimate exec.time only)   - no any output, nut only estimate execution time of the query (full execution time, with no records limitation)

---

Best regards,

Vitaliy

[abdulbasit]

I really liked these tools. I was always feeling the lack of these tools on SAP GUI and finally we have on Eclipse which is better

The only thing I would love to see is "Import/Export Data" utility (like in SQL Server) which will help us to transfer data into database table from local file or another SAP system.

And my overall score is 10

Cheers,

Abdulbasit.

[raghuvirab]

Hi Abdulbasit,

Thanks for your inputs 🙂

Our focus so far has been to enable only SELECT queries, (i.e. view of data only). But we will take your feedback and check if and how can we enable the import/export data functionality.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[Former Member]

Hi!

These tools look really great and are definitely needed (I think about something like this aprox. 5 times a'day, when starting SE16 inside of Eclipse).

So yes, it will greatly improve my productivity and I'll use it on hourly basis (ok, maybe not every day, now and than I have to also do some UI in WebDynpro...). I give it a 10.

Is it possible to select also more than only 100 rows? It happens, that there is a problem by customer and such tools would really help me analyze the problem a find a solution. However, usually there are much more rows to consider. I would say, minimum is 2000, but the best would be to allow any amount also when it means, the query will take a lot of time (I would be ready to pay that prize, when analyzing a problem.)

I would like to have a possibility to switch between CONVERSION EXIT processed data and internal representation. And maybe a possibility to choose some shorter date format.

Have a nice day and keep up this good work!

O.

[raghuvirab]

Hi Ondrej,

Thanks for your feedback.

We intend to allow selection of rows upto 5000. The value can be changed from the input field at the top right corner of the editor. Do you think this should be fine?

We also take your feedback on the CONVERSION EXITs.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[Former Member]

Hi Raghuvira,

i think 5000 is quite ok. Maybe a possibility to fetch next 5000 and again next 5000... to see all lines in 5000 groups? Something like paging?

If the result is limited, it would be great to have information about how many rows are there in sum.

In video it is now displayed as: 100 rows retrieved, 721ms (partial result)

It could be: 100 rows (out of 2763) retrieved, 721ms

Have a nice day!

O.

[raghuvirab]

Hi Ondrej,

We take your feedback on both the paging of results and showing the total result-set in the query.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[Former Member]

This message was moderated.

[SergioFerrari]

Hi,

the link you provided above seems expired or not more valid, isn't it ?

Sergio

[raghuvirab]

Hi Sergio,

I checked and the links worked fine for me, even the video played fine.

But in the meanwhile, we have already made these features available in the latest ABAP Development Tools. Here is some more info on this.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[Former Member]

Hi,

I would love such a feature. What I think would be great is an SQL Editor where I could also manipulate data. Normally I always have an empty report in my local folder, where I write my SQL statement, if I have to quickly manipulate some data. (e.g deleting a corrupt line).

Greets David

[wizzhi]

Hi Raghuvira,

This tool looks great! And I want to know if it support paging of result set? Or do you know if it is possible to provide the paging support for generic openSQL statements? Currently our solution is pending on this...

Thanks & Best Regards,

George Wen

[raghuvirab]

Hi George,

We limited the the total records to 5k for performance reasons. We found that the developers, in general, were fine with 5k rows and the necessary records could be fetched by adding additional filters. And hence the pagination is not supported.

Could you please explain your scenario where you'd like to have pagination? For downloading records?

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[wizzhi]

Hi Raghuvira,

Thanks a lot for reply. We are developing kind of value help dialog that pull data from a customized open SQL sentence. so we do not know what the sentence is neither how many records will be returned. paging support through JDBC driver can not be used because OpenSQL driver not allow us use those properties. So I want to know if there is any way to implement DB level paging for OpenSQL?

Thanks & Best Regards,

George Wen

[raghuvirab]

Hi George,

I am not sure if the DB level paging for open SQL is supported. I will ask our experts to contact you.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[raghuvirab]

Hi George,

I checked with the experts. DB level paging is currently not available. But you can expect a similar feature in the future releases.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[wizzhi]

Hi Raghuvira,

Thank you so much for kindly helping. Hope the new feature will not let us wait too long... And your product would able to use this feature to get rid of the limitation of 5k rows...

Thanks & Best Regards,

George Wen

[Former Member]

Hi, Raghuvira,

Thank you for wonderful tool!

It is great opportunity to test and compare different selects on TEST / PROD systems and choose suitable one.

I rate it as 11 of 10

But I have few wishes:

1)

I need a posibility to run SQL console from anywhere in a project.

For example, add menu item "Open SQL console" not only in context menu of certain project,

but also in context menu of any object in Editor View and in Project Explorer View

(like "open with" or "where used" items)

I use SQL console quite often and it is very uncomfortably to scroll Project Expolorer and right-click on certain project to call SQL console

2)

Unfortunately, in result list of SQL Console there is no base select\copy functions

It would be convenient to:

  - select single cell / several adjacent cells / whole row / several rows

  - copy selected cell(s) / row(s) in clipboard

  - conversion exits as previously requested (with possibility to quickly turn it on/off)

3)

in se16 there is a nice feature - you can click F4 icon on the right side of the cell, which have search help to view all possible values with descriptions.

It would be great to have such function here.

4)

I have a solution of problem "5000 records only".

I agree that 5000 records is quite enough for most tasks,

but there are 2 exceptions:

  - download into local file

  - estimate full execution time (not only for first 5k records)

I suggest such solution:

On the right of the Run button we need to add drop-down list

with label like "Send to" or "Output into"

and 3 possible values:

  - result list (5k only)    - works like now

  - local file             - download all selected records (not only 5k) to choosen (via dialog) file on presentation server

  - null (estimate exec.time only)   - no any output, nut only estimate execution time of the query (full execution time, with no records limitation)

---

Best regards,

Vitaliy

[raghuvirab]

Hi Vitaliy,

Thank you for you feedback and for posting the improvements suggestions

We will try to bring the suggested features in the future releases.

Best Regards,

Raghuvira

[Former Member]

Hello,

I would rate it 8 out of 10.

I fully agree with the items listed by Vitaliy. Especially item 2 (missing select/copy cell/row/adjacent cell function)  is very annoying and makes this tool quite useless in some scnearios. The "5000 records only" specification should also be removed with regard to some export functionality that should be offered in my opinion. Nevertheless a great tool!

Best regards

Tobias