Matchcode - Update Type P

[aidaj_hilton]

We are currently doing a technical upgrade from 4.5B to 4.7. Match codes that were created in 3.1H wer copied to 4.5 and we will now copy to 4.6.

Matchcode object is VMVA

Matchcode ids ZVMVA0 and ZVMVA1 were created with the pool tables M_VMVA0 and M_VMVA1 as the selection method.

These pool tables were deleted with the upgrade and I am not able to generate them in 4.7. I tried using program SAPMACO as well but same result. I don't have much experience creating matchcodes so not sure what steps I may have missed.

I would appreciate any help with this problem

[Former Member]

Hi Jill,

I'm not too familiar with matchcodes either, but found something in the Documentation that might be of help to you..

<i>Search helps were introduced with Release 4.0. Previously, input helps were defined by creating matchcodes and help views, but these did not provide as much functionality. When you upgrade to 4.x, these objects are converted to search helps with the same name (if necessary, the name is preceded with a Y or Z). The original objects remain in the system, but are now meaningless.</i>

For futher information read this on <a href="http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2004/helpdata/en/3e/f3fc37eeb70143e10000009b38f8cf/content.htm">Migration of Matchcodes to Search Helps</a>.

Hope this helps a bit. Get back with further doubts, if any.

Regards,

Anand Mandalika.

[aidaj_hilton]

Thanks Anand.

At this point I am not sure if I should use Search Help or match codes. They are both available but either way I have a problem with generating the table pool M_VMVA0 and M_VMVA1. These tables are the selection methods for the elementary search helps ZVMVA0 and ZVMVA1.

In fact whether I contine to use the matchcode or using search help is adding to my confusion. I also don't know how to translate matchcodes of update type P to search helps.

The example in the the SAP documentation shows a transparent table as the selection method, not a table pool.

[Former Member]

Hello Jill,

The tables that you are talking about, are you aware that the pooled tables that you are talking about are generated at run-time when you activate the matchcode and it's corresponding IDs? That is the reason why you don't even find them in the latest release.

In the 4.7 release, the matchcodes are still supported, probably for reasons of backward compatibility. But when you try to create a matchcode in 4.7, you get a message which says "Matchcodes will no longer be supported with the next release. Do you wish to continue?". This should eliminate all doubts regarding the use of matchcodes. the answer is an obvious NO.

That apart I have found some stuff more on matchcodes:

<i><b>Matchcodes with Update Type P (Program-Driven Matchcode Construction)</b>

The matchcode data is updated by the application program itself, in order that it always has access to current data.

The matchcode is constructed by program using a defined interface. When the matchcode ID is activated, a function module MC_UPDATE_<matchcode_object_name> is generated. This function module must be called explicitly in ABAP/4 application programs. When these function modules are called, the old ("before images") and new ("after images") data records are passed in internal tables. The matchcode records that are affected are then created to correspond to these "before images" and "after images".

The matchcode data must have been constructed once using the matchcode utility (SAPMACO).

Unlike with the synchronous matchcodes, the programmer is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate matchcode function module is called at the correct point and thus that the matchcodes are correctly updated.</i>

Please reconsider the use of matchcodes in your latest system. And lastly, please refer to the SAP note <b>24860</b>. And also note # 518237, if you are further interested.

Regards,

Anand Mandalika.

P.S. Please reward if this answer helps.

[aidaj_hilton]

Thanks Anand.

My problem was that the table pools M_ were not being generated and I did not know why.

I have since discovered the problem. Althought the matchcode object and matchcode id showed as active in the system, when I tried to reactivate them I found that a field that was missing from the matchcode object was still being referenced in the matchcode id. As soon as I inserted this field I was able to activate the matchcode objects and the matchcode ids. When I activated successfully the table pools M_VMVA, M_VMVA0 and M_VMVA1 were generated.

Thanks again for your assistance.