Why are these two structures the same?????

[Former Member]

Hi all,

The structures BAPIPLNHDR_FKEY and BAPIPLNHDR are same? Why do we have two structures that are same in SAP.

Also if I have to populate the structure BAPIPLNHDR (to be exported to a BAPI), what/how do I fill BAPIPLNHDR_FKEY which is 'inside' this structure?Can I leave this sub-structure blank?

Thanks,

Charles.

[Former Member]

Hi,

The difference between the two structure is BAPIPLNHDR_FKEY is the append structure to the the structure BAPIPLNHDR.

The structure BAPILNHDR_FKEY is the Foreign Key for BAPIPLNHDR

Append structures are used for enhancements which are not provided for in the standard (special developments, country versions and adding customer fields to SAP standard tables).

An append structure is assigned to exactly one table. There can however be several append structures to one table. If an append structure is created or changed, the table asssigned to it (appending object) is also activated again at activation and the changes also take effect there.

An append structure permits the following enhancements to a table or structure:

Add new fields

Add foreign keys to fields of the appending object

Add search help attachments to fields of the appending object

Appending an append structure or inserting fields in an existing append structure does not lead to the conversion of the table. The fields of the append structure are appended to the database table.

Append structures are created by customers in the customer name range and are thus protected against overwriting in upgrades or release upgrades. After a release upgrade, the new versions of the standard tables are imported and fields contained in append structures are appended to the new standard tables.

Note:Append structures can only be created for transparent tables and structures. It is not possible to add fields with an append structure for transparent tables containing a long field. Furthermore, append structures may not be created for tables and structures of the central Basis of the R/3 System.

The above data might clear that why two structures are having the same fields .

Thanks,

Mohit

[Former Member]

not clear yet...

so if a structure has fields a,b,c and we 'append' a structure with fields d, e. Then the original structure will be a,b,c,<u>d,e</u> right?

But here we are seeing the append structure <b>appended to itself </b>. i.e. if we double click on the appended structure it shows that it has the same structure appended to itself .why??

Thanks,

Charles.

[Former Member]

Charles,

SAP has many objects replicated. Why? Because hundreds of developers buld / enhance the product each day. Sometimes they do not have the time to "surf" for existing objects. In the future, if they need to modify their model as well... they can change their objects w/o impacting others that would "share" the same object.