SAP Fiori Tools 2503 Update: Icons, App Info Page, Adaptation Projects, Preview

[Christoph_Gollmick]

The SAP Fiori tools team continues to enhance the developer experience with fresh updates aimed at modernizing the UI, improving usability, and increasing efficiency. In this 2503 release, we introduce a refreshed icon set, improvements to the Application Info page, a new approach to previewing applications using virtual endpoints, and enhancements for UI adaptation. Let’s take a closer look at what’s new in each of these areas; I’ll also include a list of some of the many continuous improvements in this release.

A Fresh Look: Modernized SAP Fiori Tools Extension Icons

To align with evolving SAP Fiori design standards, we gave the SAP Fiori tools extension icons a modern refresh. The updated icons are designed to better represent the purpose of each tool while making them more easily recognizable. This visual enhancement ensures that developers can quickly identify the tools they need while working within SAP Fiori tools.

Fresh icons for the tools in the SAP Fiori tools extension pack.

Enhanced Application Info Page for Better Usability

As the number of available actions for a given application has grown, navigating the Application Info page became increasingly challenging. To address this, we have redesigned the layout by grouping tiles into three distinct categories: Configuration, Common Tasks, and Manage. These groupings are based on usage data, helping developers find relevant actions more quickly. In addition, we moved description texts to tooltips, saving valuable screen space. We invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions for further improvements in the comments section.

New layout of the the Application Info page.

Preview Applications More Efficiently with Virtual Endpoints

Historically, SAP Fiori tools have relied on materialized HTML and JavaScript files to generate previews and test artifacts. However, maintaining these physical files posed challenges, particularly regarding updates and bug fixes, which required manual adjustments across multiple projects. With this update, we introduce virtual endpoints as part of the preview middleware. These endpoints dynamically generate code at runtime based on an application’s YAML configuration file. As a result, developers can simply update to the latest version of @sap/ux-ui5-tooling to receive improvements. To transition your application’s preview configuration to virtual endpoints, an action is available on the Application Info page. More details can be found here.

Making UI Adaptation More Accessible

SAP Fiori tools continues to simplify the process of adapting SAP-delivered applications with adaptation projects. One common challenge has been selecting the correct screen element for modification in a running application. To streamline this process, we have introduced adaptation functions within the context menu of the outline tree in the Adaptation Editor. This enhancement allows users to easily access and apply modifications. We are committed to further improve the work with adaptation projects and plan to expand the available actions in the future.

Access adaptation functions from the context menu in the outline panel.

 Continuous Improvements to Streamline Development

This release also brings several refinements and expanded capabilities across SAP Fiori tools:

• The Project Accelerator (introduced in the 2501 release blog) now supports drag-and-drop images directly from the file explorer, making it easier to incorporate assets into projects.
• The Adaptation Editor includes additional quick actions, such as enabling variant management for charts and tables, adding local annotation files, and enabling row creation for tables.
• SAP Fiori Generator in SAP Build Code now leverages AI to intelligently determine input values when generating a UI from the Storyboard.
• SAP Fiori tools now support the “component” project type, commonly used for SAP Fiori Launchpad plugins. The Application Info page is now available for component projects, providing relevant tools and insights.
• Multi-service support in Service Manager and mock data configuration has been improved and fixed.
• The SAP Fiori Generator’s “Basic” template now adheres to SAPUI5 1.120.x best practices.
• Enhancements have been made to overview page-related guides (OVP) within Guided Development.
• Page Editor now supports sorting for micro charts in the object header.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next?

We are constantly working on new features to further enhance SAP Fiori tools. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming next:

• Completion of open-sourcing SAP Fiori generator modules.
• Support for virtual endpoints at the generation stage, reducing setup complexity.
• Introduction of LSP (Language Server Protocol) support for annotation files in adaptation projects.
• Expansion of quick actions in the Adaptation Editor.
• Support for Word document uploads in the Project Accelerator.
• Continued investment in AI-powered features to boost productivity and make development more intuitive.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, we value your feedback. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!