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Using Customer Exit Variables - Bug and Performance Issues

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Hi,

we are facing strange behavior of Customer Exit Variable handling in WebI that impacts overall performance. The expected behavior is that Customer Exit is processed in step 1 and 2 only once for each variable, in step 3 once per query execution. This is working as designed when executing the BEx query in RSRT/BEx Analyzer/Web Template. In our case we have a query with 5 Customer Exit variables that get filled in step 1 from a dictionary table. Therefore the user exit step 1 is processed exactly 5 times. Check.

Now the strange thing is when the same BEx query is executed from WebI each step is processed several times (3-5 times). So step 1, where in our case we have 5 Customer Exit variables is processed between 15 and 25 times. Same issue on step 2 for non input ready variables. Step 3 which should be processed only once for the whole variable screen is also called 3-5 times. For step 3 the strangest thing is that the variable values are different each time the user exit is called. Only the last time it is processed it really contains the values which have been entered in the variable screen. I could image this behavior might be due to some initial meta data checks that might be processed or whatever but in our case it is just wasting time doing things that are not necessary.

How to reproduce this issue:

The easiest way to reproduce this issue is to create a break-point in step 3 of user exit for BEx customer exit variables. Then once execute BEx query in RSRT/BEx Analyzer and see that break-point in step 3 is only reached once before the result is displayed.

Create a WebI report using the same query as datasource (via BICS). In order to make Customer Exit Variables generally work in WebI you have to take care that variable screen is cleared/purged before data refresh. This bug occurs no matter if query stripping is enabled or not. You should see that your break-point is reached several times before query shows the result.

We currently have an open ticket on that issue but I have the impression that the support team does not have the right people working on that thing and maybe they do not even understand the importance for all of their WebI customers. In our case where we do a migration from BEx workbooks to WebI this might even become a show stopper because this issue impacts on report performance with about 20% runtime. So I could imagine that overall WebI performance can be improved by solving this issue.

I am really interested if we are the only ones suffering from this issue or if there are people out there encountering the same problems. Maybe you have found a solution or work around which also could help us.

I appreciate any help.

Thanks,

Heiko

System Information:

- BO 4.0 SP6

- BW 7.3 SP8 (Using BICS)

Accepted Solutions (0)

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
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Hi,

   

This issue sounds very much like Note 1752639
- BI 4.0 - WebIntelligence using BICS - very slow performance after selecting
the bex query.

symptom: "In BW transaction SM50/SM66, the work process is continuously/repeatedly inserting into table /BI0/ICUST_SALES. "

  

Your BW-ABAP level is benefitting from the very latest BICS
API runtime enhancements (aka "BI Consumer Service v2.0")  but BusinessObjects BIPlatform can’t leverage
these optimizations until the BI4.1 codeline. (Currently still in Ramp Up)

  

For example if you go to www.service.sap.com/notes and
search on component BI-RA-BICS  using terms
<< performance BICS_PROV*  >> you’ll hit BW notes like 1749171,
1755154, 1785451… But these design-time and runtime optimizations make no
effect on the performance of BI4.0! 

 

  

Alas it may be that you have to wait until 4.1 goes General Availability (GA) to make the most of your back-end fixes.

If you wish to share your OSS number i could revert internally. It may be of use for the support engineer to benchmark your webi report (restored in-house into our BI4.1 machines) remotely against your BW via SAPRouter.

  

Regards,

H

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Hi Henry,

thanks for your immediate response. But unfortunately the oss note mentioned does not have anything to do with this issue.

I forgot to say that we of course checked with the existing oss notes on that. The support team already did those tests on their BI4.1 machines with our BW. Unfortunately the behavior is still the same.

Our main problem with that ticket is that the support teams seem to consist either of BI experts or BW experts but they do not have both skills. Unfortunately this issue is placed in between those two components, so you have to know and understand both worlds. Maybe there is someone around here?

Thanks anyway for your help.

Cheers,

Heiko

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
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If you have an RSTT trace for your problem recorded in your BW, and an equivalent DSL_Bridge APS trace attached to the ticket,  the engineers will work collaboratively to escalate to DEV. They can make the assessment.

Former Member
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Hello Heiko,

By the way, any special reason why to migrate BEx Workbooks to Web Intelligence and not to Analysis?

Best regards,

Victor

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Hi Victor,

our BEx workbooks are migrated both to WebI and Analysis depending on their use case. However this issue only affects WebI reports.

Cheers,

Heiko

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Thanks for your answer. I think that has already been done but I will check that again.

But anyway as I understand this issue this is not related to our specific system or a specific customer requirement but affects every! WebI report based on BEx query using BICS interface (all over the world). So I assume the support team should be able (and willing!) to re-build this issue on their own system landscape and do all the traces needed that support them fixing the issue...

Former Member
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Hello Heiko

We have also the problem (variable exit run several times with i_step incoherent) .

We have created a ticket on it . But nobody understand it ...

We have also a problem with the BADI  :RSR_VARIABLE_F4_RESTRICT_BADI

This BADI run sevreal times before the prompt.

Our system : B7.01 SP6 , BO 4 SP6

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos

Sure - but 'route 1' : Our support teams work remotely against the customer system(s), and escalate to either BO or BW component (or both) depending on the captured trace (in the customer system)

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
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Hi,

what is the OSS number please?   Support are aware of this issue, as there is an internal note 1771906 - BI 4.0: Are BAdi functions supported with BI 4.0?

however, what is not clear, is the level of commitment from BW dev to enhance the interoperability of these 2 stacks (in the same way that MDX, & now BICS have been optimised)

regards,

H

Former Member
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We have implemented sap note 1688370. But no way , the BADI is called 33 times (11 before the prompt , 22 before )

  It's the same issue for the variable exit (it turn 10/15 times with different i_step)

In st13 we have also notice strange authorization check (the same check several times  on CALMONTH)

Do you want our sap tickets  ?

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
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yes please

Former Member
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Ours tickets :

  • 654044 / 2013 for the problem of the BADI
  • 893374 / 2013 : is a problem with a variable wich is fetch in step 2. We have noticed that the variable exit is called several times

Thanks

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
0 Kudos

Hi,

both tickets 654044 and 893374 are on status 'customer action' , requesting opening of SAPRouter/ secure area credentials.

(This is for the reason mentionned above : Our support teams work remotely against the customer system(s), and escalate to either BO or BW component (or both) depending on the captured trace (in the customer system))

On my side, I have notified the engineers responsible, and contacted their internal escalation path. i.e. accelerated the process proactively.

Regards,

H

Former Member
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Thanks !

If there is solution i will post it

Henry_Banks
Product and Topic Expert
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i wouldn't expect a solution immediately, as i think this will require a 'cross issue' development request, and - as such - have notified internal stakeholders accordingly.

there is also some discussion between the engineers that you have a system copy, where the problem does NOT happen... which is confusing the investigation somewhat.

Regards,

H

Former Member
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Hi Henry,

We are facing the same problem across reports and systems. We are using BADI RSR_VARIABLE_FF4_RESTRICT_BADI. After detailed analysis we are pretty sure this happens all the time and behaviour is consistent.

It will be higly appreciated if you can push a bit to get some resolution.

Regards

Anuj