XML Interface

[Former Member]

Hi,

I need to write interfaces in SAP R/3 generating XML files. Couple of ways to do this:

1> Use XML port type for IDOC creation

2> Use XI

3> Use Business Connector (BC)

4> Use other tools like Webmethods etc..

Disadvantages:

1> SAP is going to stop support of SAP BC from Dec 31, 2004 or from SAP 4.7.

2> For using XML port for IDOC, I might have to create custom IDOCs for some interfaces as all interfaces might not have standard IDOC to use.

Question? How do I evaluate these options for generating

XML interfaces? There might be some inbound interfaces also where SAP needs to convert XML files and post data.

I need PROS and CONS for these possible options, so my managament team can decide what to use.

-Thanks in Advance

-BJS

[Former Member]

Hi Bhaven,

For custom interfaces on your SAP backend system you have the following possibilities to send messages to Xi:

1) Implement an empty remote enabled FM with interface parameters containing the neccessary data. You can then import the RFC FM metadat to Xi. In your ABAP code you can execute a RFC function call with Xi as the destination. And then use Xi to map to the target XML format.

2) If you implement the "empty" remote enabled FM as a BAPI you can always generate the corresponding IDOC interface. In your ABAP code you can use the generated interface to send your generated IDOCs to Xi.

3) You can generate ABAP proxies from Xi which you can use in your ABAP code to send messages directly to Xi. Requires that the backend system has the Xi plug-in implemented.

Kind regards Johan Göthberg