So you want to adapt/change your SAP standard Web Dynpro ABAP (WDA) application but you’d like to avoid using code enhancements if possible. One way to achive this is Administrator Personalization and in this blog I'll explain and give examples of this. In section (2) of this blog (to be created...) I'll explain a couple of other ways to perform code free changes to WDA applications namely Component Customization and Enhancements.
The list of options is not exhaustive and the recommendations are my personal opinions and not necessarily based on SAP recommendations.
1. Admin Personalization (Application Customization)
If you want to perform small changes like hiding an input field, changing a label, rearranging a table column or field then this is the way to go. If you come from a Web Dynpro Java background the options at your hand using this technique are very similar to the old "ctrl+right click" technique.
To get started log on to your development system and simply locate the Web Dynpro application in SE80 or SE84. Now you might want to take a copy of the SAP standard application to perform the customization on so that you keep a clean SAP version. I would recommend taking a copy but up to you and your companies policies. If you chose to customize directly on the standard application your changes will not be lost during an upgrade and you can always go back and check which elements where changed and reset the changes (I will show that towards the bottom of this blog).
You now need to execute the application using "shift+F8" or "Web dynpro application->Test-> In browser - admin mode".
You can also do the same from your development portal by executing the iview in preview mode (but I have not tested this out in the portal so can't say if you get prompts for transports etc?).
Then locate the UI object you wish to change, right click it and chose "Settings for current configuration". Below I've given a couple of examples and hints:
- If you clicked on a table column you will be able to rearrange it and Add/Remove columns
- If you click on an input field you can change text, make it invisble, add a tooltip and even mark it as mandatory using the state property
- NOTE: If you mark a field as mandatory it simply gives you a * indicator on the field and you need to ensure that a check for mandatory attributes has or is also implemented for example using cl_wd_dynamic_tool=>check_mandatory_attr_on_view( view_controller = l_view_controller display_messages = abap_true ).
- If you want to rearrange the input fields you have to click on the container element for example "Grouping of UI Elements" as shown below. You then press the Re-Sort link and you will be able to move them Up and Down.
When your done and click the "Save and Close" button in the bottom right hand corner you will be prompted to save your changes in a customization transport. As a result you only need to do this on your development system/client - nice!
Remember this customization is done on the application NOT the application configuration which means:
a) The admin personalization of the application will be available on all the application configurations associated with it
b) You can perform admin personalization even if the application doesn't have a configuration
If you want to check which parts of an application has been customized select the drop down option "Personalized Elements" and you will get a list of customized elements and be able to reset them to standard.
So this is one way to achieve the described changes. In section 2 of this blog (to be done) I'll explain a couple of other options.
NOTE: In a lot of SAP standard applications it is also possible to achieve similar things in IMG customizing so ask your functional IMG expert first.
Here are some useful links:
End User and Administrator Personalization (SAP Library - Web Dynpro for ABAP)
Personalization and Customizing - Web Dynpro ABAP Configuration Framework - SAP Library
And even though this document is written for FPM it has a brilliant section regarding adaptation options that some of the way are also applicable for standard WDA applications:
Best Regards, Jan