BOPF Basics

Business Object Processing Framework

Design Time

Runtime

• Business Object Model & various other artifacts:
  • ​validations
  • actions
  • determinations
  • etc.

BOPF

Nodes

Associations

Determinations

Actions

Validations

Transaction Handling

Authorization Handling

API

IDEs

A. Multiple flavors of SAP GUI Transactions:

• (/BOBF/CONF_UI)
• BOBX
• BOB

IDEs

B. BOPF in Eclipse:

• Simplified developer experience
• Not always 1:1 with legacy IDEs

Example: Validation Handling with BOPF in Eclipse

Validation flavors in classical BOPF development:

• Action Check (triggered by action)
• Consistency Checks (triggered by modification)

Cross-node validation through "Consistency Groups"

action

action

commit

Action Check

Check after Modify

Check before Save

consistency group

!Change!

Example: Validation Handling with BOPF in Eclipse

Example: Validation Handling with BOPF in Eclipse

• Simplified developer experience via Eclipse:
• Single consistency group: means validations are execute at every save

The S/4 Programming Model

i.e. "ABAP Programming Model for SAP Fiori"

The Stack

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

What does SADL do?

/**
*  SADL = Abstraction layer between
*  OData and underlying business 
*  entities
*/

function SADL()
{
    interpret_OData_request();
    
    if ( action == READ )
    {
        build_query_and_push_to_database();
    }
    else // action == C/U/D
    {
        forward_to_transactional_engine(); //i.e. BOPF
    }
    
    map_result_to_OData();
}

Database

BOPF

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Several integration "flavors"

Database

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Implications

• CDS models are the "driving force"
• BOPF models generated (via CDS annotations)
• several aspects of BOPF development change

BOPF development in the S/4 Context

Disclaimer

• Most experience gathered on Netweaver 7.50 environment
• Enhancements to the programming model are constantly being delivered
• Depending on your Netweaver release (<7.50/7.50/7.51/7.52) some functionality might differ

=> Will try to cover all angles..

BOPF & OData - bridging the Gap

Database

BOPF

SADL

Gateway

UI5

BOPF & OData - bridging the Gap (cont'd)

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

...SADL!

BOPF & OData - implementation options

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

< 7.50 SP5: Data Source Mapping

>= 7.50 SP5: "OData  Exposure" for CDS/BOPF Models

 Implications on BOPF-based development

Implications: Node Keys

• Any OData entity must be uniquely identifiable by a key
• BOPF uses generated GUIDs

• Use a human-readable alternative key instead, (e.g. based on a number range)

GET SampleODataEntity('00505692515B1ED58EA9C9E0FD67DB41')

GET SampleODataEntity(1001)

Implications: Transient fields

• BOPF transient fields are not accesible, as the SADL engine pushes queries directly to the DB
• New in NW 7.51 SP03: Virtual Elements in CDS Views

Implications: Use of queries

• BOPF artifacts used for performing queries on the underlying persistency layer
• Still used internally in the framework, but replaced for developers and "consumers" by CDS-based queries 

Implications: Associations 

• BOPF Associations are crucial, as they are the basis for OData Navigation Properties
• Only modelled associations, not implemented

Database

BOPF

SADL

Gateway

UI5

Database

BOPF

CDS

SADL

Gateway

UI5

• CDS Associations are used for OData Navigation

Authorization Handling

BOPF Model

"Classical" Authorization Handling with BOPF

Authorization Object (SU21)

Role (PFCG)

STUDENT_GRADE: {
    ACTVT: integer
    CLASS_NAME: string
}

ROLE MATH_TEACHER: [
    STUDENT_GRADE: {
        ACTVT = 01(READ) or 02(WRITE)
        CLASS_NAME = "MATH"
    }
]

mapping

read/write

BOPF Model

Authorization Handling in the S/4 Prog. Model

Authorization Object (SU21)

Role (PFCG)

STUDENT_GRADE: {
    ACTVT: integer
    CLASS_NAME: string
}

ROLE MATH_TEACHER: [
    STUDENT_GRADE: {
        ACTVT = 01(READ) or 02(WRITE)
        CLASS_NAME = "MATH"
    }
]

mapping

query condition provider

Database

SADL

Gateway

SELECT ... WHERE CLASS_NAME = "MATH"

CDS

Implications: Auth. Handling

• Auth. Handling changes within the new prog. model, but works out-of-the-box for regular use-cases
• Complex Auth. checks require double implementation:

• Note: Netweaver 7.52 enhances authorization API further for draft-capability

https://help.sap.com/viewer/cc0c305d2fab47bd808adcad3ca7ee9d/1709.000/en-US/0d6b9d505ee74177829cfb30d29be0fd.html

What about the UI?

• Depending on authorization:
  • disable actions
  • set fields read-only
• Classical BOPF development: Property Determinations
• UI5-based Front-End: ?

Dynamic Action & Field Control

• Available since NW 7.51 SP02
• Driven by CDS model, but use the clasical BOPF property determinations
• Fully integrated into SADL

https://help.sap.com/viewer/cc0c305d2fab47bd808adcad3ca7ee9d/1709.000/en-US/ff67efc37b154f1e88a2f44d26eb2cf0.html

define view <SAMPLE> ..
{
...

@ObjectModel.readOnly: 'EXTERNAL_CALCULATION'
viewField

...
}

Testing

Testing Recommendations for the BOPF Developer

• Get comfortable with OData ($expand, $batch, deep inserts)
• Manual dev.-tests:
  • Gateway client preferred over BOBT
• Multiple choices for automated tests:
  • Framework support for Unit Tests
  • CDS Test Double Framework
  • eCATT OData E2E Tests