Tools

Description

RFC API

The RFC API is a C API (Application Programming Interface) for programming applications that use the RFC interface, that is, it allows external programs written in C to call RFC function modules in an SAP system. Using the RFC API you can develop client/server applications that act as both the client and the server to the SAP system.

SAP DCOM Connector

The SAP DCOM Connector uses services from Microsoft MTS to provide a DCOM interface for working with SAP RFC function modules and BAPI’s. It provides a C++ template library for creating COM objects from the SAP business objects. Using the DCOM Connector allows you to take advantage of the distributed computing, resource sharing and other benefits of using MTS when integrating your application with a SAP system.

SAP Automation

SAP automation is a suite of ActiveX components, class libraries, and other tools to help you develop applications that integrate with a SAP system from outside.

The various SAP Automation tools allow you to take advantage of the various interface types as mentioned above (GUI, RFC, BAPI, IDoc, Batch input). The different tools offer a variety of functionality with some overlap of functionality for the different programming languages.

Several of the SAP Automation tools allow you to program using the GUI interfaces to an SAP system.

Other SAP Automation tools expand the functionality of the RFC API to support programming with RFC function modules, business objects methods (BAPI’s), IDoc interface, or batch input.

Some of the SAP Automation tools that are based on the RFC API are also based on the SAP DCOM Connector to support distributed programming when using business objects methods (BAPI’s) and RFC function modules.

Tool

Type

Function

Language

GUI Library

C API

Like "screen-scraping" programs, the GUI Library takes the contents of R/3 SAPGUI screens and makes them accessible through standard data structures and function calls.

Allows you to write programs that provide an alternative user interface to the standard R/3 SAPGUI. This alternative interface can be GUI or non-GUI.

Also allows you to write programs that record the interaction between an end user and SAPGUI screens.

C

GUI Component

ActiveX Server (both in process and out of process)

Exposes a subset of the GUI Library to COM-compliant programs and applications. Simpler to use but also less flexible than using the GUI Library directly.

Any COM-compliant application

GUI Code Generator

Stand-alone executable

A code generator for the GUI Component.

Can act as a macro recorder allowing you to generate Visual Basic and other code as you or an end-user work with the SAP system.

Also lets you capture SAP screens as Visual Basic forms.

Produces VB, HAHTtalk Basic, or Delphi’s Object Pascal language code.

Tool

Type

Function

Language

RFC API

C API

A set of C routines that allows you to write external applications that communicate with an SAP system through remote function calls (RFC’s).

The external application can act as either a client or a server to the SAP system.

C

Tool

Type

Function

Language

RFC C++ Class Library

Class library

Provides a framework for the RFC API.

Makes it easier to use RFC’s in C++ programs by providing pre-built functions for some common tasks, such as establishing a connection to R/3.

C++

Java RFC Class Library

Class library

Provides an object oriented Java view over the RFC API.

Makes it easier to use RFC’s in Java programs by providing pre-built functions for some common tasks, such as establishing a connection to R/3, or performing data type conversion.

Java

IDoc C++ Class Library

Class library

Provides a framework for processing inbound and outbound IDOC’s.

Makes it easier to use IDoc technology in C++ programs by providing pre-built functions for some common tasks, such as creating and appending IDoc segments, accessing segments and fields by names, and working with fields.

C++

Tool

Type

Function

Language

Logon Control

ActiveX Control (OCX)

Allows you to create a connection object with which you can establish a connection to R/3.

Any COM-compliant application

Function Control

COM Server

Provides COM objects for handling RFC functions and their parameters. This allows you to create external applications that call RFC function modules in an SAP system.

Any COM-compliant application

Table Control

COM Server

Allows you to create a Table object representing a table parameter of an RFC function.

Works with the Function control to manage tables attached to Function objects.

Any COM-compliant application

Transaction Component

COM Server

Exposes R/3 batch input capability to COM-compliant programs and applications.

Allows an external program to send input field values to an R/3 screen (output field values are not returned).

Makes using batch input easier by eliminating the need to populate the fields of the BDC table, which is a prerequisite to using the standard R/3 batch input method.

Any COM-compliant application

BAPI ActiveX Control

ActiveX Control (OCX)

Allows you to develop external client/server applications (with R/3 as a server) that access business functions in the SAP system by calling BAPI’s (Business APIs) through OLE Automation.

Achieves this by allowing you to create (on the client) local instances of business objects, which act as proxy objects for the business object in the SAP system.

Any COM-compliant application

Tool

Type

Function

Language

IDoc Connector for XML

COM Server

Provides an XML interface for working with IDoc documents.

The IDoc Connector for XML component accepts your XML documents and sends them as inbound IDOC’s to a specified R/3 system. Conversely, it can receive outbound IDOC’s and it translate them into XML documents for your application to use.

Any COM/DCOM-compliant application

DCOM Connector Logon Component

COM Server

Helps programs that use the SAP DCOM Connector handle the connection parameters of the COM objects created by the SAP DCOM Connector.

The DCOM Connector Logon Component provides a logon dialog with which you can get the necessary connection parameters from an end user. It also allows the end user to create and maintain destination definitions.

The DCOM Connector Logon Component also allows you to easily copy connection parameters into a DCOM Connector COM object.

Any COM/DCOM-compliant application

Repository Services

COM Server

Provides read access to the metadata of business objects, RFC function modules, tables and structures in an R/3 system to COM-compliant programs and applications.

Also allows you to save a copy of the metadata in a local database. Using a local database allows you to access the same metadata faster and without connecting to R/3.

Any COM/DCOM-compliant application

BAPI Gateway

COM Server

Allows you to dynamically call BAPI’s and RFC’s through the DCOM Connector, that is, it allows you to determine at run time which BAPI’s or RFC’s you call.

Eliminates the need to use the SAP DCOM Connector wizard for creating a DCOM Connector proxy component.

Any COM/DCOM-compliant application

Repository Browser

COM Server

A control that can be hosted by any ActiveX container. It consists of a window with two panes for browsing SAP BAPI and RFC metadata information.

Allows online calling of RFC functions from within the control.

Also exposes several methods to enable the container application to control and automate metadata browsing.

Allow you to export metadata information to an Excel spreadsheet.

Any COM/DCOM-compliant application

SAP Assistant

Stand-alone executable

A tool for browsing (viewing and searching) the metadata of SAP RFC functions and SAP business objects and their methods (BAPI’s). Uses the SAP Browser Control (see above).

Allow you to call RFC functions directly online.

Also allow you to generate either Java or C++ classes for working with SAP business objects and their BAPI’s.

You can use the code generated with the BAPI Wizard tool for Java or C++ programming.

The SAP Assistant window itself is not programmable