Unicode Enabled ABAP - Overview

Design Goals
􀂄 Platform independence
􀂋 Identical behavior on Unicode and non-Unicode systems
􀂄 Highest level of compatibility to the pre-Unicode world
􀂋 Minimize costs for Unicode enabling of ABAP Programs
􀂄 Improved security, maintainability, and readability of ABAP programs

Main Features
􀂄 Clear distinction between character and byte processing

1 Character 􀂏 1 Byte

􀂄 Enhanced checks prevent programming based on memory layout assumptions
􀂄 Improved conversion facilities
􀂄 Improved dataset interface
􀂄 Improved support for dynamic programming


Unicode Restrictions – String Processing

Character Processing

CONCATENATE cf1 cf2 TO cf3.
IF cf1 CS cf2. ...
String operations are only allowed for character-like operands
􀂋ABAP types C, N, D, and T, STRING
􀂋 Structures consisting only of characters (C, N, D, T)
􀂋 X and XSTRING are no longer considered character-like types

Byte Processing

CONCATENATE xf1 xf2 TO xf3 IN BYTE MODE.
IF xf1 BYTE-CS xf2. ...
􀂋 Variants of string operations for byte processing

-> Addition „IN BYTE MODE“ for statements
-> Prefix „BYTE-“ for comparison operations

􀂄 Only operands of type X or XSTRING allowed


Unicode Restrictions – Length and Distance

Determining the Length and Distance

􀂄 Counted in bytes or in characters? Specify!
DESCRIBE FIELD...LENGTH... IN (BYTE CHARACTER) MODE
DESCRIBE DISTANCE BETWEEN ... AND ... INTO ...

IN (BYTE CHARACTER) MODE.

* Reference : SPC250 - Making ABAP Programs Unicode Enabled

Maintenance Transaction with Installation of a Support Package Stack

Step 1: Plan Maintenance
1. Create a new maintenance transaction
2. Assign a product version, for which you want to install a support package stack, to the maintenance transaction.
3. The Maintenance Optimizer displays all the systems assigned to the product version.
Set the checkboxes for the systems for which you want to call and install a support package stack. Choose Continue.

Step 2: Select Files
1. Choose Maintenance under Automatic Determination of Download Files. This option is only available if there is a support package stack for the product version specified in step 1.
2. Choose Get Download Files.
3. The maintenance optimizer shows five additional steps to determine the download files automatically.

Step 2.1: Choose stack
1. The maintenance optimizer shows all target stacks which are currently available in the SAP Service Marketplace, for the specified product version, in a drop-down list. The current target stack is the default.
2. Choose a target stack from the drop-down list. Choose Get Download Files for the Stack Version.

Step 2.2: Select OS/DB-dependent files
1. The maintenance optimizer shows a list of files. It is sorted by operating system and database. Choose files in this list for your processing system/database combination.
Note : Always select the database-independent files (DBINDEP) for a database and operating system, as well as the database-specific files.
2. Choose Continue.

Step 2.3: Select files with no stack
If your selection contains files with no stack, the maintenance optimizer shows them with no stack. Check the selection. Deselect files which you do not need.
You can also select files from the download basket which are also to be downloaded for this maintenance transaction with the software lifecycle manager, manually.
Choose Continue.

Step 2.4: Check files with stack
Check the automatic maintenance optimizer selection. All displayed files are in a selected stack.
The maintenance optimizer proposes the highest currently available support package for download, for system components with no support package stack.
Note : Support packages for which there is no delivery package in the SAP Service Marketplace, are flagged in the lists with a red star.
Choose Continue.

Step 2.5: Confirm selection
Specify how the selected files are to be downloaded:
* You can download with the Software Lifecycle Manager.
It loads the files into a central directory, from which they can be installed quickly. Continue by downloading the files with the download manager or the software lifecycle manager.
* You can download with the download basket.
The files are first put in the download basket, and then downloaded to your local computer.
Continue with Step 3: Download Files.
After selecting the download type, choose Select Download Type.

Note : A package configuration file containing your selections, is generated, in XML format. Once you confirm the selection in step 2.5, this file is stored in the database in the SAP Solution Manager and at operating system level in the Electronic Parcel Service Inbox of the transport directory.

Step 3: Download files
1. Choose Download.
2. Choose Continue.

Step 4: Implement
1. If you selected systems in step 1, they are shown here. When the data has been downloaded, you must now import it into the selected systems.
2. Use the maintenance optimizer to document the implementation. You can specify a start and end date, and the implemention status.
3. The copied and confirmed download files are listed. You can display detailed information about each file, or call a side-effect report, before implementing.
4. When you have checked all files, and made entries for implementation, choose Continue.

Step 5: End maintenance
When you have implemented the files in the desired systems, you can complete the maintenance transaction. Choose Complete Transaction.
You can then make no more changes.