Introduction to the Workbench Tools

Introduction to the Workbench Tools

The ABAP Workbench is SAP's graphical programming environment. It allows you to create new ABAP client/server applications, working as a team, and to change existing SAP applications. Programmers can use the Workbench to:

Write ABAP code.

Design dialogs with a graphical editor.

Create menus with a menu editor.

Debug an application.

Test an application for efficiency.

Use predefined functions.

Control access to objects under development.

Create new or access predefined database information.

The Major Workbench Tools

If you have not already done so, log on to the R/3 system. Then, choose Tools ® ABAP Workbench from the menu bar. The ABAP Workbench screen appears. The Workbench tools you will work with most often appear in the toolbar:

Tool	Function
Repository Browser	Used to display and edit hierarchical lists of development objects.
Dictionary	Used to define and save data definitions You can also store documentation, help information, data relationships, and other information. You also use the Dictionary to generate database objects like tables and indexes. The Dictionary is a central storage area for system-wide data definitions. Because definitions are stored centrally, they are available for use anywhere in any program throughout the system.
ABAP Editor	You use the ABAP Editor to create and edit program code.
Function Builder	You use the Function Builder to define and store function modules. The Function Builder stores these modules centrally. You can use the library to write new modules and look up information on existing modules.
Screen Painter	Used to design the screens in an application's graphical user interface.
Menu Painter	Used to design the menus that appear in your interface