Version Comparisons in Web Dynpro for ABAP 

Version managements is used to store different versions of ABAP development objects. It allows you to display older versions of an object, compare versions and reset them, if necessary, to reverse unintended modifications.

A version comparison must also take into account that, in addition to classic code sections, a Web Dynpro application also contains a large amount of metadata. The ABAP Workbench provides you with a version comparison for the development of the individual entities of a Web Dynpro component. You can compare different versions of:

·        Views

·        Windows

·        Controllers

 

Versions of an Object

The currently processed version of the object is always retained in the development database. Furthermore, for every development object released, a corresponding version is stored in the version database.

You are also able to store a version of an object in the version database without releasing it. To do so, the object must be selected in the object list and displayed in the Editor area. Open the menu in the upper line of the Workbench and choose:

Utilities -> Versions -> Generate Version

 

Starting a Version Comparison

Open the menu in the upper line of the Workbench and choose:

Utilities -> Versions -> Version Management

All stored versions of the selected object are displayed in a list. In addition to the current version in the development database, you are also shown all previously released or all active versions (see above) stored in the version database.

To start a comparison, select two entries and choose . Similarly to the Editor itself, the subsequent screen then provides a number of tabs with all implementation areas of the object. All areas containing differences between the two compared objects are indicated by a yellow triangle in the header line of the relevant tab.

For example, if one of two versions of a view features an additional UI element, the Layout tab is flagged with the yellow triangle in the version comparison.

For all implementation areas without a yellow triangle the compared object versions are identical.

On each tab, the individual implementation details of the two versions are compared and contrasted in table form. Any differences are highlighted.