Mobile Data Object Configuration

A mobile data object, or MDO, represents a mobile semantic view of data and activity combination for an SAP business object.

Mobile data objects are data repositories in the namespace that can get, create, update, and delete information in SAP. They encapsulate the business logic of mobile applications by defining transactions, data structures, and business rules.

There are three types of MDOs:

  • Data Table (DT): A simple representation of SAP BusinessObjects KEY and VALUE.
  • Complex Table (CT): A two-dimensional representation of a business object with a single table of multiple columns.
  • Standard Data Object (DO): A multi-dimensional representation of a business object with multiple tables representing different subsets of the business object.

Use the ConfigPanel to modify MDO properties such as object type, class handlers, data filters, and other settings. For example, instead of modifying BAPIs to change what information is retrieved from SAP and pushed out to mobile devices, administrators use the ConfigPanel to modify MDOs and set up data filter rules.

The Mobile Data Object Configuration screen has the following tabs:
  • General Setting
  • ResultSet Field Selection
  • Data Filter
  • Data Staging
  • Proxy Setting

General Setting Tab

Use the General Setting tab to modify the general settings for a chosen mobile data object.

  • Basic Data: The Basic Data section provides general information about the specific mobile data object. The basic data information is used in tabs of the Mobile Data Object screen.

    • Mobile Data Object ID: Required field. Enter the name of the MDO, limited to 40 characters

    • Description: Required field. Enter a brief, easy to understand description of the MDO, limited to 60 characters

    • Data Object Type: A dropdown list of the three MDO types:

      • Data Table: A simple representation of the SAP BusinessObjects KEY and VALUE

      • Complex Table: A two-dimensional representation of the business object with a single table of multiple columns

      • Standard Data Object: A multi-dimensional representation of a complete business object. It can have multiple tables representing different subsets of the SAP BusinessObjects.

    • Mobile Application: Name of the mobile application. Choose the mobile application from the dropdown list.

    • Reference Business Object: SAP business object for which the MDO is being created.

  • Data Object Handler Settings: Use the Data Object Handler Settings section to configure the methods of the MDO.

    • Data Object Handler: Name of the ABAP OO class handler from the class repository of SAP. The ABAP OO class handler is developed by the application developer with predefined business logic and scope to perform fetch, create, delete, or update activities for an SAP business object.

    • Get Method: Method defined in the class handler that fetches data for the underlying SAP business object (optional)

    • Create Method: Method defined in the class handler that creates data for the underlying SAP business object (optional)

    • Update Method: Method defined in the class handler that updates data for the underlying SAP business object (optional)

    • Delete Method: Method defined in the class handler that deletes data for the underlying SAP business object (optional)

    • Skip Exception Processing: When checked, the exception processing step is not invoked if an exception occurs during MDO handling

  • Exchange Object Settings: Allows you to associate the MDO with an exchange object. Configure the exchange object using the Exchange Object Configuration screen in the ConfigPanel.

    • Exchange Object: Name of the exchange object as defined in the SAP mobile exchange persistent layer. Specify an exchange object from the dropdown menu if the selected class handler uses the mobile exchange persistent layer to determine data exchanges to the mobile application.

    • Enable Conv. Exit Overwrite: When checked, you can define specific internal and external conversion settings in the Technical Settings screen of the ConfigPanel.

  • Localization Settings: When you enable localization in the MDO configuration, you can assign a localization language to an MDO, which is used for language related distribution. For example, a complex table MDO with localization language enabled returns language relevant descriptions in the specified localization language instead of the user logon language.

    • Enable Localization Setting: Check to allow localization

    • Language: Assign the localization language to the MDO

  • Middleware Reference Info: If the middleware is specified, the MDO performs the standard exchange process as well as a lookup in the client object register table to determine what information the client contains. If data was removed from the client that still exists in the SAP table, the data is readded to the client during the transmit.

    • Reference Middleware Object Type: Middleware objects are set through the Administration portal (optional)

  • Activation: Use the checkbox to enable or disable an MDO in the application without deleting the MDO.

    • Data Object Active: When checked, the MDO is in an active state. If unchecked, the MDO performs no actions

ResultSet Field Selection Tab

When you enable a field selector function for a class handler, you can then select fields for the GET method to populate. The class handler is mobile application neutral. It supplies more data than the mobile application needs. Therefore, to preserve system performance, customize field usage settings to only retrieve required data for the mobile application. The ability to customize prevents the need to develop a new class handler for each mobile application.

  • Handler Info fields:

    • Mobile Data Object ID: Name of the MDO

    • Description: Description of the mobile data object, limited to 60 characters. Required field.

    • Data Object Handler: Name of the ABAP OO class handler from the class repository of SAP. The ABAP OO class handler is developed by the application developer with predefined business logic and scope to perform fetch, create, delete, or update activities for an SAP business object.

    • Get Method: Name of the GET method set in the General Setting tab.

  • Field Selection Detail fields:

    • Field Catalog column: Lists all the fields that can be returned by the class handler method, grouped in the order of the name of the class handler method, SAP table name, and field name. To display all information in this column, click the arrows to the left of a name to expand the row.

    • Field Active column: When checked, the data for the selected field is returned by the class handler method

    • Field Description column: Description of the specific field in the SAP table

    • Data Format column: How data is presented

    • Sort Options: When a large amount of information is presented, use the sort options to find the information required easily. When you select a different radio button, the rows collapse. Expand them again to display the new field sorting.

Data Filter Tab

When a data filter function is enabled for a class handler, the option exists to define various types of filter rules to control what data a user can view on the mobile application based on the business process of the customer. In an SAP environment, each user is assigned a role-based profile with authorization restrictions for what data is viewed and which activities performed.

For example, a user who works for a specific plant should not be able to view data for another plant. Data filter rules allow you to restrict data access for mobile applications. Data filters can be user-dependent or applied to the entire mobile application.

  • Handler Info fields:

    • Mobile Data Object ID: Name of the MDO

    • Description: Description of the mobile data object, limited to 60 characters. Required field.

    • Data Object Handler: Name of the ABAP OO class handler from the class repository of SAP. The ABAP OO class handler is developed by the application developer with predefined business logic and scope to perform fetch, create, delete, or update activities for an SAP business object.

  • Defined Filters list:

    The Defined Filters tree lists all data filters supported by the class handlers defined in the Data Object Handler Settings field in the General Setting tab. To expand the tree, click the arrows to the left of the class handler methods to display the filters associated with the methods.

  • Rule Editor fields:

    • Method Name: Name of the class handler method where the data filter is defined. The data filter function is only supported for the GET method

    • Filter Name: Name of the filter as defined in the class handler method. The filter name is defined by the class handler developer and is not editable.

    • Reference Table Name: Technical name of the SAP database table where this filter is applied. The reference table name is defined by the class handler developer and is not editable.

    • Reference Field Name: Technical name of the SAP database table field where this filter is applied. The reference field name is defined by the class handler developer and is not editable.

    • Data Filter Rule Key: Internal technical key used by the framework at runtime

    • DOF Rule Type: Type of rule

    Each rule set has different settings options:

    • User Profile Parameter rule

      • Parameter ID: Memory parameter ID as defined in SAP and specified in the user profile. Click the icon to the right of the field box to perform a search on all available parameter IDs.

      • Description: Description of the memory parameter ID. The description field is not editable and is automatically filled in when the parameter ID is selected.

      • Active Flag: When checked, the rule is active

    • Static Value in Range Format rule

      • Sign, Option, Low Value, and High Value are the values for the applicable columns in the SAP Range Table.

    • Syclo Filter Class Handler rule

      • Syclo Data Filter Handler: Name of the handler class as defined in the system

      • Parameter: Additional processing information that is passed to the class handler. The parameters are entered as free text, and the syntax of the parameter stream is defined by the developer.

      • Active Flag: When checked, the rule is active

    • Runtime Session Data rule

      • Runtime Session Data Name: Session ID within the specified group

      • Runtime Session Data Group: Name of the session group

      • Active Flag: When checked, the rule is active

  • Rule List table: The Rule List table displays a list of rules that have been defined

    • Rule No.: Number of the rule that is defined, in chronological order

    • Rule Type: Rule type, automatically assigned by the rule type selected in the DOF Rule Type field

    • Rule Value: Internal rule value saved by SAP

Data Staging Tab

If an application processes a large amount of objects, data staging of the objects can assist with processing times. If an object is configured for data staging, the data within the object is stored as a package and is split into packets. The data can contain metadata and tagging for easy life-cycle management and data lookup. Standard APIs are provided for package management.

  • Handler Info fields:

    • Mobile Data Object ID: Name of the MDO

    • Description: Description of the mobile data object, limited to 60 characters. Required field.

    • Data Object Handler: Name of the ABAP OO class handler from the class repository of SAP. The ABAP OO class handler is developed by the application developer with predefined business logic and scope to perform fetch, create, delete, or update activities for an SAP business object.

  • Data Staging Setting fields:

    Get, Create, Update, and Delete Method Setting: When a checkbox is marked for a specific method, data staging is active for that method

Proxy Setting Tab

Use the Proxy Setting tab to define any proxy settings.

  • Handler Info fields:

    • Mobile Data Object ID: Name of the MDO

    • Description: Description of the mobile data object, limited to 60 characters. Required field.

    • Data Object Handler: Name of the ABAP OO class handler from the class repository of SAP. The ABAP OO class handler is developed by the application developer with predefined business logic and scope to perform fetch, create, delete, or update activities for an SAP business object.

  • Proxy Settings fields: The following fields are available for each of the methods:

    • System Component: Identifies the remote system

    • Proxy Type: BAPI Proxy is the only supported proxy type

    • Proxy Name: BAPI name of the remote system

    • Proxy Active: When checked, proxy settings are active for the specific method