Archive File Browser
Archive File Browser (AFB)
provides functions for displaying the contents of archive files. It offers a technical view of the archived tables in much the same way as the Data Browser
does for data from the database.
Implementation Considerations
The AFB is a technical tool for data archiving administrators and anyone who needs to investigate problems with data archiving and in archived data.
The data is only displayed in technical form, there is no business view formatting. The system structures the data from a technical point of view according to session, file and data object. AFB ignores application-specific connections (such as logical data objects that are composed from several technical data objects). Some archived structures (for instance COVP11
) do contain the actual data for particular database tables (for example, COEP
and COBK
).
Integration
You do not need to make any system settings in Customizing to be able to use the AFB.
Make sure that the user has the necessary authorizations, and that it is possible to access the archive files.
For more information, see Archive Files.
To accelerate the start of the AFB, you can set the selection of archive files for the start of the transaction.
More information: Speeding up the Start of the AFB .
Features
Displaying the Contents of Archive Files and Archiving Sessions
The AFB displays archived files. The way the data is structured corresponds to the structure in the archive. Evaluations of archived tables together with data in the database are not offered.
More information:
Searing for archived data
In addition to a search for archive files, a technical search for field contents is also possible in which the AFB searches for the contents of fields in a table (similar to transaction SE16).
When making the search, the AFB always reads through the files and focuses on finding missing data. The focus on completeness, even at the cost of poor performance.
More information:
Constraints
The search for data in the AFB is not intended for the retrieval by end users, but for finding missing data.
When searching for data in the AFB, no index of the archived data is constructed. To do so, use the Archive Information System.
Comparison with the Archive Information System
Archive Information System (AS)
Archive File Browser (AFB)
The main focus is on creating an index for archive files. This index can be used to find archived data quickly.
When searching for the contents of archive files, the AFB reads through the area to be searched sequentially.
Search is only possible using specific criteria (fields in info structures)
Search is possible using any fields
The index can be used by applications such as the Document Relationship Browser or line item reports for cost accounting to access archived data quickly.
No comparable interface
To access archived data, you have to first create and activate an info structure. In the production system this usually involves time and effort.
Access to archived data is possible immediately.
Business views, consequently also of interest to end users
Technical representation of data, only of interest to administrators