Features within ANST

Initial Screen

Following are the features in the initial ANST screen:

  • Execute: To execute or to start the replication for an issue with inputs provided.

  • Application Documentation: To know more in detail about ANST and how to perform an SAP Note search.

  • Object Customizing: This is the customizing table for ANST where you can give your preference about the various object types to be used during the note search. This also means that only the selected object types are visible in the trace. This is helpful in case there are lot of steps to be followed for issue replication and large number of objects are involved.

  • Settings: This is the customizing table where you can define general preferences and some technical parameters required for ANST.

  • Date: Starting date from which the SAP Notes will be searched. Any SAP Note released before the specified date will not be considered during the note search.

  • ALV on Res: Result of note search will be displayed in ALV if this is checked. In case you do not want to download the note from here, uncheck this. Result will then be displayed in read only mode.

  • Max Size: Number of objects packaged together in block for the note search. This is to ensure good performance during the note search. Keep the value below 800. This is used internally for technical purpose.

  • RFC Destination: Specify the RFC destination SAPOSS or SPASNOTE whichever is available in the ABAP system.

  • Custom Objects Checkbox: These are the checkboxes for the custom objects which ANST can identify from the generated trace for the Customer Code feature. If selected these objects will be searched for the customer code. Currently this includes:

  • BADis (This also includes explicit enhancements)

  • Repaired Objects

  • Field Exits

  • User Exits

  • Transaction Variants

  • BTE – Business Transaction Events

  • Max Objects: This represents the maximum number of objects which can be selected for the note search. If the total number of selected objects based on your selection exceeds this, then search cannot be performed and an error message will be displayed instead. Reduce the number of objects/application components and try again.

  • Open trace: To open an existing saved trace. You will see a pop-up selection criteria using which you can open a trace. If you are not aware about any of inputs, then let all the fields be empty and execute.

  • Delete Trace: This is to delete an existing saved trace. Select the trace(s) which you want to delete and click on “Yes”. After this the trace will be permanently deleted.

  • Trace On/Off: This option lets you start and stop the tracing at any point in time. This is helpful when you want to start the tracing not from the beginning of issue replication. Also, the trace can be stopped at any point in time. This works for all supported options in ANST i.e. for SAP GUI based applications and web applications as well. Currently it is restricted to the single user using the ANST.

    For example, you start and stop the trace for web-applications if you are logged in with the same user which has started the trace in ANST using this feature. More details refer this BlogInformation published on SAP site

  • Filter Criteria: You can filter the trace generated based on the Application Component(s), software components, or packages. Check the "Customer code only" check-box to filter the trace based on customer code.

  • Save Trace: Check this option if you want to save the trace for future use. Give a meaningful description of the trace in the field above. Trace will be automatically saved during the replication of the issue and after the trace has been actually generated. This is helpful in case where you do not want to replicate the issue again and again.

  • Upload Trace: Use this option to upload an ANST trace from your local system. When prompted, provide a meaningful description and continue. The trace is automatically saved.

Trace Screen

The Trace Screen displays the objects called while reproducing an issue.

Application Component Sub-tree: Trace is grouped based on the application components. This sub-tree displays the name of the application components and also the number of objects it contains inside the round braces.

Object Leaf Node: This is the leaf node of the trace tree which displays the object type, object name, change on date, package and the software component for each individual object inside the trace.

This is colored yellow if it is a customer object.

Let's look at the different application toolbar options available at the trace screen which is generated after you have replicated your issue.

Application specific toolbar:

  • Expand/Collapse the nodes in the ALV tree.

  • Search through the entire ALV tree based on any node.

  • Change the layout.

  • Print the entire trace as displayed in the ALV tree.

Filter options: You can set/reset the filter.

You can filter the trace generated based on the Application Component(s), software components, or packages. Check the "Customer code only" check-box to filter the trace based on customer code.

Select options: Select/Deselect through the sub tree.

Note Search: Once you have replicated the issue, you can use this option to search for SAP Notes. This works based on selection of application components/objects from the trace. The search is performed, based on the node in the ALV tree. Once the note search is completed, a list of the most relevant SAP notes are displayed.

  • Download Note: Double click on this icon to trigger the download of the selected SAP Note. After the download is triggered, you will be navigated to the SNOTE transaction.

  • Status: Provides the status of the SAP Note on your system. For example, if selected SAP Note is available or not, implemented or not etc.

  • Note Priority: Provides the SAP Note priority that corresponds to the number displayed in the Header Data section of any SAP Note.

  • Note Number: The column displays the SAP Note number. When clicked it opens the note in One support launchpad in a browser.

  • Application Area: This tells you about the application component name for which this SAP Note is released.

  • Note Title: Short text for the SAP Note.

Scan Source: You can scan for a particular term in the source code of all the objects in the trace displayed in the ALV tree.

Customer Code: There might be the case that issue is not due to SAP standard code but due to customer code. In this case, no relevant SAP Notes can be searched; Instead, you can use this feature to search for customer code and objects. This helps you to find the list of customer code (if there are any) involved during the replication of issue from the entire trace.

  • Object Type: This tells you about the object type for example if it is a class method, function module, class definition etc.

  • Object Name: This gives you the actual name of the object.

  • Package: Name of the package or development class to which this object belongs to.

  • Component: This represent the software component of the package for the object.

  • Type: This represent the customer code type which is specific to ANST.

    This is colored yellow if it is a custom object.

Save Trace: You can use this option to save the trace for future use. Give a meaningful trace description and save it.

The trace is saved in such a way that the order in which the objects are called leading to the issue is preserved.

Download Trace: You can use this option to download the trace for future use. Give a meaningful trace description and save it.

Tables:

  • Customizing tables: Sometimes issues could also be related to missing or wrong customizing entries. In this case this feature will be useful for you.

    If you would like to see the results for specific application components/objects, select the nodes from the ALV tree and click on "Customizing Tables", else, all customizing tables involved during the replication of issue from the entire trace will be displayed. The list is grouped based on the application components.

    • Application Component: Customizing tables are grouped based on the application component. This represent the name for the application component.

    • Table Name: This represents the name of the customizing table.

    • Object Date: Last changed on date for the customizing table.

    • Description: Short description for the table.

    • Package: Name of the package or development class to which this table belongs to.

    • Component: This represents the software component of the package for the table.

    Double clicking on the table name displayed, takes you to the table's Data Browser screen.

  • All tables:

    • Sometimes, you may want to see all the tables involved during the issue replication. If you would like to see the results for specific application components/objects, select the nodes from the ALV tree and click on "All Tables", else, all tables involved during the replication of issue from the entire trace will be displayed. The list is grouped based on the application components.

    • Component: This represents the software component of the package for the table.

    • Application Component: Tables are grouped based on the application component. This represents the name for the application component.

    • Description: Short description for the table.

    • Package: Name of the package or development class to which this table belongs to.

    • Table Name: This represent the name of the table.

    • Table Name: This represent the name of the table.

    • Type: Represents the delivery class of the table.

  • Breakpoint:

    You can use breakpoints to debug your application. This feature supports External breakpoints only.
    • Set - If you would like to set breakpoints for specific application components/objects, select the nodes from the ALV tree and click on "Breakpoint" and choose "Set". You will be informed of unsupported objects (if any) via a pop-up.

    • Delete - Used to delete the breakpoints that are set for the selected trace objects displayed in the ALV tree.

    • Delete All - Used for deleting all the breakpoints set.

  • Information Documentation: Provides detailed information on ANST.