Assigning Values to a Characteristic

Use

Use this function to assign values to characteristics in the Characteristics Builder. The following types of value specifications can be used to classify objects:

  • Explicit values. You can enter these values directly in the Characteristics Builder and they are part of the definition of the characteristic. Their sequential order is relevant for the definition of the effective value in the case of single-valued characteristics.
  • Values from a value table. The values are taken from a value table. The name of the table is part of the definition of the characteristic but the values are not. The values taken from a value table follow a lexicographic order (for example, value C overwrites value B).

This method has the advantage that the value table can be edited in other software components. The order can be affected by implementing the enhancement spot CLASSIFICATION_TOOL.

  • Repository object.Possible values are other repository objects. You can restrict the set of valid objects by specifying an object type or an object type group.
  • Arbitrary values.Arbitrary strings can be used to classify objects.

You must choose one of these types before the characteristic can be activated. It is possible to change the type during the input process.

Procedure

  1. In the context menu of a package, choose Create → Characteristic.
  2. On the Characteristic Values tab page, in the Type of Values dropdown box, choose the method for assigning values to a characteristic.
  3. In the Value Grid, perform one of the following activities:

 

Activity Procedure

Assigning explicit values
  1. In the value grid, choose the Append Line pushbutton.
  2. For each value, select an icon and add a short description.

    The description can be translated and is used by the Classification Browser when you display or edit classifications.

  3. Set a default value (optional).

Assigning values from a value table
  1. In the Value Table field, specify an active transparent table available in the ABAP dictionary.
  2. In the Value Table Field, specify a field of that table containing the values to be used.

    If you want to specify a default value, it has to be available in the table.

  3. In the Icon Field field, enter a field name that refers to a column containing an icon for each value (optional).
  4. Initial values are allowed in the case when the value field of the table contains some initial data. You can decide whether or not you want to have the initial value as the default.

    The other ways of assigning values do not allow initial values.

Assigning transport objects as values

You can restrict the possible values in the following ways:

  1. Specify an object type or an object type group to restrict the types the objects can have.
  2. Specify whether subobjects are allowed.
  3. Restrict the selection to existing objects.

If you specify a default value, it has to adhere to these restrictions.
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