Local and Transportable eCATT Objects

eCATT objects can be transported by functions of SAP Transport Organizer. For this reason, they are assigned to development packages, are managed in the global object directory (TADIR), and are subject to the underlying modification rules of development objects in the SAP ABAP system.

For some scenarios in projects for test automation, the above factors can be restricting and obstructive.

As an alternative, an option is provided to use local eCATT objects that are not managed in SAP Transport Organizer. This option must be configured in the basic system settings. Then, eCATT objects can be used locally, provided they fulfill the following criteria:

They are assigned to a package of software component LOCAL, for example to package $TMP.
The name of the eCATT object begins with a prefix that is set and designated as the name range for local objects.

Local eCATT objects cannot be transported, and have no originality property. They exist independently in each system in which they have been created with this name. The function Download/Upload is also available for local objects.

Local eCATT objects have no assignment in the global object directory (TADIR), and therefore are not displayed in the ABAP Development Workbench hierarchy (SE80). They can be accessed in transaction SECATT.

Settings

The option Local eCATT Objects is activated in Customizing - Implementation Guide (transaction SPRO) from the menu path:

Start of the navigation path SAP Reference IMG Next navigation step SAP NetWeaver Application Server Test Workbench Extended Computer Aided Test Tool (eCATT) Expert Settings Configuring CTS/TADIR Handling End of the navigation path .

In the following settings dialog, namespaces can be configured for eCATT object names that have no active connection to the SAP Transport Organizer.

As soon as these settings are saved, report RSECATT_CHECK_ALL_OBJ_CTS is scheduled by the system. This report checks all existing eCATT objects and if necessary due to changed name ranges, removes an existing registration of eCATT objects in the Transport Organizer, or adds a new registration.

eCATT objects whose names begin with a configured namespace, must be assigned to a package that belongs to software component LOCAL in order to be used as a local object. This is package $TMP and subpackages of $TMP, which are assigned to individual system users.