OData Channel Generation Tool

The OData Channel Generation Tool enables you to import an existing service description file and, from this, automatically generate implementations for data and metadata provisioning on the backend for exposure using SAP Gateway. This is beneficial when, for example, you have already created a model using another tool such as Microsoft Visual Studio™, or you have existing functionality that you want to expose using SAP Gateway. The tool supports an outside-in development approach.

The OData Channel Generation Tool creates all the objects that a content developer would create if they used the native programmatic approach without any tooling support; it does not create any special artifacts on the system. After you have used the tool for the first time, you can either continue with the same approach and regenerate the classes after modification, or switch back to a code-based approach. You can even combine both approaches by following the extensibility rules that guarantee a separation between user code and generated code.

The tool has the following advantages:

• Simplifies content development for SAP Gateway, enabling you to focus on the services you want to expose.

• Saves time and effort by automatically generating code and empty classes, thereby avoiding the need for time-consuming and repetitive manual coding.

• Eliminates the need to spend time learning how to work with the Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for the OData Channel.

• Provides a bridge to existing modeling tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio™ Model Designer.

After you have generated the implementation classes, you must add custom logic, then register the model for use at runtime, and activate the service on the SAP Gateway hub.