Activation

A development object (repository object) can exist as an inactive and an active version. When you create a new development object, it is always available first as an inactive version.

In its inactive form, the development object is saved as a database object and is thus part of the ABAP Repository of a system. With the activation process you create an active version of a development object, thus also a corresponding runtime object, from an existing inactive version. Successful activation requires that the development object in question is free of syntax errors. Hence, when you trigger an activation process, a syntax check is performed for the entire development object before a runtime object is generated. An active version of development object is therefore always used for generating a runtime object.

Advantages of the Activation Concept

The inactive versions of development objects provide the developers with a separate local view of the repository and they form the basis for a "local runtime system". Changes to development objects can be tested within this local system without disturbing the wider development environment.

The main advantage of this is that the development process becomes seamless. For example, it makes it possible for you to change the interface of a function module without the changes immediately becoming visible in programs that call it. The changes are only visible system-wide once the development object has been activated.

Activation Process in ABAP Development Tools

When working with ABAP projects, you can apply the activation to:

An individual development object of a project
A multiple number of development objects of a project.

All inactive objects that belong to an ABAP project are listed in the Worklist of Inactive Objects. This worklist allows you to create a selection of objects you wish to activate in one single step.

The activation status of development objects affects the following operations and activities:

Operation	Description
Create	Creates an inactive version that is stored in the database of the ABAP system (ABAP Repository). Adds the development object to the worklist of inactive objects of your ABAP project.
Save	Saves the development object as an inactive version without a syntax check.
Activate	Creates an active version from the existing inactive version. The active version is used to generate the runtime version of the development object.
Delete	Deletes active and inactive versions.
Syntax check	Checks the current editor content.
Run / Execute	Executes the runtime object (active version). A runtime object can only be generated from a syntactically correct active version.
Transport	Releasing of transport requests is only used for active objects. You cannot release a transport request until all objects included have been activated.