Calling BAPIs via BAPI Control (SAP Library - Tutorial: Communication Interfaces)

Calling BAPIs via BAPI Control

Task

Call a business object from the R/3 system using the SAP BAPI Control and display the data in a table using the Table View Control.

The application must

be written in Visual Basic and use the BAPI Control.
call the method GetList of the business object EmployeeAbstract.
supply a view on the output table and display data in a formatted table.

Overview: Unit Objectives

In this unit you will learn how to

create a simple graphical user interface for a BAPI call using Visual Basic.
refer to object variables.
log on to and off from the SAP system using the BAPI Control.
execute simple method calls using the BAPI Control.
display R/3 data in a table using the Table View Control.
assign the most important program steps to the corresponding components in the R/3 architecture.

Prerequisites

You are authorized to log on to the R/3 system.

You use an R/3 system of Release 3.1G or higher.

You use Windows 95 or Windows NT.

RFC SDK and the development environment for Visual Basic are installed on the local PC.

You have some basic knowledge in Visual Basic.

You have some basic knowledge about object-oriented programming.

You have determined the interface definition of the BAPI using the BAPI Browser or SAP Assistant.

Basics

The SAP business objects of the Business Object Repository (BOR) encapsulate their data and processes. External access on the data and processes is possible only using special methods of the SAP business objects, the BAPIs (Business Application Program Interface). These BAPIs present a simple open interface to the business functionality of the R/3 system. An external application must know the interface definition of a BAPI method in order to use the method. The interface of a BAPI is defined by:

Import parameters, which transfer data from the calling program to the BAPI.

Export parameters, which return data from the BAPI to the calling program.

Tables for importing and exporting data.

In the R/3 system, the BAPIs are implemented as function modules. Each function module that underlies a BAPI,

supports the RFC protocoll.
is assigned to a SAP business object in the BOR.

In Windows 95 and Windows NT, BAPI methods can be called using SAP's BAPI ActiveX Control. The control allows external applications to access business objects in the BOR by calling the BAPIs via OLE Automation.

Solutions

BAPIs are defined as methods of the SAP business objects in the Business Object Repository (BOR) and implemented as function modules.

This division into definition and implementation results in two ways of accessing BAPIs:

Since each function module underlying a BAPI supports the RFC protocoll, you can access the function modules via RFC calls.
You can call the method of the SAP business object in the BOR.

This unit uses solution 2.

How to Continue

Architecture

Exercise 1: Design the Form