Alert Container 

Definition

The alert container is a container for the exchange of (application-specific) variables, such as company code or material number, between the local systems (alert providers) and the central alert server. It is therefore the interface between the application that triggers the alert and the central Alert Framework.

 

Use

When you use application-specific variables in your container definition, you supply the values for these variables by writing them into the container as name-value pairs. These are then interpreted by the Alert Framework on the central system. The runtime container is implemented as an internal table of the structure SWCONT with only the columns Element Name and Value being relevant.

When the container is filled, no check is performed as to whether the elements entered and the data type of their values are in accordance with the container definition. You must ensure that the element names and the data types that you use are in accordance with the definition.

Due to technical restrictions between the Workflow Container and SAPscript, only the first 80 characters of a container element are taken into account, when the variables are replaced during runtime.

For more information on using containers in general, see Macro Instructions for Processing a Container in the SAP Business Workflow documentation.

Internal Usage of the Container

The Alert Framework uses the alert container not only for the exchange of application-specific variables, but also for the exchange of internal information. The following variables are used for this purpose.

 

Name	Meaning	Typing
_ALERT_RECIPIENTS	Recipient list	type salrttrcp
_ALERT_ACTIVITIES	Subsequent activities	type table of salrtsacti
_ALERT_EXPIRATION	Expiry date/time (time stamp)	type timestamp
_ALERT_DYNAMIC_SHORTTEXT	Short text	type salrtdcatd (CHAR60)
_ALERT_DYNAMIC_LONGTEXT	Long text	type table of CHAR255
_EVT_OBJECT	Triggering object	type BORIDENT
_ALERT_LOGICAL_SYSTEM	Logical system in which the alert is triggered	type RFCDEST

 

If you define your own variables, ensure that no naming conflicts arise. The names of the variables used internally by the Alert Framework all start with an underscore.

It may sometimes be appropriate to write variables used internally directly into the container. If, for example, you want to pass URLs to the Alert Framework as subsequent activities, you could instead fill an internal table of the structure SALRTSACTIand write the table into the container with the element name _ALERT_ACTIVITIES.

Constants for standard elements in the alert container can be found in the include <ALRT01>.

 

Integration

The alert container is the main component of the interface between the alert provider (triggering application) and the central alert server.