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Function documentationMigration of Manual Fields

 

You can migrate manual fields to the format used in the Application Enhancement Tool (AET). This function is available in the form of a guided activity that takes you through the process of migrating manual fields of an extension.

A manual field is either a field created manually in the ABAP dictionary by modifying an append structure, or a field created using the Easy Enhancement Workbench (EEW). Manual fields are displayed in the AET, but you cannot edit them.

A field might also be listed as a manual field, for example, if the generation of an AET field fails. This occurs when the required metadata of the field is not generated before the generation stops.

EEW field extensions can include multiple fields. Therefore, all fields of an extension are migrated simultaneously and split into multiple AET field enhancements.

Integration

A new guided activity is available in the AET. You can start the migration by selecting a manual field and choosing Start of the navigation path Edit List Next navigation step More Next navigation step Migrate End of the navigation path.

Prerequisites

  • You have enabled the configuration mode in the general settings on the central personalization page of the WebClient UI.

  • You have made the settings in Customizing for UI Framework under Start of the navigation path UI Framework Definition Next navigation step Application Enhancements End of the navigation path.

  • If you are not authorized to use the AET, you need a certain authorization role. For more information, see SAP Note 1251796.

Features

Step 1: Place Details

Based on the place, package, and customer include, the guided activity retrieves the fields for migration.

The migration converts the old EEW customer include fields to the extension include of the AET. The conversion occurs without data loss. Enhancement artifacts, for example, the extension of the middleware, mobile BDocs, or BW DataSources, are considered. Data elements, domains, check tables, and check table maintenance are removed from the EEW and become part of the AET enhancement. Objects that are no longer supported, such as SAP GUI screens or unnecessary table entries, are marked for deletion in the EEW. After the migration, you can use the original field, but we recommend that you delete the EEW extension first.

If the EEW project and extension are not displayed, the EEW metadata is lost. In this case, the migration might still be possible. If possible, use the original system and client of the EEW extension.

Step 2: BO Part Selection

You can review where the migrated field is enabled and fine-tune some additional characteristics, for example by enabling the field for CRM mobile and SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW) reporting. The system verifies that all required checkboxes are selected to prevent a loss of functionality.

Step 3: Overview

If you have added the EEW (manual) fields to UI configurations, the behavior of these fields does not change automatically after the migration. That is, the AET does not control the rendering of the old fields on the UI, for example, to provide automatic value help. If you want the AET to control the behavior of the fields, you need to remove the old fields from the UI configuration and then add the migrated fields again. To determine the field behavior, you can display the technical details in the UI Configuration Tool. If the technical field name has the prefix STRUCT., the old (EEW) behavior applies. If the prefix is EXT., the field is controlled by the AET.

If you have implemented your own context node getter and want to keep the current behavior, you do not need to take any further action.

We strongly recommend that you delete the old (obsolete) EEW extension.