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Use

The database utility can be used to make modifications to database objects with various processing types.

Note

The Enter button refreshes the display and allows you to follow the processing changes.

You can choose between three processing types: Direct, Backgroundand Enter for mass processing.

Direct

The required database modifications are carried out immediately.

This processing type is not suitable for converting large tables. First of all, the conversion places a great load on the system. Secondly, the conversion can terminate due to a runtime restriction.

Caution

You must choose the processing type Background or Mass processing when converting large tables.

You must also choose the processing type Background if you change the indexes or add not null columns to large tables.

Background

A background job is scheduled for the required database modifications.

You can specify the time at which the background processing must begin. If you wish, you can choose to start background processing immediately. The advantage of selecting this processing type rather than Direct is that there is no danger of the operation terminating as the result of a runtime restriction.

Enter for mass processing

If you choose this processing type, entries are created with the corresponding function in a system table (TBATG). The requests collected in this table can then be processed in the background at fixed times (most times overnight). The background process for editing the requests must be scheduled explicitly as a job. For more information, see Scheduling Jobs for Mass Processing.

To display the objects already scheduled for mass processing, perform the following:

  1. On the ABAP Dictionary initial screen, choose Utilities →Database Utility.
  2. From the initial screen of the database utility with DB requests → Mass Processing.

    The interpretation of the displayed list is described in Displaying Requests for Mass Processing.

The background program writes messages in a log file. To display these day logs, choose Extras → Logson the initial screen of the database utility. The interpretation of the displayed list is described in Displaying Requests for Mass Processing.