Search Helps (SAP Library

Search Helps

From release 4.0A, matchcodes will be replaced by new search helps. Up to now, matchcode IDs were limited to the tables and fields defined in the matchcode object. This restriction will not apply with the new search helps. However, adding an elementary search help to a search help defined by a different application will still be a modification in Release 4.5. For this reason, the BDT will provide you with the option starting in Release 4.5 of linking elementary search helps belonging to various search helps within a dialog box.

Menu path: Control <Object> ® Search helps

Future plans: From Release 4.6A, Basis will offer an APPEND concept for search helps. As with tables and structures, downstream applications, or customers themselves, can expand the collective search help to include further elementary search helps without modifying the original collective search help. From this release, the BDT table for search helps will no longer be necessary. The search help can be defined

in the table field or

in the structure or table or

in the screen field

directly.

The following two chapters describe the procedure up to Release 4.5.

Creating Search Helps for a Field

Using the following steps you can establish the search help for a field, which can later be expanded by other applications without modification.

Create search help and elementary search help in the Data Dictionary
Define elementary search helps in the BDT table for search helps
menu path: Control <Object> ® Search helps
Call up the BDT function module BUS_MCODE for event POV on the screen
Call up the BDT function module BUS_PAI for event PAI on the screen - this will also support the search help short entry with "="

For all fields wishing to use this search help, the above BDT function modules should be called up in POV and PAI. Only this will ensure that any elementary search helps, added subsequently by other applications (see ‘Expanding Search Helps for a Field’), are available everywhere.

Expanding Search Helps for a Field

Downstream applications or development partners and customers always require additional elementary search helps for a field in another application. The BDT offers this as a fully maintained feature - in other words, without the need for modification.

Create a collective search help in the data dictionary, giving it its own name, and add elementary search helps.
Define elementary search helps in the BDT table for search helps
(menu path: Control <Object> ® Search helps)