The Database Utility (SAP Library - BC

The Database Utility

The database utility is the interface between the ABAP Dictionary and the relational database underlying the SAP System. The database utility allows you to edit (create, delete and adjust to changes to their definition in the ABAP Dictionary) database objects derived from objects of the ABAP Dictionary.

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

Editing Database Objects

You can call the database utility from the initial screen of the ABAP Dictionary with Utilities → Database utility (Transaction SE14). The initial screen for the database utility appears.

You can use the database utility to edit all the database objects that are generated from objects of the ABAP Dictionary. These are database tables that are generated from transparent tables or physical table pools or table clusters, indexes, database views.

Since different functions are required for different object types, a separate maintenance screen is displayed for each object type. You can go to the corresponding maintenance screen by entering the object name and selecting the object type in the initial screen of the database utility. You go directly to this screen from the maintenance screen of the object in the ABAP Dictionary with Utilities → Database utility.

Note

If you want to use the database utility, you need authorization for authorization object S_DDIC_OBJ, e. g. S_DDIC_ALL.

You can find information about the functions provided in:

● Editing Tables and Indexes in the Database

● Editing Views in the Database

● Editing Table Pools and Table Clusters in the Database

Analyzing and Continuing Terminated Conversions

If a conversion terminates, you can find the reason using the database utility. After correcting the error you can continue the conversion with the database utility. See:

● Conversion Problems

● Continuing Terminated Conversions

● Finding Terminated Conversions

Administration of Requests for Database Modifications

The database utility provides a number of options for administering and monitoring requests for database modifications. You can perform these functions directly in the initial screen of the database utility.

You can:

● Schedule jobs for mass processing

● Display requests for mass processing

● Display logs for mass processing

● Display temporary tables without restart logs

Executing and Monitoring Incremental Conversions

You can reorganize a table and change its structure with an incremental table conversion. In contrast to a standard conversion, when an incremental conversion is performed the system can continue to use the table during the data transfer. This means that there is much more time available for the data transfer and larger sets of data can be converted than with the standard conversion method. There is a short reduction in the productivity only when initializing the incremental conversion and when switching to the new table.

The monitor for the incremental conversion can be displayed from the initial screen of the database utility with DB requests → Incremental.

You can find more information about the flow of an incremental conversion in the monitor of the incremental conversion behind the Info button. An Assistant helps you to perform an incremental conversion.