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Background documentation Bindable Data Types  Locate the document in its SAP Library structure

Basic Data Types

These data types support generic validation service: If the user for example types characters in an InputField that is bound to a context attribute of type integer, he will get an error message when triggering an event.

You can set a context attribute to a basic data type in the Context Attribute wizard by selecting Manually and the Type drop down box, as shown in the screenshot below:

These predefined or built-in types – for example, string, integer, or time – are located in the Dictionary package com.sap.dictionary.*.

The predefined types, the built-in types and the corresponding classes and primitive data types in Java are connected as follows:

Dictionary class type

Built-in type

Java class, primitive data type

com.sap.dictionary.binary

binary

byte[] (primitive). This type cannot be bound by UI elements as there is no general option for formatting and parsing binary data.

com.sap.dictionary.boolean

boolean

boolean (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.date

date

java.sql.Date

com.sap.dictionary.decimal

decimal

java.math.BigDecimal

com.sap.dictionarydouble.

double

double (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.float

float

float (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.integer

integer

integer (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.long

long

long (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.short

short

short (primitive data type)

com.sap.dictionary.string

string

java.lang.String

com.sap.dictionary.time

time

java.sql.Time

com.sap.dictionary.timestamp

timestamp

java.sql.Timestamp

Simple Types

      Namespace com.sap.dictionary.predefined.objecttypes: Contains data types for displaying the objects of the primitive data types boolean, double, float, integer, long and short. This type of typed context attributes save object instances instead of primitive values, as is the case with the primitive data types.

      Namespaces com.sap.ide.webdynpro.uielementdefinitions and com.sap.ide.webdynpro.uielementlibraries.*: Contain enumeration types that contain the values that are permitted for different UI element properties such as Visibility (visible, none, blank) or different Design or Size types.

      User-defined local types: In the local Dictionary, application developers can, when necessary, define their own Dictionary types based on other Dictionary types.

Core Data Types (CDT)

The ISO 15000-5 CCTS (Core Components Technical Specification) provides a methodology for semantic data modeling that achieves a common understanding of data structures and message types on a syntax independent level.

SAP supports UN CCTS for defining the SAP Global Data Types (GDTs) as a basis of Business Objects and Enterprise Services in order to provide the highest level of semantic interoperability between SAP and non-SAP applications. The so called complex SAP GDTs, which are representing aggregated types, are comparable with CCTS Aggregate Business Information Entities. All leaf elements of these SAP GDTs are based on a specific predefined CDT.

These Core Data Types are defined in Java Dictionary. You can set the type of a context attribute to a Core Data Type by choosing manually and browse to the CDT you want to have. The CDT are of type: com.sap.dictionary.ccts, for example: com.sap.dictionary.ccts.Amount.

The following CDTs are supported:

Amount

An amount is an amount with the corresponding currency unit.

Date

A date is the specification of an exact day in the Gregorian calendar.

DateTime

The following value ranges are defined for DateTime:

DateTime is not intended to be used directly, you should use one of the following derived CDTs:

      DateTimeGlobal

      DateTimeIndependent

      DateTimeLocal

      DateTimeLocalNormalized

Description

A Description is a natural-language text. Description contains an attribute languageCode for determining the appropriate language of the element content. Description can be used, e.g., for the following types of values:

      Handling information

      Readable additional information on the structured information

      Descriptions of services and products

Duration

Duration is a period of time of a particular length without a fixed start or end time. This period of time is expressed in years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second. Duration describes for example a time period with a particular length of an event or process: working time, duration of stay, or processing time. However, it is not dependent on a fixed point in time.

Duration is provided in the following formats:

      DurationDays

      DurationHours

      DurationHoursMinutes

      DurationHoursMinutesSeconds

      DurationMinutes

      DurationMonths

      DurationSeconds

      DurationYears

Identifier

An Identifier is a unique identification of an object within an identification scheme that is managed by an agency. There are usually multiple identification schemes for identifying an object. The Identifier data type is used for all elements or attributes that are used in the communication between partners or systems to enable unique identification of logical or real objects. The number of types should not be limited, but continues to grow (e.g., ProductId, OrderId, …). The Identifier provides OVS as value help

Indicator

Indicator is the binary encoded specification of a fact that has the value ‘true’ or ‘false’. Technically spoken it is a Boolean.

Measure

A Measure is a physical measurement with the corresponding unit of measurement. Measure can only be used to specify physical business sizes. Examples of such measurements are the height, width, length, weight, and volume of a handling unit, or the latitude or longitude of a geographic location.

Name

A Name is a word or word combination used to name or identifies an object. The name can be language-specific. If the name is language-specific, the attribute languageCode can be used to determine the relevant language of the name according to RFC 3066. Name should be used for the object label, e.g. the name of a person, location, service or product.

Example:

In this case, the language must be specified using the languageCode attribute.

Note

Note should be used to title or briefly describe a complex object. Note must not be used as a placeholder when there is no other appropriate global type for an individual element. The note can be language-specific. If the name is language-specific, the attribute languageCode can be used to determine the relevant language of the name according to RFC 3066

Numeric

Numeric is a decimal value. Positive and negative numeric values can be used. Negative values must be prefixed with a negative sign (“-”). However, positive values do not require a positive sign “+” prefix.

Percent

Percent can be used to represent a percentage that indicates how many hundredths of a basic value are to be calculated. The result of the calculation is the proportion in percent of e.g., amounts, values, rates, discounts, and taxes.

Quantity

Quantity is normally used to specify the amount of a (manufactured, ordered, transported, delivered, etc.) product. In each given context, a decision must be made as to whether an amount (Quantity) or a physical measurement (Measure) is being specified. For this purpose, the physical units (PhysicalMeasureUnits) used in Measure form a subset of the measurement units (MeasureUnits) used in Quantity. A unitCode must always be specified, if a default value isn’t set.

In contrast to Measure, Quantity is used for the definition of quantity values or units. Quantities can on the one hand be piece sizes, such as packets, containers, etc. but also physical sizes (meters, centimeters, kilograms).

Ratio

A Ratio is the relationship between two quantities, which is expressed as the quotient of the division of numerator by denominator. Ratio is derived from Numeric. Ratio is restricted to 22 integer-digits and 14 fraction digits

Text

Text is a character string with an optional language specification

Time

Time is used to represent a time on any day. Examples of times wake-up times each day or the time start and end time of a period of time such as the working day or lunch hour.

URI

URI is a core component type that can be used to represent data for email addresses, Web sites, and documents or information provided on Web sites.

Value

A Value expresses the concept of numeric worth in general. Value can be used for counter values, representing ordinal or total numbers of counting, diverse length without any measure units etc. The permitted value range can be restricted depending on how the Value is actually used

Java Native Types

UI element properties cannot be bound to java Native Types.

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