Using Additional Existing Database Fields (SAP Library - Enhancements, Modifications, ? (CA-BFA))

Using Additional Existing Database Fields

If customers want to include existing database fields in the BAPI, all they have to do is fill the BAPI table extension for this table with these fields (or create a BAPI table extension if none exists yet). This procedure is illustrated using BAPI TravelAgency.GetDetail. This BAPI is based on database table STRAVELAG, which contains the detail data for a travel agency.

The Existing Database Table

Table STRAVELAG contains the SAP-defined fields shown in the following diagram.

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

This table is used to return all the fields (except URL and LANGU) through the corresponding detail parameters of the BAPI supplied by SAP. To use the BAPI sensibly, however, the customer wants the BAPI to return these two additional fields as well.

To do this, the customer must first define the fields to include in the corresponding BAPI table extension.

The BAPI Table Extension

BAPI table extensions also perform their function for this type of enhancement, and the guidelines described above should be followed. Their general structure is also equivalent to that described under Appending Customer Fields – that is, it consists of a key part (usually defined by SAP) and a data part determined by the customer using the APPEND technique. The only difference is the way the data part is defined:

The fields to add are defined directly in the APPEND structure of the BAPI table extension.

Make sure that the names and data types of the fields included in the APPEND are identical to the corresponding fields in the database table.

The diagram below illustrates this situation.

This graphic is explained in the accompanying text

Extension Parameters and BAPIs

The structure of the extension parameters in the BAPI interface and the way these containers are filled with data is equivalent to an enhancement that appends customer fields.