Input Help
In contrast to the previous procedure on dynpros and selection screens, a new procedure for implementing input help has been introduced for Web applications. This procedure is slightly more labor-intensive but also transparent and very flexible.
Previously in the ABAP environment there was a standardized form of input help that could be defined in the dictionary. The entire input help process flow from selecting the input list using the dialog to its visualization could be defined in the dictionary. Highly-standardized input helps were made possible in the process flow and visualization. Individual features could only be implemented to a certain extent using exits in the fixed process flow of the search help processors. Alternatively, the input help could be programmed completely individually by the application for POV (PROCESS ON VALUE REQUEST), for example, by using the relevant dictionary interfaces (function module F4IF_*, F4UT_*).
Flexible procedures that make it possible to implement fully individual and application-specific input helps are necessary for applications in the Web environment. The visualization, in particular, should be Web-appropriate. Previous Dynpro-based visualization cannot be used here. The reason for this is that the control regarding the process flow and control of dialog always remains with the application, and not with the framework, which makes it possible to implement an absolutely flexible dialog procedure in the simplest way.
An important standpoint is that the input helps are intended for the current user group and are designed to be as simple and intuitive as possible. Special knowledge of underlying data structures or application-technical process flows can only be expected when implementing an expert search.
In the first expansion phase, support for realizing simple input helps will be offered in the dictionary for BSP applications. For input helps that are more complex with regard to the size or structure of the input set or with regard to their dialog behavior, the input set can be determined by the relevant dictionary interfaces for search help: Function modules with prefix 'F4IF_' and 'F4UT_', such as FF4IF_DETERMINE_SEARCHHELP, F4IF_EXPAND_SEARCHHELP, F4IF_SELECT_VALUES.
Input help that returns a two-column value list (such as constant values) is suitable as simple input help, whereby the second column should be a text column or a suitably adequate column for displaying values from the first column.
Field with input help with a dropdown list box:
The fixed values for domain KMONAT represent a suitable input help. This contains month numbers from 1 to 12 which are assigned fixed value text according to the relevant month name.
Fixed values in dictionary:
