BDS : An atlernative to GOS

1. Introduction

It is a very common requirement in SAP R3 that data in files is uploaded from legacy system and then it is used for various purposes like creation of sales order, purchase order, appropriation requests, vendor etc. Thus the legacy system file plays a vital role here and may be required for future reference. There are various techniques like GOS, BDS through which file can be attached & retrieved in SAP itself. Hence the same file may no longer needed to be stored in legacy system. This document will give detailed explanation about BDS( Business document services).Both BDS and GOS provides various functions that are available in various SAP applications . Some of these functions include

• Creation of attachments to an object
• Creation of notes for an object
• Viewing the attachments
• Sending attachments via mail

GOS toolbox is integrated with various applications and it can be opened when clicking on button ‘services for object’ in title bar (see below snapshot). For example, consider an application as creating/changing(VF01/VF02) billing documents . The GOS toolbox is integrated with these transactions to provide services for object(Billing document).

BDS toolbox or popularly known as BDN(business document navigator) can be started with transaction OAER. BDN is a centralized tool which provides all services similar to GOS for a business object. Details of attachments created through BDN, will also available in GOS toolbox from where it can be viewed. The only difference is attachments created through BDN can not be edited/deleted through GOS .

There are two ways by which attachments can be created using BDS

• Using standard transaction OAER
• Creating custom programs

2. Creating/Storing documents using transaction OAER

Before running this transaction, one should be aware of business object/Class for the desired application for which attachments need to be created. For example, if you want to create an attachments for Invoices, then one must be aware of that invoices belongs to Business object VBRK. Similarly Sales orders belongs to business object VBAK.

Run transaction OAER. One can see the below selection screen on running this transaction.

Give Class name as ‘VBRK’ ( For Billing documents) , ‘BO’ (Business object) as class type and execute(F8).

It will ask for Billing document number for which attachments needs to be created.

Provide the billing document number as a object key and press enter. If no key field is provided, details of all document for business object(VBRK) will be displayed. Now one can see the main screen which has been divided into three panes/windows.

a) Description (Highlighted in Red)Top left block shows all the attachments created for a object key( invoice in this case) . On double click on specific document under this window, opens the document in preview window(highlighted in green).

b) Detail(Highlighted in Blue) Bottom left block can be used to create attachments for a object key. It also tells which kind of standard documents( Word , excel) or documents specific to current Business object can be created.

c) Preview(Highlighted in Green)Top right block which is used to see the preview of a document.

Steps for Creating attachments

Go to the ‘Create’ tab of detailed window(Bottom left block). Expand the folder ‘Standard Doc. Types’ .

Standard document type supported by any application can be known from table TOADV.

Now double click on desired attachment type which you want to create. It will ask for document path.

Specify the document path and press Enter. When storing a document, one can provide additional information in below pop up :

• Description of document
• Language of document
• Keywords

Once Attachment description and language details has been provided, press Enter. This will result in creation of the attachment for invoice. Now this attachment information will be available in ‘Description’ window.

On double click on above document, it will open the the attachment. Similarly Attachment types like DOC, PPT can be created using this fashion.

3. Creating attachments through custom code

Many a times custom interfaces are created for requirements like creation of purchase order, creation of sales order, creation of appropriation request etc. These interfaces generally picks the data from a flat file in legacy system. Below mentioned code can be used in these interfaces which will attach this legacy file into created object(Invoices, Appropriation request etc).  The main logic behind this custom subroutine is mentioned below

• Get file location(path) from user
• Get file name and its extension from file location
•  Get mime type using file extension
• Fill signature details of document. Signature includes details of the attachment to be created like attachment name, language
• Pass above mentioned details in function module BDS_BUSINESSDOCUMENT_CREATEF in order to create attachments.

Code details of this custom subroutine is present  below.

*&———————————————————**&      Form  CREATE_ATTACHMENTS*&———————————————————**       Description: Call this subroutine for creating*       attachments.*———————————————————-**      parameter : FP_FILE –> File path*———————————————————-*FORM create_attachments USING fp_file TYPE  rlgrap-filename.  DATA:   l_mimetype    TYPE toadd-mimetype,          wl_toadd      TYPE toadd,          tl_file       TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapifiles,          tl_signature  TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapisignat,          t_toadv       TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF toadv,          wl_toadv      TYPE toadv,          wl_signature  TYPE bapisignat,          wl_file       TYPE bapifiles,          filename_all  TYPE sapb-sapfiles,          file_path     TYPE sapb-sapfiles,          file_extension  TYPE toadd-doc_type,          file_name     TYPE sapb-sapfiles,          l_objkey      TYPE bdn_con-objkey,          l_variant     TYPE imav-varnt.  filename_all = fp_file.*– Get file path & file name  PERFORM split_path USING filename_all file_path file_name.*– Get file type  PERFORM get_file_extension USING file_name file_extension.*– Get mime type  PERFORM mimetype_get USING file_extension                       CHANGING wl_toadd.  MOVE wl_toadd-mimetype TO l_mimetype.  wl_file-doc_count = 1.  wl_file-directory = file_path.  wl_file-filename  = file_name.  wl_file-mimetype  = l_mimetype.  APPEND wl_file TO tl_file.  CLEAR wl_file.  wl_signature-doc_count  = 1.  wl_signature-prop_name  = ‘BDS_DOCUMENTCLASS’.  wl_signature-prop_value = file_extension.  APPEND wl_signature TO tl_signature.  CLEAR wl_signature.  wl_signature-doc_count  = 1.  wl_signature-prop_name  = ‘BDS_CONTREP’.  wl_signature-prop_value = ‘ ‘.  APPEND wl_signature TO tl_signature.  CLEAR wl_signature.*– Get all standard document type  SELECT * FROM toadv      INTO TABLE t_toadv      WHERE standard = ‘X’.  IF sy-subrc = 0.*– Get document type for given file    READ TABLE t_toadv INTO          wl_toadv WITH KEY doc_type = file_extension.    wl_signature-doc_count  = 1.    wl_signature-prop_name  = ‘BDS_DOCUMENTTYPE’.    wl_signature-prop_value = wl_toadv-ar_object.    APPEND wl_signature TO tl_signature.    CLEAR wl_signature.  ENDIF.  wl_signature-doc_count  = 1.  wl_signature-prop_name  = ‘DESCRIPTION’.  wl_signature-prop_value = file_name.  APPEND wl_signature TO tl_signature.  CLEAR wl_signature.  wl_signature-doc_count  = 1.  wl_signature-prop_name  = ‘LANGUAGE’.  wl_signature-prop_value =  ‘E’.  APPEND wl_signature TO tl_signature.  CLEAR wl_signature.*– Hard coded billing document number.*– Pass your object key to this variable  l_objkey = ‘7371424166’.  CALL FUNCTION ‘BDS_BUSINESSDOCUMENT_CREATEF’    EXPORTING      classname      = ‘VBRK’  ” for billing document      classtype      = ‘BO’      client         = sy-mandt      object_key     = l_objkey    TABLES      files          = tl_file      signature      = tl_signature    EXCEPTIONS      internal_error = 1      OTHERS         = 2.  IF sy-subrc NE 0.    MESSAGE i999(zz) WITH ‘Error in creating attachments for’ fp_file.  ELSE.    COMMIT WORK.  ENDIF.ENDFORM.                    “create_attachments************************************************************– Other Subroutines*&——————————————————–**&      Form  split_path*&——————————————————–**       text*———————————————————**      –>VALUE(INPATtext*      –>PATH       text*      –>FILE       text*———————————————————*FORM split_path  USING value(inpath) TYPE any        path          TYPE any        file          TYPE any.  DATA: length TYPE i.  DATA: path2(1200).  DATA: l_file             LIKE path2,        l_dir              LIKE path2,        l_delimiter        TYPE c,        l_offset           TYPE i,        l_bytes            TYPE i,        l_delimiter_offset TYPE i,        l_delimiter_bytes  TYPE i,        l_char             TYPE c,        l_previous_char    TYPE c,        l_last_char        TYPE c.  path2 = inpath.  length = STRLEN( path2 ).  l_offset = 0.  WHILE l_offset < length.    l_last_char = l_char. “remember last character    l_bytes = CHARLEN( path2+l_offset ).    l_char = path2+l_offset(l_bytes). “get current character    IF l_char = ‘/’ OR l_char = ‘’ OR l_char = ‘:’.      IF l_delimiter IS INITIAL OR l_delimiter = ‘:’.        “Typically we deal with absolute paths, so the first        “delimiter is best. This allows for UNIX paths with        “‘’ in the directory or file name        l_delimiter = l_char.      ENDIF.      IF l_char = l_delimiter.        l_delimiter_offset = l_offset.        l_delimiter_bytes = l_bytes.        “remember character in front of delimiter:        l_previous_char = l_last_char.      ENDIF.    ENDIF.    l_offset = l_offset + l_bytes.  ENDWHILE.  IF NOT l_delimiter IS INITIAL.    l_offset = l_delimiter_offset + l_delimiter_bytes.    l_file = path2+l_offset.    IF l_previous_char = ‘:’ OR l_delimiter = ‘:’.      “path ends with or after drive identifer, include the delimiter      l_dir = path2(l_offset).    ELSEIF NOT l_delimiter_offset IS INITIAL.      “do not include a trailing delimiter for compatibility reasons      l_dir = path2(l_delimiter_offset).    ELSE.      CLEAR l_dir.    ENDIF.  ELSE.    l_dir = space.    l_file = path2.  ENDIF.  path = l_dir.  file = l_file.ENDFORM.                    “split_path*&———————————————————**&      Form  GET_FILE_EXTENSION*&———————————————————**  try to get the extension of the uploaded file*———————————————————-*FORM get_file_extension USING file_name file_extension.* — data declaration ————————————-*  DATA: length TYPE i,        single_c TYPE c.* ———————————————————*  CLEAR: single_c.  length = STRLEN( file_name ).  IF length > 0.    WHILE length > 0.      single_c = file_name+length(1).      IF single_c CO ‘.’.        length = length + 1.        EXIT.      ELSE.        length = length – 1.      ENDIF.    ENDWHILE.    IF length > 0.      file_extension = file_name+length.    ELSE.      file_extension = space.    ENDIF.  ELSE.    file_extension = space.  ENDIF.  IF file_extension <> space.    SET LOCALE LANGUAGE sy-langu.    TRANSLATE file_extension TO UPPER CASE.              “#EC TRANSLANG    SET LOCALE LANGUAGE space.  ENDIF.ENDFORM.                               ” GET_FILE_EXTENSION*&———————————————————**&      Form  mimetype_get*&———————————————————**       text*———————————————————-**      –>DOCUMENTCLAtext*      –>I_TOADD    text*———————————————————-*FORM mimetype_get USING fp_documentclass TYPE toadd-doc_type                  CHANGING fp_toadd TYPE toadd.  DATA: l_documentclass TYPE toadd-doc_type.  MOVE fp_documentclass TO l_documentclass.  SET LOCALE LANGUAGE sy-langu.  TRANSLATE l_documentclass TO UPPER CASE.  SET LOCALE LANGUAGE space.  SELECT SINGLE * FROM toadd INTO fp_toadd WHERE                             doc_type EQ l_documentclass.  IF sy-subrc NE 0.                    ” nothing found -> default!    fp_toadd-doc_type = l_documentclass.    fp_toadd-mimetype = ‘application/x-docType’.  ENDIF.ENDFORM.                    “mimetype_get

4. Viewing attachment through GOS

GOS(Generic object services) is also one of the way for creating/viewing attachments for any application.

Document created through BDS are compatible with GOS .This means document created through BDS can be viewed through GOS. The only difference is document created through BDS can not be deleted or modified through GOS. For viewing the BDS attachment using GOS , go to the main application. In this case it is transaction VF03(Display billing document).Provide the billing document number used in a above example.

Click on ‘Services for object’ button(highlighted in red). It will open a pop up which provides various functionalities like create/display attachments.

Click on the ‘Attachment List’ button(highlighted in red) to see all the attachments created for this billing document.

 

This is the same document(Test.xls) which was created using BDS. Double click on this entry will open the attachment.

5. Retrieving stored documents using BDS

Apart from displaying attachment, it may require to send the attachment via mail. There are couple of function modules which can be used with some custom code to achieve  this functionality.

a). BDS_ALL_CONNECTIONS_GET : This FM gives the details of all attachments created(from BDS as well as GOS) for any object key.

b).  BDS_BUSINESSDOCUMENT_GET_TAB : This FM gives the attachment data in binary/ASCII format which can be used for functionality like sending attachments via emails.

Below subroutine can be used to get binary/text data of BDS/GOS document. Below source code with email email sending logic can be used to send documents via email.

*&———————————————————**&  Form  Retrieve_document_data*&———————————————————**   This subroutine can be used for getting hexadecimal/*   text data of document  created through BDS/GOS.*   Same data can be used in sending document via email.*———————————————————-**———————————————————-*form Retrieve_document_data . DATA :  tl_sign TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapisignat,         wl_sign TYPE bapisignat,         tl_comp TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapicompon WITH    HEADER LINE,         tl_cont TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapiconten,         wl_cont TYPE bapiconten,         tl_all_con  TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bdn_con,         wl_all_con  TYPE bdn_con,         tl_mailhex  TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF solix,         tl_ascii    TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF bapiascont,         wl_ascii    TYPE bapiascont,         wl_mailhex  TYPE solix,         l_subject   TYPE so_obj_des,         l_att_type  TYPE soodk-objtp,         tl_objbin   TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF solisti1,         wl_objbin   TYPE solisti1,         l_objkey    TYPE swotobjid-objkey,         l_objkey1   TYPE bapibds01-objkey,         l_variant   TYPE imav-varnt,         l_erdat     TYPE imav-erdat,         l_time      TYPE tims,         l_cre_date  TYPE imav-erdat,         l_doc_id    TYPE sofolenti1-doc_id,         l_timestamp TYPE tzntstmps,         wl_attributes TYPE sofolenti1,         tl_solisti1 TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF solisti1,         wl_solisti1 TYPE solisti1,         tl_soli_tab TYPE soli_tab,         wl_soli_tab TYPE soli.  DATA: l_xstring  TYPE xstring,        tl_solix            TYPE solix_tab,        l_len               TYPE i,        wl_solix            TYPE solix.*– Hard coded billing document number*– Replcae hard coded value with your object key  l_objkey  =  ‘7371424166’.  l_objkey1 =  ‘7371424166’.  CALL FUNCTION ‘BDS_ALL_CONNECTIONS_GET’    EXPORTING      classname        =  ‘VBRK’      classtype        =   ‘BO’      objkey             = l_objkey      no_gos_docs      = ‘ ‘    TABLES      all_connections  = tl_all_con    EXCEPTIONS      no_objects_found = 1      error_kpro       = 2      internal_error   = 3      not_authorized   = 4      OTHERS           = 5.  IF sy-subrc <> 0.    EXIT.  ENDIF.  LOOP AT tl_all_con INTO wl_all_con.    CLEAR:            tl_sign[],            tl_comp[], tl_comp,            tl_soli_tab[],tl_solisti1[],             wl_solisti1, wl_soli_tab,             tl_ascii,            tl_sign,            wl_sign,            tl_comp,            tl_cont,            wl_cont,            tl_mailhex,            tl_ascii,            wl_ascii,            wl_mailhex,            l_subject,            l_att_type,            tl_objbin,            wl_objbin,            l_xstring,            tl_solix,            l_len,            wl_solix ,            l_doc_id,            wl_attributes.*–IS attachment created using GOS or BDS?    IF wl_all_con-comp_id NE ‘SAP GOS document’.      wl_sign-doc_count = ‘1’.      wl_sign-doc_id    = wl_all_con-loio_id.      wl_sign-doc_ver_no = wl_all_con-doc_ver_no.      wl_sign-doc_var_id = wl_all_con-doc_var_id.      wl_sign-doc_var_tg = wl_all_con-doc_var_tg.      APPEND wl_sign TO tl_sign.      CALL FUNCTION ‘BDS_BUSINESSDOCUMENT_GET_TAB’        EXPORTING          classname       = ‘VBRK’          classtype       = ‘BO’          client              = sy-mandt          object_key      = l_objkey1          binary_flag     = ‘X’          text_as_stream  = ‘X’        TABLES          signature       = tl_sign          components      = tl_comp          content         = tl_cont          ascii_content   = tl_ascii        EXCEPTIONS          nothing_found   = 1          parameter_error = 2          not_allowed     = 3          error_kpro      = 4          internal_error  = 5          not_authorized  = 6          OTHERS          = 7.      IF sy-subrc NE 0.        CONTINUE. “continue with next attachment      ENDIF.      READ TABLE tl_comp WITH KEY comp_id = wl_all_con-COMP_ID.      MOVE tl_comp-comp_size TO l_len.*–convert binary to xstring      CALL FUNCTION ‘SCMS_BINARY_TO_XSTRING’        EXPORTING          input_length = l_len ”         IMPORTING          buffer       = l_xstring        TABLES          binary_tab   = tl_cont        EXCEPTIONS          failed       = 1          OTHERS       = 2.      WHILE l_xstring IS NOT INITIAL.        CLEAR wl_solix.        wl_solix-line = l_xstring.        APPEND wl_solix TO tl_solix.        SHIFT l_xstring LEFT BY 255 PLACES IN BYTE MODE.      ENDWHILE.*      l_subject = wl_all_con-comp_id. “Attachment name       l_subject = wl_all_con-descript. “Attachment name*———————————————————-*    ELSE. “Attachment is of GOS type      l_doc_id = wl_all_con-loio_id.      CALL FUNCTION ‘SO_DOCUMENT_READ_API1’        EXPORTING          document_id                = l_doc_id        IMPORTING          document_data              = wl_attributes        TABLES          object_content             = tl_solisti1          contents_hex               = tl_solix        EXCEPTIONS          document_id_not_exist      = 1          operation_no_authorization = 2          x_error                    = 3          OTHERS                     = 4.      IF sy-subrc <> 0.        CONTINUE. ” continue with next attachment      ENDIF.      l_subject = wl_all_con-descript. “Attachment name      IF tl_solisti1[] IS NOT INITIAL.        LOOP AT tl_solisti1 INTO wl_solisti1.          MOVE wl_solisti1 to wl_soli_tab.          APPEND wl_soli_tab to tl_soli_tab.          CLEAR: wl_solisti1,wl_soli_tab.        ENDLOOP.      ENDIF.    ENDIF.    l_att_type = wl_all_con-docuclass. “Attachment type *– Send hexadecimal contents of document as attachment in mail    IF tl_solix[] IS NOT INITIAL.      TRY.          CALL METHOD w_document->add_attachment            EXPORTING              i_attachment_type    = l_att_type              i_attachment_subject = l_subject              i_att_content_hex    = tl_solix.        CATCH cx_document_bcs.      ENDTRY.*– Send text contents of document as attachment in mail    ELSEIF tl_soli_tab[] IS NOT INITIAL.      TRY.          CALL METHOD w_document->add_attachment            EXPORTING              i_attachment_type    = l_att_type              i_attachment_subject = l_subject              i_att_content_text   = tl_soli_tab.        CATCH cx_document_bcs.      ENDTRY.    ENDIF.  ENDLOOP.