Overview of Search Helps

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Objectives

• The participants will be able to: – Explain the benefits of Search Helps– Describe Elementary Search Helps– Explain Collective Search Helps– Explain Search Help Exits

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The Benefits of Search Helps

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What was Smith’sWhat was Smith’s vendor number, vendor number,

anyway?anyway?

F4F4

Search helps are dictionary objects that we develop to compile a set of valid values for users.

Elementary vs. Collective

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Collective Search Help : DEBI (It is called when you hit F4 on the Customer Number field e.g. transaction XD01)

Individual Elementary Search Helps that make up the Collective Search Help

Used to scroll the tabs for Elementary

Search Helps

Used to see the full list of Elementary Search Helps

F4

Using Search Helps

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To see a list of customers starting with ‘S’

Key fields are indicated by

different color1

2

3

4

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Create search help from Dictionary pushbutton on workbench, or from within Repository Browser.

1

3

2

4

5

Creating an Elementary Search Help

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Interface Parameters

Optional Exit

Data source for hit list

List Display method

Used to identify search help

Defining an Elementary Search Help

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Parameters for values you want to send and receive

Declaration of parameters as import and/or export

Position parameterwill be on hit list

Parameter is display only

Position parameter will be on dialog box

Data element associatedwith parameter

Optional defaultfor parameter

Defining an Elementary Search Help – Interface Parameters

Assigning an Elementary Search Help - Priority Levels

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Field

Table

Data Element

Using Elementary Search Helps

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F4

Demonstration

• Creation of an elementary Search-Help for different employee types (regular, contractor, etc) in an organization and attach it to the employee table created for the previous exercises.

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Practice

• Creation of an elementary Search-Help for different employee types (regular, contractor, etc) in an organization and attach it to the employee table created for the previous exercises.

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Defining a Collective Search Help - Interface

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Notice there is no selection method. Acollective search help is a set of one or

more elementary search helps.

Defining a Collective Search Help -Adding Elementary Search Helps

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Don’t forget to assign parameters for each elementary search help.

Using a Collective Search Help

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F4

Only Difference from before – toggle button

elementary search help

Demonstration

• Creation of a Collective Search-Help.

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Practice

• Creation of a Collective Search-Help.

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Search Help Exits

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Function Module withABAP code

_________ ______ _______ ______ __________

Search HelpProcessing

A search help exit is a function module. Basically, it is extra code that can be included in the processing of the search help at specific times

Summary• Search helps are dictionary objects that we develop to compile a set of valid

values for users.

• An elementary search help is exactly one combination of fields that will be used to determine the needed value.

• A collective search help is a combination of elementary search helps.

• When the user hits F4, the system checks to see if there is a search help attached to the field, search help attached to the table is the second type of search help that is checked for, if one is not found, the system checks if a search help is attached to the data element. If one is not found, the system does not use a search help, but will check the domain for valid values. If none exist, then no help is provided.

• A search help exit is a function module. Basically, it is extra code that can be included in the processing of the search help at specific times

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Questions

• What is a search help ?• What is the difference between an

elementary search help and a collective search help?

• What is a search help exit ?

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