• Some DDIC artifacts, such as database tables, are part of the repository. They are used by the examples to ensure self-contained examples. All artifacts must be imported for all examples to work.
• Most examples are designed to display some output in the ADT console. Once successfully imported, you can run the examples in ADT by choosing F9 to display the output in the ADT console. The programs included in the branches for classic ABAP can be executed with F8.
• The examples include descriptions and comments in the code to provide explanations and set the context.
• Note that only one user on the system can import this repository because all object names must be globally unique.
• Regarding the examples to be imported into a system supporting classic ABAP (where Standard ABAP is supported), note the following: In most cases, the cheat sheet documents and examples focus on ABAP for Cloud Development. Therefore, the lower the ABAP release in your system, the fewer syntax options and examples are available. For example, the RAP examples need at least ABAP version 7.56. Or, the FINAL declaration operator is not available in ABAP version 7.56. The code examples in the classic ABAP branches do not necessarily reflect all (described) syntax variations and options that are available in classic ABAP and in the particular ABAP release. For more information on new ABAP features by release, see the ABAP Release News:
  • ABAP Release News for ABAP for Cloud Development. Note the ABAP release cycles listed there.
  • For Standard ABAP, see the ABAP relese news here.

Prerequisites

• [x] You have access to an SAP Business AI Platform, ABAP environment instance (see here for additional information).
• [x] You have downloaded and installed the ABAP development tools for Eclipse (ADT). Make sure that you are using the latest version, as indicated on the installation page.
• [x] Before importing the code, you have performed a system-wide search for classes named ZCL_DEMO_ABAP*, for example, so that you do not run into errors when you try to import the code. If someone has already imported the content into the system, you can simply check out that imported version and proceed to the step 3) Run the code.
• [x] You have created an ABAP cloud project in ADT that allows you to access your SAP Business AI Platform, ABAP environment instance (see here for more information). Your login language is English.
• [x] You have installed the abapGit plug-in for ADT from the update site.

Import Code

Use the abapGit plug-in to install the ABAP cheat sheets by carrying out the following steps:

1. In your ABAP cloud project, create a package, for example, ZABAP_CHEAT_SHEETS as the target package. The package should be local.

2. Add the package to the Favorite Packages in the Project Explorer view in ADT.

3. To add the abapGit Repositories view to the ABAP perspective, choose Window → Show View → Other... from the menu bar and choose abapGit Repositories.

4. In the abapGit Repositories view, click the + icon in the upper right corner of the ADT tab to link a new abapGit repository.
   

5. The Link abapGit Repository popup appears. Enter the following URL:

   https://github.com/SAP-samples/abap-cheat-sheets.git
   

6. Choose Next.

7. On the Branch and Package Selection screen, enter the name of the created package (for example, ZABAP_CHEAT_SHEETS) in the Package field.

8. Choose Next.

9. On the Select Transport Request screen, choose Finish to link the Git repository to your ABAP cloud project. The package should be local.

10. In the abapGit Repositories view, filter for your package. The repository appears in the abapGit Repositories view with the status Linked.

11. Right-click on the new abapGit repository and choose Pull... to start the cloning of the repository contents.

12. On the Branch and Package Selection screen, choose Next.

13. If the Locally Modified Object screen is displayed, select the objects (for example, the package to automatically select all artifacts) from the list and choose Next.

14. On the next screen - the package should be local - choose Finish. Same as above, if an object already locked message is displayed, choose Finish as well. The status in the abapGit Repositories view changes to Pull running.... Note that the pull run may take several minutes.

15. Once the cloning is complete, the status changes to Pulled Successfully. You may need to refresh the abapGit Repositories view to see the progress of the import. To do this, choose the Refresh icon in the upper right corner of the view.

16. Refresh your project tree. For example, in ADT, right-click the package and choose Refresh. The package should contain all the artifacts from the GitHub repository.

17. Make sure that all artifacts are active. To activate all inactive development objects, choose the Activate all inactive ABAP development objects button from the menu (or choose CTRL+Shift+F3).

Prerequisites

• [x] You are running an ABAP release for which examples are available. See the different branches of the repository. For example, you can find out about your ABAP release by checking the value of sy-saprl:

  DATA rel LIKE sy-saprl.
  rel = sy-saprl.
  BREAK-POINT.
  

• [x] Before importing the code, you have performed a system-wide search for classes named ZCL_DEMO_ABAP*, for example, to avoid errors when you try to import the code. If someone has already imported the content into the system, you can simply check out that imported version and proceed to the step 3) Run the code.
• [x] You have downloaded and installed the ABAP development tools for Eclipse (ADT). Make sure that you are using the latest version, as indicated on the installation page.
• [x] You have created an ABAP project in ADT that allows you to access your application server as mentioned above. Your login language is English.
• [x] You have downloaded and installed the standalone version of the abapGit report. Make sure you are using the latest version, as indicated on the installation page. You can create a report, for example, zabapgit_standalone, and copy and paste this code into the program.

Import Code

Use the standalone version of the abapGit report to import the demo examples of the ABAP cheat sheets by performing the following steps:

1. In your ABAP project, create a package, such as TEST_ABAP_CHEAT_SHEETS as a target package suitable for demo content (for example, by using LOCAL as the software component).
2. Add the package to the Favorite Packages in the Project Explorer view in ADT.
3. Run the standalone version of the abapGit report.
4. Choose the New Online button. If the button is not available, for example, if another repository is already open, choose the Repository List button.
5. On the New Online Repository screen, make the following entries:

   • Git Repository URL:

     https://github.com/SAP-samples/abap-cheat-sheets.git
     

   • Package: Your demo package, for example, TEST_ABAP_CHEAT_SHEETS

   • Branch: Choose the button with the 3 dots to the right of the input field. In the pop-up window, select the appropriate branch, e.g. v757 if your ABAP release is 7.57, and choose the Continue (✔️) button. Note: The examples in the main branch are designed to be imported into the SAP Business AI Platform, ABAP environment only.

   • Folder Logic: Full

6. Choose Create Online Repo.
7. The Repository screen displays the available ABAP artifacts to be imported into your ABAP system.
8. Choose the Pull button. The import of the artifacts is triggered. This may take a while.
9. If the Inactive Objects popup is displayed, select all artifacts and choose Continue (✔️).
10. When the cloning is complete, refresh your project tree. For example, in ADT, right-click on the package and choose Refresh. The package should contain all artifacts from the GitHub repository.
11. Make sure that all artifacts are active. To activate all inactive development objects, choose the Activate all inactive ABAP development objects button from the menu (or choose CTRL+Shift+F3).

• Open the package you created containing the imported ABAP artifacts in the ABAP development tools for Eclipse (ADT).

• Classes:

  • Open one of the ABAP cheat sheet example classes listed in the ABAP Cheat Sheets Overview section, for example, zcl_demo_abap_string_proc. The classes are located in the Source Code Library → Classes folder.

  • Choose F9 to run the class. Alternatively, choose Run → Run As → 2 ABAP Application (Console) from the menu.

  • Check the console output.

    [!NOTE]

    • Check the notes on the context and the ABAP syntax used that are included as comments in the class.
    • Due to the amount of output in the console, in many cases, the variable name is displayed in the console. Therefore, to find the relevant output in the console more easily and quickly, simply search the console for the variable name, or use breakpoints in the code to check variables in the debugger.
    • Many of the example classes are structured as follows:
      • Code snippets are organized by topic within dedicated methods (m01_..., m02_..., m03_..., and so on) to avoid overcrowding in the if_oo_adt_classrun~main method implementation. The if_oo_adt_classrun~main method must be implemented when specifying the if_oo_adt_classrun interface. It enables a class to be executed and display data object content (using the out->write( ... ) method call).
      • These methods, named with an M followed by a digit, are called dynamically in the if_oo_adt_classrun~main method implementation. The method names are retrieved into an internal table using Runtime Type Identification (RTTI). For more information on RTTI, refer to the Dynamic Programming cheat sheet.
      • The table is iterated over, and only methods that follow the naming convention are called. The interface reference variable out, which is bound when executing the class, is passed to the individual methods to enable displaying data object content.
    • You may want to clear the console by right-clicking in the console and choosing Clear before running another demo class to avoid confusing the output of multiple classes. Note that you can also add a setting to automatically clear the console.

• Classic programs (reports):

  • The programs included in the repository can be executed with F8 (or Run → Run As → 1 ABAP Application).