TAW10 - OBJECT DEPENDENCIES

ACTIVE AND INACTIVE VERSION

The active version of an ABAP Dictionary object is the one that is accessed by the components of the runtime environment, such as the ABAP processor and database interface.

On the other hand, the inactive version is created when an active object is changed. It does not affect the runtime system. The inactive version can be changed into an active version through a process called activation.

The slide here illustrates change in the status of an object. Initially, an active structure contains three fields. When an additional field is added to this structure in the ABAP Dictionary, it results in two versions of the same structure. One is an active version containing the original fields and the other is an inactive version containing the additional field. During the activation process, the inactive version replaces the active version. Thus, the inactive version becomes the active version resulting in only a single active version with the four fields.


RUNTIME OBJECTS

In the ABAP Dictionary, information about a structure or table is stored in data elements and structure definitions. The runtime object combines this information into a structure which is so designed that it can be easily accessed from ABAP programs.

You can create runtime objects for all ABAP Dictionary objects that can be used as types in ABAP programs, such as data elements, table types, and views. These objects hold varied information about the overall structure, the individual structure fields, as well as additional information regarding client dependence, buffering, and key fields required for accessing the table data.

WHERE-USED LIST

When some change occurs in a domain, then all the data elements, structures, and tables referring to this domain must be reactivated. This is done so that all affected runtime objects adjust to the changed type information.

Each object in the ABAP Dictionary maintains a ‘where-used list’ that provides information about all the other objects that refer to it.

Using this list, you can determine the direct and indirect usages of the ABAP Dictionary object. For this, you need to define the usage object types that have to be included in the search; for example, all structures and tables using a data element.

You can also search the usages of objects that are not part of the ABAP Dictionary, such as all programs, using a table.

Object usage search can also be limited by the development class or user namespace.

THE REPOSITORY INFORMATION SYSTEM ABAP DICTIONARY

This slide illustrates how to conduct search for ABAP Dictionary objects and their users with the help of the general Repository Information System which includes Repository Information System ABAP Dictionary. You can call the Where-used lists for Repository objects from the information system to search for objects by their attributes. Additionally, you can search for all objects by development class, author, and date of last change.