Now that the Fiori apps are included within the SAP software, I wanted to know (as a SAP technical basis consultant) what the steps and the effort would be to get one app up-and-running.
Although there is a lot of Fiori documentation available, I had trouble to get an overview of the technical steps to get one Fiori app working.
I realize that the below steps only apply to the system I installed (with the specific release and patch level) and the app I choose (because each app has specific after care), but it will gave me an idea what technical steps are needed and where I found the documentation and software.
The app I configured was: MyContacts.
Installation
As I said, this is for me only a way to get hands-on experience with Fiori.
To keep the costs low I choose a system setup with 1 combined frontend and backend system.
So just to be clear: normally you choose a system setup with a separate frontend server (with Gateway) and backend system (with SAP ERP for example).
I have installed SAP ECC 6.0 Ehp7 and I used the integrated Gateway which comes already out of the box when you install this system.
Just for your information I installed this SAP ECC system on AWS on a m3.large server.
The installation came automatically with the following patch level:
SAP_BASIS_740_0005
SAP_ABA_740_0005
SAP_GWFND_740_0005
SAP_UI_740_0006
And the installation of SAP ECC 6.0 Ehp7 came with kernel version 741
Patches and add-ons
To get the basis of the system up-to-date I installed the following patches via SPAM:
- SAP_GWFND patch 6
- SAP_UI patch 7 and 8
And I installed the FIORI ERP APPLICATIONS X2 1.0 as add-ons via transaction SAINT.
The software you can download from http://service.sap.com/support > Software download > Installation and upgrades > A-Z index > F > SAP Fiori > SAP Fiori for Suite > FIORI ERP APPLICATIONS X2
When you go there you will see 5 downloadable objects:
But out of these 5, I only had to install the 2 UI add-ons via SAINT.
The 3 GBX are not needed as they are already in the system (included in the EA-APPL).
When you try to install these GBX you get the message:
So now we have the basic installation and patching done
The patch level in SPAM looks like:
We can start with the configuration part.
Configuration general
Activate services
Activate the following services (under default_host>sap) via transaction SICF:
opu > utils > initial_logon
opu > odata > ui2
public > bc > ui5_ui5
public > bc > ui2
public > opu > resources
public> myssocntl
bc > ui2 > start_up
bc > ui5_ui5 > ui2 > launchpage
bc > ui5_ui5 > ui2 > tilechips
bc > ui5_ui5 > ui2 > ushell
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > arsrvc_lpd_c
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > arsrvc_sm
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > arsrvc_spb_admn
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > arsrvc_suite_pb
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > arsrvc_upb_admn
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > ar_srvc_launch
bc > ui5_ui5 > sap > ar_srvc_news
Create a trusted RFC between Gateway and Backend system.
As I said, to keep the costs low I have a combined frontend and backend system setup.
So I only created in transaction SM59 an RFC connection to itself.
It should have the nameconvention: <SID>CLNT<CLIENT>.
And in the Logon & Security tab it should use the current user.
In case you use a separate frontend and backend system, you have to create a trusted RFC connection.
So on each system create an RFC destination to the other system and make it trusting via transaction SMT1.
Creating the SAP System Alias for Applications
SAP Transaction SPRO > SAP NetWeaver > Gateway > Odata Channel > Configuration > Connection Settings > SAP NetWeaver Gateway to SAP System > Manage SAP System Aliases
Here we have to create a new entry.
I created the entry with the name ERP. Use the RFC destination that was created in the previous step.
Activation of SAP NetWeaver Gateway
SAP Transaction SPRO > SAP NetWeaver > Gateway > Odata Channel > Configuration > Connection Settings > Activate or Deactivate SAP NetWeaver Gateway
Here we have to choose "Activate".
Add Gateway and UI5 Services
SAP transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE
Choose Add Service.
Maintain local in System Alias field and choose Enter.
A list of services now appear who are not yet activated:
Now we select the services that need to be activated.
In this case we will do: LAUNCHPAD
Enter the Package the object shall be assigned to. In case the objects are not transported select Local Object (this is what I did).
Choose Enter.
Confirm the information message that the metadata was loaded successfully.
Perform the same steps that you just did for LAUNCHPAD, but now for:
- PAGEBUILDER_SERVICE_V_0_1
- PAGE_BUILDER_CONF
- PAGE_BUILDER_CUST
- PAGE_BUILDER_PERS
- QUICKVIEW
- TRANSPORT
- INTEROP
Configuration Fiori app specific
The app I configured was MyContact.
The configuration for the specific configuration can be found in the SAP Help.
First I activated the related service in transaction SICF.
I searched for *mycontact* and activated it:
Second I activated the specific app with transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE
We see that MyContact has no system alias assigned yet:
Add a system alias.
Only fill in the Service Doc Identifier: in this case search for “SD_MYCONTACTS”
And use the created alias “ERP” (which is an RFC to this system itself, because the Gateway and backend system are one and the same)
The result:
We can already test this service to see of we get an error by clicking on the "Call Browser"-button in the left corner window.
I got the message "This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below."
So no error is shown.
FYI: Gateway errors can be show via transaction /IWFND/ERROR_LOG
Authorizations
I created a user TESTFIORI.
End users must have authorization object S_RFCACL assigned to them before they can use a trusted connection.
In transaction PFCG I filled in the following roles:
- SAP_SD_MYCONT_APP
- SAP_SD_BCR_FIELDSALESREP
For both roles I did the following:
- Go into change mode (we need the "Authorizations"-tab and "Users"-tab to be green)
- Goto "Authorizations"-tab and Change autorisation data. Save and Generate the authorizations (normally a functional authorization colleague will perform this action for you)
- Goto "Users"-tab and add your TESTFIORI user to the list of users. After this perform a User Comparison > Complete comparison
Both tabs should be green now.
We also need to add some basic Fiori authorizations.
I decided to add them to the SAP_SD_MYCONT_APP as this user already has this role (not so nice maybe, but this is just used as a demo).
So on in transaction PFCG authorization tab of SAP_SD_MYCONT_APP go to Change Authorization Data under the Maintain Authorization Data and Generate Profiles section.
Select Edit > "Insert authorization(s) > From template..."
I choose the following two (one by one):
- /IWFND/RT_GW_USER
- /IWBEP/RT_MGW_USR
After this again Save and Generate.
Testing
First I want in the Launchpad designer to create a specific group for this app.
Start the Fiori Launchpad Designer via:
http://<hostname>:<port>/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/arsrvc_upb_admn/main.html
First time we start we see not much:
Create a new catalog by clicking on the + sign in the left corner.
And create also a new Group by going to the Group tab and click on the + sign.
Now add an app in this newly created group:
Click on the + sign and add MyContacts:
The result:
Now we have to go back to SAP transaction PFCG and add this newly created group to the user TESTFIORI.
We edit the role SAP_SD_MYCONT_APP which this user TESTFIORI already has.
Goto "Menu"-tab and in the button-bar change the "Transaction"-button so that it becomes the "Group"-button.
Choose the group we created in the Designer:
Now start the Fiori Launchpad
http://<hostname>:<port>/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/ui2/ushell/shells/abap/FioriLaunchpad.html
and logon with the newly created user.
There are more apps shown but this is because they came along also with the patches I installed.
When I click on the MyContacts app:
There is no data in the system as I newly installed it, but for me this was what I wanted to see: an app in the Fiori Launchpad :smile: .
And it also works form my smart phone:
Troubleshooting
During the installation and configuration I ran into a number of issues.
They can be prevented when you perform the steps in the above order.
To prevent some basic mistakes, remember that there is a need for:
- Patching Gateway and SAP_UI
- General configuration & authorization for basic Fiori
- App specific configuration & authorization
- Opening the ICM server port of the SAP system in firewall (if you want to access it via public Internet via your mobile device)
Troubleshooting tips:
- SU53 to see what autorization you miss
- /IWFND/ERROR_LOG to see the application logs
- dev_icm to see the errors in the ICM trace
Summary of the effort
My technical effort was:
- Setup AWS system + download software = 1 day
- Installation ECC system + patching = 2 days
- Configuration general + Fiori app specific = 2 day
- Testing and documentation = 1 day
Of course this was just a simple test with a combined frontend / backend system and only one app.
But also with this limited setup for myself I got a feeling for the steps that a technical basis consultant needs to perform.
It is also possible to deploy a complete preconfigured Fiori solution on AWS via the CAL (Cloud Appliance Library).
The steps for this are described in my next blog.
Best regards,
Marco
- SAP Managed Tags:
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