One of the key benefits of the APIs for CAF Guided Procedures (GP) is to wrap custom-developed Webdynpro UIs and Java code with a GP interface allowing you to maintain process flow and context between the different process steps. Since those APIs are not delivered as part of the Netweaver Developer Studio (NWDS) installation, the only way to make use of them after installing an NW04s SP7 instance is through the Netweaver Development Infrastructure (NWDI).
Well not anymore! With this how-to document which contains downloadable APIs, your patience is finally paying off. Here is the SDN link http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/f7be53bb-0b01-0010-1c96-be3c...
Because I mostly do prototypes and proof-of-concepts using GP, I never needed to setup NWDI. Therefore, I really needed the GP APIs to be available for local development as part of my NWDS. Setting up NWDI is not difficult as it’s fairly well documented but it takes easily one day or two off the project to have one up and running with the SAP-EU component which contains the GP APIs. I have to admit it was quite an adventure to get them but fortunately I know very supportive people within SAP and they helped me got the APIs, develop the How-to document and publish it to SDN. Quite interesting process!
So for those whose patience was stretched thin searching for those mysterious APIs, you’re getting paid off with this one. Enjoy developing your composite processes and applications!
Some comments:
- This How-to document will most likely become irrelevant for NW04s SP9 version (available in September, I guess) as the problem of missing APIs for local development will be addressed then (info from GP Product Management).
- This How-to document only applies for NW04s SP7.
