GOS attachments- custom services for attachments into content server

[Former Member]

Prerequisite

The reader of this weblog is expected to be familiar with Generic Object Services, ABAP and SAP content server 

Requirement
Our customer needed a solution to store business documents/attachments in external content servers.The external store could be archive link or any other HTTP based content store. The solution should be reusable across transactions and business objects. The customer could potentially choose to use the solution in sales orders, purchase order or any other transaction.

The relevant links need to be established between the attachment and the business transaction/document. The interface should be simple to use and scale just like google docs.

Business Benefit

Here is a simple business benefit that would be easy to relate for the IT community.

Typically, for the development of FRICE objects , the relevant specs and test cases are stored either in sharepoint or Solman. The developer has to login to diff systems to check in and check out files. 

These custom services would ensure that the developer uses the same SE38 executable of the program to get all access docs. This one interface approach will ensure that there is a document for every object we create and every business process we support throuch custom apps. The UI remains the same ABAP workbench and the ABAP runtime, which is essentially the custom transaction we invoke.

Solution Development:

The solution was to add two services to the generic object services is SAP.

More details about Generic object services can be found in

URL: Generic Object Services

The following functionalities will be covered in document attachments

1) Creating an attachment
2) Deleting an attachment
3) Viewing an attachment

Two custom services were created using the following steps mentioned in Naimesh Patel's blog. Thank you Naimesh

The custom services in our example are:

1) ZCREATE_DMS - Class - ZCL_DMS_ATTACHMENT_CREATE - Create attachment. Cloned from CL_GOS_SRV_ATTACHMENT_CREATE.

2) ZVIEW_DMS - Class - ZCL_GOS_SRV_ATTACHMENT_LIST - View attachment container. The functionalities - Create, Export, delete and view are within this class.This class is cloned from CL_GOS_SRV_ATTACHMENT_LIST.

3)These classes are inherited from CL_GOS_SERVICE. 

After making these table entries in SGOSATTR with the relevant classes, we will proceed with making the relevant code and customization changes for GOS attachments.

It is worthwhile to refer to Business Document Service API's before proceeding to read the solution specfics.

The following functionalities are implemented in the Custom Services
1) Authorizaton checks for transactions using TVARV.
2) Calling Business Document Service API's. The API's called are in the class CL_BDS_DOCUMENT_SET.

The information flow across classes is as follows:

CL_GOS_SERVICE - Abstract - All GOS classes inherit this behavior

ZCL_GOS_SRV_ATTACHMENT_LIST - The control passes to this class with the BOR instance ID, when we click on the service in the GOS toolbar.

Apart from the classes assigned to custom services, the following classes were cloned or created. Again, we could do all in one, if required.

ZCL_GOS_ATTACHMENTS - Cloned from CL_GOS_ATTACHMENTS to customize the menu in the attachment list container
ZCL_BDS_AL_ITEM - CLoned from CL_BDS_AL_ITEM to call BDS document service methods for create, attach and display
ZCL_BDS_DOCUMENT -  COntains the methods to display, export and delete a document,

CHECK_STATUS and execute are the critical methods in all of these classes inheriting CL_GOS_SERVICE.

CHECK_STATUS - Can be used for authorization or any other checks before the service is called.
EXECUTE - determines the action of the service when invoked.

Solution specifics- All code mentioned here are only deviations from standard SAP methods in cloned classes.

Class - ZCL_GOS_ATTACHMENTS-

Deviations from standard ZCL_GOS_ATTACHMENTSMethod IF_CMD_HANDLER~EXECUTE_ITEMS_CMDCode Snippetlp_lines TYPE i,lo_bitem TYPE REF TO cl_browser_item, lo_al_item TYPE REF TO cl_gos_al_item, lo_bl_item TYPE REF TO ZCL_BDS_AL_ITEM,lo_object TYPE REF TO OBJECT,lp_fcode TYPE ui_func,lo_ch TYPE REF TO if_cmd_handler,lx_error TYPE REF TO cx_gos_al_error,lt_error TYPE TABLE OF REF TO cx_gos_al_error,lp_text(20) TYPE c,lp_errstr TYPE string.Method - GET_GOS_MENUThis is to control the menu flow in attachment list serviceCode SnippetMETHOD GET_GOS_MENU .DATA:lo_bitem TYPE REF TO cl_browser_item,lt_bitem TYPE bitem_t,lo_boritem TYPE REF TO cl_sobl_bor_item,li_container TYPE REF TO if_container_item,ls_borident TYPE borident,ls_service TYPE sgos_sels,lt_service TYPE tgos_sels.TRY.TRY.li_container ?= go_root_item.CALL METHOD li_container->get_itemsIMPORTINGet_bitem = lt_bitem.READ TABLE lt_bitem INDEX 1 INTO lo_bitem.CHECK sy-subrc = 0.CATCH cx_sy_move_cast_error.lo_bitem ?= go_root_item.ENDTRY.lo_boritem ?= lo_bitem.CALL METHOD lo_boritem->get_boridentIMPORTINGes_borident = ls_borident.IF go_gos_menu IS INITIAL.ls_service-sign = 'I'.ls_service-option = 'EQ'.IF gp_notes = 'X'.ls_service-low = 'NOTE_CREA'.APPEND ls_service TO lt_service.ENDIF.IF gp_attachments = 'X'.ls_service-low = 'ZCREATE_DMS_A'.APPEND ls_service TO lt_service.ENDIF.IF gp_urls = 'X'.ls_service-low = 'URL_CREA'.APPEND ls_service TO lt_service.ENDIF.IF gp_arl = 'X'.* ls_service-low = 'ARL_LINK'.* APPEND ls_service TO lt_service.ENDIF.IF go_gos IS INITIAL.CREATE OBJECT go_gosEXPORTINGit_service_selection = lt_service.ENDIF.CALL METHOD go_gos->get_context_menuEXPORTINGis_object = ls_boridentIMPORTINGeo_menu = ro_result.go_gos_menu = ro_result.ELSE.ro_result = go_gos_menu.ENDIF.CATCH cx_sy_move_cast_error.ENDTRY.As you can see, the method IF_CMD_HANDLER~EXECUTE_ITEMS_CMD instantiates an object of type ZCL_BDS_AL_ITEM.This class was cloned from CL_BDS_AL_ITEM. The purpose of cloning this class it to call business document API's from ZCL_BDS_DOCUMENTClass: ZCL_BDS_AL_ITEMMethod: EXECUTEMETHOD EXECUTE .DATA:lo_note TYPE REF TO cl_sap_note,ls_objid TYPE notet_note_key,lp_docid TYPE bds_docid,ls_signature TYPE bapisignat,i_signature TYPE TABLE OF bapisignat.case ip_cmd.when cl_gos_attachments=>gc_cmd_display.READ TABLE gt_signatureWITH KEY doc_count = gs_component-doc_countcomp_count = gs_component-comp_countprop_name = 'BDS_DOCUMENTTYPE'INTO ls_signature.IF ls_signature-prop_value = 'SAP_NOTE'.* display the BDS Notels_objid-doc_type = ls_signature-prop_value.ls_objid-classtype = 'BO'.ls_objid-classname = gs_borident-objtype.ls_objid-objkey = gs_borident-objkey.CREATE OBJECT lo_note.lp_docid = ls_signature-doc_id.CLEAR ls_signature.ls_signature-doc_id = lp_docid.CALL METHOD lo_note->displayEXPORTINGobject_id = ls_objidnote_id = ls_signaturewith_gos_notes = 'X'EXCEPTIONSinternal_error = 1OTHERS = 2.IF sy-subrc <> 0.MESSAGE s011(sgos_msg).ENDIF.ELSE.* display the BDS documentREAD TABLE gt_signatureWITH KEY doc_count = gs_component-doc_countcomp_count = gs_component-comp_countINTO ls_signature.CALL METHOD zcl_bds_document=>displayEXPORTINGdoc_id = ls_signature-doc_id.ENDIF.when gc_cmd_bdn.CALL METHOD call_bdn.when cl_gos_attachments=>gc_cmd_delete.READ TABLE gt_signatureWITH KEY doc_count = gs_component-doc_countcomp_count = gs_component-comp_countINTO ls_signature.CALL METHOD zcl_bds_document=>deleteEXPORTINGdoc_id = ls_signature-doc_id.when cl_gos_attachments=>gc_cmd_export.refresh i_signature.READ TABLE gt_signatureWITH KEY doc_count = gs_component-doc_countcomp_count = gs_component-comp_countINTO ls_signature.if sy-subrc = 0.append ls_signature to i_signature.CALL METHOD zcl_bds_document=>exportEXPORTINGsignature = i_signatureborident = gs_borident.endif.when others.raise exception type cx_gos_Al_not_supportedexportingcommand = ip_cmddescription = gp_descr.endcase.ENDMETHOD.Class ZCL_BDS_DOCUMENTThis the wrapper class to all the business document API's. This is cloned from CL_BDS_DOCUMENT.so, the signature is pretty much the same for all the methods in ZCL_BDS_DOCUMENTMethod - EXPORTMETHOD EXPORT .data : i_files type TABLE OF BAPIFILES,it_signature TYPE TABLE OF BAPISIGNAT,lv_selectedfolder TYPE string,lv_classname type BDS_CLSNAM,lv_files type BAPIFILES.clear: lv_files, i_files[], lv_classname.call method cl_gui_frontend_services=>DIRECTORY_BROWSEchanging SELECTED_FOLDER = lv_selectedfolderexceptions others = 0.lv_files-DIRECTORY = lv_selectedfolder.append lv_files to i_files.lv_classname = borident-objtype.it_signature[] = signature[].CALL FUNCTION 'BDS_BUSINESSDOCUMENT_GET_FILES'EXPORTINGclassname = lv_classnameclasstype = 'BO'CLIENT = SY-MANDTOBJECT_KEY = borident-objkeytablesfiles = i_filesSIGNATURE = it_signatureEXCEPTIONSNOTHING_FOUND = 1PARAMETER_ERROR = 2NOT_ALLOWED = 3ERROR_KPRO = 4INTERNAL_ERROR = 5NOT_AUTHORIZED = 6OTHERS = 7.if sy-subrc = 0.MESSAGE 'Attachment transferred' TYPE 'I'.endif.IF sy-subrc <> 0.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4.ENDIF.ENDMETHOD.Method - DISPLAYMETHOD DISPLAY .CALL FUNCTION 'BDS_DOCUMENT_DISPLAY'EXPORTINGCLIENT = SY-MANDTDOC_ID = DOC_IDEXCEPTIONSNOTHING_FOUND = 1PARAMETER_ERROR = 2NOT_ALLOWED = 3ERROR_KPRO = 4INTERNAL_ERROR = 5NOT_AUTHORIZED = 6OTHERS = 9.CASE SY-SUBRC.WHEN 1.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOTHING_FOUND.WHEN 2.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING PARAMETER_ERROR.WHEN 3.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOT_ALLOWED.WHEN 4.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING INTERNAL_ERROR.WHEN 5.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING ERROR_KPRO.WHEN 6.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOT_AUTHORIZED.WHEN OTHERS.ENDCASE.ENDMETHOD.Method - DELETEMETHOD DELETE .CALL FUNCTION 'BDS_DOCUMENT_DELETE'EXPORTINGCLIENT = SY-MANDTDOC_ID = DOC_IDEXCEPTIONSNOTHING_FOUND = 1PARAMETER_ERROR = 2NOT_ALLOWED = 3ERROR_KPRO = 4INTERNAL_ERROR = 5NOT_AUTHORIZED = 6.CASE SY-SUBRC.WHEN 1.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOTHING_FOUND.WHEN 2.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING PARAMETER_ERROR.WHEN 3.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOT_ALLOWED.WHEN 4.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING INTERNAL_ERROR.WHEN 5.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING ERROR_KPRO.WHEN 6.MESSAGE ID SY-MSGID TYPE 'I' NUMBER SY-MSGNOWITH SY-MSGV1 SY-MSGV2 SY-MSGV3 SY-MSGV4 RAISING NOT_AUTHORIZED.WHEN 0.MESSAGE 'Attachment Deleted.Please refresh' TYPE 'I'.WHEN OTHERS.ENDCASE.ENDMETHOD.

Solution specifics for Create Attachment

Class: CL_GOS_DOCUMENT_SERVICE contains all methods relevant to create. This was cloned into ZCL_GOS_DOCUMENT_SERVICE for calling BDS relevant methods for create.

Class  :  ZCL_GOS_DOCUMENT_SERVICE

method CREATE_ATTACHMENT .data bds_doc_class type sbdst_classname.data bds_files type sbdst_files.data bds_file type bapifiles.data bds_signature type sbdst_signature.data bds_signat type bapisignat.data bds_file_ext type toadd-doc_type.data file_tab type filetable.data split_tab type filetable.data split_dat type file_table.data split_cnt type i.data file_count type i.data file type file_table.data return type i.data attachment type borident.data documents type standard table of sood4.data document type sood4.data folder_id type sofdk.call method cl_gui_frontend_services=>file_open_dialogexporting multiselection = '1'file_filter = '*.*'changing file_table = file_tabrc = returnexceptions others = 0.clear: bds_files, bds_signature.loop at file_tab into file.clear bds_file.file_count = sy-tabix.bds_file-doc_count = file_count.split file at '\' into table split_tab.describe table split_tab lines split_cnt.read table split_tab index split_cnt into bds_file-filename.split_cnt = split_cnt - 1.loop at split_tab into split_dat from 1 to split_cnt.if sy-tabix > 1.concatenate bds_file-directory split_datinto bds_file-directory separated by '\'.else.concatenate bds_file-directory split_datinto bds_file-directory.endif.endloop.split file at '.' into table split_tab.describe table split_tab lines split_cnt.read table split_tab index split_cnt into bds_file_ext.translate bds_file_ext to upper case. "#EC TRANSLANGselect single mimetype from toadd into bds_file-mimetypewhere doc_type = bds_file_ext.append bds_file to bds_files.clear bds_signat.bds_signat-doc_count = file_count.bds_signat-prop_name = 'DESCRIPTION'.bds_signat-prop_value = bds_file-filename.append bds_signat to bds_signature.endloop.if sy-subrc = 0.bds_doc_class = is_object-objtype.call method cl_bds_document_set=>create_with_filesexporting classname = bds_doc_classclasstype = 'BO'client = sy-mandtchanging object_key = is_object-objkeyfiles = bds_filessignature = bds_signature.read table bds_signature into bds_signat index 1.ep_attachment = bds_signat-doc_id.endif.endmethod.Now the class calling an instance of ZCL_GOS_DOCUMENT_SERVICE is the one we originally configured in SGOSATTR for ZCREATE_DMS service.Class : ZCL_DMS_ATTACHMENT_CREATEMethod: EXECUTEMETHOD EXECUTE .DATA lo_attachment TYPE REF TO Zcl_gos_document_service.DATA ls_object TYPE borident.DATA lp_attachment TYPE swo_typeid.DATA ls_attachment TYPE sibflporb.ls_object-objkey = gs_lporb-instid.ls_object-objtype = gs_lporb-typeid.CREATE OBJECT lo_attachment.CALL METHOD lo_attachment->create_attachmentEXPORTING is_object = ls_objectIMPORTING ep_attachment = lp_attachment.IF lp_attachment IS INITIAL.MESSAGE s042(sgos_msg).ELSEIF ls_object-objkey IS INITIAL ANDNOT lp_attachment IS INITIAL.ls_attachment-instid = lp_attachment.ls_attachment-typeid = 'MESSAGE'.ls_attachment-catid = 'BO'.APPEND ls_attachment TO gt_attachments.ELSE.MESSAGE s043(sgos_msg).RAISE EVENT commit_required.RAISE EVENT service_succeededEXPORTING eo_service = me.ENDIF.ENDMETHOD.

Configuration 

It is possible to literally configure our business object to point to a content store when we use  Business Document Services. The relevant customization can be maintained in BDS_CL_DOC. An entry in this table for your BO will override any TOAOM entries. Content server settings are a pre requisite.

Consuming custom Services 

A simple way to call custom services or the GOS toolbar is to use the class CL_GOS_MANAGER. A sample report is shown below:

REPORT ztest_draw.CONSTANTS: objtype TYPE borident-objtype VALUE 'ZBO'.DATA: manager TYPE REF TO cl_gos_manager,sels TYPE TABLE OF sgos_sels,wa_sels TYPE sgos_sels,obj TYPE borident.PARAMETERS: p_job_no TYPE zbo-job_no.AT SELECTION-SCREEN OUTPUT.CLEAR obj.obj-objtype = objtype.p_job_no = '0000000000000000030000493'.CONCATENATE 'ZXX' p_job_no '00000' INTO obj-objkey.CLEAR wa_sels.wa_sels-sign = 'I'.wa_sels-option = 'EQ'.wa_sels-low = 'ZVIEW_DMS'.APPEND wa_sels TO sels.wa_sels-low = 'ZCREATE_DMS_A'.APPEND wa_sels TO sels.* Call GOS (generic object services) manager without container.* This causes an icon to appear in the title bar for processing* file attachemnts.CREATE OBJECT managerEXPORTINGis_object = objit_service_selection = selsEXCEPTIONSOTHERS = 1.IF sy-subrc = 0.COMMIT WORK AND WAIT.ENDIF.

Road Ahead

• Exposing Web services for GOS attachments
• Sharepoint workflow collobaration
• Document workflow and automatic notification
• GSA(Google Search Appliance)  integration of all docs in kpro/archivelink/sharepoint/content server