ANST – Start and Stop the trace whenever you want.
Automated Note Search Tool<ANST> has come of age. I am sure you all will agree with this 🙂 .
This is a revolution in the way we search SAP notes, making it easier to resolve the problems on our own.
It is also important to continuously improving it, making it better and even better together with you all.
Some time back we received a nice requirement/suggestion from you in SCN. Idea was to start and stop the
trace in ANST whenever possible. This was definitely a value add. Before we deep dive into this idea, let’s try
to understand in some more detail about the ANST tracing mechanism.
ANST performs the note search based on the objects captured in the traces generated in the background.
Traces are generated when we try to replicate a problematic/error scenario using ANST. Most of the time it takes
is on average 5 – 15 steps to replicate the scenario as we need to always start from the beginning of the scenario.
We do not want to trace everything starting from the first step itself.
This is the first use case which supports this idea.
There are many ABAP applications and transaction which does not have the Standard Function keys like “Back”
and “Exit”. These buttons are disabled in some cases. When these buttons are not available, it is not possible
to stop the trace in ANST and without trace search for notes cannot be performed.
This is the second use case which supports the idea.
And this is something we have already used in Runtime Analysis <old SE30> and Performance Trace <ST05>
to “Activate” and “Deactivate” trace. Third use case which supports this idea.
Well now we have this idea turned into reality. This feature is now part of ANST. You can start and stop the trace
whenever you want while replicating the issue in another new session. You will see this button in the ANST toolbar.
Note number: 2052346.
Looking forward for your suggestions and ideas, we definitely need them to make it better.
Very Nice feature.
Hi All,
Here is the note number: 2052346. Implement this note and enjoy using this new feature in ANST.
Regards,
Manoj
Hi Manoj,
Thank you so much for developing this new feature and for broadcasting this blog too.
Continuous improvement is ver y important and who better than oír customers to suggest those features they find most desirable.
Greetings from Mammoth Lake. U.S. 🙂
Carlos.
Hi Manoj,
Thank you for this very useful tool.
Best Regards,
Gergely
Hi Manoj,
Thanks, this is a very useful addition.
Regards,
Brendan
@ Manoj Kumar ,,, Many thanks for the development of ANST. I'm sure if we would have this 10 years ago, issue resolution lead time could be cut down by half. Some further suggestion for Improvement:
a) Further delimit "Customer code" selection based on App Component.
-As IS: When displaying the "Customer Code", the selection for the Application Component will NOT be taken into consideration. i.e. It will Display All Customer Code for all areas.
-Suggestion: It will be great if selection could be further limited based on App Component; I I think one could readily map the standard SAP Delivered Package (Field: DEVCLASS) to the SAP App Component.
b) Customer Code - Display Next Level of trace Detail
-As IS: When clicking on the "Customer Code", system display only the Highest Level object executed (e.g. In Tcode VA01, program SAPMV45A
-Issue: SAPMV45A has lots of underlying Forms, VMOD Exits, etc. One still has to double click on go to the details to find which exact Form Routine, VMOD exits etc.
-Suggestion: Would it be great if ANST could tell exactly which part of the VMOD, Exits, Forms that's actually executed (Something only Coverage Analyser could do today).
Regards
Damean
Hi Damean,
Thank you for your suggestions.
The reason why customer code (Or most of the customer code) cannot be restricted by component is that (most of the) customer code objects have no application component, as they belong to customer packages or they are simply local objects. So by definition, only standard code has applicaiton component. Of couse if you go up on the call stack to the caller object, you would find out a standard object that calls the customer object. That would be the approach...
Regards,
Carlos.
Dear Damean,
Finally customer code is detected on application component basis (objects with no component will always be considered):
2408785 - ANST- Detection of Implicit and Explicit enhancement as customer code
This change will also make customer code detection faster.
Regards,
Carlos.
Many thanks for the improvement, Carlos!
Hello Manoj
Do you have any steps on how to use the Start Stop function,,
I am trying to figure it out here,, and just end up running full traces
Hi Gerry,
It's explained in note 2052346.:
1. Execute ANST (You must record the trace and give it a name to be able to open it afterwards)
2. Press the start stop button.
3 ANST begins recording...
4. Reproduce the issue (Or continue reproducing the issue, as of now everything will be recorded, no matter you are doing something in the portal or back end...)
5. When you do not want tp cpntinue recording the trace because it is not relevant anymore, go to the ANST session and press the start stop button
6. Opeb the trace that has been recorded. Start stop only works if you record the trace.
Regards,
Carlos.
P.D. Should the above not work please open incident component BC-UPG-NA
Hey Manoj,
this makes a lot of sense, thanks a lot!
Best
Joachim
Hi Gurus,
New KBA including a demo/video as to how to use Trace on/off option.
2383525 - ANST - How to use 'Trace On/Off' option
Enjoy it!,
Carlos.