Displaying the SAP BW Metadata Repository via a (web) URL

All of us, who’ve been around in SAP BW for a while, will recognize the picture below. The ‘good old’ meta data (repository) available within a SAP BW system and accessable via transaction RSA1

But how to access this repository from ‘outside’ SAP BW. Thus without RSA1 and via a (web) URL?

First of all we need to know which URL to use to access our BW system. To find out which URL to use, transaction SMICM comes in handy. After executing SMICM, go to the ‘services’ information (via SHIFT+F1) and the following information will be shown

(For confidentiality purposes I’ve blurred/greyed out/removed some information in the above (and below) pictures)

When the Host Name is not completely shown (via SMICM ->services), transaction SE37 offers a solution. Start SE37 and execute/test a function module called RSBB_URL_PREFIX_GET

Input parameter I_HANDLERCLASS should be filled with the value CL_RSR_WWW_HTTP

When executing the function module with the above mentioned input parameter value, the following output will be provided

Output parameter E_URL_PREFIX (as marked with a red box in the picture above) will give you the entire/complete URL which can be used to access the BW system via a webbrowser.

Beware: The port number, in this case 8100, is not correct! The port number delivered by transaction SMICM, in this case 3299 (see the red box in the first picture), should be used

Use the URL_PREFIX in combination with the SMICM port number to generate the following string:

http://ic**blur**.ics-eu**blur**.com:3299/SAP/BW/DOC/METADATA/?page=BW_O_TYPES&SystemID=BHDCLNT100

(**blur** : for confidentialty reasons I’ve removed parts of the URL)

(BW_O_TYPES: Enter this static text to receive an overview of active repository objects)

(BHDCLNT100: A concatenation of <systemID>, “CLNT” and <clientnumber>)

The following information will be shown when entering the above URL in a webbrowser

When you’re not interested in the entire BW metadata repository, but, for example, in the metadata of a particular multiprovider, small adaptions have to be made to the URL.

Let’s assume that I’m interested in the metadata of multiprovider MP_0039. In this case the following URL would do the trick

http://ic**blur**.ics-eu**blur**.com:3299/SAP/BW/DOC/METADATA/?page=BW_O_D&SystemID=BHDCLNT100&ClassID=MPRO&ID=MP_0039

This URL can now be used to directly access the BW metadata from (almost) any webpage. For example when embedding SAP BW metadata within a sharepoint page

ps. As mentioned by Martin Maruskin : The service SAP/BW/DOC/METADATA needs to be activated in tcode SICF.

Execute transaction SICF. Navigate all the way down to SAP -> BW -> DOC -> METADATA, right click on METADATA and select activate

7 Comments

You must be Logged on to comment or reply to a post.

Martin Maruskin January 21, 2015 at 9:20 pm

Hi Sven,

I like your idea of sharing BW metadata repository in e.g. intranet pages related to documentation fo BW project as you mentioned in sharepoint.

Just want to add that service SAP/BW/DOC/METADATA needs to be activated in tcode SICF.

cheers,

m./

like (0)
1. Sven van Leuken Post authorJanuary 22, 2015 at 7:43 am
  
  Hi Martin
  
  Thank you for your reply. I’ll (try to) squize in the SICF somewhere today 🙂
  
  Gr
  
  Sven
  
  like (0)
Rajeev Parimi January 21, 2015 at 9:59 pm

Hi Sven

I’m missing export parameters in FM as in above screen shot

cheers

Raj

like (0)
1. Martin Maruskin January 21, 2015 at 11:35 pm
  
  Hi Raj, you just need to run the FM and then you will get the export params…Simply click on Execute button – green icon on the toolbar – first one from left.
  
  cheers
  
  m./
  
  like (0)
  1. Rajeev Parimi January 22, 2015 at 12:06 am
    
    Thanks Martin
    
    Cheers
    
    Raj
    
    like (0)
richard fahey January 26, 2015 at 11:37 am

Thanks for that Sven. It works really well and it’s nice to have that back because the 7.3 version of the metadata repository is not as user friendly as the this version.

like (0)
Sherif E. May 10, 2017 at 2:49 pm

Hi Sven,

how can I change the host name? I moved to another host and when I try to open the metadata reposotiry, I get the error Service cannot be reached

I need to change the setting of the URL, how can I achieve that.

thanks in Advance,

Sherif

like (0)