Santa Claus and the christmas elves

Dear community, Santa Claus has a lot to do. In his christmas workshop, he has to check the letters and emails from his millions followers and biggest fans: children. As he wants to fulfill every whish to every child, he has great little helpers: the christmas elves.

The good thing is: He just has to think of a name of an elf and if it’s not there, it appears magically at the same moment to start the work Santa Claus will give the great little helper.

So how does this look in ABAP?

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Report ZSANTA_CLAUS_AND_ELVES
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REPORT zsanta_claus_and_elves.

CLASS lcl_elf DEFINITION FINAL CREATE PRIVATE.
  PUBLIC SECTION.
    CLASS-METHODS get_instance
      IMPORTING
        iv_name          TYPE string
      RETURNING
        VALUE(ro_result) TYPE REF TO lcl_elf.

    CLASS-METHODS count_elves
      RETURNING VALUE(rv_result) TYPE i.

    METHODS set_work_to_do
      IMPORTING
        iv_work_to_do TYPE string.

    METHODS constructor.

    METHODS get_work_to_do
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE string.

  PROTECTED SECTION.

  PRIVATE SECTION.
    TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_elves_administration_entry,
             name TYPE string,
             elf TYPE REF TO lcl_elf,
           END OF ty_elves_administration_entry.

    TYPES ty_elves_administration_table TYPE TABLE OF ty_elves_administration_entry WITH KEY name.

    CLASS-DATA mt_elves_administration TYPE ty_elves_administration_table.
    DATA mv_work_to_do TYPE string.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS lcl_elf IMPLEMENTATION.
  METHOD constructor.
   mv_work_to_do = 'nothing'.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD get_instance.
    FIELD-SYMBOLS <elves_administration_entry> TYPE ty_elves_administration_entry.

    ASSIGN mt_elves_administration[ name = iv_name ] TO <elves_administration_entry>.
    IF sy-subrc <> 0.
      DATA(lo_elve) = NEW lcl_elf( ).
      DATA(ls_elves_administration_entry) = VALUE ty_elves_administration_entry( name = iv_name elf = lo_elve ).
      INSERT ls_elves_administration_entry INTO TABLE mt_elves_administration ASSIGNING <elves_administration_entry>.
    ENDIF.

    ro_result = <elves_administration_entry>-elf.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD set_work_to_do.
    mv_work_to_do = iv_work_to_do.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD get_work_to_do.
    rv_result = me->mv_work_to_do.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD count_elves.
    rv_result = lines( mt_elves_administration ).
  ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS lcl_santa_claus DEFINITION FINAL CREATE PRIVATE.
  PUBLIC SECTION.
    CLASS-METHODS get_instance
      RETURNING
        VALUE(ro_result) TYPE REF TO lcl_santa_claus.

    METHODS send_elf_to_work
      IMPORTING
        iv_name TYPE string
        iv_work TYPE string.

    METHODS check_what_is_elf_doing
      IMPORTING
        iv_name          TYPE string
      RETURNING
        VALUE(rv_result) TYPE string.

    METHODS count_elves_under_control
      RETURNING VALUE(rv_result) TYPE i.

  PROTECTED SECTION.

  PRIVATE SECTION.
    CLASS-DATA mo_instance TYPE REF TO lcl_santa_claus.
ENDCLASS.

CLASS lcl_santa_claus IMPLEMENTATION.
  METHOD get_instance.
    IF mo_instance IS NOT BOUND.
      mo_instance = NEW lcl_santa_claus( ).
    ENDIF.

    ro_result = mo_instance.
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD send_elf_to_work.
    IF iv_name IS INITIAL.
      RETURN.
    ENDIF.

    DATA(lo_elve) = lcl_elf=>get_instance( iv_name ).
    lo_elve->set_work_to_do( iv_work ).
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD check_what_is_elf_doing.
    DATA(lo_elve) = lcl_elf=>get_instance( iv_name ).
    rv_result = lo_elve->get_work_to_do( ).
  ENDMETHOD.

  METHOD count_elves_under_control.
    rv_result = lcl_elf=>count_elves( ).
  ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.


START-OF-SELECTION.
  DATA(lo_santa_claus) = lcl_santa_claus=>get_instance(  ).

  lo_santa_claus->send_elf_to_work( iv_name = 'Herbert' iv_work = 'building toys' ).
  WRITE: / 'Elf Herbert is doing: ', lo_santa_claus->check_what_is_elf_doing( 'Herbert' ).
  WRITE: / 'Elves to take care of: ', lo_santa_claus->count_elves_under_control( ) LEFT-JUSTIFIED.

  lo_santa_claus->send_elf_to_work( iv_name = 'Herbert' iv_work = 'loading christmas sleigh' ).
  WRITE: / 'Elf Herbert is now doing: ', lo_santa_claus->check_what_is_elf_doing( 'Herbert' ).

  WRITE: / 'Elf Paula is doing: ', lo_santa_claus->check_what_is_elf_doing( 'Paula' ).
  WRITE: / 'Elves to take care of: ', lo_santa_claus->count_elves_under_control( ) LEFT-JUSTIFIED.

As happened in the last years, I try to entertain you with a little christmas surprise. This time, it’s about Singleton und Multiton in connection with christmas. I’ve read for the first time about Multiton by Kerem Koseoglu in this blog. Many thanks to him.

Please check my example if the design patterns are applied correctly. To be honest, it was made in a little break in between. I had the idea and didn’t want to postpone the implementation. As a thought: To implement the example with global classes might be much clearer and nicer.

Ok, that’s all for now. I wish everyone who celebrates Christmas a Merry Christmas – I know this time it’s certainly different, but we’re making the most of it! 🙂

In any case, I wish you all that your families, your friends and colleagues stay healthy!

Best regards

Michael

P.S.: Check our new “Virtual Wishing Well for Blogging“.

P.S.S.: Not tired of reading? Check the Clean ABAP book.