Tools for building on NetWeaver

[Former Member]

Hi !

We are considering to start a custom development using NetWeaver as the platform. This development has business logic modules that don't need any connection to any backend system, that is, they need their own database tables, and their own business logic. But we need to have a really good UI, also online mobile enabled.

Where can we look for recommended approaches? is the Portal + PDK for .NET or WebDynpro for Java a good approach?

For example, we need to find an easy and fast way to do CRUD (data manipulation) on several custom master tables. Is this already managed by the Portal? should we use MDM?

Thanks.

Regards,

Matias.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Matias,

An approach I'd recommend is to build the custom application on the Netweaver Composition Environment (CE). CE consists of various development components that helps you build Composites or custom application. For the business logic you can choose to use either CAF or EE5. In either case, the codes you write or generated are fully standards based. With CAF you can maintain your own data and/or services, which would meet your requirements of keeping tabs on your tables.

Web Dynpro would be a good choice if you want a standard looking UI and at the same time have the

ability to tweak the behavior with Java. Web Dynpro also supports mobile connected devices. There are other UIs to choose from of course, two of which are Visual Composer (VC) and Adobe forms. Visual Composer is great at creating exciting Flash based UI with absolutely no coding. There is no language to pick up, so VC can also be a tool of choice for some business users.

Forms by Adobe would make a good option if you are migrating from paper based processes and especially if you have an off-line scenario.

At the same time, you might also want to review the newer NW BPM solution. The traditional approach of designing web apps using navigation and pages is far from perfect, in BPM, you'd design it as a business process instead. Its more natural way to model your processes this way and its based on the widely accepted BPMN standards. Once you have completed the process modelling, you'd complete the app by using the various components i've listed here. So everything ties in nicely.

I would complete the picture by giving your end user the power to customize the content by using the Enterprise Portal.

In summary:

1. CAF or EE 5 for business logic

2. Web Dynpro for the UI layer. (including Mobile Web Dynpro)

3. Alternatively Visual Composer or/and Adobe Interactive Forms for UI

4. BPM for modelling the application

5. Enterprise portal as a standard gateway to the information

Resources

[NetWeaver CE|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-ce]

[CAF|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-development?rid=/webcontent/uuid/30f3491b-9a49-2a10-1a8a-db93708b1f02] [original link is broken];

[Web Dynpro|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-wdjava]

[Connected Devices|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-userproductivity?rid=/webcontent/uuid/20ffed54-9812-2a10-9fb5-cb973a37ba3b] [original link is broken];

[Interactive Forms by Adobe|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/adobe]

[Visual Composer|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-vc]

[BPM|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-bpm]

[EP|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-portalandcollaboration]

[Developing Composites|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/705459a3-bf1c-2b10-8a9d-d300ada5f0fc]

Cheers,

Taib

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Taib !

Very interesting response.

I'm reading some documents about the components you mention. Regarding CAF and my need to develop around 20-30 CRUD for that 20-30 or so custom master tables. Is it posible then to link CAF process/functions with portal options accesible by the users?

I need a UI that does not need to have anything to do with common SAP UI. I need to have charts, images, grid, etc. I don't get clear if my path should be VC or WD4J.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Matias.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Matias,

For some reason, i didn't get notified of your next post. So here is my very delayed response to your question on WDJ or VC. They are both essentially User Interface tools. And they cater for somewhat different audience and for slightly different requirements. A quick summary would be:

1. VC is pure UI modelling and not language specific. We've used VC in various custom scenarios, from intelligence dashboard to search pages. And since its based on Flex technology, its very user friendly and what you'd call "sexy" looking. It takes very little to pick up the skills, so its excellent for both casual and power users. Its also interesting how developers have begun to use it as mock up tool to test ideas and such.

Usage: Dashboard, search, info pages, casual pages and non-transactional (even though this is no longer the case with the newer versions)

2. Web Dynpro (java or abap) is another UI solution. WD is highly customizable, so it'll be more applicable if you need a lot control over the behaviour of the UI. At the same time, its used quite extensively in SAP's own application (for example, ESS/MSS , NW Administration, etc). So you'd get a standard look and feel. Its targeted at developers. Usage: Transactional pages, web-enable the ERP, simplify SAP GUI screens.

There is a teched paper on this:

Link: [VC and WD|https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/20532df7-ffb9-2b10-fbb2-aeb7489ad4bd]

As for the the CAF question, I'd recommend using VC or WD as the actual frontend for CAF services. Once you've created the UIs you could easily publish them on the portal. The separation between CAF and VC/WD keeps your design clean and helps future maintainability.

Cheers,

Taib

[Former Member]

Hi Matias

Start off your NetWeaver-centric application development with the adoption of NetWeaver Composition Environment, as the choice development and runtime tool set. These web resources on Composition Environment and related Java programming best practices will help your team gear up:

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/wiki?path=/display/java/main

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/javaee5

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-ce

WebDynpro for Java is a great way to get a simple user interface for SAP applications up and running.

However, building a comprehensive portal is much easier by utilizing a community building infrastructure like NetWeaver Portal. Find out more about Portal technologies from

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-userproductivity

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/wiki

In order to address the CRUD requirements of any Java development project, JPA is the one of the standards to be adopted.

Page 15 of the "Developing a Real Java EE 5 Application" guidebook details an example of implementing a data persistence layer within an application:

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/b002681d-0e01-0010-73a5-ff70f800...

Feel free to post development related questions in the following forum: /community [original link is broken]

[Former Member]

Hi Matias,

Mobile WebDynPro would be your best bet for developing online application for mobile device. More information on Mobile WebDynPro can be obtain through this link

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-mobile?rid=/webcontent/uuid/20ffed54-9812-2a10-9fb5-cb973a37ba3b#... [original link is broken]

Also, besides a web-based application, you may want to explore other alternative to developing mobile application using NetWeaver Developer Studio for occasionally connected requirements. This allows a native application to be installed on the mobile device, so, user can synchronize data captured as and when required. You can obtain this option on this link

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nw-mobile

Hope this helps in answering your question.

Best Regards,

Jason Tan