How Extract SAP table without using any RFC/ABAP/BAPI's

[Former Member]

Hello,

I am trying to find a way to extract SAP table information. I have used RFC_GET_TABLE_ENTRIES to get the data from any table. But there are limitations to this approach.

I want to find out if there is any other way to directly access SAP tables through my C# program either using .Net connector or without it.

Thanks in advance.

[Former Member]

Hi Jim,

THe problem with using RFC's or ABAP's is you need upload them to SAP.

This becomes annoying when especially we want to get data from specific tables.

Why has SAP provided a RFC_READ_TABLE module which is basically an errorneous program and breaks if something is bigger than 512?

This means there is need to get the data outside SAP. But it just that this kind of RFC's create confustion among developers like me who would rather stic to C/C++ instead of writing a ABAP and dumping a comma separated data file.

So i am back to square one. Any one knows how i can extract a particular tables data, selectively by specifying columns and/or where conditions from outside SAP.

[JiriEhrlich]

Hi Vinay,

funny RFC's programming is a question of responsibility too. You are outside SAP so someone responsible for SAP has to develop and maintain RFC's for you. You are not responsible for the business logic of SAP application. You can find your data in the database now but we can use different database tables after next upgrade without any warnings

Next point is security. SAP has quite comprehensive security model based not only on the table access but on the context too (I can see my cost center data only etc..). Direct database table access is in opposition our security model.

Jiri

[Former Member]

Hello Vinay,

I just want to remind you that the function module RFC_READ_TABLE is not released by SAP, neither for customer nor for SAP internal use.

Regards,

Guangwei Li

[JiriEhrlich]

Hi Vinay,

it is a wrong idea! Some of our customers are still thinking in dimension of small database applications!

SAP WebAS ("SAP basis") has 15-20.000 database tables. There is no public data model. To organize our development we are using business object model with object's methods. You can use BAPIs (or Enterprise Services in future) to call our business objects. Real database table(s) used by method call depends on SAP WebAS release or application release and patch level and customizing but you have still the same method interface.

Jiri

[Former Member]

I clearly see the benefits of working against a data model that is abstracted from physical database tables. The big problem today is the many white spaces on the map of the BAPI world.

I'm mostly working in the area of SAP LO. E.g. I havn't figured out which BAPI returns the list of shipments from a certain loading point. The only solution I have found is RFC_READ_TABLE against LIKO and LIPS tables.

[JiriEhrlich]

Hi Stefan,

you are right. We do not offer the same functionality via SAP GUI and via BAPIs in this time (maybe 2006).

OK, standard way in this case is to create your own function module and declare all your selects inside. The advantage is that you can reduce interface (return selected database fields only). It is a few minutes job, if you know data model.

Jiri