Beginner question: What exactly do I need?..

[Former Member]

Hello everybody,

I am really a SAP newbie, so, I have numerous and pretty complex (to my mind) questions. I hope, some of you, gurus, could help me with them.

First of all, I am J2EE developer. So, I would like to use SAP (Web AS?) advantages with my J2EE applications.

1. Is SAP WebAS only Web container (like Tomcat) or full-compaitable J2EE container (i.e. with EJB support, etc.)?

Also, I am interested in ABAP programming language. Which advantages could it bring to me? I would like to "play" with it, too.

2. What SAP server do I need? Is there any trial download? or developer's limited edition?

Soon, I could start working in a company, where SAP R/3 system is working. Will I be able to run my J2EE application and ABAP programs (if I will write few of them ;-)? Will they be able to run both in one AS?

3. What SAP software can I download (trial? limited edition?) to learning it, and which will be able to be the same (of very likely to) full-functional SAP R/3?

If it will be possible, answer these questions!

Or just tell me where I can get these answers (books/links/etc.).

Thank you very much!

Looking forward your answer!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Download SAP Webapplication server 90days trail version,Netweaver doveloper studio available at www.sdn.sap.com there is a help in NWDS since you being J2EE developer, if you know eclipse plotform or any application servers weblogic/webspeher/Jboss it is easy to develop/deploy/run your projects...

Best of luck

RK

[eddy_declercq · Accepted solution]

You can also find extensive info on service.sap.com/nw04

[former_member185954]

Hi,

If you know J2EE well, you should check out this link

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/0d/a3bb3eff62847ae10000000a114084/frameset.htm

It will ANSWER all your Questions/Doubts about How Java fits in WAS.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Siddhesh

[Former Member]

I have installed the WebAS 6.40 Sneak preview system, and managed to create the first Web Dynpro application "Welcome".

However, when I try to deploy and run the application, I get error message

"Deployment aborted Reason:

Cannot determine sdm host (is empty). Please configure your engine/sdm correctly !"

Can anyone tell me what I am missing.

Thanks

[Former Member]

I got this resolved thanks.

The SDM host was not running

[Former Member]

Hello Olexiy,

In response to your first question I wanted to add that SAP Web AS is not just a web container but is fully J2EE 1.3 compatible. The server was officially certified as you can see from the following link :

http://java.sun.com/j2ee/compatibility_1.3.html

Best Regards

Peter Peshev

[Former Member]

Olexiy,

I also started recently digging into the SAP environment - specifically Java application development to leverage SAP backend operations. It's been a challenge to learn enough to understand what is going on with the SAP Java environment.

I recommend you also check out searchsap.com as they have a lot of good articles. But in general, the SAP Web AS seems to be very limited. I'm running the 6.40 Sneak Preview, but as best as I can tell I need the 6.20 package so I can install a MiniWAS (scaled down SAP instance). Otherwise I don't seem to have a backend to target for transactions.

In general - from SAP outward you have the RFC and BAPI layer. These are then exposed via JRFC and JCo (Java Connector). Web AS seems to be another wrapper around JCo. NetWeaver then appears to add custom taglibs for "easing development" of SAP views.

Technology-wise none of this is too exciting for someone not familiar with the limitations within the SAP environment previous to JCo. And JCo is a bit difficult since it connects to SAP using either a manage pool or a single connection - both of which must have a declared user ID and password at instantiation.

Since RFC and BAPI calls are executed in context of the connection user profile, I'm trying to determine how I support numerous concurrent named users without incurring the hit of not using pooling for the JCo connections.

If you are more interested in just a more Eclipse enabled custom Java web app builder then Web AS 6.40 may give you the opportunity to work on it. But if you need to ferret out execution to SAP, I haven't found the 6.40 Sneak Preview to be partiuclarly useful.

Good luck!

PS: Check out Austin Sincock's book on Java and SAP for more on how this stuff fits together.