NWBC PFCG Menu Options - URL or File and Generic Web Address

[Former Member]

Can anyone tell me the main difference between using "Generic Web Address (URL Template)" and "Web Address or File" in the NWBC PFCG Menu? They look very similar.

I thought I read something about it once, but can't for the life of me find it again .

Thanks,
Simon

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Just to close the loop on this.. it's been a while

I stumbled across this wiki page recently that basically shows you how to use the Generic Web Address (URL Template) menu item type in PFCG

http://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/BPX/SAP+GRC+NFE+1.0+-+User+Role+Using+the+SSM_VAR+Table

Also this help page back from NWBC 1.0 sort of describes it at the end

PFCG: Menu - SAP NetWeaver Business Client 1.0 (with PFCG Connection) - SAP Library

Seems like this has been lost in the archives. But wanted to share this in case anyone else has the same question.

Very simply you can add entries into table SSM_VAR  (e.g. hostname and port) and use placeholders for those entries in the menu item URL (e.g. http://<hostname>:<port>). They get populated at runtime.

cc.

[julieplummer20]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for all this detective work.

I'll pass this on to the docu team.

Best wishes Julie

[Damean]

Have NOT used them in NWBC, but based on my personal usage experience on SAP Portal...

The later ""Web Address or File" is fixed\static e.g. google.com

The former (Generic Web Address (URL Template) is slightly more dynamic in the sense that you could insert parameter during runtime.

http://myserver?language=<Request.Language>

is resolved to

http://myserver?language=en

if the user language is English.

HTH ...

[Former Member]

Hi Damean,

Thanks, based on my own experience with the portal I expected the same thing, but when I look at them in NWBC I don't see any difference and don't see any help or documentation on how to use them.

Thanks,
Simon

[Former Member]

See table URL_EXITS for all possible URL types and their respective function modules. The node type Generic Web Address (URL Template) uses URL type BW_GENERIC_TYPE and hence you should look at function module RSBB_BX_BW_GENERATE_URL.

[Former Member]

Thanks Samuli... I will take a look. Have to say though that I don't think I should need to start analysing code to work out how to use these menu item types... just saying...

[Former Member]

I hear you. During my almost 20 years with SAP products, I don't even care anymore when there is no documentation since it is such a frequent problem and even if you spend hours and hours with SAP support to get documentation, there is no guarantee that SAP will provide it. That is why I learned SAP Basis and ABAP in the early days so that I can figure out things myself.

[julieplummer20]

Actually, I agree. For me, this is not pure NWBC, but general PFCG - so I have asked the developer concerned.

[julieplummer20]

Hi Simon, hi everyone,

Unfortunately, the difference is not documented internally.

Just fyi, so you don't waste time on a wild goose chase.

Best wishes,

Julie.

[Former Member]

Hi Julie, thanks for getting back to me on this - and thanks for being so honest and open . While it is disappointing that it's not documented anywhere it is nice to get this sort of open response.