Debugging for Fucos

Explanation, tips & trics for debugging in SAP CRM

Gert-Jan Stolmeijer, Business Consultant 01-01-2013

Table of Contents
Introduction Debug screen Debugging Breakpoints and Watch points Show and Change Content Traces Tips & Tricks for efficient debugging Find tables and fields

Introduction
Goal and Result of this training

This training is ment for functional consultants with minimal ABAP knowledge As a prerequisite basic understanding of ABAP coding (Statements, Tables, Fields, ABAP-OO) is needed As a result the consultant should be able to:
Functional debugging in SAP CRM/SAP ERP and WebUI Find and analyse simple problems due to ABAP coding Test solutions/specifications with the debugger Find tables and fields

Introduction
Reasons for debugging

Possible scenarios when debugging is needed:

SAP CRM generates an error message SAP CRM Functionality not working as expected A specification is needed with the preferred solution A shortdump is generated A table entry should be changed Finding possible user exits (will be handled by Aik)

Overview debug screen

Explanation of the debug screen

Program

System variables

Use the tabs to change the information visible

ABAP Coding Toolbox for screen changes

Show variables

Overview debug screen

Configuration of the debug screen

Toggle between new and old Debugger

Close the windows Open new windows and select object Change object in current windows Open windows in full screen

Swap windows vertical and horizontal Swap content of windows

Tools (dependent on content) for search and saving

Debugging
Start the debugger

Start debugging from the SAP CRM GUI menu

Menu -> System -> Utilities -> Debug Screen Directly from Transaction Screen with
/h Debug Screen /ha Debug ABAP /hs Debug System

This is used when you want to debug a specific process which can be started from the GUI

Start debugging after setting breakpoints

When placing a session or external breakpoint the program will stop and open the debug screen

Start debugging directly from function module/program

Select

Start debugging from SM50

When a process is running you can debug this process using Menu -> Administration -> Program -> Debugging

Debugging
Navigate during debugging

Single-Step (F5)

Execute (F6)

During single step each program line will be visible. When the program calls another procedure/function module you will jump to the coding of these routines. During execute each program line will be visible, however the debugger will stay in the main program and will not jump to a procedure/function module (the actual procedure of function module will be executed with this is not visible). When using return the debugger will jump to a higher level procedure/function module. The debugger will continue with the program and stops when the program is finished or another breakpoint is reached.

Return (F7)

Run (to Cursor) (F8)

Debugging
ABAP Stack

An ABAP stack overview shows the order in which routines are called. Navigation between routines is possible during debugging The stack overview can be used to detect the orgin of the cause or to detect an usable function module

Debugging
System Variables

On top of the debug screen two system variables are always visible:
SY-SUBRC
0 <>0 means minimal 1 records has been found means a problem occured

SY-TABIX
Identifies the record (index) read from the internal table

Debugging
Start debugging from a modal window

In some cases a modal window is available from which debugging should be enabled
Create a SAPGUI shortcut of type system command and system command /h. Drop this shortcut on the modal window

Create a textfile with following content:

Drop this file on the modal window

Breakpoints
Setting session and external breakpoints

SAP provides two different breakpoints:

Session breakpoint
A session breakpoint can be used when the user and the process is within the same GUI.

External breakpoint
An external breakpoint can be used when the user and the process are not within the same GUI. For example debugging the Webclient or WebUI, debugging the transfer between CRM and ECC Setting user for an external breakpoint can be done using Utilities -> Settings -> ABAP Editor -> Debugging

Breakpoint can be activated :

From the ABAP workbench During debugging

Breakpoints
Setting session and external breakpoints

Breakpoints can be set at:

Line level
This is the standard behavior of placing beakpoints. They will be valid only for that specific line

At .......
It is possible to place breakpoints a specific statements, function modules, message etc. Usefull options are Breakpoint at Statement
Message (to find any message genereated by SAP) Select (to find a table for specific data)

Breakpoints
Setting session and external breakpoints

During debugging all parameters of a functionmodule can be saved as test data This can be usefull to isolate the problem and to have a good test scenario (it saves a lot of typing)

Breakpoints
Finding enhancements spots

All enhancements and badis can be found easily using following tric:
Start transaction SE24 Select class CL_EXITHANDLER Set a breakpoint at method GET_INTANCE Now start the process and check all possible enhancements

Watchpoints
Setting watchpoints

Watchpoint can be used to stop the program when:

A specific variable changes A specific variable changes to a certain value

Watchpoints can be helpfull when an error occurs only for a specific situation or at a certain value.
The variable changes

The variable changes to a certain value

Watchpoints
Example using watchpoints to check messages

When SAP generates an (error) message, note down the message identification Enter the program again in debug mode Create a watchpoint for variable SY-MSGID with condition SYMSGID = <message> or SY-MSGTY = E or W or SY-MSGNO = 012

Show and Change content

Show variables

During debugging variables can be displayed and the content can be changed Double-click on any data element to see the content

Data element is a single variable

Data element is a table

Show and Change content

Edit variables

(single) variables can be change using the button

Show and Change content

Edit tables

Table (content) can be changed only on line item

Show and Change content

Change (SAP) table entries

Using debugging it is possible to change table entries of (standard) SAP tables As a prerequisite the table must contain at least one entry
Open the table with se16 Select the entry which should be changed Activate the debugger and press enter Change variable code to ....

Traces
Performance Trace

There are different traces available is SAP which can help you finding the location of the issue. The performance tace (transaction ST05) is the most usefull trace. Activate for Activate for other user or a Before the problem occurs: current user
Activate the trace Simulate the problem Deactivate the trace Display the trace file
specific table

Always select SQL and RFC trace

Traces
Performance Trace

As a result you will get a list of statements including the table names and data used.

Jump into the specific ABAP code

All statements including the data used

This column contains the tablenames

Tips & Trics for efficient debugging

Use this workprocedure for efficient debugging

Always try to minimize the problem for debugging

For a functional point of view, try to identify what is causing the problem

Use test data which can be easily recognized during debugging and tracing
When simulating the problem use data which can be traced as unique data

Try to locate the problem using a trace file

ST05 (based on the tables or function modules used, find the location of the issue)

Try to locate the problem on subroutine level

Using debugging with F6 try to find which routine give the wrong result

Try to isolate the problem

If the problem can be located at a function module, you can test the function module seperatly

Compare a working situation with the non working situation

Tips & Trics for efficient debugging

Debugging the middleware

Debugging the middleware is more difficult, because this process run mainly on the background Following oss notes explains step-be-step how to debug any middleware issue:
SAP Note 656823 - FAQ: Tips and tricks for transfer debugging SAP Note Number 490932 Data exchange of sales transactions between CRM & R/3 SAP Note 847964 - CRM Service: Debugging BDOCs to R3

Thank you!
Gert-Jan Stolmeijer
Business Consultant M +31 (0) 6 5799 28 26 E gert-jan.stolmeijer@acorel.nl

ACOREL
Zwanebloemlaan 83 1087 GD Amsterdam T +31 (0)20 468 7150 F +31 (0)20 468 7151 E info@acorel.nl www.acorel.nl

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