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Long texts in SAP BW: Modeling Follow Up

Posted by Eugene Khusainov in eugene.khusainov on Jun 3, 2006 7:12:03 PM
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Though, I have stated in my first blog that questions about long texts in SAP BW almost disappeared, Long texts in SAP BW:
Modeling one more appeared just recently. This time the load of long text was conducted from R/3 system. How to deal with this
issue is explained here. What will be said is applied to all source systems (including DB Connect) except flat files. In case of loading
long description with 240-character length we have four fields in the datasource of the source system. The first one bears the whole
long description (AAA, BBB, CCC and DDD abbreviations designate the parts of the long description, 60-characters length each).
The other three, with 60-character length, may contain any information (shown as XXX, YYY and ZZZ). Content of these fields is
not important, they are simply placeholders. What is important is the length of the

fields.
After uploading data from the datasource,
in BW information goes to transfer structure. Physically, it is so called PSA table. Information is copied without any changes,

1:1.
During further load from PSA table to data
target, the start routine in transfer rules works out first. In our case it cuts out the long description in peaces of 60-symbol each and
places them into corresponding fields (infoobjects) of the communication structure. Actually, incoming from PSA table XXX, YYY
and ZZZ information is replaced by BBB, CCC and DDD on the

fly.
Update rules of data targets take these peaces of
the long description and place them in their long texts. So, in general, the datasource should supply a field with the original long text
and several fields with 60 characters length (placeholders). If you have such a datasource, then dealing with it is obvious. If you have
not, create it. The easiest way to do it is to create a generic datasource with a table or view.

VIEW Creation (SE11 t-code)

For demonstration purposes I found a table AQGTQ with 255-symbol TEXT field. For a placeholder I used the 80-symbol TEXT
field of AQGTS table. It doesn’t matter that the length of this field is not 60 characters. What matters is the fact that this length
is greater than 59 characters. For simplification I cut out the long description in two peaces, not four. I choose mentioned above two
fields during a view creation and named them as TEXT1 and TEXT2 in the view
definition.

In order
to decrease the number records to be extracted from R/3, I joined the tables with the common key INDX.

Generic Datasource Creation (RSO2 t-code)

I chose an application component and created view.

the field INDX is NUMC 5 and I set ‘Selection’ option for this field in the

The length of

datasource.
Since our ZGROUP_x
infoobjects have NUMC 2 type, this selection will allow me to restrict the records to be transferred to BW by their key.

Further Steps

I generated the datasource in R/3. Replicated it in BW. Found the infosource I used for load long description from flat files. Assigned
to it my R/3 system as a source system and chose the datasource I just

created.
In transfer
rules I copied ZGROUP_1, 0ADDR_LINE1 and 0ADDR_LINE2 names from the left frame into blank fields corresponding to
INDX, TEXT1 and TEXT2 fields. Since my datasource didn’t provide the value for language field 0LANGU, I placed in
transfer rule for this field a formula which returned the logon
language.

Transfer
rules for the last two fields remained unassigned. It doesn’t matter. In the start routine in transfer rules I placed the following
code. Notice, that it is the same code that I used before save that the number of modified fields is less and field names in transfer

structure are different.

of an infopackage I restricted transferred records by the INDX value form 1 to

99.
targets was

In the Data Selection tab

The list of data

changed.
The
rest is absolutely the same as in case of load from a flat file and has been described in the first blog. About workbooks formatting see
the blogs: Long Texts in SAP BW: Displaying in BEx Analyzer. Introduction to Excel Workbooks Formatting. Part I. Long Texts in
SAP BW: Displaying in BEx Analyzer. Introduction to Excel Workbooks Formatting. Part II.
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13 Comments

Sankar Kumar Jun 4, 2006 11:08 PM

Hello :) Eugene Khusainov,

How r u ?
We are facing this issue, like in the MS SQL some fields are varchar(600) even varchar(2000). But the data is not so long
as the length assigned. Say, 79 Chars is the Max for the field Varchar(600), what do u suggest in this scenario ?
Thanks and Regards....
Sankar Kumar
+91 98403 47141
ksankar@kaar.in
www.kaar.in
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o
Jun 4, 2006 11:24 PM (in response to Sankar Kumar)

Hi Sankar,
In your case the datasource to be brought to BW is to be based on a view. If you are certain about maximum
number N of characters used, in the srcipt file creating the view use a function like LEFT (depends on the
particular SQL version) to bring just the left N symbols.
Best regards,
Eugene
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Sankar Kumar Jun 5, 2006 4:20 AM (in response to )

Once again Thanks !!! for the idea, we could create multiple view fields for one table field. Say if its
varchar(240) then 1 st calculate the LENGTH of that field in the whole table and take the maximum.
So we can decide how many View fields to create in the view.
Generating Data Sources will have the maximum view fields for that particular long field. Using

SUBSTRING function we can split the data in MS SQL itlself. Need not write any routine in BW
side.
Just create IOs and load the data....
How about this idea ? do you feel this is better ?
Like (0)

Jun 5, 2006 6:07 AM (in response to Sankar Kumar)

Sankar,
Certainly, if you can cut out the long description directly in the source system, it's the best
approach.
You'll don't need any routines in BW. Just load these peaces to long texts of infoobjects.
Best regards,
Eugene
Like (0)

Sankar Kumar Jun 5, 2006 11:56 PM (in response to )

Hey Eugene,
Can i post a Technical Article if it works ? I started the job. What you would
suggest ?
I require one more information from you. From which source systems we will
face this problem ? coz we are dealing with MS SQL only as for now.
Thanks & Regards....
Sankar
ksankar@kaar.in
www.kaar.in
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Jun 6, 2006 12:29 AM (in response to Sankar Kumar)

Hi Sankar,
I assumed that you are working with non-SAP system through DB
Connect. Is it correct?
Do you want to write an article on how to create views in the source
system? Or something else?
Anyway, you'd better contact the SDN Team:sdn@sap.com with this
question.
Best regards,
Eugene
PS. I don't get your question: "From which source systems we will
face this problem?".
Like (0)

Sankar Kumar Jun 6, 2006 1:25 AM (in response to)

Hi Eugene,
Yes, you are correct. We are working on MS SQL with DB
Connect.
Here it is.... what i have planned to do
creating an application using webdynpro to check the MS
SQL table for the varchar fields and identify the field(s)
length exceeding 60 Chars. Then it will automatically create
the view for the table or tables, splitting the fields which are
above 60 chars into view fields. So the View in MS SQL
will match with BW requirement.
Hope i am clear.... any suggessions ?
Sankar

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Jun 6, 2006 4:40 AM (in response to Sankar Kumar)

Sankar,
In general, it looks OK except one clarification.
Are going to create views for ALL long fields or
just for some selected ones?
Best regards,
Eugene

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Sankar Kumar Jun 8, 2006 11:22 PM (in

response to )

Hello :) Eugene,
How r u ? Believe i am a bit late.
I have asked our webdynpro people to
create an application which will
automatically check the table and create
the views accordingly for all the fields.
Let me explain with an example,
If the MS SQL table contains and
length as below
mat_no | mat_name | mat_desc |
mat_usage
10
25
100
240
then the view generated will be like this
MAT_NO | MAT_NAME |
MAT_DESC1 | MAT_DESC2 |
10
25
60
40
MAT_USAGE1 | MAT_USAGE2 |

MAT_USAGE3 | MAT_USAGE4
60
60
60
60
Is this fine ?
Best Regards....
Sankar Kumar
Like (0)

Jun 9, 2006 2:43 AM (in response to

Sankar Kumar)

Hi Sankar,
It's OK with your late reply. It's not
really late.
Your view is very good.
Just rememebr that you is to create two
sets of infoobjects: for description and
usage.
Modify a comm structure accordingly. I
think as placeholders in the comm struc
you can use 0ADDR_LINE0 0ADDR_LINE7.
Insert your infoobjects as data targets
and in the update rules map the fields
appropriately.
I don't see any problems with
implementation.
Best regards,
Eugene
Like (0)

o
jimi ogun Jun 29, 2006 8:30 AM (in
response to )

Eugene
If you have the long description in the
PSA (coming from SAP source), would
there be an option to create start
routines that would supply the newly
created infoObjects? Is this an easy
way out instead of creating views in the
source system?
Like (0)

Jun 29, 2006 8:34 PM (in response to jimi

ogun)

Hi Jimi,
Actually, the long text in PSA was
what I work with and mentioned in the
1st part:

Long texts in SAP BW: Modeling

Follow Up
Depending on placeholders presence in
the transfer structure (PSA) we have
two options:
1. Placeholders (with 60 chars length)
are present. -> Use either a start routine
or routines in transfer rules.
2. Placeholders are absent or don't have
the length required. -> You may use
routines in TRs only.
Best regards,
Eugene
Like (0)

V K Sep 24, 2008 7:14 AM (in response

to )

Hi Eugene,
Thanks for this nice blog. this really
helps.
Is the logic mentioned above applicable
for Long text(around 200 chars) from
SAP R/3 source as transaction data
while loading to infocube?
Cheers,
Best Regards,
vk