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Overview of Search Helps

Search Helps |

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Objectives
The participants will be able to:
Explain the benefits of Search Helps
Describe Elementary Search Helps
Explain Collective Search Helps
Explain Search Help Exits

Search Helps |

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The Benefits of Search Helps

Search helps are dictionary objects those we develop to compile a set of valid
values for users.

What was Smiths

vendor number,
anyway?

F4

Search Helps |

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Elementary vs. Collective

Used to see the full list of
Elementary Search Helps

F4
Used to scroll
the tabs for
Elementary
Search Helps
Individual Elementary Search Helps that
make up the Collective Search Help

Collective Search Help : DEBI (It is called when you hit F4 on

the Customer Number field e.g. transaction XD01)
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Search Helps |

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Using Search Helps

To see a list of customers
starting with S
Key fields are
indicated by
different color

4
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Search Helps |

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Creating an Elementary Search Help

1
5
2
3
4

Create search help from Dictionary pushbutton on

workbench, or from within Repository Browser.
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Defining an Elementary Search Help

Data source for

hit list
List Display
method

Optional Exit
Used to identify
search help

Interface
Parameters

Search Helps |

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Defining an Elementary Search Help Interface Parameters

Parameters for values you

want to send and receive

Parameter is display only

Data element associated

with parameter

Declaration of parameters
as import and/or export

Position parameter
will be on hit list

Search Helps |

Position parameter will

be on dialog box

Dec-2008

Optional default
for parameter

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Assigning an Elementary Search Help - Priority Levels

Field

Table

Data Element
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Search Helps |

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Using Elementary Search Helps

F4

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Search Helps |

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Demonstration
Creation of an elementary Search-Help for different employee types (regular,
contractor, etc) in an organization and attach it to the employee table created for
the previous exercises.

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Search Helps |

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Practice
Creation of an elementary Search-Help for different employee types (regular,
contractor, etc) in an organization and attach it to the employee table created for
the previous exercises.

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Search Helps |

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Defining a Collective Search Help - Interface

Notice there is no selection method. A

collective search help is a set of one or
more elementary search helps.

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Search Helps |

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Defining a Collective Search Help -Adding Elementary Search

Helps

Dont forget to assign parameters

for each elementary search help.

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Search Helps |

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Using a Collective Search Help

F4

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Search Helps |

Only Difference
from before
toggle button
elementary search
help

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Demonstration
Creation of a Collective Search-Help.

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Search Helps |

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Practice
Creation of a Collective Search-Help.

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Search Helps |

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Search Help Exits

A search help exit is a function module. Basically, it is extra code that can be
included in the processing of the search help at specific times

Function
Module with
ABAP code

Search Help
Processing

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Search Helps |

_________
______
_______
______
_____
_____

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Summary
Search helps are dictionary objects that we develop to compile a set of valid
values for users.
An elementary search help is exactly one combination of fields that will be used to
determine the needed value.
A collective search help is a combination of elementary search helps.
When the user hits F4, the system checks to see if there is a search help
attached to the field, search help attached to the table is the second type of
search help that is checked for, if one is not found, the system checks if a search
help is attached to the data element. If one is not found, the system does not use
a search help, but will check the domain for valid values. If none exist, then no
help is provided.
A search help exit is a function module. Basically, it is extra code that can be
included in the processing of the search help at specific times

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Questions
What is a search help ?

What is the difference between an elementary search help and a collective

search help?
What is a search help exit ?

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