The ABAP Repository Information System is a tool which allows you to perform quick searches for information on all ABAP development objects. The two basic functions available in the Repository Info System are the Find and Where-used list functions.
The Find function allows you to search for objects from a specific object class meeting selection criteria.
The Where-used list function allows you to determine the use of an object in other objects. Both functions produce a list of results which met the specified search criteria.
Typical queries made to the Repository Info System include:
Find (Object searches, e.g.:)
List all domains with a specific data type (char) and length (10)
List all tables changed by user ABAPXXX since 01/01/96
List all data elements that refer to a particular domain (UPENUM)
List all tables containing a specific field (EUNR)
List all indexes for a specific table (UPERS)
Where-used list (e.g.:)
List all views containing a particular base table (UPERS)
List all tables using a particular table (UPERS) as a check table
To access the ABAP Repository from the initial SAP screen, use the following menu path:
Tools ABAP Workbench Overview Information System.
Expand any subitems in order to perform a search on a particular object (i.e., perform a search on Tables).
The ABAP Repository Information System can also be accessed via transaction code SE84.
The menu path used to be … Overview Repository Infosys. in previous releases.
To search for objects via specific attributes provide the relevant entries in the available search fields. Additional search fields can be used to limit search criteria by using the “All Selections” push-button. An “Additional Selections” group box with more object attributes displays beneath the standard selections.
Enter either single value or complex value range by pressing the selection options arrow at the end of each line.
The * and + wildcards are available for input in search fields.
* represents any field string
+ represents one character
It is possible to list single values as search criteria using the selection options screen. Use the Options push-button to obtain a list of possible selection options.
Use the complex selection push-button to toggle to the complex selections screen. This allows you to select high and low values to perform inclusive or exclusive range searches.
On all hit lists, you should see the following common options under the first menu path:
CHANGE: Jumps to object's maintenance screen, assuming it is yours to edit.
DISPLAY: Jumps to object’s display screen.
ACTIVATE: Allows you to activate an object.
TEST/EXECUTE: Lets you run the item.
PRINT: Sends list to printer.
COPY: Allows copying of selected objects .
RENAME: Change the name of an object, assuming it is yours, and that it will not cause cascading negative effects.
REASSIGN: Change the development class to which an object is assigned.
DELETE: Allows deletion of selected objects in list.
The options on a hit list will vary depending on what type of object you are looking at. You should see the following for most objects on the application toolbar:
CHANGE: Jumps to object's maintenance screen, assuming it is yours to activate.
DISPLAY: Jumps to object’s display screen.
REFRESH: Redisplays the object list to include any new objects that have been created since the list was first displayed.
ACTIVATE: Allows you to activate an object.
WHERE-USED LIST: Branches to where-used list portion of Info. Sys.
ENVIRONMENT- List all external references to the specified object.
STACK: Shows you where you have been prior to this screen.
SORT ASCENDING / SORT DESCENDING: Click on a column and you can sort on it with one of these buttons.
SELECT ALL / DESELECT ALL
NEW SELECTION: Takes you back to the selection screen.
FIND SUB-OBJECTS: Searches for objects used by this object.
To create where-used list searches, type in the object name and click on the appropriate radio button. All of the different objects in which an object can be used appears in this selection screen.
The output lists of where-used searches are similar to basic output lists of Find object searches. A complete list of attributes is not available.
Where-used searches can also be performed outside of the Repository, such as in an ABAP program (i.e., to find the use of variables throughout a program), or in the ABAP Dictionary (i.e., to determine if a particular type group was used in other ABAP programs), or in the Repository Browser, or any of the other Workbench Tools.
The ABAP Repository Information System supports both where-used and sub-objects searches for Dictionary objects. These searches can occur from within lists. Therefore, it is possible to navigate both up and down as well as back and forth through the hierarchy of related objects.
The Repository can also be used to perform searches on other ABAP Workbench objects:
Modeling
Data modeling
Process modeling
Object modeling
Programming
Function builder
Program library (logical database can be found here also!)
Programming environment
Program sub-objects
Environment
Development co-ordination (development classes)
Authorizations (authority objects)
Automatic tests (CATT procedures)
The Object Modeling option under Modeling is new in 4.x. Also, Customer Enhancements used to be under Environment in 3.x.
