The document introduces the Alternative Dispatcher Layer (ADL), an open-source REST-based framework for extracting data from SAP. It discusses how ADL provides a simpler and more flexible alternative to SAP's Internet Communication Framework. The presentation covers how to install ADL, build RESTful resources with example GET and POST methods, and link them to a new ICF node. ADL allows developers to easily build REST APIs for SAP data and return responses in various formats like JSON and XML.

2. Before You Speed Through the Gateway Come to
REST with the Alternative Dispatcher Layer (ADL)
Nigel James - Square Cloud Pty Ltd and SAP Mentor

3. The Key Message
Presenting an
open Alternative
REST based Dispatcher
framework Layer
to get data out of SAP
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

4. Roadmap for today
• Get your data out of SAP
• Looking at the Internet Communication Framework (ICF)
• What makes Alternative Dispatcher Layer (ADL) so great?
• Installing ADL
• An Example Use-Case
• Demo
• Questions
• Key Points to Take Home
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

5. RPL
SICF
REST
REGEX XML
ABAP OO SAPLINK
JSON
HTTP
HTML
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

6. Introduction & Overview
Alternative Dispatcher Layer
Alternative – there are other things that do this job
Dispatcher – it prime job is to route URL’s
Layer – it is part of the overall solution
(Personally I was arguing that is should be called the
AWESOME Dispatcher Layer)
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

7. Something to keep in mind ...
NO
SILVER
BULLET
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

8. Get your data out of SAP
• RFC
• BAPI’s
• Web Services / SOAP / PI
• Gateway
• ICF Handler
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

9. Looking at the ICF
• ICF – Internet Communication Framework [Transaction SICF]
• Enables you to create an endpoint of your own naming and write
custom code to expose data
• Hierarchies of Handlers
• Create URL’s that make sense – Pretty URL’s
• Plug in code to access anything inside SAP
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

10. What makes the ADL so great?
• ReST based architectural approach
• Simplify nodes in SICF
• Create a simple class with all the url patterns you want to match
• Delegate each pattern to another class
• Return data in which ever representation works for you
• For example an invoice could be returned as Json, XML, JPEG, PDF
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

11. Installing the ADL
Installing the Alternative Dispatcher Layer
1. Find the ADL project on Code Exchange
https://cw.sdn.sap.com/cw/groups/adl
2. Download the Nugget File from sources
3. Use SAPLINK to install the Nugget file
4. Create a new project for the base classes – YADL
5. Make sure everything is compiled
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

12. The ADL Flow
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

13. New ADL Project
Starting a new Project with the ADL
1. Create a new package for your classes
2. Create a class for the dispatcher Z_REST_DISPATCHER that inherits
from Y_ADL_DISP_BASE
3. Implement HANDLE_REQUEST
4. Create one or more classes, Z_REST_RES_MAIN*, that inherit from
Y_ADL_RES_BASE
5. Create GET / POST Methods
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

14. Implement HANDLE_REQUEST
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

15. Add GET / POST methods
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

16. Link to a New ICF Node
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

17. This slide has been left blank intentionally
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

18. Demo
And now with any further ado I would like to introduce ...
wait for it
wait for it
THE DEMO
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

19. Questions
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

20. Key Points to Take Home
• Simple
• Light weight
• Restful Architecture
• Alternative
• Control
• FREE
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

21. Super Bonus Slides – More resourses
• DJ Adams http://scn.sap.com/people/dj.adams/content
• Sascha Wenninger http://scn.sap.com/people/sufw/content
• Nigel James http://scn.sap.com/people/nigel.james/content
• ADL Project https://cw.sdn.sap.com/cw/groups/adl
• JSON Project https://cw.sdn.sap.com/cw/groups/zjson
Mastering SAP Technologies http://squarecloud.com.au

22. Nigel James
Square Cloud Pty Ltd
http://squarecloud.com.au/
nigel.james@squarecloud.com.au
Mastering SAP Technologies Slide 22
http://squarecloud.com.au