S4D430 Col24 Data Modeling in ABAP Dictionary and ABAP Core Data Services

S4D430
Data Modeling in ABAP Dictionary
and ABAP Core Data Services
.
.
PARTICIPANT HANDBOOK
INSTRUCTOR-LED TRAINING
.
Course Version: 24
Course Duration: 4 Day(s)
Material Number: 50165751
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Contents
vii Course Overview
1 Unit 1: Exploring Data Modeling in ABAP
3 Lesson: Exploring ABAP Dictionary
9 Lesson: Exploring ABAP Core Data Services
17 Unit 2: Creating Database Tables
19 Lesson: Defining Domains and Data Elements
27 Lesson: Creating Database Tables
41 Lesson: Handling Changes to Database Tables
55 Unit 3: Defining Global Data Types
57 Lesson: Using Dictionary Objects as Data Types
61 Lesson: Defining Dictionary Structures
65 Lesson: Defining Dictionary Table Types
75 Unit 4: Defining Basic CDS Views
77 Lesson: Defining a Basic CDS View
87 Lesson: Using ABAP Annotations in CDS Views
95 Lesson: Building Views on Views
101 Unit 5: Defining Relationships and Associations
103 Lesson: Defining Relationships Between Database Tables
113 Lesson: Defining Associations Between CDS Views
119 Lesson: Using Associations in Path Expressions
129 Unit 6: Using Code Pushdown in CDS Views
131 Lesson: Implementing SQL Expressions in CDS Views
139 Lesson: Calling Built-in Functions in CDS Views
145 Lesson: Defining CDS Views with Input Parameters
155 Lesson: Processing Data Sets in CDS Views
167 Unit 7: Defining Meta Objects for Dictionary Objects and CDS Views
169 Lesson: Preventing Unauthorized Access to Data
181 Lesson: Extending Dictionary Objects
189 Lesson: Extending CDS Views
195 Lesson: Creating Metadata Extensions
© Copyright. All rights reserved. v

Course Overview
TARGET AUDIENCE
This course is intended for the following audiences:
● Development Consultant
● Developer
© Copyright. All rights reserved. vii

UNIT 1 Exploring Data Modeling in
ABAP
Lesson 1
Exploring ABAP Dictionary 3
Lesson 2
Exploring ABAP Core Data Services 9
UNIT OBJECTIVES
● Describe the basic tasks of the ABAP Dictionary
● Name the most important Dictionary objects
● Describe the basic tasks of the ABAP Core Data Services
● Name the most important ABAP CDS objects
© Copyright. All rights reserved. 1

Unit 1: Exploring Data Modeling in ABAP
2 © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Unit 1
Lesson 1
Exploring ABAP Dictionary
LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
ABAP Dictionary Functions
ABAP Dictionary in the Classical ABAP World
Figure 1: ABAP Dictionary in the Classical ABAP World
The ABAP Dictionary has always played a central role in ABAP programming and does to
date.
ABAP Dictionary fulfills the following tasks:
● Defining database objects (tables and views)
● Providing data types for ABAP code
● Providing additional services for classical User Interfaces
Let us have a closer look at these tasks.

Figure 2: Database Object Definitions in the ABAP Dictionary
A database table definition in the ABAP Dictionary is a representation of the table on the
database. It is independent from the details of the database. As an example, it uses its own
built-in types and not the DB-specific types. The definition contains the field list of the table
and additional table properties.
When ABAP code accesses the database table in an ABAP SQL statement, the ABAP Syntax
check analyzes the definition in the ABAP Dictionary. Among other things, it makes sure the
table and the table fields exist.
At runtime, the database Interface translates the ABAP SQL statement into the database
specific SQL syntax and sends it to the database. For this, it also queries the table definition in
the ABAP Dictionary.
Note:
In the past, database views were handled in the same way. But those ABAP
dictionary views are outdated and ABAP Core Data Services views are used
instead (see the next lesson).

Figure 3: Data Types in the ABAP Dictionary
The second task of the ABAP dictionary is the providing of data types for ABAP code. The
data types defined in the ABAP Dictionary are visible in the entire system. This distinguishes
them from data types defined with ABAP keyword TYPES.
Dictionary types can be scalar types (data elements), structure types (structures) and table
types. The definitions of database tables have a double role: In the first place, they define a
database object, but in addition, they can also serve as data types in ABAP code.
Note:
In general, the use of database table definitions as data types is not
recommended. Use dedicated structure types instead.
Figure 4: Services for Classical UI Development (outdated)
Lesson: Exploring ABAP Dictionary

In the classical ABAP UI technologies, the ABAP Dictionary fulfilled a third task. Dictionary
objects, mostly structure types and database table definitions, were enriched with semantic
information, like foreign key relations and search help bindings. When UI elements referenced
the dictionary objects, the additional information was used to provide end user texts, value
helps, input checks, and so on.
This task of the ABAP Dictionary is not relevant for modern UI technologies, namely the ABAP
RESTful Application Programming Model. The ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model
uses metadata in CDS entities to provide services for the user interface.
Note:
In this training course we will not discuss ABAP Dictionary features related to
classical ABAP UI programming. Classical ABAP UI techniques are outdated and
not supported in ABAP Cloud.
ABAP Dictionary Objects
Figure 5: Overview - Important ABAP Dictionary Objects
Let us give you an overview of the most important ABAP Dictionary objects.
● Domains neither define database objects nor are they ABAP data types. They are only
used indirectly, inside of data elements.
● Data elements, structures, and table types define ABAP data types. They do not define
database objects of their own.
● The main purpose of database table definitions and database views is the definition of a
corresponding database object. You can also use them as data types, but that is not
recommended. Dictionary views are outdated and you should use CDS views instead.

Figure 6: ABAP Dictionary Objects in ADT
In the Project Explorer of ADT, you find the dictionary objects under the development
package, in a dedicated node Dictionary.
LESSON SUMMARY
You should now be able to:
Lesson: Exploring ABAP Dictionary

Unit 1
Lesson 2
Exploring ABAP Core Data Services
LESSON OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
● Describe the basic tasks of the ABAP Core Data Services
● Name the most important ABAP CDS objects
ABAP CDS Functionality
ABAP Core Data Services (ABAP CDS)
Figure 7: ABAP Core Data Services (ABAP CDS)
The ABAP Core Data Services (ABAP CDS) are the implementation of the general core data
services concept for ABAP.
ABAP CDS fulfills the following tasks:
● Defining data models (views and functions) on the database
● Provide metadata for consumers (for example modern user interfaces) by semantically
enriching the data models
● Support the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model
Let us have a closer look at these tasks.

Figure 8: Defining Views in ABAP
For a long time, ABAP developers defined views in the ABAP dictionary, in the same way they
define database tables. These dictionary views were very limited in terms of SQL logic. They
only supported inner joins, a field selection (projection) and simple filter conditions. Note, that
the definition of dictionary views is not supported in cloud based ABAP environments.
One of the reasons why SAP introduced Core Data Services in ABAP was the demand for the
execution of logic on the database. As you will learn later in this training, ABAP CDS views
support a large variety of SQL expressions and functions to push down logic onto the
database.
There are two types of CDS views.
CDS DDIC-based views (obsolete)
This obsolete type of CDS views uses a generated dictionary view as technical
representation for the database object. CDS DDIC-based views are defined with the
DEFINE VIEW statement.
CDS View Entities
This new generation of CDS views is defined with the DEFINE VIEW ENTITY statement.
CDS view entities define the database object directly, without generating a dictionary
object, first.
Note:
In this training, we will only cover CDS view entities. For the older view types, refer
to the ABAP keyword documentation.

Figure 9: Providing Metadata
ABAP CDS not only supports the technical definition of database objects. It also allows you to
enrich the technical definitions with semantic information.
Let us have a look at an example.
CDS view entity Z00_C_Employee is defined with a define view entitystatement in a
CDS data definition. This is the technical definition of the view, and it is used to create a view
named Z00_C_EMPLOYEE on the database. In addition to the define view entity
statement, the source code contains annotations. Annotations are code elements that enrich
the technical view definition with semantic information. Annotations start with an at-sign (@).
Only a few annotations are evaluated by the ABAP system. The rest is simply passed on to the
consumers of the CDS entity, that is, the frameworks that use the CDS entity to read data.
The consumers decide by their own which annotations they evaluate and which they ignore.
The most important consumers of ABAP CDS entities are modern UI technologies like SAP
Fiori and SAP S/4HANA embedded analytics.
Figure 10: CDS in the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model
Lesson: Exploring ABAP Core Data Services

The heart of the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model is the Business Object.
The structure of the Business Object is modeled with one or more CDS view entities. A CDS
behavior definition is used to add the transactional logic. The transactional logic is
implemented in an ABAP behavior pool, an ABAP class in the ABAP source code library.
Business Objects are often consumed by Business Services, for example OData services. But
you can also access them in ABAP code, using the Entity Manipulation Language (EML).
Note:
The details of modeling, implementing and using Business Objects are not part of
this training. They are discussed in a dedicated course on the ABAP RESTful
Application Programming Model.
ABAP CDS Objects
Figure 11: Overview - Important ABAP CDS Objects
Important CDS development objects are as follows:
CDS Data Definition
A CDS data definition contains the definition of one CDS entity. The most important CDS
entities are CDS view entities and their predecessors, the now obsolete DDIC-based
views.
But there are many other CDS entity types that you can define in a data definition:
● CDS projection views are based on a CDS view and project a subset of its elements.
● CDS Abstract Entities describe only type properties and for which no database
objects are instantiated.
● CDS Table Functions are implemented in database functions and return a tabular
result set.
● CDS Custom Entities are implemented manually, for example in ABAP code.
● CDS Hierarchies define SQL hierarchies from an SQL source.

S4D430 Col24 Data Modeling in ABAP Dictionary and ABAP Core Data Services

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