How do I bookmark or link to an ABAP Documentation page

[pokrakam]

I know, this question sounds ridiculous, but the answer is not so obvious.

If I'm in the ABAP help, I want to copy a link in order to bookmark, post or send it to someone. Similar to what Horst Keller does over here: Aug 16, 2015 3:06 PM

On 99% of websites it's easy: Bookmark, or right-click and "copy Link". Boom, Done!

In the new(ish) ABAP Doco pages it's all scripted. I can manually craft a URL and paste the header in, but this is 2016 and stuff should be easy.

Example:

I start off at the main help page: ABAP Keyword Documentation

I navigate to Reference > Syntax > Statements. I want to copy the "expressions" link on that page.

Right-click + Copy link copies "javascript:call_link('abenexpressions.htm')". No good.

Attempt 2: Click to follow link, wait for page to load. Bookmark / share page still has my start page in the page URL "http://help.sap.com/abapdocu_740/en/index.htm". Also no good.

(Or if you started out from another link, e.g. from Horst's example above, and follow a few links, it will still have your original starting point).

Attempt 3: Right-click in a frame, "open in new tab" and bookmark that. Has the correct link, but I still need to copy/paste the header. Not a big job I know, but like I said: it's 2016 and this worked nicely in the old SAP Help.

This is on Safari and Firefox on a mac and FF on Windows.

Regards,

Mike

[horst_keller · Accepted solution]

Open the documentation, e.g.: ABAP Keyword Documentation .

Navigate to the subject you want to bookmark, e.g.

DO

Get the hyperlink using the right mouse button on the tree node:

You get something like: javascript:call_link('abapdo.htm').

From that you learn that the file name is abapdo.htm.

Now you can enhance the entry link

http://help.sap.com/abapdocu_750/en/index.htm

with

...?file=abapdo.htm

and that's that.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Wouldn't it be nicer to add a "direct link" hyperlink to the documentation page itself?

[horst_keller · Accepted solution]

Yes, but this documentation is only a "value-added service", in fact nothing more than the download version that you can create yourself from the SAP GUI online version.

Maybe I find some spare time to think about how to add such a link.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I knew it will challenge you...

[horst_keller · Accepted solution]

Hehehe ...

[horst_keller]

As long you stay inside your firewall:

Run ABAP_DOCU_WEB_VERSION in an appropriate system and work with the http-Version of the ABAP Documentation then.

This one is really online and much more powerful than the offline version on the help portal. You can search, execute examples and save bookmarks ... (there's ABAP running in the back).

Horst

[Jelena]

I agree with you that it could've been easier. Looks like Horst Keller (whom you've already pinged above) would be the right person to know why it is what it is, so I hope he chimes in when he has time.

It's probably worth adding that, for example, Java documentation on docs.oracle.com works as you describe: just right-click and capture a link. Someone is eating SAP's lunch already, ahem.

[Jelena]

Why would anyone need to bookmark ABAP documentation? ABAPers are supposed to memorize all this stuff, like the spies their secret codes. I'm grateful that at least we don't have to eat it after reading.

Yep, that's our future, javascript everywhere...

[pokrakam]

Whilst I appreciate the humour, the serious answer to that is twofold:

- It disrupts the flow of quickly sending a couple of links in answer to a question from a colleague or someone on SCN.

- I don't necessarily plan to wade through my bookmarks directly, but use them as a 'hilight' function: if I am after more general info and type e.g. "expression" in my browser address bar, all bookmarked pages that have expression in the title appear as choice. It's a quick shortlist that can avoid the longer SAP search (don't get me started on that!).

Regards,

Mike

[ThomasZloch]

Hi Mike,

you could start at

http://help.sap.com/abapdocu_740/en/abenabap.htm

without the left frame and use your attempt 2, because it will now have the actual URL in the address bar. The breadcrumbs at the top still allow some sort of navigation.

Not 2016, but...2008?

Cheers

Thomas

[pokrakam]

Hi Thomas,

thanks, that's exactly my third variant. Only with is that it still has a generic title. It would be nice to have the right page title. In fact, what triggered this thread was multiple bookmarks simply titled "ABAP Keyword Documentation" 🙂

If I'm busy I just want to bookmark something in 1 or 2 clicks. Can't be that much to ask? Maybe this belongs in Stuff SAP could easily fix - rant / wish list

Regards,

Mike