Updated .NET Connector SDK for VS 2005?

[Former Member]

OK, it is has been a couple years since VS 2005 has been released...any estimated availability of a new SDK/add-in?

Seriously though, it is long overdue. Any plans to release an update?

[Former Member]

Hi Rick!

I believe that there are still guys out there who still aren't used to web services, so in my oppinion it's OK if you stick with the old - but works - RFC way.

Currently I'm using Visual Studio 2008, and still using RFC to interface the R/3.

How do I do that? I generate the Remote Enabled Functions to my VS thru Softwise's SAPExplorer.

It works well with VS 2008, but still needs a little trick to do in order to get your hands on it with VS 2008.

Believe me

[Former Member]

Hi,

Thanks Nadav, for the quick reply once again. So to make it clear we cannot use SAP 5.6 version or a lower version with SAP ES Explorer . The SAP config has to be a minimum of SAP Net Weaver 7.1.

To be able to use WCF/VS 2005 and any SAP version prior to 7.1, Is .NET Connector. the only option?

As for the webcast, I have registered for it and awating further info.

Thanks

[Former Member]

Hi,

The answer to your question is YES.

ESE is working against the SR (Services Registry) which exists only on Netweaver as part of the mentioned versions.

1. SAP NW PI 7.1 (contains Integration Directory and Integration Server)

2. SAP NW CE 7.1

you can't use ESE on SAP 5.6 or lower versions, you need the NetWeaver stack with the SR component.

Regards,

Nadav

[Former Member]

Hi,

Can anybody let me know of the drawbacks or disadvantages for Enterprise explorer for .NET 2.0?

Does the Enterprise explorer support invoking Standard/Custom BAPI's ?

I am not able to find any material on this from the web.

Thanks

[Dorian]

Hi Ramesh:

I've just started using the Enterprise Explorer - I was having issues with using the VS2003 .Net Connector objects in my VS2005 code. I never did get this resolved, and then SAP released the Enterprise Explorer plug-in, so I went with that.

You can still call the existing Bapis - but you first have to generate a web service for them. Thgis is pretty trivial using the wizard in the Function Module editor.

The only thing I'm having issue with right now is with parameterizing the URL to call the web service so that applications running on the target customer system don't try to call the service on my developer platform. There is some config object in the VS2005 generated proxies that contain the URL string that can be manipulated, but I haven't totally got to grips with this yet - I'm new to the VS environment, so am still on a steep learning curve. The old .Net Connector proxies had a connection string object that was easy to manipulate, plus great documentation etc.

Other than that, though, the new Enterprise Explorer seems to work well. I also notice that the WSDL generated from the Web Services seems much cleaner than that generated from the Bapis via the .Net Connector.

Just my 2 cents worth - as I said, I'm new to the Microsoft development environment.

Now if anyone can point me to some examples of how to parameterize the Web Service URL I would be extremely grateful .........

Regards,

D.

[Former Member]

Hi,

VS projects are using *.config files which are an XML files that redirects a specific application to load the values from this configuration file and you do not have to change your source code everytime you change your DataSource or any other information stored in configuration file.

The section relevant for you is the following section: (just change the "value" string which identify the service url)

<applicationSettings>

<UpdateCustomerDetails.Properties.Settings>

<setting name="UpdateCustomerDetails_WebReference1_CustomerBasicDataChangeRequestConfirmation_InService"

serializeAs="String">

<value>http://erp.esworkplace.sap.com:80/sap/bc/srt/xip/sap/ECC_CUSTOMERBASICDATACHGRC?sap-client=800</value>

</setting>

</UpdateCustomerDetails.Properties.Settings>

<applicationSettings>

Regards,

Nadav

[Former Member]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply, but can you tell me the minimum system configuration required for Enterprise explorer ( from the SAP side i.e SAP Net weaver 7.1 etc or can it be used with an previous configuration 5.6 etc) along with VS 2005 from the client.

Also specifically does it support custom BAPI's?

Thanks

Edited by: Ramesh Bhat on Mar 10, 2008 5:23 AM

[Former Member]

Hi,

Following are the minimum required system configuration for the ESE:

1. SAP:

A. SAP Enterprise Services Explorer 1.0 for Microsoft .NET

B. One of the following NetWeaver shipments:

SAP NW PI 7.1 (contains Integration Directory and Integration Server)

SAP NW CE 7.1

2. Microsoft:

A. .NET Framework 2.0 at minimum

B. Visual Studio 2005

C. For WCF support:

.NET Framework 3.0 at minimum

Windows SDK 6.0

As for SAP landscape, you can use now for experience the SR (and services exposed by it) on: http://sr.esworkplace.sap.com/ServicesRegistrySiService/ServicesRegistrySiPort

this information and more will be discussed on our Webcast tomorrow:

http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcPara...Name%3d%22ID%22Value%3d%221032371999%22%2f%5e%7eargName%3d%22ProviderID%22Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7eargName%3d%22lang%22Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7eargName%3d%22cr%22Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e

Regards,

Nadav

[Former Member]

Hi,

I forgot to answer one more thing.

The ESE is connecting to SAP Services Registry (SR) which gives him the API to Search & Browse for Services.

I see no barrier to expose the BAPI's you are intersted on as Web Services, Publish them to the organization SR and then they will be exposed to the ESE and can be consumed as .NET Web Services.

Regards,

Nadav

[Former Member]

hi,

Web services is the best way to connect between SAP and .Net. SAP even came up with.NET connector. .NET connector works well with vs2003 as it was developed in around 2003. but it has certain complication when working with vs2005. Web services will be good option as it does not need any .net connectors to deal with.

check this link for more details about .net and sap connection using web services

https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/webcontent/uuid/1615ef47-0a01-0010-a7a8-b8a2a... [original link is broken]

please reward points if it is useful to u

[Former Member]

Hi, Shyja.

I must respectfully disagree that Web Services are an alternative to the RFC-based infrastructure underneath the .NET connector. Perhaps for ERP 2005 customers, where a service is defined, yes this may be a good way to do it, but for legacy versions I've found the direct RFC mechanism the easiest (no extra web service wrapper configuration needed). There is also quite often a performance penalty to pay for the overhead of SOAP web services.

I would still like to see a VS2005 .NET RFC proxy generator.

- Rick

[Former Member]

Rick,

there are no plans from SAP providing VS 2005 support for the SAP Connector for Microsoft .NET, the future direction is connectivity by using Web Services, an example for providing support for this type of connectivity is the ES Explorer. However there are a couple of alternatives for connecting to older SAP releases by using VS 2005:

- Using VS 2003 for building the proxies and using this proxies from VS 2005

- Using BizTalk Server or XI for connecting to the SAP system and exposing this then as Web Service

- A couple of solutions were build by smaller companies for integrating the NCo into VS 2005

- Using a adapter solution like IQL Studio from Sitrion for connecting from VS 2005 to older SAP releases.

Thanks,

- Juergen

[Former Member]

The .Net connector is being replaced by SAP ES Explorer (currently in development) or at least that's what I gather from the following article:

http://www.sap.info/index.php4?ACTION=noframe&url=http://www.sap.info/public/INT/int/index/PrintEdit...

[Former Member]

I'm aware the ES Explorer, but as I understand, it is to invoke services, not BAPIs and RFCs. Many of the apps I need the .NET connector for will require interfacing with legacy SAP systems for which this is the only option.

In any case, there still should be a refresh to the .NET connector just to make it install on VS 2005!

- Rick