BODS / SAP : what set-ups are required for communicating with each other ?

[Former Member]

Hi.

There is a new SAP system

And there is a new BODS installation.

Both on independent server machines but on the same lan network.

On the test system of BODS. We tried to see how the communication happens with SAP.

While we try some test jobs by trying to pull a simple table on SAP R/3

In Dataflow, we used simple SAPR/3 ABAP flow. And put it into target database thro query transformation.

In the datastore,

We used the Generate and Execute option,

with a path on the local directory of BODS server for creating the ABAP program and the dat file.

However,

We are always getting error on batch job schedule.

Although the user is having rights on the R/3 table

And can login into SAP R/3 system and check the table.

Still we get an error saying Databstore unabel to connect to R/3 system. Check for user login etc.

For anyone whose login we use. We get the error.

However, if i directly generate the code on the ABAP flow (without running the job),

make the program available on R/3 system.

and then run the job as execute preloaded

this works fine without any error.

and we are able to see the data in the target table.

Now both the systems are new.

And am not aware of the initial set-ups which are required for communication between SAP / BODS.

Are WE missing something on the SAP side setups - for generate and execute option to be used?

Is there anything specific to be done for ease of the communication between SAP server and BODS server in this regard.

Can anyone share some inputs on this.

Actually for any user with full admin rights too, on the sap side, if we use the user login for R/3 connectivity for this particular "generate and execute" option, it errors out after nearly 10 minutes. Then the error says, login info not correct.

So basically, the communication channel by itself between SAP R/3 and BODS seems to be locked somewhere.

If anyone with SAP admin expertise - can help or advise on this.

Many thanks

Indu

Edited by: Indumathy Narayanan on Sep 13, 2011 9:20 PM

[Former Member]

Getting data out of R/3 requires two distinct setup tasks, and they don't have much to do with each other.

The first basic task is to get the little ABAP extraction programs loaded and run in R/3. You can pre-load them and then call them, or generate, upload, and execute them all on-the-fly, at BODS runtime. During development, use "Generate and Execute" for your ABAP.

Once that's done, you have four different choices to get the data back: "Direct download", "Shared directory", FTP, and "Customer Transfer". Normally, you'll use either FTP or "Shared directory". Refer to the documentation (the BODS SAP Supplement) for a description of all this.

In all cases (or at least, quite certainly, using the FTP and Shared Directory methods), the ABAP extraction programs are directed to plop their output as flat files in the "Working directory on SAP server." For testing, you can look in that folder to see if any flat files are appearing when you submit an ABAP data flow. If not, then either 1) your ABAP program isn't getting in there (a Basis admin should be able to tell you), or 2) it's not running (ditto), or 3) it's running but unable to generate the output file (ditto), because a) SAP isn't permitted to write to that folder, or b) the folder doesn't exist (it needs to be defined from the perspective of the SAP server).

If you do see files appear in the "Working directory on SAP server" when you run a BODS job w/ an ABAP dataflow, then the problem is that BODS can't fetch them. If you're using the "Shared directory" method, which is suitable for and often used in all-Windows environments, then the account under which the Job Server in question is running must have access to the "Working directory on SAP server," but this time from the perspective of the Job Server. So if, for instance, SAP was directed to put the flat files on a local folder, say, "E:\USR\SAP\BODS", then you might want to share this folder out as, for instance,
sapdev1\bods (for an SAP host called "sapdev1"), and then enter "
sapdev1\bods" in the "Application path to shared directory" field, in your SAP datastore configuration. If your Job Server service is logging-in as "Local System," though, it won't be able to get there -- it needs to log-in as an AD domain account w/ rights to that share. Get it? Try logging in to your BODS job server computer with the AD "service account" setup for use by the Job Server service, and try to open a file on the "Application path to shared directory". If you can't, then BODS won't be able to get data from ECC, either. FTP works similarly -- if you're using that and having trouble, please re-post.

Best wishes,

Jeff Prenevost

Data Services Practice Manager

itelligence

[Former Member]

Hi Deepak / Jeff.

Thanks for your responses.

The problem i see only in using the Direct download method / with a local directory path given on the BODS server D drive iteself for test purpose - where the option chosen is Generate and execute in data store.

The ABAP flow - generates the abap program, but does not generate the dat file.

If i directly click on the menu validate and generate the ABAP program and make the same program available on SAP R/3 and then if i use the execute preloaded option, with the shared directory on SAP server,

This works.

BUT direct download to local path, with generate execute. ABAP fails.

The error says... login failure for any user including administrator of SAP - whose credentials we tested on the datastore.

But the same job runs successfully when i say execute preloaded.

Since these are 2 new systems, do not know what exactly we are missing

so that dat file gets generated

and job becomes successful.

Many thanks.

indu

Edited by: Indumathy Narayanan on Sep 21, 2011 7:07 PM

[Former Member]

Hello Indumathy,

   Did you happen to find a solution for your problem?

You mentioned that you get error for the Job Schedule option, did you check the supplement guide for SAP?

http://help.sap.com/businessobject/product_guides/boexir4/en/sbo401_ds_sap_en.pdf

section 3.12 Executing Batch Jobs that Contain ABAP Data Flows ?

Thanks !

Regards, Vittali

[former_member182007]

Indumathy-

First of all you have to set up your data store with respect to ECC client details from where you are pulling the data as

1. Client number in Data Store name ( as ECC 130)

2. you Data store type is : SAP applications

3. Application server : the App server adderess of your ECC component

4. User..pwd for that chk with your basis & security.

In advance tab ABAP execution option could be : Execute preloaded then your Client number ..and next your execute ib background (Batch) should be set as "NO"

your rest of directory paths should also be defined properlly with the infor your Basis & Security provides.

hope this helps

thx

Deep