How to add user-defined buttons in SAP ALV TOOLBAR

In this blog post, we discuss about the events of the class CL_GUI_ALV_GRID. The old SAP ALV model provides standard functions such as summing, sorting, search function, Excel Export function etc. It also enables us to add new functions to the SAP ALV toolbar.

The Event TOOLBAR of the class CL_GUI_ALV_GRID is used to add functions to the toolbar of the SAP ALV List.

The following steps are needed in order to add a Button.

  1. Define the Event handler.
  2. Register the Event handler for the event.
  3. Activate the event through the method SET_TOOLBAR_INTERACTIVE()
  1. Definition of Event Handler.

The Event handler is defined in the static method of the class like below.

              CLASS zcl_handler DEFINITION PUBLIC.

   PUBLIC SECTION.

                       CLASS-METHODS st_select_all_method FOR EVENT toolbar

                          OF cl_gui_alv_grid IMPORTING e-object.

               ENDCLASS.

               CLASS zcl_handler IMPLEMENTATION.

                      METHOD st_select_all_method.

                            DATA ls_button_toolbar TYPE stb_button.

                            ls_button_toolbar-function = ‘SELALL’.

                            ls_button_toolbar-icon = icon-select-all.

                            ls_button_toolbar-quickinfo = ‘SELECT ALL function’.

                            INSERT ls_button_toolbar INTO e_object -> mt_toolbar INDEX 2.

                     ENDMETHOD.

               ENDCLASS.

2. Event handler Registration.

The Event handler is registered using the ‘SET HANDLER … FOR … ‘ command.

An example below shows the registration.

SET HANDLER zcl_handler => st_select_all_method FOR lr_gui_alv_grid.

3. Activation of Event.

As a last step, the event must be activated through the method SET_TOOLBAR_INTERACTIVE. This ensures that the event is triggered from ALV. It is the method of the ALV object.

CALL METHOD lr_gui_alv_grid -> set_toolbar_interactive( )

 The event handler registration and event activation code section appears between the ALV table call ‘SET_TABLE_FOR_FIRST_DISPLAY’ and the ‘CALL SCREEN’ of Dynpro call.

 The Event handler uses the parameter e_object in order to insert the button entry into the internal table mt_toolbar. The parameter E_OBJECT is of type CL_ALV_EVENT_TOOLBAR_SET.

How to enable adding new records to the SAP ALV List

The primary key fields of the data records must be unique. There should not be duplicate records in the Database table. The fields of the ALV List are editable through the field catalog. The primary key fields of the SAP ALV List cannot be edited directly. If a new line of record is inserted in to SAP ALV List, the primary key fields of the SAP ALV List are disabled by default. It is not possible to insert a new record in the ALV List through the edit field of the field catalog.

Contact_IdContact_nameContact_address
101RamStreet 10
102MahesStreet 11

If a new line of record is inserted in to above SAP ALV List, the field contact_id is disabled by default. The contact_id is the primary key field of the SAP ALV List. If a new line of record must be inserted in the Table, then the primary key fields of the SAP ALV List must be enabled for editing. The primary key fields of the existing data records must be disabled by default.

A new line of record can be inserted in to the ALV Table through the internal table lvc_t_styl. It is introduced to the structure of the internal table of data records. The keywords ‘INCLUDE STRUCTURE’ adds the existing structure of internal table which contains the data records. The following steps helps us to achieve this.

  • Define the structure with lvc_t_styl.
  • Define the stylename field of the layout
  • Define the style field of lvc_s_styl to CL_GUI_ALV_GRID=>MC_STYLE_DISABLED.

  • Define the structure with lvc_t_styl.

TYPES: BEGIN OF st_contact.

INCLUDE STRUCTURE ztt_db_table2.

TYPES: fieldstyle TYPE lvc_t_styl,

END OF st_contact.

DATA lt_contact TYPE TABLE OF st_contact.

  • Define the stylename field of the layout

DATA ls_layout TYPE lvc_s_layo.

ls_layout-stylename = ‘FIELDSTYLE’.

This layout is given as parameter while calling the set_table_for_first_display method of the ALV object.

  • Define the style field of lvc_s_styl to CL_GUI_ALV_GRID=>MC_STYLE_DISABLED.

This style is defined for the primary key fields of the database table. This style is set to each data record of the database table. But it is constrained to specific columns by specifying the fieldname of the data records. It is finally inserted in to the field style of each data record.

Key steps to set the style field are:

a) Define the fieldname of structure lvc_s_styl.

b) Define the style of structure lvc_s_styl.

c) Insert the structure lvc_s_styl in the fieldstyle field of each data record. Fieldstyle field is the internal table of type lvc_t_styl.

The selection of the style cl_gui_alv_grid=>mc_style_disabled blocks the fields of the respective column in editing mode. For example in the above table, the editing of column CONTACT_ID is deactivated.

DATA ls_style_record TYPE lvc_s_styl.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <ls_contact> TYPE ztt_db_table2.

LOOP AT lt_contact ASSIGNING <ls_contact>.

ls_style_record-fieldname = ‘CONTACT_ID’.

ls_style_record-style = CL_GUI_ALV_GRID=>MC_STYLE_DISABLED.

INSERT ls_style_record INTO TABLE <ls_contact>-fieldstyle.

ENDLOOP.

The primary key fields of the table will now be available for insertion of new record. The insert button facilitates insertion of new record. The primary key fields of the ALV List for already existing data records are disabled for editing.

How to set the column as editable in SAP ALV Grid

One of the key advantage of the old ALV Models is that it enables the user to edit the values in the table.

There are two different ways to set the ALV column as editable.

a) Field Catalog

b) SET_READY_FOR_INPUT

a) Field Catalog: The fields such as field name is used to set the column name of the ALV. The field ‘EDIT’ of the field catalog structure must be set to abap_true. Let us look at the following example.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <ls_field_cat> TYPE lvc_s_fcat.

LOOP AT lt_field_cat ASSIGNING <ls_field_cat>.

IF <ls_field_cat>-fieldname = ‘contact_address’.

<ls_field_cat>-edit = abap_true.

ENDIF.

ENDLOOP.

Thus the editing mode of the ALV Grid for the respective columns are activated. The ALV Grid facilitates

additional buttons for editing data.

b) The other way of editing data is through the SET_READY_FOR_INPUT method of the CL_GUI_ALV_GRID class. The editing mode is activated or deactivated through the parameter i_ready_for_input.

For activation:

CALL METHOD lr_gui_alv_grid->set_ready_for_input

EXPORTING

i_ready_for_input = 1.

For deactivation:

CALL METHOD lr_gui_alv_grid->set_ready_for_input

EXPORTING

i_ready_for_input = 0.

The data is modified through the above technique. It is much similar to the conventional

DISPLAY <-> CHANGE options of the ABAP Editor.

once the data is edited, it must be saved initially to the internal table. Based on the needs, the data can be saved to the Database table. The method check_changed_data of the class CL_GUI_ALV_GRID is used to check if the data of the ALV Grid has been changed.

DATA lv_alv_changed TYPE c.

CALL METHOD lr_gui_alv_grid->check_changed_data

IMPORTING

c_valid = lv_alv_changed.

The variable lv_alv_changed holds the value ‘X’ or initial. If the data of the grid is changed, then it is ‘X’. If it is not changed, it’s value is INITIAL. Therefore the changes are saved to the Internal table. If it is required, it can also be saved to the Database table.

How to create an ALV List based on class CL_GUI_ALV_GRID

It is the only ALV variant which is editable. We need an internal table which is based on a global structure to show the data.

There are two Display modes to display the data.

  • Full screen display : The output of the ALV List occupies the whole screen. It does not contain Container and Dynpro.
  • Container mode: It needs a Dynpro and a container.

ALV Table is built based on the following steps

  1. Loading the data in the internal table
  2. Creation of Containers. This step is optional.
  3. Assign the structure of the internal table to the Field catalog. This step is also optional.
  4. Creation of ALV Object.
  5. Definition of layout. This step is optional.
  6. Display ALV Table contents.
  • Loading data in an internal table: The data from the database table are loaded in to the internal table.

DATA lt_contact TYPE TABLE OF ztt_db_table2.

SELECT * FROM ztt_db_table2 INTO TABLE lt_contact UP TO 50 ROWS.

  • Creation of Containers

Container object is created with an unique ID. It is used for the created Dynpro. This is mainly used to show the ALV List in a particular area of the screen. If the display is not a requirement, then you can opt for the full screen display and skip this step. But it is necessary to provide the parameter cl_gui_custom_container=>default_screen in the constructor during the creation of the ALV List.

DATA lr_container TYPE REF TO cl_gui_custom_container.

CREATE OBJECT lr_container

EXPORTING

container_name = ‘container_id’.

  • Assignment of Structure to Field catalog

The structure of the internal table is assigned to the field catalog. It includes important elements such as column heading, Display size, Data type of the column. It is always recommended to use the global structure created from Transaction SE11.

DATA lt_field_cat TYPE lvc_t_fcat.

CALL FUNCTION ‘LVC_FIELDCATALOG_MERGE’

EXPORTING

i_structure_name = ‘ZTT_DB_TABLE2’

CHANGING

ct_fieldcat = lt_field_cat.

Note: This step can be skipped , if you would not like to modify the columns in the display. But the parameter i_structure_name must be specified during the call of the method SET_TABLE_FOR_FIRST_DISPLAY of the ALV Object. The field catalog is automatically assigned in the ALV.

  • Creation of ALV Object

An object is created for the class CL_GUI_ALV_GRID. Assign the created container object in the parameter of the constructor. For the full screen display, instead of the container object, cl_gui_custom_container=>default_screen is assigned to the parameter.

DATA lr_gui_alv_grid TYPE REF TO cl_gui_alv_grid.

CREATE OBJECT lr_gui_alv_grid

EXPORTING i_parent = lr_container.

  • Layout definition

The layout of the ALV Table can be changed further using this option. The various fields of the layout structure is used to design the layout of the ALV table in different formats.

DATA ls_struc_layout TYPE lvc_s_layo.

ls_struc_layout-no_toolbar = abap_true.

If this field is set, then the ALV Grid Toolbar is hidden. There are also other fields such as GRID_TITLE which displays the title on the ALV Grid.

  • Display of ALV Table.

The SET_TABLE_FOR_FIRST_DISPLAY( ) method of the ALV object is called in the final step. The layout structure is given as the exporting parameter, the internal table and field catalog is specified as the changing parameter. After this method call, the Dynpro is called using the command CALL SCREEN.

CALL METHOD lr_gui_alv_grid->set_table_for_first_display

EXPORTING

is_layout = ls_struc_layout

CHANGING

it_outtab = lt_contact

it_fieldcatalog = lt_field_cat.

CALL SCREEN 1000.

How to Delete records from the internal table in SAP ABAP

The Data records present in the internal table can be deleted in following ways.

  • Key or work area (structure)
  • WHERE conditions.
  • Index
  • From Index TO Index
  • Clean, Refresh, free

DATA lt_internal_table TYPE TABLE OF ztt_db_table2.

DATA ls_structure TYPE ztt_db_table2.

SELECT *FROM ztt_db_Table2 INTO TABLE lt_internal_table.

              ls_structure – contact_id = 102.

              ls_structure – contact_name = ‘Thiru’.

              ls_structure – contact_address = ‘Street 10’.

Key or Work Area:

DELETE TABLE lt_internal_Table FROM ls_structure.

Only for key or structure, ‘TABLE’ is written explicitly after DELETE in the syntax.

WHERE:

DELETE lt_internal_table WHERE contact_id = 102.

INDEX:

DELETE lt_internal_table INDEX 2.

FROM INDEX TO INDEX:

DELETE lt_internal_table FROM 2 TO 3.

If the deletion is successful, then the system field sy-subrc will hold the value 0. If it is not successful, it will hold the value 4.