ABAP tools - code quality.
Two transactions are at our disposal to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of our development:
- Extended Program Check (Transaction SLIN)
- Code Inspector (Transaction SCI)
It's worth noting that these transactions can also be accessed from the SE38 transaction menu.
Extended Program Check (SLIN)
Program ---> check ---> extended program check
This performs a comprehensive (and static) check, including interfaces of externally called procedures. It verifies obsolete ABAP statements, usage of hardcoded texts instead of text elements, semantic issues, syntax warnings, among other checks.
- PERFORM/FORM Interfaces: Tests verifying calls to external PERFORM subroutines and FORM definitions are grouped here.
- CALL FUNCTION Interfaces: Tests verifying the call and definition of function module calls are grouped here.
- External Program Interfaces: Tests verifying calls of CALL TRANSACTION, LEAVE TO TRANSACTION, CALL DIALOG, SUBMIT, and USER EXIT'S are grouped here.
- GUI Status and Title Bar: Checks if the GUI STATUS is defined and if the TITLE is defined.
- Message: Tests related to messages displayed on program screens are grouped here.
- String Checks: Verification on strings (Undefined, Unauthorized Characters, Same ID, Forbidden Text Symbols).
- Field Properties: Field validation operations, checking for duplicates, and type co-responsibility are verified here.
- Redundant Statements: Validation of BreakPoints, usage of user-dependent flows (SY-UNAME), SYNTAX-TRACE ON. Checking for statements after EXIT, RETURN, STOP, RAISE, Submit.
- Problematic Statements: Syntax verification for WHEN CASE-END statements, INCLUDE, FREE MEMORY, RAISE outside a function group, correct usage of literals in statements with multiple literals (MOVE TO, ADD TO, WRITE TO), empty validation, auto-assignment, TYPE C with rtrim.
- Obsolete Statements: Verification that the program does not use ABAP statements classified by SAP as obsolete since these statements will cease to function in the future.
Code Inspector (SCI)
Program ---> check ---> code inspector
This tool is used to check ABAP repository objects. These checks can be performed on individual objects or groups to assess performance, security, syntax, and compliance with naming conventions. We can also inspect specific sets of objects through verification variants.
- Verification Variant: Defines the rules, checks, and configuration for applied verifications.
- Object Set: Defines the development objects to be included.
- Inspection: Defines a combination of verification variant and object set, specifying which checks will be applied to which development objects.
Local and Global Verification Variants:
Global variants are available for all users. SAP provides a global verification variant named "DEFAULT."
Local variants are directly associated with a specific user ID. This is used for objects verified in the contextual menu of programs, classes, etc.
For our user name, if we create a local verification variant named DEFAULT, the system will use this instead of the global verification variant.