Generating a flat file schema from an IDOC

At design time, using the Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema toolbar menu option, you can interrogate an SAP endpoint for IDOC metadata and from that metadata generate a Flat File Schema.

WARNING: In order to connect to the SAP System from Studio, you must download and install the SAP Jar file and DLLs onto your Windows development workstation.

If you receive or send your SAP data as a file through a SAP File Port to the SAP system, you must use the Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema toolbar menu option during design time to generate a Flat File Schema for your IDOC metadata and use the Read Flat File and Write Flat File activities to read and write the SAP data during run time. For more information, see the following two example orchestrations.

If you receive or send your SAP data directly from the SAP system using an RFC port, you must use the SAP Receive IDOC and SAP Send IDOC activities.

Using the Generated Flat File Schema during Run Time

During design time, you use the Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema toolbar menu option, to generate a Flat File Schema that describes the SAP data you receive or send to the SAP File Port. This section describes how that Flat File Schema is used by the following two example orchestrations during run time.

Receive SAP Flat File Data from a SAP System Using an SAP File Port.

This first example orchestration receives SAP data from a SAP System during run time, using the following activities:
  1. An SAP data file is placed into a directory that the FTP Poll Directory activity is polling in. This starts the processing of the orchestration job.
  2. The FTP Poll Directory reads the SAP Flat File data and saves the result into a string variable.
  3. Using the Flat File Schema generated during design time using the Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema toolbar menu option, the Read Flat File activity converts the SAP data stored in the string variable to XML data and saves the XML data into an XML variable.
  4. The Database Insert Rows activity maps the XML data from the XML variable to some database rows and inserts these rows into a database

Send SAP Flat File Data From a SAP System Using an SAP File Port

This second example orchestration sends SAP data to a SAP System during run time, using the following activities:
  1. Data is inserted into a database, triggering the Database Get Inserted Rows activity to start processing.
  2. The Database Get Inserted Rows activity gets the data that was inserted into the database and coverts it to XML data.
  3. The Write Flat File activity converts the contents of the XML variable to the SAP Flat File data valid against the Flat File Schema generated during design time using the Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema toolbar menu option.
  4. The FTP Put File activity writes the Flat File data to a file into a directory.
  5. The SAP System reads the data from the file.
To generate a Flat File Schema from an IDOC:
  1. Select Project > Import > SAP IDOC Schema from the toolbar menu. The SAP IDOC Flat File Schema Generator Step 1 of 2 dialog box shows.
  2. Enter the SAP connection information as described in the following table:
    Field Description
    Location  
    Host Name Specifies the IP address or the workstation name that contains the SAP system.
    System Number Specifies the number that identifies the specific instance of the SAP system that Studio is to connect to. Your SAP administrator must supply this information.
    SAP Client Specifies a number that identifies Studio as a client for the SAP system. Your SAP administrator must supply this information.
    Login  
    User Name   Specifies the user name to use when connecting to the SAP system.
    Password Specifies the password to the user name when connecting to the SAP system.
  3. Click Next. The SAP IDOC Flat File Schema Generator Step 2 of 2 dialog box is displayed.
  4. Select an IDOC Type and optionally an IDOC SubType using one of the following options:
    • Click [...] to browse for the IDOC Type, the IDOC SubType, or both. The IDOC List dialog box opens with the list of IDOC Types and IDOC SubTypes available on the selected SAP endpoint. Select an IDOC Type, the IDOC SubType, or both and click OK.
    • Enter the IDOC Type, and optionally the IDOC SubType directly into the respective fields.
  5. Select the Bundled check box if the incoming IDOC contains more than one instance of the IDOC message of the same IDOC Type and IDOC SubType. If Bundled is checked, the IDOC element in the generated Flat File Schema is a repeating element.
  6. Click Finish.
If the generation of the Flat File Schema was successful, the Flat File Schema is shown in the Flat File Schemas folder of the Project tab.
Parent topic: Flat File Schemas