How to Provide SAP Business Server Page Applications Through SAP Netweaver Enterprise Portal for Smart Phones

8/8/2019 How to Provide SAP Business Server Page Applications Through SAP Netweaver Enterprise Portal for Smart Phones

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How to Provide SAP BusinessServer Page Applications throughSAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portalfor Smartphones

Applies to:

SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal 7.0 EHP 1 (SPS 6)

SAP Business Server Pages (BSP)

Summary

This document pursues two objectives, on the one hand it provides the reader with a kind of cookbook forpublishing BSP applications for smartphone devices with usage of SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal

infrastructure and on the other hand it demonstrates the importance of being familiar with portal architecture,security concepts, session handling and corporate infrastructure.

Author: Florian Georg Furtmüller

Company: IDS Scheer Austria GmbH

Created on: 22 July 2010

Author Bio

Florian G. Furtmüller studied Business Informatics at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz.He earned his diploma degree in 2007 and subsequently, started his work as SAP NetWeaverEnterprise Portal Consultant at IDS Scheer Austria GmbH. He has more than three years of

experience in SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal and NetWeaver Components. He is currentlyworking for IDS Scheer Austria GmbH as Senior Consultant.



How to Provide SAP Business Server Page Applications through SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal for Smartphones


© 2010 SAP AG

Table of Contents

How to integrate SAP Business Server Page applications into SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal forBlackBerry devices ............................................................................................................................................. 3

Preconditions .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Approach - Steps at SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal ................................................................................. 4

Create portal role and application iView ....................................................................................................................... 4 Assign role to user or group ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Create Framework Page (just copy and rename default framework page) .................................................................. 5 Create Portal Desktop (just copy and rename default portal desktop) ......................................................................... 6 Apply Portal Desktop at Master Rule Collection........................................................................................................... 6 Adapt web.xml file ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Testing ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Showcase ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 Related Content .................................................................................................................................................. 9 Disclaimer and Liability Notice .......................................................................................................................... 10





© 2010 SAP AG

How to integrate SAP Business Server Page applications into SAP NetWeaverEnterprise Portal for BlackBerry devices

This document pursues two objectives, on the one hand it provides the reader with a kind of cookbook forpublishing BSP applications for smartphone devices with usage of SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portalinfrastructure and on the other hand it demonstrates the importance of being familiar with portal architecture,security concepts, session handling and corporate infrastructure. This paper deals with the foundations forthe administrating SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal, this can be seen as precondition and requirement for

the reader.

BlackBerry devices represent the standard for smart phones in business. They are known for their ability tosend & receive e-mail and access data anywhere, wherever they can connect to a mobile network of variousmobile phone providers. Thus brings more flexibility and more independence to the end-user and acceleratescarrying out daily business tasks which will inevitably lead to increased productivity. As of the reasons aboveand the wide acceptance of BlackBerry devices, BlackBerry was chosen as appropriate smartphone for thisshowcase.

This opens various opportunities for a company which has equipped its employees with BlackBerry devicesthe more if the company has corresponding SAP software installed e.g. SAP NetWeaver Portal and SAPBusiness Suite which makes it relatively easy to achieve several quick-wins in various company divisions. Incontrary to launching an interdivisional project, searching for outsourcing partners, procurement of internalresources, coordination according to availability of external resources etc.

The enclosed example demonstrates the simplicity how to integrate a custom developed BSP service in theSAP NetWeaver Portal and provide it in a way that BlackBerry is able to process and display the service forthe end-user.

Preconditions

Environment: Blackberry Bold 8900, the value in „Browser Configuration‟ of „Browser Identification‟ must beset to „Internet Explorer‟ [see figure below]

Application: Provide SAP Business Server Pages (BSP) application at some SAP Business Suite back-end(e.g. CRM, APO, BI, ERP, SRM…). The developed application should be kept as simple as possible in thiscase the functionality for viewing data comes to the fore. Due to the constraint regarding the input unit ofsmartphones data input should be implemented with e.g. form fields. [BspT10]

Note: The application has to be implemented according to BlackBerry screen size (480 x 320 Bold / 480×360 Curve).





© 2010 SAP AG

Approach - Steps at SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal

Create portal role and application iView

In order to create the iView for the application, add it to a portal role and assign it to a user for testing thefollowing steps have to be performed:

1. Create a system object for the back-end system in which BSP application is running

2. Navigate to “Content Administration” and select the folder in which you need to create the iView.

3. Right click on the folder and press New -> iView from template

4. From the wizard select the iView of type SAP BSP iView

5. Provide ID, name and choose from the wizard "Open object for editing"

6. The three important properties are “Application”, “System” and “Quick Link”

7. Provide “Application” name, “System Alias” and some “Quick Link” e.g. com~crm~blackberryapplication

8. Right click on the folder and press New -> Role

9. After role creation, double-click the role to open it

10. Right click on the created iView and select “Add to role”

Create BSP iView

Apply Quick Link (com~crm~blackberryapplication ) for BSP application iView

Create portal role & assign iView

Note: Details for role, iView creation as well as for user assignments can be found here [BspA10].





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Assign role to user or group

The Identity Management of the portal provides all tasks that are relevant to user management and roleassignments e.g. assign a portal role to a user or group. The necessary permissions on the designated rolemust be assigned to the end-user.

User Management

Note: Details for role, iView creation as well as for user assignments can be found here [AsUG10].

Create Framework Page (just copy and rename default framework page)

Navigate to Content Administration - Portal Content -> Portal Users -> Standard Portal Users

Remove all iViews, Pages, except „Desktop Innerpage‟. Open „Desktop Innerpage‟, search for Content Area(ID: com.sap.portal.contentarea), select and press „Delta Link Tracer‟.





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Select „Content Area‟ and press „Locate in Portal Catalog‟. Navigate back to main page of „Modified MobileFramework Page‟, also remove „Desktop Innerpage‟. Now, right click on original „Content Area‟ iView object,select „Add iView to Page‟ and choose „Delta Link‟. Press „Save‟, the created Framework Page should looklike the „Modified Mobile Framework Page‟. [CFra10]

Create Portal Desktop (just copy and rename default portal desktop)

System Administration - Portal Display -> Desktops & Display Rules -> Portal Users -> Standard PortalUsers

Right click on „Modified Mobile Framework Page‟, choose „Add Framework Page to Portal Desktop‟, nowselect the added „Framework Page‟ and press „Set Default‟ and „Save‟. [CDsk10]

Apply Portal Desktop at Master Rule Collection

Note: Details for customizing Portal Master Rule Collection can be found at [Smrc10].

Adapt web.xml file

To provide the implemented BSP application in a mobile environment using BlackBerry (e.g.https://<HOST>/irj/portal/mobile/ ), the following entry in the web.xml file (adding a new segment parameter)of the designated SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal has to be maintained. [UAli10]

To avoid JavaScript errors, SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal configuration and deployment informationmust be enhanced with a special URL alias. This causes the modification of some JavaScript routines thatgenerally require the SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Portal to run in its own browser window. The alias must beset in the web.xml file, located in the directory C:\usr\sap\<SID>\<NO>\j2ee\cluster\server0\apps\sap.com\irj\ servlet_jsp\irj\root\WEB-INF).

In the web.xml , make a copy of the init-param element whose param-name element has the value portal. Inthe copy, change the param-name value to portal/mobile , and then append nested_window=1 to the valuefor param-value.





© 2010 SAP AG

//This is just a code sample

<init-param>

<param-name>

portal/mobile

</param-name>

<param-value>

anonymous=0,proxy=0,low_bandwidth=0,include_in_url=1,include_application_name_in_url=1,nested_window=1

</param-value>

</init-param>

Whenever you enter the portal with the URL http(s)://<host>/irj/portal/mobile, the portal operates in nestedmode and changes its internal JavaScript references.

Note: This configuration change requires a restart of the system.

Testing

There are two ways to test this service, first if you are in the lucky position to have a BlackBerry device, youcan use this as test device, it only has to be ensured that the necessary settings which are described inchapter Preconditions have been made. If there is no BlackBerry device available, the respective emulationsoftware from the BlackBerry website can be downloaded. [Blac10]

Direct access via e.g. http(s)://<HOST>/irj/portal/mobile/com~crm~blackberryapplication

Before testing the application at local platform, it is necessary to start the BlackBerry MDS (Mobile DataService) Simulator and ensure that it is running. To verify that, go to Programs > Research In Motion >BlackBerry Email and MDS Services Simulators > MDS. As a next step start the BlackBerry SmartphoneSimulator and in the BlackBerry Smartphone Simulator, open the BlackBerry Browser.

Note: The value in „Browser Configuration‟ of „Browser Identification‟ must be set to „Internet Explorer‟.





© 2010 SAP AG

Then open the menu, navigate with „Go To‟ to e.g. http://www.sap.com, if the SAP home page appears, theBlackBerry Mobile Data Service simulator is operating correctly.

Regarding leaving the integrated application service web page of the BSP application, the logout mechanismhas to be implemented at the back-end application itself, this is essential because Portal DSM (DistributedSession Manager) will not work within BackBerry framework. Due to memory utilization and securityvulnerability it is highly recommended to implement a manual logout mechanism which invalidates thesessions at the back-end. [Sdsm10]

Note: Logout has to be implemented within the BSP application, DSM will not work in BlackBerry environment!

This can be realized for example by displaying a small logout button in the top right corner of the BSPapplication [as depicted above].

Showcase

A possible showcase could be to provide employees a mobile solution, which neither requires a specificdevice, a particular operating system or a local installation. The developed mobile solution can be seen as anextension to existing standard service functions, which should represent these functions as close to theoriginal as possible.

Due to the small screen size in mobile devices, the design of the application should be elaborated verycarefully. This requires special attention during the implementation of the individual screens and navigationstructure.

As a result, such mobile solutions are particularly suitable for field staff that needs to view, create ormanipulate data sets at customer‟s site even without laptop. This will provide end-users the ability to retrievedata online and real-time. However, as an example, data which were processed by the mobile service can bedirectly viewed online by other users after saving - this typically depends on the implementation of thecorresponding application.

The obtained device independence offers more convenience the outcome of this enables the maximum onpossible flexibility for end-users.

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© 2010 SAP AG

Related Content

The list below shows some references to SDN documents and web pages.

[AsUG10] Assigning Roles to Users and Groups [07/09/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/ed/845890b89711d5993900508b6b8b11/frameset.htm]

[Blac10] BlackBerry Smartphone Simulators [07/09/2010][http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/simulators.jsp]

[BspT10] SAP BSP Technology [07/10/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_470/helpdata/en/c8/101c3a1cf1c54be10000000a114084/frameset.htm]

[BspA10] Creating BSP Application iViews [07/09/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/30/1b62799d786445a72ad85acb4fd55b/frameset.htm]

[CDsk10] Creating & Editing a SAP Portal Desktop [07/19/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6a/f72f1c9539420ebee0b8734110aaac/frameset.htm]

[CFra10] Creating & Editing a SAP Portal Framework Page [07/19/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/1c/0a3bcb9149453aab0132425c6f7cdf/frameset.htm]

[Sdsm10] Session Management (DSM) [07/22/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2004/helpdata/en/ca/a9a7408f031414e10000000a1550b0/frameset.htm]

[Smrc10] SAP Master Rule Collection [07/20/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6e/8590f1d6d349c9adc34c6a8085189b/frameset.htm]

[UAli10] SAP Portal URL Aliases [07/20/2010][http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6e/8590f1d6d349c9adc34c6a8085189b/frameset.htm]

http://c/Dokumente%20und%20Einstellungen/flfurtmu/Desktop/Blackberry%20Portal%20Integration/:/help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04s/helpdata/en/ed/845890b89711d5993900508b6b8b11/frameset.htm


http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/simulators.jsp


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_470/helpdata/en/c8/101c3a1cf1c54be10000000a114084/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/30/1b62799d786445a72ad85acb4fd55b/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6a/f72f1c9539420ebee0b8734110aaac/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/1c/0a3bcb9149453aab0132425c6f7cdf/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2004/helpdata/en/ca/a9a7408f031414e10000000a1550b0/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6e/8590f1d6d349c9adc34c6a8085189b/frameset.htm


http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/6e/8590f1d6d349c9adc34c6a8085189b/frameset.ht















© 2010 SAP AG

Disclaimer and Liability Notice

This document may discuss sample coding or other information that does not include SAP official interfaces and therefore is notsupported by SAP. Changes made based on this information are not supported and can be overwritten during an upgrade.

SAP will not be held liable for any damages caused by using or misusing the information, code or methods suggested in this document,and anyone using these methods does so at his/her own risk.

SAP offers no guarantees and assumes no responsibility or liability of any type with respect to the content of this technical article orcode sample, including any liability resulting from incompatibility between the content within this document and the materials andservices offered by SAP. You agree that you will not hold, or seek to hold, SAP responsible or liable with respect to the content of thisdocument.

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How to Provide SAP Business Server Page Applications Through SAP Netweaver Enterprise Portal for Smart Phones