ABAP editor lock

ABAP programs can be protected from changes by setting the editor lock. Only do this for very critical programs.

This blog will primarily focus on methods to remove the editor lock.

Editor lock

The editor lock is set on the properties of an ABAP program:

The property to set is the Editor Lock tickbox.

When this is set only the author can change the program.

Change user for editor lock

In some cases you have a valid reason to lift the editor lock. If the person has left, or you need to change the program for bug fixing emergency and you can’t wait until the owner is back.

Change editor lock via SE03

As basis administrator you can change the owner of the editor lock in transaction SE03:

Change via SU01 usage

When person left: alter the password for this user in SU01. Log on as this user and remove the editor lock.

Via table editing of table PROGDIR

Goto table PROGDIR and view the content (via SE11). Search for your program and edit the entry:

Remove the EDTX flag and save. Editor lock is gone.

Via program

You can use Z program below to remove the lock:

REPORT  zedit_lock_remove.

TABLES: trdir.

PARAMETERS: p_prog LIKE trdir-name OBLIGATORY.

START-OF-SELECTION.
  SELECT SINGLE * FROM trdir WHERE name = p_prog.

  IF sy-subrc = 0.
    IF trdir-edtx = 'X'.
      MOVE ' ' TO trdir-edtx.
      MODIFY trdir.
      WRITE: /'Editor Lock was removed from', p_prog.
    ELSE.
      WRITE: /'Program', p_prog, 'does not have an Editor Lock'.
    ENDIF.
  ELSE.
    WRITE: /'No match found for program', p_prog.
  ENDIF.

SAP kernel patching

SAP kernel is the central software for the ABAP netweaver stack. It also contains bug and needs patching/updating from time to time.

Unlike support packages and OSS notes, the kernel patching has to be handled with more care.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • What is the SAP kernel deployment strategy?
  • When should I patch the SAP kernel?
  • What are known pain point in SAP kernel updates?
  • Where can I find kernel OSS notes updates?
  • Where can I find regressions on kernel updates?

SAP kernel deployment strategy

The full SAP kernel deployment strategy can be found as document on this link. Practical powerpoint for 2022 patches, use this link.

The basic strategy:

  • Update kernel with support package upgrade or main version upgrade
  • Apply kernel updates only when you experience issues

This is a sound approach. The kernel is quite black and white in updating. It is fully updated or not. Each new kernel might contain new bugs or unwanted side effects. If not properly tested you need to roll back the kernel update.

SAP kernel versions and SAP kernel patch levels

Versions and levels can be found in OSS note 2083594 – SAP Kernel Versions and SAP Kernel Patch Levels.

Known pain points in kernel updates

If you upgrade your SAP kernel, please pay attention to the following items:

  • Use of ITS webgui
    • Use of handheld scanners using the ITS webgui
    • Portal and other external integration of ITS webgui
    • Browser applications using ITS webgui
    • Logon issues for RFC
    • Logon issues for SNC
    • Logon issues for SSO
    • Logon issues for SAML2
    • Logon issues for LDAP connector
    • Logon issues for http(s)
  • SAP screen personas and other screen scraping tools like robotics process automation tools
  • ACF framework (do not use if possible, see blog)

Best practice is to assemble these test scenarios in your company. This way you know next time which tests to perform when applying a kernel patch or kernel update. The tests you execute on an acceptance or quality system before applying the kernel update to your productive system.

Kernel regression OSS note

SAP OSS note 1802333 – Finding information about regressions in the SAP kernel describes how to find the needed regression note for your SAP kernel. The regression notes describe the unwanted side effects and bugs in the kernels.

Kernel roadmap OSS notes

Roadmap OSS notes:

Business suite EHP8 and S4HANA till 1710: 1969546 – Release Roadmap for Kernel 74x and 75x.

S4HANA 1809, 1909 and 2020: 2907361 – Release Roadmap for Kernel 77x and 78x.

Kernel update information

News update on kernel are published on SAP wiki for kernel.

Suppressing SM02 messages

Suppressing SM02 messages can be needed for specific user ID’s.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • What are good reasons to suppress SM02 messages for certain users?
  • How to suppress SM02 messages for users on ABAP stack for GUI users?
  • How to suppress SM02 messages for users on ITS webgui?

Reasons to suppress SM02 message

There might be good reasons to suppress SM02 messages for certain users:

  • Robotics users that post and read data via scripts using SAP GUI
  • Monitoring tools that monitor via SAP GUI logon
  • Users on scanner devices that use the ITS webgui

Workaround program for suppression on ABAP stack for GUI users

SM02 has no out of the box option to skip or omit certain users from receiving system messages.

A workaround can be to create a Z program. This Z program has as input a single user or a list of users (it will not allow a range):

Run this program immediately after you set up SM02 message.

The program will simply flag this message as already read. When the user logs on, the system will think it has already sent the SM02 message to the user.

Code:

*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*& Report ZSM02SUPPRESS
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
*&
*&---------------------------------------------------------------------*
REPORT zsm02suppress.

DATA: lv_user TYPE sy-uname.
DATA: lv_last_message TYPE temsg-id.
DATA: lv_message_read TYPE temsgu.

SELECT-OPTIONS so_users FOR sy-uname NO INTERVALS.

START-OF-SELECTION.

  SELECT id FROM temsg ORDER BY id DESCENDING INTO @lv_last_message UP TO 1 ROWS.
  ENDSELECT.
  IF sy-subrc EQ 0.
    LOOP AT so_users.
      lv_message_read-mndt = sy-mandt.
      lv_user = so_users-low.
      lv_message_read-bname = lv_user.
      lv_message_read-langu = sy-langu.
      lv_message_read-bdate = sy-datum.
      lv_message_read-bid = lv_last_message.
      UPDATE temsgu FROM lv_message_read.
      WRITE:/ lv_user.
    ENDLOOP.
  ENDIF.

Suppressing messages for ITS webgui

For the ITS webgui, you can use parameter ~WEBGUI_SHOW_SYSTEM_MODAL to suppress the system messages. More background on this blog and this OSS note 1271339 – SAP GUI for HTML: Suppressing system dialogs in integr. ITS.

SM02 system messages

Transaction SM02 can be used to broadcast important messages to every user. This can be used in case of emergencies or for sending important messages to every users.

Questions that will be answered in this blog are:

  • How to set up a system wide message?
  • How to delete system messages?

Set up system message

Start transaction SM02 to set up a system message:

Press create to set up a new system message:

Text is limited to Twitter style: 3 rows of 60 characters.

Result is that each user gets a popup:

Suppressing messages for certain users

To suppress messages for certain users an ABAP trick is needed. Read more in this blog.

Technical background of SM02

SM02 messages are stored in 3 tables:

  • TEMSI for the message ID
  • TEMSG for the message text
  • TEMSGU to store last message read by user ID and logon.

Program RSM02INIT can be used to delete all SM02 content (see OSS note 1179456 – SM02: Resetting tables for system messages).

Or you can delete one by one in SM02, or simply wait for the retention period.