Internet Transaction Server (ITS) mobile – Developing ITS templates from scratch

ITSmobile is a SAP technology to connect mobile devices to a SAP system in order to run applications based on the widely used Dynpro programming model. In simple terms, it used to run a dynpro-based application on a browser-based mobile device such as a handheld mobile device or forklift.

ITSmobile replaces the Web SAPConsole which will be phased out with SAP NW 7.10.

?  ITS templates:

ITSMobile features HTML generation of SAP Screens through its Template Generator. The generated HTML acts as a ‘Template’ for further customization as per the flexible user requirements.

?  Tools required:

The Application design tools required for developing a Mobile ITS application are:

1.    ABAP development workbench.

2.    Web application Builder (Internet Service creator & HTML template generator).

?  Scenarios when ITS templates need to be generated:

1.    In case, you have custom business requirement, you need to create custom programs for it. This is done by creating a module pool program with the required logic considering all the constraints of designing your screens (given below).

2.    A lot of standard transactions like LM00, LM01, LM02, LM27, LM71, etcetera are available for which ITS templates need to be generated, if not already present.

?  Custom Development Screen Guidelines for ITS Applications:

1.    Keep the UI simple by design.

2.    Limit the height and width of the screens such as that the mobile device can handle. It is usually around 20 characters by 16 rows.

3.    It is recommended to limit the UI elements to: “Text Box”, “I/O Fields”, “Checkboxes”, “Radio Buttons” and “Pushbuttons”. Frames, Tab strips, Table Controls are not supported.

4.    Do not include any Buttons in GUI Status. Instead, include them on the Screens.
Error/Warning/Status/Information messages should be handled on an output field such as a ‘Textbox’ for displaying only messages. That means, “Message” statement or calling a Function Module to show a popup message / confirmation prompt, should not be used.

?  Overview of steps involved in creating ITS templates from scratch:

1.    Create an Internet Service

2.    Create an ICF service for the above Internet Service

3.    Generate ITS templates for each screen.

Example hierarchy of ITS Applications:

?  Create an Internet Service:

1.    In SE80, choose Internet service from the dropdown and give an internet service name. 

2.    Give an internet service name & name of the transaction to be called when running the ITS application. Save it.

Here, ZUK_DEMO is a dialogue transaction for a module pool program.

3.    Give a short text for the internet service.

4.    Give the parameters as follows:

For parameter ‘Transaction’, give the transaction name of the program. Parameter ‘Service’ denotes the name of the ICF service created in Transaction SICF(given below).

1. Save.

5.    Create template by right clicking on the internet service CREATE->TEMPLATE.

6.    Give the theme as 99, enter the first screen number for which template needs to created and the generating style should be Mobile Devices (without HTML tables). Save.

7.    HTML template gets generated as:

Click on ‘Publish template’.

8.    Right click on the Internet service, select PULISH->COMPLETE SERVICE.

You should get a success message like this:

?  Create an ICF Service:

1.    Go to SICF transaction; execute the report to get into the second screen.

2.    Navigate to the path default_host/sap/bc/gui/sap/its and right click and select ‘New sub-element’.

3.    You will get the following message:

Click on the tick .

4.    Give the same Internet service name as given in SE80.

5.    In the service tab for GUI LINK drop down, select YES. In the GUI configuration tab give the following parameters:

6.    In the Logon Data tab choose Procedure as Alternative logon procedure. Delete other types of logon procedures retaining only Fields Authentication.

7.    In the Handler list tab give the class name as CL_HTTP_EXT_ITS.

8.    In the error pages tab, choose the last radio button system login. Click on the configuration button. Click the check boxes: System ID, client, Language. Change the  protocol to ‘Do Not Switch’ & click the checkboxes as per your requirement as shown below:

Give the user specific class as ‘CL_MOBILE_SYSTEM_LOGIN’. Click on the tick.

9.    Save the service, right click and activate it.

?  Generate ITS templates for each screen.

1.    In se80, to generate ITS template for each screen of your program (only if it’s not already generated), right click on the screen number -> Go to ‘Create template’. Usually, the HTML template for the first screen gets generated while creating the Internet Service itself.

2.    Select the service that was created, Theme as 99 & select the Generating style as Mobile devices (Without HTML tables).

3.    An HTML template is generated as shown below:

This is open to any modification to suit the user’s requirements.

4.    Save & publish the template by clicking on ‘Publish Template’ button.

5.    Repeat Steps 1-4 for all the screens of the program. A hierarchy of HTML templates is created as shown below:

?  Generating ITS templates for existing transactions:

The HTML templates for the screens of standard transactions are not already available in the system. Here, HTML templates can be generated either by using the default template generator or by creating your own Generation Style.

1.    If you are using the default template generator, you do not have to generate the templates for all the RF screens of standard transactions. All you need to do is, add the parameter ~generateddynpro = 1 in the parameter list of the Internet Service.

This will enable automatic generation of HTML templates for the screens for which they’re not already generated. Also, these screens will have standard SAP look.

            For performance enhancement, it is better if the HTML templates are generated explicitly for each screen of standard TCodes in se80 as shown above.

2.    If you want to create your own template generation style, you need to derive your own class from the existing class CL_ITS_GENERATE_HTML_MOBILE & then while creating the template for each screen, under ‘Generation style’, select your newly-generated style.

?  To run the ITS application:

Option 1:

In Transaction SICF, Right click on the service that is created and Test Service.

Option 2:

In se80, Right click on the Internet Service that is created & click on ‘Start Service’.

After asking for the credentials, it will open a webpage and will display the application as seen in a handheld device: