SAP C_ABAPD_2309 SAP Certified Associate - Back-End Developer - ABAP Cloud Exam Practice Test

The ABAP Cloud Development Model is the ABAP development model to build cloud-ready business apps, services, and extensions. It comes with SAP BTP and SAP S/4HANA. It works with public or private cloud, and even on-premise1. However, the complete ABAP Cloud Development Model, including the cloud-optimized ABAP language and public local SAP APIs and extension points, is available only in SAP BTP ABAP Environment and in the 2208/2022 versions of the SAP S/4HANA editions1. Therefore, you must use the ABAP Cloud Development Model in SAP BTP, ABAP environment and SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition. You can also use it in SAP S/4HANA on premise, but it is not mandatory. You cannot use it in SAP S/4HANA Cloud, public edition, because it does not allow custom ABAP code2. References: 1: ABAP Cloud | SAP Blogs 2: SAP S/4HANA Cloud Extensibility – Overview and Comparison | SAP Blogs

The following are the explanations for each ABAP SQL statement:

A: This statement is valid. It selects the fields carrid, airpfrom, and the aggregate functions MAX(distance) and MIN(distance) from the table /dmo/connection, and groups the results by carrid and airpfrom. The aggregate functions are aliased as dist_max and dist_min. The results are stored in an internal table named It_hits, which is created using the inline declaration operator @DATA.

B: This statement is valid. It is similar to statement A, except that it does not specify the GROUP BY clause. This means that the aggregate functions are applied to the entire table, and the results are stored in an internal table named It_hits, which is created using the inline declaration operator @DATA.

C: This statement is invalid. It selects the aggregate functions MAX(distance) and MIN(distance) from the table /dmo/connection, but it does not specify any grouping or non-aggregate fields. This is not allowed in ABAP SQL, as the SELECT list must contain at least one non-aggregate field or a GROUP BY clause. The statement will cause a syntax error.

D: This statement is invalid. It selects the fields carrid and airpfrom from the table /dmo/connection, and groups the results by carrid and connid. However, the field connid is not included in the SELECT list, which is not allowed in ABAP SQL, as the GROUP BY clause must contain only fields that are also in the SELECT list. The statement will cause a syntax error.

References: SELECT - ABAP Keyword Documentation, GROUP BY - ABAP Keyword Documentation

When processing an internal table with the statement LOOP AT itab… ENDLOOP, the system variable that contains the current row number is sy-tabix. The sy-tabix variable is a predefined field of the system structure sy that holds the index or the row number of the current line in an internal table loop. The sy-tabix variable is initialized with the value 1 for the first loop pass and is incremented by 1 for each subsequent loop pass. The sy-tabix variable can be used to access or modify the current line of the internal table using the index access12.

References: 1: LOOP AT itab - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help 2: System Fields - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help

You would use Access Controls with CDS Views for the following reasons:

A. Only the data corresponding to the user’s authorization is transferred from the database to the application layer. This is true because Access Controls allow you to define CDS roles that specify the authorization conditions for accessing a CDS view. The CDS roles are evaluated for every user at runtime and the system automatically adds the restrictions to the selection conditions of the CDS view. This ensures that only the data that the user is authorized to see is read from the database and transferred to the application layer. This improves the security and the performance of the data access1.

C. You do not have to remember to implement AUTHORITY CHECK statements. This is true because Access Controls provide a declarative and centralized way of defining the authorization logic for a CDS view. You do not have to write any procedural code or use the AUTHORITY CHECK statement to check the user’s authorization for each data source or field. The system handles the authorization check automatically and transparently for you2.

The following reasons are not valid for using Access Controls with CDS Views:

B. The system field sy-subrc is set, giving you the result of the authorization check. This is false because the system field sy-subrc is not used by Access Controls. The sy-subrc field is used by the AUTHORITY CHECK statement to indicate the result of the authorization check, but Access Controls do not use this statement. Instead, Access Controls use CDS roles to filter the data according to the user’s authorization2.

D. All of the data from the data sources is loaded into your application automatically and filtered there according to the user’s authorization. This is false because Access Controls do not load all the data from the data sources into the application layer. Access Controls filter the data at the database layer, where the data resides, and only transfer the data that the user is authorized to see to the application layer. This reduces the data transfer and the memory consumption of the application layer1.

References: 1: Access Controls | SAP Help Portal 2: ABAP CDS - Access Control - ABAP Keyword Documentation

The following are the explanations for each statement:

C: This statement is valid. Class CL1 uses the interface. This is because class CL1 implements the interface ifl using the INTERFACES statement in the public section of the class definition. The INTERFACES statement makes the class compatible with the interface and inherits all the components of the interface. The class can then use the interface components, such as the method ml, by using the interface component selector ~, such as ifl~ml12

E: This statement is valid. Class CL1 implements the interface. This is because class CL1 implements the interface ifl using the INTERFACES statement in the public section of the class definition. The INTERFACES statement makes the class compatible with the interface and inherits all the components of the interface. The class must then provide an implementation for the interface method ml in the implementation part of the class, unless the method is declared as optional or abstract12

D: This statement is valid. In class CL2, the interface method is named ifl~ml. This is because class CL2 has a data member named m0_ifl of type REF TO ifl, which is a reference to the interface ifl. The interface ifl defines a method ml, which can be called using the reference variable m0_ifl. The interface method ml has the name ifl~ml in the class, where ifl is the name of the interface and the character ~ is the interface component selector12

The other statements are not valid, as they have syntax errors or logical errors. These statements are:

A: This statement is not valid. In class CL1, the interface method is named ifl~ml, not if-ml. This is because class CL1 implements the interface ifl using the INTERFACES statement in the public section of the class definition. The interface ifl defines a method ml, which can be called using the class name or a reference to the class. The interface method ml has the name ifl~ml in the class, where ifl is the name of the interface and the character ~ is the interface component selector. Using the character - instead of the character ~ will cause a syntax error12

B: This statement is not valid. Class CL2 does not use the interface, but only has a reference to the interface. This is because class CL2 has a data member named m0_ifl of type REF TO ifl, which is a reference to the interface ifl. The interface ifl defines a method ml, which can be called using the reference variable m0_ifl. However, class CL2 does not implement the interface ifl, nor does it inherit the interface components. Therefore, class CL2 does not use the interface, but only references the interface12

References: INTERFACES - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CLASS - ABAP Keyword Documentation

Core Data Services (CDS) is a framework for defining and consuming semantically rich data models in SAP HANA. CDS supports various features that enhance the capabilities of SQL and enable developers to create data models that are optimized for performance, readability, and extensibility12. Some of the features of CDS are:

Associations: Associations are a way of defining relationships between CDS entities, such as tables or views. Associations enable navigation and path expressions in CDS queries, which allow accessing data from related entities without explicit joins. Associations also support cardinality, referential constraints, and cascading options34.

Annotations: Annotations are a way of adding metadata to CDS entities or their elements, such as fields or parameters. Annotations provide additional information or instructions for the CDS compiler, the database, or the consumers of the CDS views. Annotations can be used for various purposes, such as defining access control, UI rendering, OData exposure, or search capabilities5 .

Structured Query Language (SQL): SQL is the standard language for querying and manipulating data in relational databases. CDS is based on SQL and extends it with additional features and syntax. CDS supports SQL features such as joins, aggregations, filters, expressions, functions, and subqueries. CDS also supports SQL Script, which is a scripting language for stored procedures and functions in SAP HANA .

You cannot do any of the following:

Inheritance: Inheritance is not a feature of CDS. Inheritance is a concept in object-oriented programming that allows a class to inherit the properties and methods of another class. CDS does not support object-oriented programming or classes.

Delegation: Delegation is not a feature of CDS. Delegation is a concept in object-oriented programming that allows an object to delegate some of its responsibilities to another object. CDS does not support object-oriented programming or objects.

References: 1: Core Data Services (CDS) | CAPire 2: Core Data Services [CDS] in SAP S/4 HANA | SAP Blogs 3: Associations in Core Data Services (CDS) | SAP Help Portal 4: [CDS DDL - Association - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help] 5: [Annotations in Core Data Services (CDS) | SAP Help Portal] : [CDS DDL - Annotation - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help] : [Structured Query Language (SQL) | SAP Help Portal] : [CDS DDL - SQL Features - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help] : [Object-Oriented Programming in ABAP | SAP Help Portal]

An Access Control Object (ACO) is a CDS annotation that defines the access control rules for a CDS view entity. An ACO consists of one or more clauses that specify the role name, the data source, the access conditions, and the return code of the authority check12. Some of the clauses that are used in an ACO are:

Where (to specify the access conditions): This clause is used to define the logical expression that determines whether a user has access to the data source or not. The expression can use the fields of the data source, the parameters of the CDS view entity, or the predefined variables $user and $session. The expression can also use the functions check_authorization and check_role to perform additional authority checks12.

Define role (to specify the role name): This clause is used to assign a name to the role that is defined by the ACO. The role name must be unique within the namespace of the CDS view entity and must not contain any special characters. The role name can be used to reference the ACO in other annotations, such as @AccessControl.authorizationCheck or @AccessControl.grant12.

Revoke (to remove access to the data source): This clause is used to explicitly deny access to the data source for a user who meets the conditions of the where clause. The revoke clause overrides any grant clause that might grant access to the same user. The revoke clause can be used to implement the principle of least privilege or to enforce data segregation12.

You cannot do any of the following:

Grant (to identify the data source): This is not a valid clause in an ACO. The grant clause is a separate annotation that is used to grant access to a CDS view entity or a data source for a user who has a specific role. The grant clause can reference an ACO by its role name to apply the access conditions defined by the ACO12.

Return code (to assign the return code of the authority check): This is not a valid clause in an ACO. The return code of the authority check is a predefined variable that is set by the system after performing the access control check. The return code can be used in the where clause of the ACO to specify different access conditions based on the outcome of the check12.

References: 1: Access Control Objects - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help 2: Access Control in Core Data Services (CDS) | SAP Help Portal

The nested join is evaluated from the top to the bottom in the order of the ON conditions. This means that the join expression is formed by assigning each ON condition to the directly preceding JOIN from left to right. The join expression can be parenthesized implicitly or explicitly to show the order of evaluation. In this case, the implicit parentheses are as follows:

SELECT * FROM (a INNER JOIN (b INNER JOIN c ON b~c = c~c) ON a~b = b~b)

This means that the first join expression is b INNER JOIN c ON b~c = c~c, which joins the columns of tables b and c based on the condition that b~c equals c~c. The second join expression is a INNER JOIN (b INNER JOIN c ON b~c = c~c) ON a~b = b~b, which joins the columns of table a and the result of the first join expression based on the condition that a~b equals b~b. The final result set contains all combinations of rows from tables a, b, and c that satisfy both join conditions.

References: 1: SELECT, FROM JOIN - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help

A unique secondary key is a type of secondary key that ensures that the key combination of all the rows in a table is unique. A unique secondary key has two purposes: firstly, to speed up access to the table, and secondly, to enforce data integrity1.

It is created with the first read access of a table: This is true. A unique secondary key is created when an internal table is filled for the first time using the statement READ TABLE or a similar statement. The system assigns a name and an index to each row of the table based on the key fields23.

It is updated when the modified table is read again: This is false. A unique secondary key does not need to be updated when the internal table content changes, because it already ensures data uniqueness. The system uses a lazy update strategy for non-unique secondary keys, which means that it delays updating them until they are actually accessed23.

You cannot do any of the following:

It is created when a table is filled: This is false. As explained above, a unique secondary key is created only with the first read access of a table23.

It is updated when the modified table is read again: This is false. As explained above, a unique secondary key does not need to be updated when the internal table content changes23.

References: 1: Improving Internal Table Performance Using Secondary Keys - SAP Learning 2: [Secondary Key - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help] 3: [Secondary Table Key - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help]

The following are the integration frameworks that have been released for ABAP cloud development:

SOAP consumption: This framework allows you to consume SOAP web services from ABAP cloud applications. You can use the ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse to create a service consumption model based on a WSDL file or URL. The service consumption model generates the required ABAP artifacts, such as proxy classes, data types, and constants, to access the web service. You can then use the proxy classes to call the web service operations from your ABAP code1

Business Events: This framework allows you to publish and subscribe to business events from ABAP cloud applications. Business events are messages that represent a change in the state of a business object or process. You can use the ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse to create a business event definition based on a CDS view entity or a projection view. The business event definition specifies the event key, the event payload, and the event metadata. You can then use the ABAP Messaging Channel (AMC) framework to publish and subscribe to business events using the AMC API2

OData services: This framework allows you to expose and consume OData services from ABAP cloud applications. OData is a standardized protocol for creating and consuming RESTful APIs. You can use the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) to create OData services based on CDS view entities or projection views. The RAP framework generates the required OData metadata and runtime artifacts, such as service definitions, service bindings, and service implementations. You can then use the SAP Gateway framework to register and activate your OData services. You can also use the ABAP Development Tools in Eclipse to consume OData services from other sources using the service consumption model3

The other integration frameworks are not released for ABAP cloud development, as they are either not supported or not recommended for cloud scenarios. These frameworks are:

CDS Views: CDS views are not an integration framework, but a data modeling framework. CDS views are used to define data models based on database tables or other CDS view entities. CDS views can have associations, aggregations, filters, parameters, and annotations. CDS views can also be used as the basis for other integration frameworks, such as OData services or business events4

Business Add-ins (BAdls): BAdls are not supported for ABAP cloud development, as they are part of the classic ABAP enhancement framework. BAdls are used to implement custom logic in predefined enhancement spots in the standard SAP code. BAdls are not compatible with the cloud strategy and the clean core paradigm, as they modify the SAP code and can cause upgrade and maintenance issues. For ABAP cloud development, SAP recommends using the key user extensibility tools or the side-by-side extensibility approach instead of BAdls.

References: Consuming SOAP Services - ABAP Keyword Documentation, Business Events - ABAP Keyword Documentation, OData Services - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CDS Data Model Views - ABAP Keyword Documentation, [Business Add-Ins (BAdIs) - ABAP Keyword Documentation]

Database tables are data structures that store information in two dimensions, using rows and columns. Each row represents a record or an entity, and each column represents an attribute or a field. Database tables may have key fields, which are columns that uniquely identify each row or a subset of rows. Key fields can be used to enforce data integrity, perform efficient searches, and establish relationships to other tables. Database tables can have relationships to other tables, which are associations or links between the key fields of two or more tables. Relationships can be used to model the logical connections between different entities, join data from multiple tables, and enforce referential integrity12.

References: 1: Table (database) - Wikipedia 2: Database design basics - Microsoft Support

Based on the following code, the variable type of connection_full is a structure. A structure is a complex data type that consists of a group of related data objects, called components, that have their own data types and names. A structure can be defined using the TYPES statement or based on an existing structure type, such as a CDS view entity or a CDS DDIC-based view. In this case, the variable connection_full is declared using the TYPE addition, which means that it has the same structure type as the CDS view entity /DMO/I_Connection. The CDS view entity /DMO/I_Connection is a data model view that defines a data model based on the database table /DMO/Connection. The CDS view entity /DMO/I_Connection has the following components: carrid, connid, airpfrom, airpto, distance, and fltime. Therefore, the variable connection_full has the same components as the CDS view entity /DMO/I_Connection, and each component has the same data type and length as the corresponding field in the database table /DMO/Connection.

References: CDS Data Model Views - ABAP Keyword Documentation, DATA - ABAP Keyword Documentation, Structure Types - ABAP Keyword Documentation

A CDS view is a data definition that defines a data structure and a data selection from one or more data sources. A CDS view consists of several parts, but two of them are:

Extension: An extension is an optional clause that allows a CDS view to extend another CDS view by adding new elements, annotations, or associations. The extension clause has the syntax EXTEND VIEW view_name WITH view_name. The first view_name is the name of the CDS view that is being extended, and the second view_name is the name of the CDS view that is doing the extension1.

Field list: A field list is a mandatory clause that specifies the elements of the CDS view. The field list has the syntax SELECT FROM data_source { element_list }. The data_source is the name of the data source that the CDS view selects data from, and the element_list is a comma-separated list of elements that the CDS view exposes. The elements can be fields of the data source, expressions, associations, or annotations2.

The following example shows a CDS view that extends another CDS view and defines a field list:

@AbapCatalog.sqlViewName: ‘ZCDS_EXT’ define view Z_CDS_Extension extend view Z_CDS_Base with Z_CDS_Extension as select from ztable { // field list key ztable.id as ID, ztable.name as Name, ztable.age as Age, // extension @Semantics.currencyCode: true ztable.currency as Currency }

The other options are not parts of a CDS view, but rather related concepts:

Partitioning attributes: Partitioning attributes are attributes that are used to partition a table into smaller subsets of data. Partitioning attributes are defined in the ABAP Dictionary for transparent tables and can improve the performance and scalability of data access. Partitioning attributes are not part of the CDS view definition, but rather the underlying table definition3.

Semantic table attributes: Semantic table attributes are attributes that provide additional information about the meaning and usage of a table. Semantic table attributes are defined in the ABAP Dictionary for transparent tables and can be used to enhance the data modeling and consumption of the table. Semantic table attributes are not part of the CDS view definition, but rather the underlying table definition4.

References: 1: Extending CDS Views | SAP Help Portal 2: SELECT List - ABAP Keyword Documentation 3: Partitioning Attributes - ABAP Keyword Documentation 4: Semantic Table Attributes - ABAP Keyword Documentation

The clause in the CDS View Entity Data Definition can be used to specify the data source for the view entity. The clause can accept different types of data sources, depending on the type of the view entity1.

A database table from the ABAP Dictionary: This is a valid type of data source for a CDS View Entity Data Definition. A database table from the ABAP Dictionary is a table that is defined in the ABAP Dictionary using the keyword TABLE or TABLE OF. The name of the database table must be unique within its namespace and must not contain any special characters2.

A CDS DDIC-based view: This is also a valid type of data source for a CDS View Entity Data Definition. A CDS DDIC-based view is a view that is defined in the Core Data Services using the keyword DEFINE VIEW ENTITY. The name of the CDS DDIC-based view must be unique within its namespace and must not contain any special characters3.

You cannot do any of the following:

An external view from the ABAP Dictionary: This is not a valid type of data source for a CDS View Entity Data Definition. An external view from the ABAP Dictionary is a view that is defined in an external application using any language supported by SAP, such as SQL, PL/SQL, or Java. The name of the external view must be unique within its namespace and must not contain any special characters4.

A database view from the ABAP Dictionary: This is not a valid type of data source for a CDS View Entity Data Definition. A database view from the ABAP Dictionary is a view that is defined in an external application using any language supported by SAP, such as SQL, PL/SQL, or Java. The name of the database view must be unique within its namespace and must not contain any special characters4.

References: 1: CDS DDL - DEFINE VIEW ENTITY - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help 2: ABAP Dictionary Tables - SAP Online Help 3: CDS DDL - DEFINE VIEW ENTITY - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help 4: ABAP Dictionary Views - SAP Online Help

In ABAP SQL, an alias is a temporary name that can be assigned to a field or a database table in a query. An alias can be used to make the query more readable, to avoid name conflicts, or to access fields or tables with long names. An alias is created with the AS keyword and is only valid for the duration of the query1.

The following are examples of how to assign an alias to a field or a database table in ABAP SQL:

B. field (from field list): A field is a column of a table or a view that contains data of a certain type. A field can be assigned an alias in the field list of a SELECT statement, which specifies the fields that are selected from the data source. For example, the following query assigns the alias name to the field carrname of the table scarr:

SELECT carrid, carrname AS name FROM scarr.

The alias name can be used instead of carrname in other clauses of the query, such as WHERE, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, and so on2.

C. database table: A database table is a collection of data that is organized in rows and columns. A database table can be assigned an alias in the FROM clause of a SELECT statement, which specifies the data source that is selected from. For example, the following query assigns the alias c to the table scarr:

SELECT c.carrid, c.carrname FROM scarr AS c.

The alias c can be used instead of scarr in other clauses of the query, such as WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY, ORDER BY, and so on3.

The following are not valid for assigning an alias in ABAP SQL:

A. order criterion (from order by clause): An order criterion is a field or an expression that is used to sort the result set of a query in ascending or descending order. An order criterion cannot be assigned an alias in the ORDER BY clause of a SELECT statement, because the alias is not visible in this clause. The alias can only be used in the clauses that follow the clause where it is defined1.

D. group criterion (from group by clause): A group criterion is a field or an expression that is used to group the result set of a query into subsets that share the same values. A group criterion cannot be assigned an alias in the GROUP BY clause of a SELECT statement, because the alias is not visible in this clause. The alias can only be used in the clauses that follow the clause where it is defined1.

References: 1: ALIASES - ABAP Keyword Documentation 2: SELECT List - ABAP Keyword Documentation 3: FROM Clause - ABAP Keyword Documentation

The expression itab1 = corresponding #( itab2 ) is a constructor expression with the component operator CORRESPONDING that assigns the contents of the internal table itab2 to the internal table itab1. The following statements are true for using this expression:

B: itab1 and itab2 must have at least one field name in common. This is because the component operator CORRESPONDING assigns the identically named columns of itab2 to the identically named columns of itab1 by default, according to the rules of MOVE-CORRESPONDING for internal tables. If itab1 and itab2 do not have any field name in common, the expression will not assign any value to itab1 and it will remain initial or unchanged1

C: Fields with the same name and the same type will be copied from itab2 to itab1. This is because the component operator CORRESPONDING assigns the identically named columns of itab2 to the identically named columns of itab1 by default, according to the rules of MOVE-CORRESPONDING for internal tables. If the columns have the same name but different types, the assignment will try to perform a conversion between the types, which may result in a loss of precision, a truncation, or a runtime error, depending on the types involved1

The following statements are false for using this expression:

A: Fields with the same name but with different types may be copied from itab2 to itab1. This is not true, as explained in statement C. The assignment will try to perform a conversion between the types, which may result in a loss of precision, a truncation, or a runtime error, depending on the types involved1

D: itab1 and itab2 must have the same data type. This is not true, as the component operator CORRESPONDING can assign the contents of an internal table of one type to another internal table of a different type, as long as they have at least one field name in common. The target type of the expression is determined by the left-hand side of the assignment, which is itab1 in this case. The expression will create an internal table of the same type as itab1 and assign it to itab11

References: CORRESPONDING - Component Operator - ABAP Keyword Documentation

 In class ZCL_CLASS_A, you use the statement DATA var TYPE *** to declare a data object named var with a data type specified by ***. The data type can be any of the following1:

A predefined ABAP type, such as i, f, c, string, xstring, and so on.

A data element from the ABAP Dictionary, such as matnr, carrid, bukrs, and so on. A data element defines the semantic and technical attributes of a data field, such as the domain, the length, the data type, the description, and the value range2.

A domain from the ABAP Dictionary, such as matnr_d, carrid_d, bukrs_d, and so on. A domain defines the technical attributes of a data field, such as the data type, the length, the output length, the number of decimal places, and the value range3.

A type defined globally in a class, an interface, or a type pool, such as zcl_class_b=>type_a, zif_interface_c=>type_b, ztype_pool_d=>type_c, and so on. A global type is a type that is defined in a global repository object and can be used in any program or class4.

A type defined locally in the current class, such as type_a, type_b, type_c, and so on. A local type is a type that is defined in the declaration part of a class and can only be used within the class5.

Therefore, the possible values for *** are B. the name of a data element from the ABAP Dictionary and D. the name of a domain from the ABAP Dictionary. The other options are not valid because:

A. The name of a type defined privately in class ZCL_CLASS_A is a local type and cannot be used with the DATA statement. A local type can only be used with the TYPES statement5.

C. The name of a type defined privately in another class is a private type and cannot be accessed from outside the class. A private type can only be used within the class that defines it.

References: 1: DATA - ABAP Keyword Documentation 2: Data Elements - ABAP Dictionary - SAP Online Help 3: Domains - ABAP Dictionary - SAP Online Help 4: Global Types - ABAP Keyword Documentation 5: Local Types - ABAP Keyword Documentation : Private Types - ABAP Keyword Documentation

 The order in which objects are created to generate a RESTful Application Programming application is A, D, C, B. This means that the following steps are followed:

First, a database table is created to store the data for the application. A database table is a CDS DDIC-based view that defines a join or union of database tables. A database table has an SQL view attached and can be accessed by Open SQL or native SQL.

Second, a data model view is created to define a data model based on the database table or other CDS view entities. A data model view is a CDS view entity that can have associations, aggregations, filters, parameters, and annotations. A data model view can also define the behavior definition and implementation for the business object.

Third, a service definition is created to define the service interface for the application. A service definition is a CDS view entity that defines a projection on a data model view or another service definition. A service definition can also define service metadata, such as service name, version, description, and annotations.

Fourth, a service binding is created to define the service binding for the application. A service binding is a CDS view entity that defines a projection on a service definition. A service binding can also define the service protocol, such as OData V2, OData V4, or REST, and the service URL.

References: CDS Data Model Views - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CDS Service Definitions - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CDS Service Bindings - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CDS Projection Views - ABAP Keyword Documentation

The RESTful Application Programming feature that is used to ensure the uniqueness of a semantic key is determination. A determination is a type of behavior implementation that defines a logic that is executed automatically when certain events occur, such as create, update, delete, or activate. A determination can be used to calculate or derive values for certain fields, such as semantic keys, based on other fields or external sources. A determination can also be used to check the uniqueness of a semantic key by comparing it with the existing values in the database or the transaction buffer. A determination can use the ABAP SQL or the EML syntax to access and manipulate data. A determination can be defined using the DETERMINE action clause in the behavior definition of a CDS view entity or a projection view. A determination can also be annotated with the @ObjectModel.determination annotation to specify the event, the timing, and the scope of the determination12

The other RESTful Application Programming features are not used to ensure the uniqueness of a semantic key, but have different purposes and effects. These features are:

Validation: A validation is a type of behavior implementation that defines a logic that is executed automatically when certain events occur, such as create, update, delete, or activate. A validation can be used to check the consistency and correctness of the data, such as mandatory fields, data types, value ranges, or business rules. A validation can use the ABAP SQL or the EML syntax to access and manipulate data. A validation can be defined using the VALIDATE action clause in the behavior definition of a CDS view entity or a projection view. A validation can also be annotated with the @ObjectModel.validation annotation to specify the event, the timing, and the scope of the validation12

Action: An action is a type of behavior implementation that defines a logic that is executed explicitly by the user or the application. An action can be used to perform a specific business operation, such as creating, updating, deleting, or activating an entity instance, or triggering a workflow or a notification. An action can use the ABAP SQL or the EML syntax to access and manipulate data. An action can be defined using the ACTION clause in the behavior definition of a CDS view entity or a projection view. An action can also be annotated with the @ObjectModel.action annotation to specify the name, the description, the parameters, and the visibility of the action12

References: Behavior Implementation - ABAP Keyword Documentation, Behavior Definition - ABAP Keyword Documentation

ABAP SQL arithmetic expressions have different restrictions depending on the data type of the operands. The following are some of the restrictions:

Floating point types and integer types can be used in the same expression, as long as the integer types are cast to floating point types using the cast function. For example, CAST ( num1 AS FLTP ) / CAST ( num2 AS FLTP ) is a valid expression, where num1 and num2 are integer types.

The operator / is allowed only in floating point expressions, where both operands have the type FLTP or f. For example, num1 / num2 is a valid expression, where num1 and num2 are floating point types. If the operator / is used in an integer expression or a decimal expression, a syntax error occurs.

Decimal types and integer types can be used in the same expression, as long as the expression is a decimal expression. A decimal expression has at least one operand with the type DEC, CURR, or QUAN or p with decimal places. For example, num1 + num2 is a valid expression, where num1 is a decimal type and num2 is an integer type.

The operator ** is allowed only in floating point expressions, where both operands have the type FLTP or f. For example, num1 ** num2 is a valid expression, where num1 and num2 are floating point types. If the operator ** is used in an integer expression or a decimal expression, a syntax error occurs.

References: sql_exp - sql_arith - ABAP Keyword Documentation, SQL Expressions, Arithmetic Calculations - ABAP Keyword Documentation

When processing a loop with the statement DO… ENDDO, the system variable that contains the implicit loop counter is sy-index. The loop counter is a numeric value that indicates how many times the loop has been executed. The loop counter is initialized to 1 before the first execution of the loop and is incremented by 1 after each execution. The loop counter can be used to control the number of loop iterations or to access the loop elements by index. The loop counter can also be accessed or modified within the loop body, but this is not recommended as it may cause unexpected results or errors1.

For example, the following code snippet uses the loop counter sy-index to display the numbers from 1 to 10:

DO 10 TIMES. WRITE: / sy-index. ENDDO.

The output of this code is:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

References: 1: DO - ABAP Keyword Documentation

A projection view is a RESTful Application Programming object that contains only the fields required for a particular app. A projection view is a CDS view entity that defines a projection on an existing CDS view entity or CDS DDIC-based view. A projection view exposes a subset of the elements of the projected entity, which are relevant for a specific business service. A projection view can also define aliases, virtual elements, and annotations for the projected elements. A projection view is the top-most layer of a CDS data model and prepares data for a particular use case. A projection view can have different provider contracts depending on the type of service it supports, such as transactional query, analytical query, or transactional interface.

A database view is a CDS DDIC-based view that defines a join or union of database tables. A database view has an SQL view attached and can be accessed by Open SQL or native SQL. A database view can be used as a projected entity for a projection view, but it does not contain only the fields required for a particular app.

A metadata extension is a RESTful Application Programming object that defines additional annotations for a CDS view entity or a projection view. A metadata extension can be used to enhance the metadata of a CDS data model without changing the original definition. A metadata extension does not contain any fields, but only annotations.

A data model view is a CDS view entity that defines a data model based on database tables or other CDS view entities. A data model view can have associations, aggregations, filters, parameters, and annotations. A data model view can be used as a projected entity for a projection view, but it does not contain only the fields required for a particular app.

References: CDS Projection Views - ABAP Keyword Documentation, CDS Projection Views in ABAP CDS: What’s Your Flavor, Business Object Projection - ABAP Keyword Documentation

After you created a database table in the RESTful Application Programming model (RAP), the next step is to create a projection view on the database table. A projection view is a CDS artefact that defines a view on one or more data sources, such as tables, views, or associations. A projection view can select, rename, or aggregate the fields of the data sources, but it cannot change the properties of the fields, such as whether they are read-only or not. The properties of the fields are inherited from the data sources or the behaviour definitions of the business objects12. For example:

The following code snippet defines a projection view ZI_AGENCY on the database table /DMO/AGENCY:

define view ZI_AGENCY as select from /dmo/agency { key agency_id, agency_name, street, city, region, postal_code, country, phone_number, url }

The projection view is used to expose the data of the database table to the service definition, which is the next step in the RAP. The service definition is a CDS artefact that defines the interface and the binding of a service. A service is a CDS entity that exposes the data and the functionality of one or more business objects as OData, InA, or SQL services. A service definition can specify the properties of the fields of a service, such as whether they are filterable, sortable, or aggregatable12. For example:

The following code snippet defines a service definition ZI_AGENCY_SRV that exposes the projection view ZI_AGENCY as an OData service:

define service ZI_AGENCY_SRV { expose ZI_AGENCY as Agency; }

You cannot do any of the following:

A. A metadata extension: A metadata extension is a CDS artefact that defines additional annotations for a CDS entity, such as a business object, a service, or a projection view. A metadata extension can specify the properties of the fields of a CDS entity for UI or analytical purposes, such as whether they are visible, editable, or hidden. However, a metadata extension is not the next step after creating a database table in the RAP, as it is not required to expose the data of the database table to the service definition. A metadata extension can be created later to customize the UI or analytical application that uses the service12.

C. A data model view: A data model view is a CDS artefact that defines a view on one or more data sources, such as tables, views, or associations. A data model view can select, rename, or aggregate the fields of the data sources, and it can also change the properties of the fields, such as whether they are read-only or not. The properties of the fields are defined by the annotations or the behaviour definitions of the data model view. A data model view is used to define the data model of a business object, which is a CDS entity that represents a business entity or concept, such as a customer, an order, or a product. However, a data model view is not the next step after creating a database table in the RAP, as it is not required to expose the data of the database table to the service definition. A data model view can be created later to define a business object that uses the database table as a data source12.

D. A service definition: A service definition is a CDS artefact that defines the interface and the binding of a service. A service is a CDS entity that exposes the data and the functionality of one or more business objects as OData, InA, or SQL services. A service definition can specify the properties of the fields of a service, such as whether they are filterable, sortable, or aggregatable. However, a service definition is not the next step after creating a database table in the RAP, as it requires a projection view or a data model view to expose the data of the database table. A service definition can be created after creating a projection view or a data model view on the database table12.

References: 1: ABAP CDS - Data Definitions - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help 2: ABAP CDS - Service Definitions - ABAP Keyword Documentation - SAP Online Help

Incomplete ABAP types are types that do not specify all the attributes of a data type, such as the length, the number of decimal places, or the value range. Incomplete types can only be used for the typing of field symbols and formal parameters, not for the definition of data objects or constants. Incomplete types can be either predefined or user-defined1.

The following are incomplete ABAP types:

C. C is a type for character strings with a generic length. The length of the character string has to be specified when a data object or a constant is defined with this type. For example, DATA text TYPE c LENGTH 10 defines a data object named text with a type c and a length of 10 characters2.

D. P is a type for packed numbers with a generic length and a generic number of decimal places. The length and the number of decimal places of the packed number have to be specified when a data object or a constant is defined with this type. For example, DATA amount TYPE p LENGTH 8 DECIMALS 2 defines a data object named amount with a type p, a length of 8 bytes, and 2 decimal places3.

The following are not incomplete ABAP types, because they specify all the attributes of a data type:

A. String is a type for variable-length character strings. The length of the character string is determined at runtime and can vary from 0 to 2,147,483,647 characters. The length does not have to be specified when a data object or a constant is defined with this type. For example, DATA text TYPE string defines a data object named text with a type string and a variable length4.

B. T is a type for time values in the format HHMMSS. The length of the time value is fixed at 6 characters and does not have to be specified when a data object or a constant is defined with this type. For example, DATA time TYPE t defines a data object named time with a type t and a length of 6 characters.

References: 1: Generic ABAP Types - ABAP Keyword Documentation 2: C - ABAP Keyword Documentation 3: P - ABAP Keyword Documentation 4: String - ABAP Keyword Documentation : T - ABAP Keyword Documentation