Backdrop:You are using the Enterprise Portal & BEx Broadcaster to pre-calculate and distribute queries, query views, Web templates, reports and workbooks. After some noted problem occurrences you are facing an intermittent issue when attempting to broadcast Bex reporting files to KM repository content.

Error Encountered: Exception thrown: com.sap.ip.bi.broadcasting.runtime.BroadcastingException: Error while creating resource in KM.

Testing The Behavior:

• Log into Enterprise Portal and select the predefined target KM Repository and folders.
• Run the BEx Broadcaster for the reporting files to the target folder in the Enterprise Portal.
• The broadcasting service returns the error exception "Exception thrown:com.sap.ip.bi.broadcasting.runtime.BroadcastingException: Error while creating resource in KM".

Reason for Exception:

• File format discrepancy

Setting the correct formatting type:

• Choose  with the quick info text Export and select Spreadsheet in the selection list. In full-screen mode, choose List > Export > Spreadsheet.
• If you have a choice of more than one format, the Select Spreadsheet dialog box opens.
• In the Select Spreadsheet dialog box, select the format in which you want to save the exported data.
• Confirm the settings.

Review Settings & Additional Pointers

• In the dialog box that appears, specify the path and name of the file and save the file.
• For some formats, you also need to specify other settings for the file that is saved.
• Make the required settings, where applicable.
• If an installed program is linked to the selected file name extension, this program is started automatically and the generated file is opened.

Download & Restest

• Download to system > List > Local File.

Backdrop: You are running an Enterprise Portal (EP) setup involving the utilization of KM and the Document iView. This KM Documents iView displays the content of a document. This can be an HTML file or any other document that can be displayed. By default, this iView is not integrated in a workset. As per your business requirements you have recently upgraded the Enterprise Portal (EP) which subsequently involved switching from the Classic Framework Page (CFP) to the Ajax Framework Page (AFP).

Issue Arises

Following the change in utilization to the AJAX framework you notice that the URL call to the KM Document iView in a Knowledge Management (KM) setup is no longer working as required, instead it returns a HTTP 500 error.

Testing the Behavior

1. Login to the portal from desktop.
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. In the portal, navigate to Content Administration -> Collaboration Content.
4. Select the Collaboration tab followed by the room directory of interest.
5. Upon left clicking the KM Documents iView e.g. "Project Document Viewer" you encounter the HTTP 500 "the website cannot display the page" error.

Versions Affected

• EP Release Independent
• SAP NetWeaver
• SAP Composition Environment

Analysis (High Level)

1. Record the complete scenario using Httpwatch (free basic version available online)
2. Locate the call to the relevant URL (.e.g. Project Document Viewer as per the image above).
3. The URL that is being accessed will return a nested cause exception e.g. HTTP 500.
4. In many cases the error message in the result of that request is:
   •      <(><<)>p>The requested URL /AFPServlet/NavigationServlet was not found on this server.<(><<)>/p>

Why did this occur?

Discrepancy in parameter settings within the KM Documents iView e.g. Project Document Viewer "ReDirect Url" through the omission of the /AFPServlet/NavigationServlet property.

Resolving the Issue

1. Login to the portal from desktop.
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to ->Content Administration -> Portal Display -> Framework Page Configuration.
4. Manually select the Ajax Framework Page (AFP).
5. Copy the invisible page pcd location with the portal URL whuke concatenating the following String "?NavigationTarget=<pcd location>".
6. Open http watch to check in the trace for the line http://host:port/AFPServlet/NavigationServlet?
7. Check in the query string for the value of targetNodeId, then subsequently add the "/AFPServlet/NavigationServlet" to the reverse proxy configuration of your server.

As described in this Notethe usage of Fiori Framework Page Extensions is possible from SAP NetWeaver Portal 7.4 SPS12 and SAP NetWeaver Portal 7.5 SPS01 on.

So the question is how can I use these extensions and how am I able to extend the Fiori Launchpad on the Portal?

My first use case was to integrate a help to each tile that is available on the homepage of the logged in user. For this a help-icon should be added to each tile. What do we need for this?

1. Create a custom plugin which adds a question mark image to each tile

Content of CustomHelpPlugin.js:

(function () {            /* global sap, jQuery, fioriTrial, eula */            'use strict';            jQuery.sap.declare("conet.CustomHelpPlugin");            jQuery.sap.require("sap.ffp.utils.ExtensionUtils");            console.warn("FLP Extension loaded...")            var renderFunction =             function () {                        $('.sapUshellTile').each(function( index ) {                                   var newDiv = $("<div style='position: absolute; top: 1rem; right: 1rem; width:20px; height: 20px; z-index: 9999'><img src='/com.sap.portal.resourcerepository/repo/FLP_Extension/qm3.png' style='max-width: 100%'></img></div>");                                   $( this ).append(newDiv);                                                                      newDiv.click(function (event) {                                               alert("Display some help for tile " + index + " here!");                                   });                                                           });            };            sap.ui.getCore().getEventBus().subscribe("launchpad","contentRendered",renderFunction);            sap.ui.getCore().getEventBus().subscribe("launchpad","moveTile",function() {setTimeout(renderFunction, 1000)});            sap.ui.getCore().getEventBus().subscribe("launchpad","actionModeInactive",function() {setTimeout(renderFunction, 1000)});
}());

2. Upload this File to the Web Repository

Navigate to Content Administration -> Web Resource Repository and upload the CustomHelpPlugin.js to the FLP Extension Directory. Additional I have uploaded the image for the question mark inside this folder (referenced by the image tag (/com.sap.portal.resourcerepository/repo/FLP_Extension/qm3.png)).

3. Configure the Framework Page Extension

Navigate to Content Administration -> Portal Display -> Framework Page Configuration and configure the Fiori framework page to use the extension:

Custom SAPUI5 Module Plugin Name: CustomHelpPlugin

Custom Plugin URL: /com.sap.portal.resourcerepository/repo/FLP_Extension/CustomHelpPlugin/

4. Run the Fiori Framework Page and check the result

So what does the custom plugin do?

It defines a new function “renderFunction” which uses jQuery to search for elements of class “sapUshellTile”. This is the base class for every div in which a tile is rendered. For each of these divs a new div is appended which includes a question mark as an image. To these new divs a “click”-function is added which now can be used to display some additional information to each tile. In this example only an alert box is used but it would be easy to integrate an overlay popup which loads a webpage with additional help to an application for example.

Afterwards this defined function is subscribed to the corresponding events on the Launchpad. I have used the event “contentRendered” in first place which seemed to be enough because this event is triggered after the Launchpad is rendered. But after rearranging the tiles on the Launchpad or adding a new tile from the catalogue a rerendering of the tiles take place. So I have subscribed to additional events “moveTile” and “actionModeInactive”. There I had to use a timeout function because after the event is triggered another rerendering of the tiles take place so that the displayed image disappears. Using the timeout is just a workaround because I didn’t find an appropriate event for this…

If there are any comments or hints on this, feel free to comment this blog.

Backdrop:

When using the SAP Enterprise Portal (EP) within an NW Environment in a large organizational landscape business requirements may require different linguistic and language settings for multiple user bases.

Portal Languages & How They Are Maintained

Now regarding this scenario and the languages used in the Enterprise Portal there are a few important points to highlight. The language that the portal is displayed in depends on the following hierarchy, with the languages at the top of the list taking precedence over those at the bottom.

1. Component (iview) language (defined in the portalapp.xml)
2. Portal Mandatory language (defined in the prtDefault.properties)
3. User language (defined in the user#s profile).
4. Request language (defined by the browser).
5. Portal Default language (defined in the prtDefault.properties)
6. System Default language (default locale defined by the OS).

So for example, if you have your portal user language (as in point 3) set to German, but the language of the iView that is the logon page (as in point 1) set to English, that logon page will be displayed in English.

Wanting the Portal to use only one Language...keeping it simple

From a high level perspective let us refer to a sample scenario in which you want to keep configurations simple and use only one pre-defined user language base for all users e.g. English. (This can always be changed down the line if required).

1. Login to the Portal Server.
2. Navigate to the following path in the SAP installation directory \\usr\sap\SID\JID\j2ee\cluster\server0\apps\sap.com\irj\servlet_jsp\irj\root\WEB-INF\portal\system\properties
3. Open the file 'prtDefault.properties'.
4. Deactivate the default language settings of the portal by adding '#' before the parameters as below.
   • #request.defaultlanguage=en
   • #request.defaultcountry=us
5. Add the following parameters to the file
   • request.mandatorylanguage=en
   • request.mandatorycountry=us
6. Save the file and restart the portal

The parameter 'request.mandatorylanguage=en' will override the browser language settings of the end users and will display the contents in 'en' (English) only.

Defining & Installing Languages

The Enterprise Portal can holster and translate multiple strings and elements from the "default" out of the box language into a different language which is defined as "supported" in the locale service.

1. To view the locale you can logon to the SAP NWA (Netweaver Administrator).
2. http://<host>:<port>nwa
3. Find and view the Portal Application & Service: 
   • com.sap.portal.admin.wizardframework
   • locale_list_service
4. From this point of access you can determine and configuration the language values for all relevant properties.
   
   • Use NLS supported language abbreviations
   • Enter abbreviations in lower case
   • Use comma (,), semicolon (;), or space as separators.
5. Any changes made require a restart of the service to come into affect.
   
6. Restart the com.sap.portal.admin.wizardframework application.

Portal - Which Languages are supported?

The number of supported languages is diverse and lengthily and includes English, German, French, Dutch, Polish. You can view the full listing in the official help guidance documentation below:

• Supported Languages & Code Pages (Non-Unicode) http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/c1/ae563cd2ad4f0ce10000000a11402f/content.htm

I have a language translation issue...what do I need to check?

As with all issue scenarios the first process of troubleshooting follows the concept of simplification

If you encounter a language based issue there are a few avenues of analysis to follow.

• One key point to check and review is whether the issue is confined to one particular web browser platform. If you are able to reproduce the issue across all browsers e.g. IE, Chrome, Mozilla etc then this would signify the "Language Setting" itself needs troubleshooting as opposed to the environment in which it functions.

Is the issue for all users?

• Is adequate language translation not occurring for all users or a select few? If the issue is confined to a small user base here we could be dealing with language personalization setups

Some Elements of the Portal - Not Translated

In some cases across the Portal Landscape and through applications you might notice some elements and strings not being translated and this may be due to hard-coding. The recommendation here would be to analyze and review potential note fixes to determine if it is a noted issue.

Browser Overriding Portal Language.

In some instances upon logging into the Enterprise Portal (EP), LDAP Users without an explicitly defined language setting are presented with the incorrect language display for Portal elements. Instead the language returned by the Portal is derived from the Web Browser Platform.

The cause of such an occurrence would be browser caching and the recommendation would be to clear the Portal Caches and retest the behavior once the mandatory language steps (as above) have been followed correctly.

Remember when you are defining the language setting(s) for the Portal there are a wide range of difference factors and properties to consider. When we consider the Portal as a central conduit means of access to a vast collection of information, data and applications language setting discrepancies can come into affect quite easily if the right diligence is not pursued.

The first point of language setting and review comes into affect at the point of logging on so this can be used as a cross-reference point:

• Determining the Logon Language: https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw74/helpdata/en/b3/f72651c294256ee10000000a445394/content.htm

If you face an issue with a language feel free to reach out to me:

Active SCN Forum Contributor - Follow Me @ http://scn.sap.com/people/troy.cronin2

Hello Friends,

Agenda:

               Make a Portal Service to listen UME activities and perform operations as per requirement. We can listen like user\role\group addition or modification.

Lets start step by step , I am showing how to log UME activities in Developer traces :

1)     Create an Enterprise Application from File->New-> Create a Portal Project and then create a Portal Service in that project.

2)     Service will create 2 files i.e. Service interface and Class to implement Service interface.

3)     Now include com.sap.security.api jar . This will provide User\Role\Group listeners , listener is interface (UserListeners, RoleListeners, GroupListeners). So we have to implement these interfaces to listen UME activities. You can implement these listeners in the same class that is implementing service interface. Lets take an example of RoleListener.

4)     First we have to register Listener , below is the code to register . Like below code we can register for other listeners as well.

          RoleListener roleListener = new "Classname that is implementing RoleListener"();

          IRoleFactory userFactory=UMFactory.getRoleFactory();

          userFactory.registerListeners(roleListener, RoleListener.INFORM_ON_USER_ASSIGNED);

5)     RoleListener interface has some methods that will come automatically after implementing . So leave those methods blank which you don't want to listen. Like I am using INFORM_ON_USER_ASSIGNED , so as per my requirement i'll get data in method public void userAssigned (String arg0 , String arg1) throws UMException{} only.

6)     Now I want to check "which role is modified" , "assigned userid"  , "who modified" and at what time .In method userAssigned , arg0 is role name and arg1 is  username. To get who modified role you have to put below code and for time just add date variable:

          IUser user=UMFactory.getAuthenticator().getLoggedinUser();

          Date date=new date();

7)     Import com.sap.tc.logging.Location to log entries . Use logger wherever you want to log entries.

Now you will be able to implement Service and find out who is performing Security activities.

Hope this is helpful......

Thanks You,

Regards,

Mayank Jain

Backdrop: Errors present us (user bases) with a wide range of functional issues which can pose threats in terms of loss of functionality, operational performance, application setups and everyday work processes.

While operating through a NW (Netweaver) Java Application Server environment error exceptions can occur on occasion for a whole hos of different reasons and pinpointing the root source of such occurrences is the key to their subsequent resolution and future prevention.

Tracing: If you have experience with the Enterprise Portal and have encountered an issue in the past you will most likely be familiar with being requested to gather, obtain and collect trace info (Information) for a Knowledge Management (KM) WebDAV or a Portal Drive Scenario.

Tracing is not restricted only to KM, WebDAV or Portal Drive.

Tracing can be used across the entire Portal to view underlying system operations and error exceptions

• KM:Through the KM functional unit, SAP NetWeaver provides a central, role-specific point of entry to unstructured information from various data sources.
• WebDav:Generally, access to resources (documents, folders, and links) in Content Management is performed by a WebDAV servlet.
• Portal Drive: used in the assignment of KM folders to Windows drive letters

KM, WebDAV, Portal Drive - Tracing Relations

In order to troubleshoot issues accessing KM Content via WebDAV it is necessary to gather debug tracing on the engine as well as getting a HTTP trace of the scenario involved. This will show the requests and responses that are sent to the WebDAV server in order to determine where the issue occurs. You can gather both traces simultaneously. It is important that this additional tracing is only carried out when you are reproducing the issue to avoid any performance problems.

Increasing Trace Levels

1. Open the Visual Administrator tool
2. Navigate to Services -> Log Configurator -> Locations
3. Switch to Advanced Mode
4. Navigate to com -> sapportals -> wcm -> protocol -> webdav -> server.
5. Follow the same procedure for the following locations:
   • com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDServlet
   • com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDGetHandler
   • com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDPutHandler
   • com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDCopyHandler
   • com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDDeleteHandler
6. If a location doesn't already exist you need to add a new controller by selecting 'New' at the bottom of the screen
7. Type in the name of the new controller, e.g. com.sapportals.wcm.protocol.webdav.server.WDGetHandler
8. After you have added the above locations with severity 'All', save your changes making sure you apply them to the relevant server(s)
9. Set the severity of WDServlet to 'All'
10. Reproduce the issue accessing a resource via WebDAV or Portal Drive 
    • Attach the resulting defaultTrace.X.trc file to your customer Incident which can be found at
      \usr\sap\<SID>\<instance_name>\j2ee\cluster\server\log
11. Remember to reset the trace locations back to their original severity in order to avoid any performance issues

HTTP Trace

1. Clear the cache from your web browser
2. Open the Visual Administrator tool
3. Navigate to the HTTP Provider of the Dispatcher opening the Properties tab
4. Set the HttpTrace property to 'enable'
5. Set the HttpTraceTime property to 'true'
6. Reproduce the issue accessing a resource via WebDAV or Portal Drive 
7. When you have finished you should disable the HTTP tracing again, i.e. set the HttpTrace property to 'disable' and set the HttpTraceTime property to 'false' .
8. Attach the resulting req-resp.trc file to your customer Incident which can be found at
   \usr\sap\<SID>\<instance_name>\j2ee\cluster\dispatcher\log\services\http\req-resp.trc

Important

It is important when reproducing the issue that you take note of the KM resource that is being accessed as well as the time you reproduced the issue, you should include this information in your customer Incident.

Backdrop: When running a KM (Knowledge Management) Setup alongside the EP (Enterprise Portal) environment you find yourself being unable to access KM Resources when using anonymous access due to error references e.g. 404/403

What functionality is affected?

It is not possible to access a Knowledge Management resource using a link from an email notification.

Anonymous Access - What is it?

Put simply anonymous access is a mechanism that permits and allows User Bases to access content without the need to authenticate (via the standard login process) via the Enterprise Portal.

• Further Reading on Anonymous Access: https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/KMC/Configuring+KM+Anonymous+Access

Anonymous Access - Errors Encountered

• "Error 404 Resource not available" or "access forbidden(403)"

Testing the Behavior

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://hostname.domain.com5000/irj/portal
3. Click on a link to a KM resource sent via a notification email
4. Do you encounter any error exceptions here preventing you from gaining access to a resource?
5. You might be encountering a "Error 404 Resource not available" or "access forbidden(403)".

What could be causing this error?

• Firstly its imperative to ensure that the resource itself (trying to be accessed) is maintained in a consistent state i.e. it exists.
• Secondly if you have anonymous access configured this means users can only access resources via links for which anonymous users have read permissions.

Rule Out Possible Root Causes

If you have experience with the Enterprise Portal and have encountered an issue in the past you will most likely be familiar with being requested to gather, obtain and collect trace info (Information) for a Knowledge Management (KM) WebDAV or a Portal Drive Scenario.

In order to troubleshoot issues accessing KM Content it might necessary to gather debug tracing on the engine as well as getting a HTTP trace of the scenario involved. This will show the requests and responses that are sent to the resource and can help you determine to determine why the issue occurs.

• Log information pertaining to Knowledge Management is stored by the system in the defaultTrace.trc file.
• This file is stored in the .../j2ee/cluster/server<n>/log directory.

Limitations with Anonymous Access

• Once you have configured the KM prerequisites you need to then create a role for your anonymous users.
• You can then assign iViews to this role to display your anonymous content to your end users.
• If you still encounter the "Error 404 Resource not available" or "access forbidden(403)" we need to remember that anonymous access does have limitations.
• Users can still use their UWL (Universal Worklist) inbox to view notifications or access resources for which notifications have been created
• If you wish to provide users with a direct link to a resource you can also manually send a link to it using a different servlet path e.g.
• http://<host>:<port>/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/com.sap.km.cm.docs/documents/abc.txt
• The user will then get an authentication request when opening the link

Introduction

In Italian the word Fiore means flower and as we know in purely environmental terms flowers in their purest form represent naturalism and add a degree of alluring beauty to any landscape. You will be pleased to know that this blog posting is not directed towards descriptive overviews on the natural environment but rather software and the way it is presented and interacted with.

This blog posting covers firstly the characteristics and principles behind Fiori's Development& secondly its relationship with the Enterprise Portal.

Enter SAP Fiori

In the modern world of software technology, aesthetically pleasing displays which demonstrate consistent synergistic "look & feel" displays across complex environments are a cornerstone for successful business processes. Successful UI's (User Interfaces) incorporate must always incorporate multiple element principles and characteristics to be deemed "effective". SAP Fiori is the latest hot topic software making strides in the workplace and organizational environments.

What is Fiori?

SAP Fiori in true essence can best be described as a platform conduit which is used for Mobile Applications and is directly derived from NW (Netweaver). The best way to think of SAP Fiori is as a freshly updated interface that is utilized to interact with SAP S/W (software). As we know SAP already offers a broad and comprehensive set of different software program mechanisms that cover diverse functions from everything to "Purchase Orders" to "Leave Requests".

From a simple standpoint we can look at Fiori as the new updated way of interacting and seeing this applications in terms of display but SAP Fiori provides a little more than aesthetically pleasing displays (further reading: http://help.sap.com/fiori).

Why Fiori

Independently created software or corporately driven software have a commonality which is that there are both subject to reviews from their end-users. End-Users and the experiences they report with software & applications are used as a critical platform from which benchmarks standards are derived in order to define, create and subsequently deliver a high quality standard software.

Fiori puts the User as the central point of attention and provides a simplistic, aesthetically pleasing and modern interface which is simply consistent and diversely functional.

Fiori & The Portal

Ok so as we discussed above there is a working relationship with Fiori and the Enterprise Portal. As we established previously in layman's terms Fiori can be regarded as a fresh-faced UI Presentation Layer. However there is an additional context to Fiori which is Fiori Applications, or Fiori Apps for short and these are broken across three spectrum's.

• Analytical Applications
• Transaction Applications
• Fact-sheet Applications

Over the last 18 months Fiori has become quite prevalent in declaring its association and relationship to the Enterprise Portal . The primary aim of this blog series is to cover the basics surrounding Fiori to convey it's purpose, functionality and lastly its integration within the Portal.

Fiori Launchpad

The SAP Fiori Launchpad (FLP) is the functional body which essential holsters these Fiori Apps (Transaction, Analytical, Fact-Sheet). The FLP for end-users is the navigational means of accessing and interacting with these applications from a performance perspective. By "Performance" here I am making reference to the operational capabilities of these applications, functional flow, interaction and overall visual display. When we consider the Portal as a central point of access for multiple resources and applications we can also consider the FLP to be a central point of access for Fiori Applications.

Using the FLP on the Portal.

The Fiori Launchpad can be utilized alongside the Enterprise Portal and this is regarded as the "Fiori Launchpad on Portal".

The "Fiori Launchpad on Portal" can be interacted with in two primary ways

1. Via Desktop
2. Via Mobile Devices

The primary driver behind the utilization of the Fiori Launchpad on Portal is to provide end-users with the practical experience that Fiori itself offers.

The utilization of the Fiori Launchpad on Portal shares the same approach delivered within the normal Enterprise Portal environment although the way such an experience is display is different!

As we know the interaction with the Enterprise Portal is focused around a display container holstering a "Masthead", "Top-Level Navigation (TLN), "Content Area", &the "Detailed Level Navigation (DTN)". The SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal incorporates the same elements but displays them in a different method through the use of Tiles & Catalogs. Both the Enterprise Portal& The SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal adopt the same role approach i.e. Administrators maintain control over what content is displayed and can be utilized by end-user bases.

Try Fiori for Free (Trial)

https://www.sapfioritrial.com/

In Part 2 I will cover the FLP (Fiori Launchpad) Setup within the Enterprise Portal.

Introduction

Part One of this blog series covered the fundamentals behind the SAP Fiori Development and touched base on the makeup behind Fiori, Fiori Applications and the utilization of SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal.

In this blog we will cover the integration between the Fiori Launchpad& the Enterprise Portal. As Fiori is relatively new & "fresh" in terms of large scale utilization it is beneficial to cover the basics before delving into anything too complex .

Checks & Pre-Requisite's

As with any installation and system landscape one of the core recommendations is to always ensure that you have the latest SP's (Support Packages)  and Patch Level Releases applied to ensure potential issues are avoided and put to one side .

Now the SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal is available only for newer Product Version(s) Release(s)

• Netweaver (NW) 7.31 Support Package (SP) 12+
• Netweaver (NW) 7.4 Support Package (SP) 7+

To cross reference compatibility and technical release information for further insight a review of the SAP PAM (Product Availability Matrix) is encouraged and recommended:  https://support.sap.com/pam.

Configuration Setup (Step By Step)

Phase 1 - Overview

The first point of configuration in terms of setting the SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal up is to enable the property settings accordingly and this will be performed by a validated System Administrator who holds valid authorizations.

• To permit the enable of the Launchpad a new URL alias needs to be created and maintained.
• This "URL Alias" is used in association to the Fiori Desktop and "Master Rule Collection".
• Through creating the new URL Alias for the "Fiori Desktop" you then need to set the conditions via the "Master Rule Collection".
• For comprehensive guidance on the URL Setup and Master Rule Collection the following help documentation can be cross-referenced:
  • Defining URL Alias: https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw74/helpdata/en/48/1d5d0171364269e10000000a421937/content.htm
  • Defining Portal Display Rules: https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw74/helpdata/en/48/1f04f680093184e10000000a42189b/content.htm

Phase 2 - iViews

Now after the URL Alias has been defined and the Master Rule Collection has been reviewed and checked in accordance to business standards and requirements the next steps are regarding the iView and Page Setup.

The SAP Fiori Launchpad adds a fresh dimension to iView display as such a presentation is returned to the End-User in the form of Fiori Tiles as opposed to the familiar Portal iView standard.

In this phase we define which iViews & Pages are going to be defined and returned to End-Users in the form of Tiles & Catalogs. There are two types of tiles which can be defined in association to iView displays with each offering their own sense of suitability for business preference:

• Static Tiles: consistent and standard information which maintains a defined display.
• Dynamic Tiles: as the name suggest the setup here is based on regularly changing information through oData.

In order to determine the Tiles (iViews) and define the setup:

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to "Content Administration" & then "Portal Content Management".
4. Locate the "Portal Catalog"
5. Select the iView of interest (from Portal standpoint)  and open the context menu.
6. Open the iView properties through "Open", "Properties" and make the change for FLP (Fiori Launchpad) display.
7. Once the change is made you need to select "Modify Properties" and Save your changes.

Phase 3 - Catalogs & Categories

In high level terms we can refer to "Catalogs" & "Categories" as the means of grouping applications. Let us revert back for a second and re-reference the types of applications we can use in association to SAP Fiori.

• Analytical Applications
• Transaction Applications
• Fact-sheet Applications

The three application types are diverse and can be tailored dependent on your own business requirements within an organizational establishment.

• 20 Categories can be holstered within the Properties Editor (2 of which are default standard).

There are two application listing types here:

• General: unassigned applications which are not explicitly defined in correlation to a category.
• Recommended: suggested and advocated applications which appear as potential tags.

From personal experience there is a very important point to highlight here.

• A category will not be displayed if there is no applications defined in its association.

To set Catalogs & Categories:

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to "Content Administration", "Portal Content Management".
4. Locate the "Portal Catalog"
5. Navigate through "Portal Content", "Portal Users", "Standard Portal Users", "iViews", "Fiori Launchpad", "Fiori Launchpad Categories".
6. Select & Open the "Fiori Launchpad Category".

Within the editor you need to ensure that each of the following are defined:

• Category ID which is the unique identifier.
• Category Order which determines the precedence and order of categories within the tile catalog.
• Category Title i.e. the name of the catalog.

Now you need to assign an iView to the category which has just been defined in order to get it to display and return it to end-users.

1. Open the iView properties through "Open", "Properties".
2. Select "Personalized Launcher" within "Category Assignment" and fill in the identifier ID's
3. Any category definition should be separated through the use of a semi-colon.

Phase 4 - Navigation & the FLP

In this section we are going to determine the way in which the FLP returns its element in window display to our end users. From a high level perspective we need to consider this in terms of work feasibility and requirement suitability.

Some of the options available here include:

• FLP within the Portal Content Area (central window element of the Enterprise Portal) where standard applications are rendered.
• Display within a separate Window (newly opened tabular window)
• Separate headerless Window (conjoined to the Portal Session, but opened within a headerless framework window) quirks mode (older)
• Separate headerless Window (conjoined to the Portal Session, but opened within a headerless framework window) standards mode (newer)

Setting the Navigation Type

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to "Content Administration" & then "Portal Content Management".
4. Locate the "Portal Catalog"
5. Select the iView of interest
6. Open the "Properties Editor" and select "Show Category" and click "Navigation"
7. Determine and define the navigation means of preference as described above and save your changes.

Phase 5 - Resetting User Displays Personalization

If you wish to reset the display settings for users i.e. personalized settings this can be done through property editing or removing the personalization property data for com.sap.portal.navigation.flp.pl.UserData.

• This needs to be performed by System Administrators

In my next Fiori blog posting I will be covering the FFP (Fiori Framework Page) and its association to the Enterprise Portal.

Backdrop: As per your business requirements you have created a search index in Knowledge Management (KM) to search for Enterprise Portalpages or iViews.

Issue: When using the search mechanism you are unable to find a specific page or iView.

Prerequisites: You have configured the Page/iView search in accordance to the index management service and Portal Content Directory (PCD).

• Configuring the Search for Portal Pages & iViews http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70/helpdata/en/b2/d59a4271c80a31e10000000a1550b0/frameset.htm
  

How to Search & Test the Behavior

1. After configuring the search forportal pages andiViews as per guidance documentation outlined above.
2. Login to the Enterprise Portal.
3. Try to search for a specific iView or portal page from the KM Search iView.
4. The expected result is not displayed as the iView or page is not found and returned to the end user.

Why is this occurring (Important) ?

When you use the KM search for portal pages and iViews, you can only search for content for which you have the correct roles assigned.

• If you do not have the appropriate role, you will not be able to search for its content.

Resolving the issue

1. Navigate to User Administration -> Identity Management.
2. Search for the relevant user id.
3. Select the modify option.
4. Assign your user the appropriate user role which contains the page or iView.
5. Save your changes.
6. Perform your search again.

Now if you perform the search again is the correct result (Page/iView) returned?

With the release of 7.50, EP now runs with SAP JVM 8, which is JDK 8 compliant Java VM, to keep up with the speed of innovation and enable customers to benefit from new Java features.

Here is some info that may assist you you understand the differences and issues you may encounter migrating from older java versions.

• Java 8 provides some new cool features like Lambdas and Concurrency, new Date Time API, Nashorm Javascript , Interface Default , Method reference and more.
• You may now use this in your portal application running in EP 7.50 !
• However , it also have some pitfalls. Some of them are incompatibilities with older java versions.

All SAP applications provided with EP 7.50 are compatible with Java 8.

You may want to inspect and fix any custom application that you have to make it Java 8 compliant.

Sample issues that you may encounter in your java code related to Java version:

1. Dependencies changes:

With Java 8, when using a class, the interfaces it implements must be on the compile classpath as well. With Java 7, it was enough that the interface was on the classpath while compiling the used class.

Given a jar api.jar containing an interface, and a jar api-impl.jar containing an implementation of the interface. While compiling source code that is dependent on the concrete implementation, you obviously need api-impl.jar on the classpath. With Java 8, additionally, you need to have api.jar on the classpath, even when you do not reference the API.

2. Deprecated and removed APIs:

assert / assertTrue deprecation:

    response.assert(ok," : default value is not null","1002001"); --> deprecated and will not compile with java 8    response.assertTrue(ok," : default value is not null","1002001"); --> will compile correctly.

PreparedStatement interface has new methods, so if you have class implementing it, you should add new methods:

class PlStmt implements PreparedStatement
{..
.
public void closeOnCompletion() throws SQLException{....}
public boolean isCloseOnCompletion() throws SQLException{....}
public long executeLargeUpdate() throws SQLException{...}
public void setObject(int parameterIndex, Object x, SQLType targetSqlType,int scaleOrLength) throws SQLException{...}
public void setObject(int parameterIndex, Object x, SQLType targetSqlType) throws SQLException{....}
...
}

You can use the following link for learning the exact incompatibilities of Java 8 with previous versions:

• Java SE 7 and JDK 7 Compatibility
• Compatibility Guide for JDK 8

The suggestion is first try to build your applications with SAP JVM8 and fix any build issues, afterwards try to deploy and execute it.

Further reading for your reference:

• Java 8 APIs - Java Platform SE 8
• Java 8 Features tutorial: https://www.javacodegeeks.com/2014/05/java-8-features-tutorial.html

Still have questions? Post them in the migration and upgrade forum.

Thanks!

Tal

Introduction

A recommendation was recently put to me through an SCN Associate regarding the possibility of developing a blog posting which covers the Portal and the Context Navigation Panel (CNP). I believe covering a blog on this topic base is a great suggestion and can perhaps help offer additional insight into the "inner workings" behind the Enterprise Portal and the element containers which support it's overall functionality .

So what is the Context Navigation Panel?

The Context Navigation Panel is also referred to on some occasions as the Contextual Navigation Panel and the CNP for short. All three naming references are in association to the same instrument container on the Enterprise Portal. As we know with different complex Netweaver environments different naming references and abbreviations can cause a great deal of confusion therefore to keeps things in perspective in this instance we can draw all three names to the same element.

• The Context Navigation Panel (CNP) is essentially a configuration container displaying navigation nodes within the Enterprise Portal (EP) and is holstered within the DTN within the left hand column of the Portal UI.
• As a default standard the Contextual Navigation Panel displays all Workcenter Roles.
• You can consider the Contextual Navigation Panel as the means through which Roles are displayed to end-users in the Detailed Level Navigation.

Roles displayed by Default?

As mentioned above as a standard the Context Navigation Panel (CNP) presents users with Workcenter Roles without the requirement of any pre-configuration.

• Workcenter Roles are essentially the context navigation units in association to the Enterprise Portal. In layman's terms end-users interact with such navigation units through the form of pages/iViews, worksets, folders, and documentation units.
• There are two types of roles in association to the Context Navigation Panel (CNP)which are (1) Workcenter Roles& (2) Freestyle roles.
• A Workcenter Roles shares common trains with that of a freestyle role although Workcenter Roles are primarily utilized to define and conjoin Portal interaction and layout in accordance to business requirements.
• Freestyles Roles as the name suggests are in true essence are more flexible and free willed in scope.

Creating & Editing Workcenter Roles: (Determines What Will Appear in the Navigation Panel)

• https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/15/2ec91549ad4ecfa041a4e92ef7edc9/content.htm

Remember

• The default setting of the CNP means that all Workcenter Roles are displayed within the navigation panel without any additional reconfiguration.

Context Navigation Panel Vs Detailed Navigation iView

The means in which Workcenter Roles are displayed to users by default is through the CNP (Contextual Navigation Panel). If required you can change this approach of display to to the "Detailed Navigation iView".

1. Login to the portal from desktop.
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to the "Ajax Framework Page".
4. Within the "Ajax Detailed Navigation" iView in the Ajax Framework Page.
5. Locate the "Navigation Panel Mode" property setting.
6. Set the parameter to "Always Use Detailed Navigation iView".

You can perform this check and review via the path below:

• PCD Path: pcd:portal_content/every_user/general/defaultAjaxframeworkContent/com.sap.portal.AFPpage

Configuration changes determine the way in which content elements is presented to our Portal Users and the means of which such presentation is defined is dependent on user preference and business requirements. The Navigation Panel (in which the CNP/DTN) operate contains Navigation iViews which operate based on the information displayed within the Portal Content Area.

• The Navigation iView will only appear if it is handling content assigned to a users task.

Important

When creating a content that contains navigation nodes with the same merge priority, same sort priority and even the same node name, it can on some occasions cause inconsistent nodes ordering because that the order in this situation depends on what will be the node order in query result from the database and this result changes from query to query.

Customizing the Display?

As with any Portal protocol that involves editing/creation, careful planning and diligence is required. After all we do not want to create themes which contribute negatively in terms of aesthetic appeal to the overall look and feel of the Enterprise Portal.

So you have taken the decision to go and create a custom theme using the Theme Editor. Through utilization of the Theme Editor you are able to create multiple themes for all Portal Users. Each theme you create (custom theme) is based upon a SAP Standard Theme template with which you tailor the visual elements to meet your own organizational business requirements.

The CNP& Navigation Panel is of no difference and you may need to perform some customizing in order to tailor the display to your liking.

For example you might want to change the color coding, backgroundimages or general balance of display.

• Adjusting these parameters requires a knowledge of how the specific parameters are mapped to Runtime Stylesheet definitions

Some elements of the DTN itself are composed of PNG images which means they are separate parts from the one entire background of Detailed Navigation Pane.

To clarify the AFPDTN is rendered using images, so you can brand it by replacing the images rather than setting background colours (this gives the more attractive 3-D style to the AFP). For instance, you can set the background image for a selected item using the 'URL to Background Image of Down State of Item' element in the 'Outer Frame of AJAX Framework Page' > 'Detailed Navigation' area.

• How To... Apply Custom Branding Using the AJAX Framework L-Shape APIs
• http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/001bfa1a-958e-2e10-c2be-d914f673e21e?QuickLink=index&overridelayout=true

Regarding the Ajax Framework Page itself in true essence it is nested above normal portal Outer Frame which means you have to do 'TLN' and 'DTN' customizing against 'Outer Frame of AJAX Framework Page' instead of 'Portal Outer Frame'.

As per our product design, the Ajax Framework Page 'DTN' is rendered using images, so you can ONLY brand it by replacing the images rather than setting background colours.

Issues With Branding (Customizing e.g. Color Changes)

You should be able to achieve the desired look and feel by modifying the theme parameter using the Update Customer Portal Theme Parameters tool - this allows adjusting of theme parameters that are not exposed in the theme editor.

1. Navigate to Support > Support Desk> Update Customer Portal Theme Parameters.
2. From the drop down menu labeled 'Browser' choose 'default'.
3. From the drop down menu labeled 'Parameter' choose 'AFPDtnTextColor'
4. After choosing a parameter all themes that can be adjusted appear below the parameter.
5. After you have adjusted all neccessary parameters press "Set Value" and "Save and Generate".
6. If the changes do not become visible immediately, delete the browser cache, open the theme you have adjusted in the theme editor and press there "SAVE" too.

• The primary point of analysis here is to locate the correct theme class.

For theAJAX setupthe relevant parameters are:

• AFPDtnSubViewItemNormal,
• AFPDtnSubViewItemHoverColor,
• AFPDtnSubViewItemDownColor.

Removing the Contextual Navigation Panel?

You can indeed removed the Contextual Navigation Panel if better suited to your business requirements and operational setup.

• Through Removing the 'Contextual Navigation Panel' value from 'Navigation Panel Mode' within the DTN you remove the subsequent display from the Ajax Framework Page (AFP).

Are you missing Roles?

On some occasions problematic scenarios can arise with the CNP which can relate to missing role types or invalid displays in terms of levels and entry points.

If this behavior is noted in your system environment there are a few methods of analysis to follow to try and eliminate potential root sources and pinpoint the exact cause of the issue.

Firstly especially in the case of a recently performed upgrade check the following:

• Is the issue occurring for each and every user/in all Web Browser Platforms?
• Is the scenario reproducible in all Portal Theme/Framework combinations?

Now after performing the analysis steps outlined above and you still find the Portal Roles are missing we need to dig a little deeper to identify the root source.

If you have recently performed an upgrade and jumped significantly in terms of versions e.g. 7.0 -> 7.4 check whether the old navigation cache is disabled.

• Open the browser and navigate to: http://host:port/irj/servlet/prt/portal/prtroot/com.sap.portal.navigation.service.NavigationCacheMonitor
• If the "Cache" property is displayed as enabled,
• Open the Administrator setup and navigate to: Global Configuration -> Server -> com.sap.portal.prt.sapj2ee.prt
• Set the portal.navigation.cache.enable property to false
• Save the modification (click in on update and on the "Floppy" button).
• Restart the cluster.
• System administration >> system configuration >> services>> application com.sap.portal.navigation.service use.hashed.urls >> Set to " false "
• System administration  >> cache management>> navigation cache >> clear

In the case of an upgrade next in order to check file synchronization has been successful you can follow SAP Note: 710663 to set the bootstrap properties to FORCE in order to force a file synch. The bootstrap module of J2EE Engine 6.30/6.40/7.0 is responsible for keeping the file system files up to date with all the updates performed in the database. It has one functional property that should be modified in order to achieve different goals on the system. The property's name is: element.resynch

• The properties file for the bootstrap process is located under : <j2ee-home>\cluster\bootstrap\bootstrap.properties
• Set to this property to:  force - totally ignores the local pre-computed values and recalculates all the local hashes from the files themselves. Any kind of change made on the binaries of the installation will be immediately detected and reverted. This mode runs slower than the default behavior and is most suitable for cleanup after any unattended modifications on the binaries.

Troubleshooting Reference Documentation:

• SAP Note: 1835181 - DTN displayed wrong when number of levels in TLN is 1
• SAP Note: 1811456 - 'Services' links always open in new window in AFP
• SAP Note: 1752462 - Navigation tab reording of Merged Roles is not working
• SAP Note: 1811456 - 'Services' links always open in a new window in AFP
• SAP Note: 1166135 - Central Note for Ajax Framework Page with SAP NW
• SAP Note: 1774243: - Remove CNP view from DTN in AFP
• SAP Note: 2028050 - When selected node in DTN is missing - DTN is not refershed anymore
• SAP Note: 1752515 - Updating Custom Theme Parameters Not Exposed in the Theme Editor

Backdrop: When operating in an Enterprise Portal environment and attempting to download a zip file from KM (Knowledge Management) using Internet Explorer the file appears corrupted and subsequently cannot be opened.

Testing the Behavior:

1. Download a *.zip file from Knowledge Management to your local client machine using Internet Explorer
2. Try to open the downloaded zip file on your local client machine
3. You are unable to open it receiving the error that the file is invalid or corrupted or you get "Unexpected end of archive"

Why is this happening:

Zip files uploaded into Knowledge Management can have two different MIME types configured under System Administration -> System Configuration -> Knowledge Management -> Content Management -> Utilities -> MIME Types, either application/x-zip-compressed or application/zip

Compressing the files

• This mime type can be additionally compressed causing the file to appear corrupted when downloading

Resolution

1. Check the MIME type of your zip file in the portal by clicking on the context menu of the file and going to Details -> Settings -> Properties
2. Open the J2EE Visual Administrator tool
3. Go to "Global Configuration -> Server -> Services -> HTTP Provider -> Properties -> Never Compressed"
4. Make sure that the MIME type specified for this file in the portal is added to the NeverCompressed list of the HTTP Provider
5. Also add the file extension to the NeverCompressed list of the HTTP Provider e.g. Add *.zip,application/x-zip-compressed
6. After making the changes click on the "Update" button

    7. Click on "Save Properties"

    8. Restart the J2EE

Introduction

In parts one and two of this blog series we touched base on Fiori and it's relationship with the Enterprise Portal. We covered some of the fundamentals around Fiori's development and utilization and how this translates into effective user experiences within the Portal through the SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal.

Missed Part 1 & 2?

If you missed Part's One and Two you can revisit them here:

• http://scn.sap.com/community/enterprise-portal/blog/2016/05/16/ep-portal-fiori-overview--joining-forces-part-1
• http://scn.sap.com/community/enterprise-portal/blog/2016/05/17/ep-the-portal-fiori-launchpad-integration--part-2

Framework Pages

If you are familiar with the Enterprise Portal (EP) and Netweaver (NW) environments you would have by now become familiar with the various framework pages terminology that exists e.g. Standard, Default, Custom, Classic, Ajax and now Fiori.

So what is a Framework Page?

• As we know the Portal in itself is comprised of various display elements and objects which are interacted with by end-users. Such objects are presented to users in the form of roles, navigation end points, displays and backdrop rendering. End Users (through assigned roles) interact with the Portal itself through the Portal Desktop and the Pages& iViews holstering a synergy with end users is provided by the Framework page.

What does a Framework Page contain?

●  Header area

●  navigation areas (TLN, Navigation Panel, DTN, Masthead)

●  Portal content area (center of the Portal through which applications are rendered)

Fiori Framework Page

When using the SAP Fiori Launchpad on Portal the substructure through which the launchpad is presented to end-users is that of the Fiori Framework Page. Upon configuring the Fiori Framework Page to your own business requirements and preferences the default theme utilized in its presentation to end users if that of SAP Blue Crystal but this can be customized also if required through the UI Theme Designer.

• In relation to FIORI-applicationsBlue Crystal is the recommended theme to be utilized and as we mentioned it is the default theme setting for Fiori
• For UI5 applicationsGold Reflection is really recommended.

Fiori  Framework - Page Configuration

• https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73ehp1/helpdata/en/fa/7fb06cc6f747719d798eeff3e30e4e/content.htm
  

Location - Fiori Framework Page

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to Portal Content > Portal Users> Standard Portal Users.
4. Then select Fiori Framework Content> Fiori Framework Page.

• pcd:portal_content/every_user/general/defaultFFPFrameworkContent/FioriFrameworkPage

Browser Modes & Fiori Framework Page

As we know with different versions of Web Browser Platforms come several sets of parameters and configurations which need to be maintained in order to support optimal performance. In terms of performance here I am making reference to the means in which users interact with the Portal interface and the method of which these contents are displayed i.e. rendered.

• The Fiori Framework Page will NOT work in Quirks Mode (Internet Explorer (IE))
• If you attempt to force the browser (IE) to run in Quirks Mode it will not work and function properly as the framework itself is based on UI5 components which work only in standards mode.

The Fiori Framework Page is intended for standards mode only and since there is no way to mix different rendering("document") modes in same page - all iViews that are rendered "in place" will render in standards mode environment and should comply to it (for example by "sap-ie=Edge" parameter).

• If your business requirements mean certain pages cannot be rendered in standards, then they should be opened in a new window with NAV Mode 3.

Know Issues, Further Troubleshooting & Resolutions

• SAP Note: 2008931 - Known issues for Fiori Framework Page (FLP on Portal)

Backdrop:  When editing an existing XML Form or creating a new XML Form in Knowledge Management which contains a large number of input fields, it is not possible to navigate between input fields using the keyboard tab key.

Analyzing the Behavior

1. Create a new XML Form or edit an existing XML Form which contains a large number of input fields, like the sample image above.
2. Using the tab key on your keyboard try to navigate between the various entry fields.
3. You are not able to navigate between the fields using the tab key.

Why is this occurring?

This is a browser specific issue which normally only occurs in Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is unable to handle the complex HTML tables that are created when rendering such large XML Forms, as a result the tabbing functionality will not work.

Internet Explorer Points

As we know with different Web Browser Platforms comes a set of different Parameter & Property settings which need to be maintained in order to support optimal performance (functional aspect) and rendering. Additional information about the SAP release dates is provided within the publication of the current product matrix for NetWeaver (see SAP Service Marketplace at http://service.sap.com/PAM).

On the PAM you can find the details relevant for your current Web Browser Platform on whether or not it is supported and the limitations (if any) which may exist in such a Product Version setup. If you are using an older browser version I recommend reviewing the links below as IE11 is now the recommended version for utilization. For IE8/9/10 support has ended.

- SAP Note: 1458799 - Limited supportability for Internet Explorer 8 & 9

Resolving the KeyTab Issue

1. If possible try using a different browser, e.g. Firefox/Chrome.
2. Avoid too much "overlapping" of your controls as this leads to complex HTML tables and also to this tab problem.
3. Try to arrange your controls more like a table, with less columns, as depicted in the images below.

This blog is for portal end-users and content administrators who would like to learn about the new features developed in the latest Enterprise Portal SP for FLP on EP, their added value, and the configuration required.

1 Quick link for iView/Page

Administrators can configure quick links to iViews or pages in the Fiori Framework page (except for News iView):

In run time append  /<name>  to the portal URL:

The quick links should be composed of letters, digits, hyphen (-), period (.), underscore (_) and tilde (~).

2 Dynamic Navigation Enhancement

End users can now drag dynamic navigation popups to a new location; the content area is active when pop-up is opened.

3 Related Links Enhancement

Administrators can now determine whether related links appear in a side panel, and not a pop-up window, with a new property, Display Mode for Related Links, on the Fiori Framework Page configuration UI:

This configuration allows working with related links in parallel. It is available only on desktop.

4 Tile as Link for iView/Page

Administrators can now configure iViews and pages to appear as links in the home page with a new property, Tile Display Mode (the default value is “Show as Tile”):

The links appear in a link area of the relevant group:

Note:

• For an iView or page to appear as a link, the Default in Home Page property must be selected.
• Users cannot personalize links.

5 Dialog for Unauthorized Tiles

This dialog appears in the following scenario:

1. An administrator has removed a tile(s) from an end user role
2. The tile(s) appears in FLP on EP Homepage or was saved as a browser bookmark
3. End user launches the tile from the Homepage or browser bookmark.

In the dialog there is an option to remove this tile:

6 Accessibility Support

The accessibility enhancements include keyboard and JAWS screen reader support, along with SAP High-Contrast Black (HCB) theme for people with visual impairments.

End users can now select HCB theme from the Theme setting in User Preferences:

The UI looks like this:

To learn more:

• NW 7.5 SP03 application help
• SAP note2217489.
• SAP note 2031108

Both IE and Firefox can work with HTTPWatch tool downloaded from http://www.httpwatch.com. However for problem only happen in Chrome, it is hard to analyze because HTTPWatch can not be used. Instead Chrome developer tool is used to capture network trace that can only be saved as .har format file. This blog explains how to collect network trace and how to view it remotely.

1. Open web application using Chrome.

2. Press F12 of keyboard, then Chrome developer tool shows up. Select "Network" tab and click "Preserve log" and "Record" button to start recording.

3. Operate in web application, request and response data will be collected.

4. Right click and choose"Save as HAR with content" to save trace.

5. Access online HAR Viewer tool http://www.softwareishard.com/har/viewer/ and drag saved .har file into it.This link only support dragging in Chrome and IE.

Also there is one plugin HTTP Trace - Chrome Web Store for Chrome that can collect request and response header. Access this link via Chrome, then could see

on the right top area. Click it to install this plugin. Then could see icon next to address bar of Chrome. Once open it, it will open one popup. Then operate in web application, all request and response header will be captured. Unfortunately this tool does not have Save functionality, thus need Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to save all output as .txt file for remote analysis.

This blog is for portal administrators who are implementing FLP on EP.

The content:

• Why to prefer Fiori Launchpad on Portal (FLP on EP) to ABAP Launchpad?
• Are there any differences between ABAP Launchpad and FLP on EP with regards to customizability and enhancement options?
• Does the concept of FLP on EP fit scenarios with dozens of applications? Is there a limit to the number of applications maintained in FLP on EP?
• Is a cloud portal able to replace an on premise portal?
• Portal Landscape Deployment Recommendations
• SAPUI5 Release for NetWeaver SPS
• Fiori iViews vs Remote Catalogs
• Locked Group Easy Maintenance
• BEx Reports in FLP on EP in IE
• Useful Notes

1 Why to prefer Fiori Launchpad on Portal to ABAP Launchpad?

• Fiori Launchpad on Enterprise Portal is targeted mainly to portal customers. It allows having one stop-shop for Fiori and portal content of SAP Business Suite, and providing end user access for SAP and non-SAP backend applications.
• Portal is a mature integration platform and has quite a few capabilities that the ABAP FES is still lacking (e.g. It is not possible to have in ABAP Launchpad system connection objects for SAP and non-SAP systems). 
• ABAP Launchpad is limited in UI technologies that can be integrated, whereas FLP on EP can integrate many more. 

2 Are there any differences between ABAP Launchpad and Fiori Launchpad on Portal with regards to customizability and enhancement options?

There are no major differences between ABAP and Portal Launchpad customizability and enhancement options. The two solutions share a large portion of SAPUI5 code and differ mainly on the administration and integration capabilities

3 Does the concept of FLP on EP fit scenarios with dozens of applications? Is there a limit to the number of applications maintained in the Fiori Launchpad on Portal?

An average user may have up to ~50 applications on his homepage and hundreds in the tile catalog. The idea is that filtering and search controls enable fast search in the user catalog. There are also new concepts coming in Fiori 2.0 to deal with content load (Overview pages, links, catalog enhancements and smart navigation).

4 Is a cloud portal able to replace an on premise portal?

For some scenarios yes, mostly the simple ones that can be covered by Fiori content provided by SAP or a few custom applications. In the future the Cloud solution will allow to integrate legacy content as well.

5 Portal Landscape Deployment Recommendations

For SAP Enterprise Portal:

• Landscape Deployment of SAP Enterprise Portal (EP)
• Landscape Deployment Recommendations for SAP Enterprise Portal
• SAP Enterprise Portal

The FLP on EP recommended landscape:https://eaexplorer.hana.ondemand.com/_item.html?id=11406#!/overview.

Landscape deployment scenarios and high level product overview:https://eaexplorer.hana.ondemand.com/rest/mimeRepositories/11427/file/Deployment_Recommendations_SAP_Portal_2016_final.pdf.

6 SAPUI5 Release for NetWeaver SPS

The information can be accessed by customers directly on Service Marketplace by clicking on the Info link for SPS/Patch Level:

Example for NW SAPUI5 in 7.31:

The result then looks like this:

7 Fiori iViews vs Remote Catalogs

You can implement Fiori integration in FLP on EP  in 2 ways:

• Creating Fiori iViews  in Portal content 
• Consuming Remote Catalogs from Frontend Server (FES).
• 
  

Fiori iViews  in Portal content are used when there is no Fiori Framework page (FFP) and the integration of Fiori apps is done in other Framework pages (e.g. AFP).

Remote Catalogs consumption from FESr  is possible only with FFP, and then Fiori iViews are not needed.

The further advantages of remote catalog consumption are:

• Easy tile maintenance on FES with Fiori Launchpad Designer
• Easy catalog and group maintenance on FLP on EP - the changes in the catalog on FES are visible on FLP on EP automatically
  
• Big variety of Fiori apps available via the catalogs
• New features available via the catalogs (e.g. dynamic tiles)
• Running better on Mobile access due to no-iFrame integration.

8 Locked Group Easy Maintenance

Locked group is a special group of tiles on the Homepage:

• Its content is determined by an administrator and cannot be personalized by an end-user.
• Any administrator changes in this group are reflected immediately on the Homepage.
• Only one locked group can be configured. It always appears at the top of the home page.
• The locked group content can be combined from Portal tiles and remote groups.

Locked group definition is located in one the role/folder/workset properties. Sometimes it is hard to find where exactly it was defined. To make the locked content transparent and easy to maintain we suggest the following:

1. Enable a locked group in FWP

2. Provide The ID and the title under the path Portal Users -> Standard Portal Users -> iViews -> Fiori Launchpad Configuration:

3. Create a role to hold locked group content

4. Create a folder with a property Included in Locked Group and mark it as an Entry point.

     Note: Only direct child of Folder/Role or workset will be seen in the locked group

5. Assign the relevant iViews to the folder:

This role can be included into relevant users’ roles.

9 BEx Reports in FLP on EP in IE

If you have Fiori iViews for BEx reports in FLP on EP, the recommended navigation mode for them is Display in headerless portal window (standards mode), especially in Internet Explorer browser.

The reason is that BEx reports launched from FLP on EP in Internet Explorer browser, change UI mode to Quirks mode, and when coming back to FLP, the UI might be corrupted.

10 Useful Notes

2031108 - SAP Fiori Integration with SAP Enterprise Portal - Central note

2261419 - Maintenance Strategy for FLP on Portal

2008931 - Known issues for Fiori Framework Page (FLP on Portal)

Introduction

In the first three blog postings in this series surrounding Fiori we have covered the fundamentals behind Fiori itself, the reasoning behind it's development, the integration of Fiori within the Portal and lastly the Fiori Framework Page. Now as we begin to move forward with the blog series I believe it's important to begin covering some problematic scenarios and issues that I have come across as a Product Support Engineer. In theory as mentioned in the previous postings Fiori is relatively "new" and "fresh" therefore issues may on certain occasions be encountered and as we continue this blog series I aim to provide core troubleshooting tips and guidance insight which can help prevent and resolve such occurrences (if any) .

If you missed the first three postings in this series you can revisit them below:

• http://scn.sap.com/community/enterprise-portal/blog/2016/05/16/ep-portal-fiori-overview--joining-forces-part-1
• http://scn.sap.com/community/enterprise-portal/blog/2016/05/17/ep-the-portal-fiori-launchpad-integration--part-2
• http://scn.sap.com/community/enterprise-portal/blog/2016/05/30/ep-the-portal-the-fiori-framework-page--part-3

Portal: Tiles & Catalogs

Remember firstly that when you combine usage of the Fiori Launchpad with utilization through the Enterprise Portal as a conduit this means that user interaction is being performed via the Fiori Launchpad on Portal. If you have experience with various Netweaver Product Versions throughout the years you will be fully aware that the general "look & feel" has evolved quite a bit and perhaps most significantly with the Fiori Launchpad on Portal.

Portal elements & roles remain the same although the way they are displayed is quite different due to the fact display is offered through the notion of  Tiles & Catalogs.

As we can see in the image below (on the right hand side we see the tile "tabular" display):

Issues & Problems - Scenario 1 - Missing Tiles

Now as we mentioned previously I believe it's time to start analyzing and addressing some of the most commonly encountered issues that I have come across regarding the Fiori Launchpad& the Enterprise Portal.

One such scenario is missing elements within the display i.e. Tiles.

For example you might have a scenario where a user logs in and attempts to use the Fiori Launchpad on Portal.  Upon doing so the User might be presented with a blank display and confusion quickly ensues. Let us firstly remember that the primary function of a Tile is to display content therefore the tile in true essence is an evolution of an iView holding the same purpose and demonstrating the same functionality.

Reproducing the Behavior (Missing Tiles) & Initial Troubleshooting Testing:

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Upon entering the Fiori Launchpad on Portal no Tiles are returned within the display.

If you encounter this blank display kindly check the following:

1. Login to the Enterprise Portal
2. http://<host>:<port>/portal
3. Navigate to the Fiori Launchpad on Portal
4. In the top left hand corner of the screen display there should be an option highlighted "Show Groups", select the button.
5. Then proceed to open the Catalog before returning to the homepage are the "Tiles" appearing now?
6. By performing these steps you are determine if the "Tiles" are set to "Default App" within the Home Page itself.
   

Now if the issue persists and the "Tiles" are still not displayed the next analysis steps and straightforward and simple and can be used as "pinpoint" root source analysis.

- Have you recently performed any upgrade/system changes which prompted this behavior to begin occurring?

- Is this issue occurring for each and every user/in all web browser platform types?
- Is this issue reproducible in all Portal Theme combinations?

The three queries posted above help fine-tune the analysis approach and can eliminate or re-focus analysis depending on findings.

Tiles & Catalogs - Missing

• Are you using Roles/Catalogs from the ABAP system?

If so an important point to highlight is to review the current authorization setup. If this is an authorization based scenario you need to ensure the inter-op profile authorization is maintained through navigating to Transaction PFCG.

• Then Select the necessary Tile/Catalog roles before assign them tot the user bases.

Patching

One point to always consider is the implementation of the latest Patch Level Release(s) as this is highly encouraged and often provides a means of resolution into easily avoidable issues. Many reported issues have been highlighted and covered within SAP Note: 2008931 - Known issues for Fiori Framework Page (FLP on Portal) which lists the latest Patches.

When patching scenarios it's also important to ensure the dependencies are met so no follow on issues are encountered as per:

• SAP Note: 1974464 - SMP: Information on SCA Dependency Analysis for Java download objects.

Reverting back to the Groups& Tiles not appearing when we are dealing with scenarios such as this ordinarily the root source resides is a small discrepancy with the configuration.

• In FLP scenarios iViews should be located in a container (Folder or Role).

The property 'Perspective' of this container should be set to 'Launcher' see also a SAP note #2093160 i.e. if your iViews are placed in Role/Folder called ‘Fiori’ please open the Role/Folder 'Fiori', Search a property 'Perspective' and set it to be 'Launcher' afterward 'save' and refresh the browser.

As we know configuration options used by the administrators determine a provision to end-users to hold various personalizing abilities for their home pages.

• Such personalizing abilities included the display or removal of Groups& Tiles is also a point of consideration here

The main switch Enable Personalization should be checked-in for other options to make an effect. If this option is switched off, in run-time there is no access to TileCatalog and personalization actions. Depending on the tile type if Dynamic server caching needs to be configured ( 2087348 - Enhancements in FLP on EP 7.31 SP16),

• Object ID of Device Group is the pivotal setting of interest

This can be checked through Category Assignment& Default App in Home Page.

• This setting should be maintained correctly via the utilization of semi colons.

Navigate to > Content Administration> Portal Content Management> Portal Catalog, select the iView> Open> Properties.

If the above checks return fine the subsequent recommendation would be to run and capture a trace after the issue has been reproduced. On some occasions missing tiles/groups are accompanied by an error exception which has brought about various documented Note fixes e.g. SAP Note: 2306532 - FLP@EP empty home page due to missing callLoadGroupsExtension is not a function error.

Try Fiori for Free (Trial)

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This blog is for portal end-users and administrators who would like to learn about the new features developed for FLP on EP, their added value, and the configuration required.

These features include the following:

iView configuration enhancements:

• Configurable iView/Page width
• Configurable SAP Fiori Borders for iViews/pages  (header and footer bars)
• Window feature property

FFP personalization enhancements:

• Show User Image
• Alphabetical sorting of tiles
• Remove of duplicate tiles
• Enabling Hide/show groups in the Homepage Options Menu
• Enabling Settingsas tile action for editing of EP tile properties in the Home page (tile personalization)
• Enabling Filtering by Tags in Tile Catalog
• Enabling Clear Personalization in the Homepage Options menu
• Enabling accessibility settings change in User Preferences item of the Homepage Options menu
• Theme change in User Preferences item of the Homepage Options menu (including HCB theme support)
• Search configuration in Tile Catalog and Home page

Homepage Update options:

• Automatic: User gets automatic updates automatics
• Manual updates: End user gets the updates using Options menu.
• Notification: End user gets a notification about an update on his homepage
• Never: End user will not get updates.

Navigation enhancements:

• Quick link
• Browser history support

FFP extensions

• Custom plugin enabling
• Extension points

Web IDE integration

The highlighted features are described below.

1 iView Properties Enhancements

1.1 Configurable iView/Page Width

The Open in Full Width property specifies whether an iView or page opens in the full width of the screen area or in a narrower width. Administrators can check-in the property:

And in run-time the layout will look as following:

If the property Open in Full Width is not checked, the page looks like this:

1.2 SAP Fiori Borders in iViews and Pages

SAP Fiori borders allow to enhance end-user experience with portal iViews and pages. Portal administrators can enable the following:

• Header bar - contains the iView/page title and a back button
• Footer bar - can contain the following UI elements:
  1. Related Links– end-users select this option to open a popup window with the related links
  2. Dynamic Navigation– end-users select this option to open a popup window with a dynamic navigation iView/page
  3. Save as Tile– end-users save an iView/page as a tile to the Home page.

To enable this feature, open an iView/page in Property editor and set the SAP Fiori Borders property:

Note

• For all iViews and pages except for SAPUI5 and SAP Fiori iViews, Header and footer bars is the default option.
• For SAPUI5 and SAP Fiori iViews, No header and footer bars is the default option.
• In the Launch in New Window property, select one of the following:
• Display in Portal Content Area
• Display in Separate Headerless Portal Window (standard mode).

SAP Fiori borders example:

2 Fiori Framework Page Configuration Enhancements

2.1       User Image Display

User image, uploaded in UME, can be shown or hidden in the Homepage header by configuring a new option in the Fiori Framework Page, Show User Images:

The Homepage for an end user will look like this:

2.2 Alphabetical sorting of tiles within a category:

This FFP configuration option determines whether tiles are sorted alphabetically by title within a category.

2.3 Remove Duplicate Tiles

An administrator can remove duplicate tiles, either in portal or remote content, using an option in Fiori Framework Page.

For the remote content only a single tile appears within a category when multiple tiles from remote content exist with identical title, subtitle, and intent.

2.4 Tile Personalization

If FFP personalization is enabled by administrators and Enable 'Settings' as Tile Action option is checked-in, end-users can change the tiles properties, such as name, subtitle and info text in run-time (the tiles should be representing an iView or page):

In the Settings pop-up an end-user can change the tile title, subtitle and info properties value, and immediately get a preview of the changes:

2.5 Clear Personalization Item in Option Menu

An administrator can show or hide Clear Personalization menu item for a Fiori Framework Page. With this item an end user can rollback all the changes that have been made to the home page.

2.6 Accessibility Settings in Homepage Options Menu

End users can now change accessibility settings by choosing an Options menu item User Preferences and then Accessibility:

An administrator can show or hide the Accessibility item by configuring in the Fiori Framework Page:

2.7 Theme Change Using User Preferences Option

An end-user can now choose the preferred theme using Options menu:

After Save is pressed the UI is refreshed and displayed in a new theme.

High-Contrast Black theme is available in the drop-down list:

3 Homepage Update Options

As an administrator, you can control the ability of end users to see the updates done for the iViews properties, role assignments and content, changes in administrative groups, i.e. the changes done by an administrator, which are affecting the end user’s homepage.

The control options are as following:

• Automatic update (default): on FFP loading the homepage will be updated without a warning. The performance is affected, hence this option is not recommended in production.

• Manual update: a menu item Check for updates appears in the Options menu. When clicking on it, an end user gets a pop-up with a summary of updates:

The updates can be viewed in details and either applied or not:

• Notifications for end users: provides a similar to manual updates pop-up on FFP loading:

A user can accept or defer the changes. The pop-up will come up until the changes are accepted. This is the recommended option as it has minimal impact on performance and gives the end user control on his homepage, while keeping it up-to-date with administrator’s changes.

Check for updates menu item is available in the Option menu as well.

• Never check for updates: this option means the user will not get any updates done by the administrator.

  Changes that administrators make to home page content do not overwrite end user personalization.

4 Navigation

4.1 Quick link for iView/Page

Administrators can configure quick links to iViews or pages in the Fiori Framework page (except for News iView):

In run time append a slash ( /<name> ) to the portal URL:

The quick links should be composed of letters, digits, hyphen (-), period (.), underscore (_) and tilde (~).

4.2 Browser History Support

An end user can now navigate between a launched application and the launchpad using the Web browser standard back and forward buttons.

5 Fiori Framework Page Extensions

5.1 Custom Plugin Enabling

The Fiori Framework Page core capabilities can be extended by enabling custom plugin to load when the SAP Fiori launchpad opens.

This allows the customers to extend the standard FLP functionality, with, for example, an additional action in Option menu, a custom footer, etc.

The extensions are activated by the following FFP configuration (details):

• Custom SAPUI5 Module Plugin Name
• Custom Plugin URL.

5.2 Extension Points

FFP extension points allow performing actions on FLP events, for example an action on tiles in catalog or home page before rendering.

The customers can extend the standard FLP functionality, with, for example, an additional action in Option menu, a custom action in a footer, etc.

These extensions can be used inside a custom bootstrap plugin in FFP (details).

6 Web IDE Integration

A plugin for SAP Web IDE enables a Web IDE app deployment to Enterprise Portal.

Prerequisites:

• A user has been subscribed to SAP Web IDE
• The required destination to the SAP Web IDE system is configured in SAP HANA Cloud Platform (details).

To learn more:

• What's New in Enterprise Portal 7.31 SPS18
• Portal 7.31 SPS18 Application Help
• 2031108 - SAP Fiori Integration with SAP Enterprise Portal - Central note
• 2261419 - Maintenance Strategy for FLP on Portal
• SAP Web Dispatcher