Adapting Technical Catalogs

Let's watch the video to learn about the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager.

With the introduction of the SAP Fiori launchpad application manager (FLPAM), catalog types were also introduced. Until then, business and technical catalogs were just semantic interpretations of SAP Fiori catalogs. These are now called none-typed catalogs, defining tiles and target mappings per client (customizing) or cross-client (configuration). The transport object type is Web Dynpro Component Configuration (WDCC) and the according tool is the SAP Fiori launchpad designer (FLPD).

Before the introduction of catalog types, only the back-end catalog differed in its structure on a technical level, by defining app descriptors instead of separated tiles and target mappings. Back-end catalogs are always cross-client (configuration) and are available since SAP_UI 7.51. The transport object type is User Interface App Descriptors (UIAD) tagged with the catalog name, and the corresponding tool is the Mass Maintenance for App Descriptors.

With SAP_UI 7.55 SP01, most technical catalogs are standard catalogs. They are always cross-client (configuration) and define app descriptors instead of separated tiles and target mappings. The transport object type is User Interface App Catalog (UIAC) consisting of User Interface App Descriptors (UIAD) and the according tool is the FLPAM. UIAC is a development object visible in development tools (ADT, SE80) making it easier to find and organize catalogs, for example, in transport requests. Therefore, it is recommend using standard catalogs as soon as possible.

Although also introduced with SAP_UI 7.55 SP01, replicable catalogs were reserved for use in a future release then. They are nearly identical to standard catalogs (UIAC with UIAD in FLPAM) but are replicable like the back-end catalogs. With SAP_UI 7.58, the replicable catalogs were deprecated. There are still some delivered by SAP, but it is no longer possible to create new ones.

In parallel to catalog types, application types were introduced as cross-client setting. In an embedded deployment, all application types are allowed in technical catalogs. In a central hub deployment, standard catalogs consist of SAPUI5 Fiori apps (for BTP), URL apps, and tiles without target mappings in the front-end server (FES). Back-end catalogs in the back-end server (BES) consist of Web Dynpro ABAP applications, WebClient UI applications, and ABAP transactions. The transaction /UI2/APPDESC_GET in the FES is used to replicate back-end catalogs from BES as remote catalogs to the FES.

Catalog and application types are defined cross-client via the implementation guide. Transaction /UI2/CUST can be used to access the UI parts of the implementation guide directly. For an embedded deployment, it is recommended not to define any application type. This allows the use of any application type in technical catalogs.

For an embedded deployment, Standard Catalog is recommended as the only catalog type. This means, only standard catalogs can be defined in the FLPAM. When setting Standard Catalog and Replicable Catalog, FLPAM offers the catalog types as a dropdown during creation.

The adaptation mode in the FLPAM allows you to make (limited) adaptations in the launchpad app descriptor items (LADI) of SAP-delivered technical catalogs. The changes are directly available in all references in business catalogs.

Switching to the adaptation mode adds the Adaptation tab to the details of a LADI. Enlarge the tab and choose Edit: You can now select the Adapt checkbox for each property you want and enter your adaptation in the input field behind. Adapted values can be translated using the SE63.

By using the transaction /UI2/FLPAM_ADAPT or the suitable tile in the SAP_BASIS_BC_UI_FLA catalog, the FLPAM can be started directly in the adaptation mode. This may come in handy if users should only be allowed to adapt, but not to change or create technical catalogs.