IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Services and service-related functions > Access external services with adapters > Configure and using adapters > IBM WebSphere Adapters > SAP Software > SAP interfaces
The BAPI result set interface
The WebSphere Adapter for SAP Software supports outbound processing for BAPI result sets. In outbound processing, client applications call BAPIs and other RFC-enabled functions on the SAP server.
BAPI result set interface
BAPI result sets use the GetList and GetDetail functions to retrieve an array of data from the SAP server. The information returned from the GetList function is used as input to the GetDetail function.
For example, if you want to retrieve information about a set of customers, you use BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST, which acts as the query BAPI, and BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETDETAIL, which acts as the result BAPI. The BAPIs perform the following steps:
- The BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST call returns a list of keys (for example, CustomerNumber).
- Each key is mapped dynamically to the business object for BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETDETAIL.
- BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETDETAIL is processed multiple times, so that an array of customer information is returned.
You use the external service wizard to discover the BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST and BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETDETAIL functions and to build the key relationship between the two BAPIs. The wizard then generate business object definitions for these BAPIs along with other SCA service artifacts. At run time, the client sets the values in the BAPI_CUSTOMER_GETLIST business object, and the adapter returns the corresponding set of customer detail records from the SAP server.
- Outbound processing for the BAPI result set interface
In BAPI result set outbound processing, a client application sends a request to the SAP server. Processing is handled synchronously (the client application waits for a response from the SAP server).- Business object structure for a BAPI result set
The top-level business object for a result set is a wrapper that contains a GetDetail business object. The GetDetail business object contains the results of a query for SAP data. The GetDetail business object also contains, as a child object, the query business object. The query business object represents a GetList BAPI. These two BAPIs work together to retrieve information from the SAP server.