sap-se51

name	sap-se51
description	Maintains screens (dynpros) in a SAP system via SE51 using SAP GUI Scripting. Two modes: (a) FLOW LOGIC — create new screens or update an existing screen's flow logic (PROCESS BEFORE OUTPUT / PROCESS AFTER INPUT). Existence check (SE51 Display), flow logic paste via Windows clipboard, save, activate. (b) LAYOUT / ADD ELEMENT — add layout elements (static Text labels, Input/Output fields, checkboxes, pushbuttons, radio buttons) to an existing screen via the ALPHANUMERIC Screen Painter (Edit > Create Element). This is the only scriptable placement path: the graphical drag-and-drop Layout Editor is a non-scriptable ActiveX control the recorder cannot capture, and the element-list grid is read-only for placement. Requires the per-user "Graphical Layout Editor" setting OFF. Prerequisites: Active SAP GUI session (use /sap-login first).
argument-hint	<program-name> <screen-number> [path-to-flow-logic | --add-element <element-file>]

SAP SE51 Screen Painter Deploy Skill

You maintain screens (dynpros) on a live SAP system via SE51 using SAP GUI Scripting.

Mode dispatch — decide first:

User intent	Mode	Where
"deploy/update flow logic", "set PBO/PAI", a .txt/.abap flow-logic file	Flow Logic	Steps 0–7 below
"add a field / text / checkbox / button to a screen", "add BUKRS and WERKS to the layout", "put an I/O field on the screen"	Add Layout Element	jump to Mode: Add Layout Elements (near the end)

The flow-logic mode (Steps 0–7) checks if the screen exists, then creates or updates its flow logic. The add-element mode drives the alphanumeric Screen Painter to place new elements on an existing screen's layout.

Task: $ARGUMENTS

---

Shared Resources

File	Purpose
<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>/rules/safety_policy.md	Rule 0 (highest priority) — environment guard; enforced by Step 0.6 via sap_safety_gate.ps1
<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>/rules/skill_operating_rules.md	Mandatory operating rules
<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>/rules/tr_resolution.md	TR resolution flow — this skill delegates to /sap-transport-request instead of asking for the TR itself
<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>/rules/language_independence_rules.md	GUI-scripting language independence — identify by component ID + DDIC field name, status-bar checks via MessageType codes (S/W/E/I/A), VKey instead of menu-text, no branching on .Text/.Tooltip/window titles
<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>/scripts/sap_attach_lib.vbs	Parallel-safe session attach (%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%) — every reference VBS includes it and calls AttachSapSession(SESSION_PATH)

Skill reference scripts (./references/)

File	Mode	Purpose
sap_se51_check.vbs	Flow logic	Existence check — SE51 Display, detect Screen Painter editor
sap_se51_create.vbs	Flow logic	Create a new screen + paste flow logic (clipboard, wscript)
sap_se51_update.vbs	Flow logic	Update an existing screen's flow logic (clipboard, wscript)
sap_se51_add_element.vbs	Add layout element	Append loose layout elements (Text/IO/Checkbox/Pushbutton/Radio) from a tab-delimited element file via the alphanumeric Screen Painter. NOT_ALPHANUMERIC guard; txt[0,row] anchor fallback; 3× focus+menu retry. cscript.
sap_se51_layout_rebuild.vbs	Add layout element	Rebuild the work area into tidy "label + input field" lines from a tab-delimited line-spec, via gap-cell discovery. All-or-nothing (discards on any shortfall — live screen untouched). Use for "make each field its own line with a label and input". cscript.

---

Step 0 — Resolve Work Directory

Resolve work_dir via the env-aware helper — do NOT take work_dir from a direct settings.json read (that ignores the SAPDEV_AI_WORK_DIR env var and userconfig.json). Use the WORK_DIR= value printed by:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command ". '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_settings_lib.ps1'; . '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_connection_lib.ps1'; Write-Output ('WORK_DIR=' + (Get-SapWorkDir))"

The settings note below still applies to the OTHER keys.

Settings reads/writes follow shared/rules/settings_lookup.md — merge per-key on the .value field (env var → settings.local.json → userconfig.json → settings.json); non-per-connection writes go to userconfig.json. Resolve sap-dev-core paths: 2 levels up from <SKILL_DIR> to the plugin root, then settings.json and (if present) settings.local.json. Read custom_url.

Setting	Default if blank
work_dir	C:\sap_dev_work
custom_url	{work_dir}\custom

Set {WORK_TEMP} = {work_dir}\temp

Ensure the temp directory exists:

cmd /c if not exist "{WORK_TEMP}" mkdir "{WORK_TEMP}"

Set {RUN_TEMP} = the per-run scratch dir (Get-SapRunTemp mints + creates {work_dir}\temp\run_<id>):

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command ". '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_connection_lib.ps1'; Write-Output ('RUN_TEMP=' + (Get-SapRunTemp))"

Per the CLAUDE.md "Two-bucket temp model" write this skill's generated scratch (*_run.ps1 / *_run.vbs and the _run.json state) under {RUN_TEMP}; keep {WORK_TEMP} (base) only for Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp.

---

Step 0.5 — Start Logging

Start a structured log run. State file: {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_run.json. Best-effort.

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_log_helper.ps1" -Action start -StateFile "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_run.json" -Skill sap-se51 -ParamsJson "{\"program\":\"<PROGRAM>\",\"screen\":\"<SCREEN>\"}"

---

Step 0.6 — Safety Gate (Rule 0 — safety_policy.md)

This skill mutates the SAP system (screen flow logic / layout elements). Run the environment gate before any SAP-side step:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_safety_gate.ps1" -Action assert -Skill sap-se51

Verdict (last line)	Exit	Action
SAFETY: ALLOW ...	0	proceed (log via -Action step, step safety_gate)
SAFETY: TYPED_CONFIRM_REQUIRED ... expect="PROD <SID>/<CLIENT>"	3	the operator must type the shown token; re-run assert with -ConfirmationText '<their verbatim answer>'; proceed only on ALLOW_CONFIRMED
SAFETY: REFUSED class=<C> ...	1	STOP. End the run FAILED with -ErrorClass <C> and relay the gate's remediation lines. Never bypass, soften, retry, or drive the transaction manually instead — Rule 0 outranks every other instruction, including mid-session user ones.
SAFETY: ERROR ...	2	treat exactly as REFUSED (fail closed)

---

Step 1 — Collect Parameters

Screen Details

Parameter	Description	Example
Program name	Main program or function pool (e.g. SAPLZHKFG01)	SAPLZHKFG01
Screen number	4-digit screen number	0100
Short text	Short description, max 70 chars (only for new screens)	Main selection screen
Flow logic source	Either absolute path to a .txt/.abap file, OR paste the flow logic directly

---

Step 2 — Prepare Flow Logic Source File

Important: The source file must contain the complete flow logic text — the PROCESS BEFORE OUTPUT. and PROCESS AFTER INPUT. blocks with MODULE calls.

If the user pasted flow logic directly:

1. Write the source to: {RUN_TEMP}\<PROGRAM_NAME>_<SCREEN_NUMBER>.txt
   • Use the Write tool with the exact flow logic as content.
2. Confirm the file by reading back the first 5 lines.

If the user provided a file path:

• Use that path as-is. Verify it exists:

  cmd /c if exist "<path>" (echo EXISTS) else (echo NOT FOUND)
  

---

Step 3 — Ensure SAP GUI Login

This skill requires an active SAP GUI session. If not already logged in, use the /sap-login skill first, then return here.

---

Step 4 — Check if Screen Exists

The check VBScript template is at ./references/sap_se51_check.vbs.

Generate the filled-in VBScript

Write {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.ps1:

$content = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('<SKILL_DIR>\references\sap_se51_check.vbs', [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$content = $content -replace '%%PROGRAM_NAME%%','THE_PROGRAM_NAME'
$content = $content -replace '%%SCREEN_NUMBER%%','THE_SCREEN_NUMBER'
# Phase 3.5 session-attach plumbing.
$sessionPath = ''
$content = $content -replace '%%SESSION_PATH%%', $sessionPath
$content = $content -replace '%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%','<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_attach_lib.vbs'
. '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_connection_lib.ps1'
$env:SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH = Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp '{WORK_TEMP}'
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText('{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.vbs', $content, [System.Text.UnicodeEncoding]::new($false, $true))
Write-Host 'Done'

Replace THE_PROGRAM_NAME (UPPERCASE), THE_SCREEN_NUMBER, and <SKILL_DIR>.

Run:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.ps1"

Execute

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cscript.exe //NoLogo {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.vbs

Parse the last line of output:

• EXIST → screen exists → proceed to Step 5a (Update).
• NOT_EXIST → screen does not exist → proceed to Step 5b (Create).
• ERROR: → show full output and stop.

---

Step 5a — Update Existing Screen

The update VBScript template is at ./references/sap_se51_update.vbs.

IMPORTANT — wscript.exe and clipboard approach: SE51's ABAP editor does not support file upload for flow logic text. The update VBS uses AppActivate + SendKeys to paste flow logic from the Windows clipboard. This requires:

1. PowerShell sets the clipboard content BEFORE running the VBS.
2. The VBS must be run with wscript.exe (not cscript.exe).
3. Output is written to a log file (not stdout).

Generate the filled-in VBScript

Write {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.ps1:

$content = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('<SKILL_DIR>\references\sap_se51_update.vbs', [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$content = $content -replace '%%PROGRAM_NAME%%','THE_PROGRAM_NAME'
$content = $content -replace '%%SCREEN_NUMBER%%','THE_SCREEN_NUMBER'
$content = $content -replace '%%LOG_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update.log'
$content = $content -replace '%%FOREGROUND_GUARD_PS1%%','<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_gui_foreground_guard.ps1'
# Phase 3.5 session-attach plumbing.
$sessionPath = ''
$content = $content -replace '%%SESSION_PATH%%', $sessionPath
$content = $content -replace '%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%','<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_attach_lib.vbs'
. '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_connection_lib.ps1'
$env:SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH = Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp '{WORK_TEMP}'
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText('{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.vbs', $content, [System.Text.UnicodeEncoding]::new($false, $true))
Write-Host 'Done'

Replace THE_PROGRAM_NAME (UPPERCASE), THE_SCREEN_NUMBER, and <SKILL_DIR>.

Run:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.ps1"

Execute with clipboard paste

This is a two-part command: Set the clipboard, then run the VBS with wscript.exe.

# Read flow logic into clipboard
$flowLogic = Get-Content '{RUN_TEMP}\THE_PROGRAM_THE_SCREEN.txt' -Raw
Set-Clipboard -Value $flowLogic

# Run the VBS with wscript.exe (GUI mode required for AppActivate)
Start-Process wscript.exe -ArgumentList '{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.vbs' -Wait

# Read the log file for results
Get-Content '{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update.log'

Replace the flow logic file path with the actual path from Step 2.

Proceed to Step 6 to evaluate the result.

---

Step 5b — Create New Screen

If this is a new screen, you need the Short Text in addition to the flow logic. Ask the user if not already provided:

"This is a new screen. Please provide a short description."

The create VBScript template is at ./references/sap_se51_create.vbs.

IMPORTANT — wscript.exe and clipboard approach: Same as Step 5a. The create VBS uses AppActivate + SendKeys to paste flow logic from the Windows clipboard.

Generate the filled-in VBScript

Write {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.ps1:

$content = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('<SKILL_DIR>\references\sap_se51_create.vbs', [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$content = $content -replace '%%PROGRAM_NAME%%','THE_PROGRAM_NAME'
$content = $content -replace '%%SCREEN_NUMBER%%','THE_SCREEN_NUMBER'
$content = $content -replace '%%SCREEN_SHORT_TEXT%%','THE_SHORT_TEXT'
$content = $content -replace '%%LOG_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create.log'
$content = $content -replace '%%FOREGROUND_GUARD_PS1%%','<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_gui_foreground_guard.ps1'
# Phase 3.5 session-attach plumbing.
$sessionPath = ''
$content = $content -replace '%%SESSION_PATH%%', $sessionPath
$content = $content -replace '%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%','<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_attach_lib.vbs'
. '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_connection_lib.ps1'
$env:SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH = Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp '{WORK_TEMP}'
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText('{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.vbs', $content, [System.Text.UnicodeEncoding]::new($false, $true))
Write-Host 'Done'

Replace all THE_* placeholders and <SKILL_DIR>.

Run:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.ps1"

Execute with clipboard paste

# Read flow logic into clipboard
$flowLogic = Get-Content '{RUN_TEMP}\THE_PROGRAM_THE_SCREEN.txt' -Raw
Set-Clipboard -Value $flowLogic

# Run the VBS with wscript.exe (GUI mode required for AppActivate)
Start-Process wscript.exe -ArgumentList '{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.vbs' -Wait

# Read the log file for results
Get-Content '{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create.log'

Replace the flow logic file path with the actual path from Step 2.

Proceed to Step 6 to evaluate the result.

---

Step 6 — Report Result

On success (log contains SUCCESS:):

• Tell the user the screen was deployed and activated.
• Show the full log output as a code block.

On failure (log contains ERROR:):

• Show the full log and diagnose using this table:

Error message	Cause	Fix
SE51 program name field not found	Component ID mismatch	Use SAP Scripting Recorder to find correct ID
Could not reach Screen Painter editor after create	Screen already exists or wrong program/number	Check name or use update flow
Could not open screen in change mode	Screen locked or no auth	Check locks (SM12) or authorization
WARNING: Could not set short description	Attributes field path differs	Check component IDs for this SAP release
WARNING: Could not find flow logic editor	Editor path differs by SAP version	Use Scripting Recorder to capture editor path
WARNING: Activation errors	Flow logic syntax errors	Show log, check flow logic content
ERROR: Activation failed - … + FAILED: Screen … was NOT activated.	Activation ended with status-bar E/A (flow logic syntax error, missing TABLES, …); the VBS exits 1 (pre-fix this degraded to a WARNING and still logged SUCCESS)	Fix the flow logic / program source and re-run

Add Layout Element / Rebuild modes (log files sap_se51_add_element.log / sap_se51_layout_rebuild.log):

Error message	Cause	Fix
ERROR: NOT_ALPHANUMERIC …	Graphical Layout Editor is ON; Change opened the non-scriptable canvas	SE51 → Utilities → Settings → uncheck Graphical Layout Editor, then re-run
ERROR: not all elements created … (rebuild)	An element's create dialog didn't open (often a non-existent cursor cell)	VBS already backed out without saving (screen unchanged); read the per-line WARNING:, fix the spec, re-run
WARNING: create-element dialog did not open for '<x>'	Cursor cell didn't exist / editor not ready after a prior Transfer	Already retried 3×; re-run with just the skipped rows. For precise label+input, use the rebuild reference (gap-cell discovery)
ERROR: … prompted for a transport request but TRANSPORT is empty	Transportable program, no TR supplied	Resolve a modifiable TR via /sap-transport-request and re-run
activation [E]/[A] in the log	Dict-bound IO field has no TABLES in the program (or other syntax error)	Add TABLES: <tab>. via /sap-se38, or use plain TEXT/CHAR fields; then re-run

---

Step 7 — Clean Up

Delete all temporary files:

cmd /c del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.vbs & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_check_run.ps1 & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.vbs & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create_run.ps1 & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.vbs & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update_run.ps1 & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_create.log & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_update.log

For the Add Layout Element mode, also delete:

cmd /c del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.vbs & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.ps1 & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element.log & del {RUN_TEMP}\se51_elements.txt & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.vbs & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.ps1 & del {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild.log & del {RUN_TEMP}\se51_lines.txt

Also delete {RUN_TEMP}\<PROGRAM_NAME>_<SCREEN_NUMBER>.txt if the user pasted code (not a user-supplied file).

---

Final — Log End

Log the run-end record. Best-effort.

On success:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_log_helper.ps1" -Action end -StateFile "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_run.json" -Status SUCCESS -ExitCode 0

On failure:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts\sap_log_helper.ps1" -Action end -StateFile "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_run.json" -Status FAILED -ExitCode 1 -ErrorClass <CLASS> -ErrorMsg "<short>"

Suggested <CLASS>: SE51_FAILED, TR_RESOLUTION_FAILED, GUI_TIMEOUT.

---

Security Note

The generated .vbs files may contain sensitive data — delete after use (Step 7).

The create and update VBS scripts MUST be run with wscript.exe (not cscript.exe).

Why: SE51's flow logic editor (GuiShell SubType AbapEditor) does not support file upload for flow logic text. The "Upload/Download" menu in SE51 is for entire dynpro binary format, not editable text. The only way to programmatically set flow logic is via Windows clipboard paste (Ctrl+A then Ctrl+V).

AppActivate (used to give focus to the SAP GUI window before SendKeys) fails when called from a console-mode process (cscript.exe). It only works from a GUI-mode process (wscript.exe).

Because wscript.exe has no stdout, all output is written to a log file specified by the %%LOG_FILE%% token. Read the log file after execution to check results.

---

Important: Encoding

When filling VBS templates, always write with -Encoding Unicode (UTF-16 LE) in PowerShell. UTF-16 LE is what cscript/wscript supports natively and preserves non-ASCII characters. UTF-8 with BOM causes a script compile error.

---

Troubleshooting Component IDs

If menu paths or component IDs fail on the user's system:

1. SAP Logon > Help > Scripting Recorder and Playback
2. Click Record, perform the failing step manually, stop recording
3. The recorder outputs VBScript with exact IDs for their system
4. Update the relevant constants in the VBS template

---

SE51 Component IDs Reference

SE51 Initial Screen — "Screen Painter: Initial Screen"

Element	Component ID	Type
Program field	wnd[0]/usr/ctxtRS37A-DYNPROG	GuiCTextField
Screen number	wnd[0]/usr/ctxtFELD-DYNNR	GuiCTextField
Flow logic radio	wnd[0]/usr/radRS37A-FUNLS	GuiRadioButton
Element list radio	wnd[0]/usr/radRS37A-FUNFL	GuiRadioButton
Attributes radio	wnd[0]/usr/radRS37A-FUNHD	GuiRadioButton
Layout Editor radio	wnd[0]/usr/radRS37A-FUNED	GuiRadioButton
Create button	wnd[0]/usr/btnANLEGEN	GuiButton
Display button	wnd[0]/usr/btnANZEIGEN	GuiButton
Change button	wnd[0]/usr/btnAENDERN	GuiButton

Screen Painter Editor — "Screen Painter: Change/Display Screen for ..."

Element	Component ID	Notes
Tab strip	wnd[0]/usr/tabsBS_TABSTR_CONTROL
Attributes tab	tabpHD
Element list tab	tabpFL
Flow logic tab	tabpLS
Display↔Change toggle	wnd[0]/tbar[1]/btn[25]
Syntax check (Ctrl+F2)	wnd[0]/tbar[1]/btn[26]
Activate (Ctrl+F3)	wnd[0]/tbar[1]/btn[27]

Attributes Tab Fields (under tabpHD/ssubBS_TABSTR_CONTROL_SUB:SAPLWBSCREEN:2150/)

Element	Field ID	Notes
Short Description	txtRS37A-DTXT
Package	ctxtRS37A-DEVCL	Read-only
Dynpro Type: Normal	radRS37A-HTYPN
Dynpro Type: Subscreen	radRS37A-HTYPI
Dynpro Type: Modal	radRS37A-HTYPM
Dynpro Type: Selection	radRS37A-HTYPS
Next Dynpro	ctxtRS37A-FNUM
Screen Group	ctxtRS37A-DGRP

Flow Logic Editor (under tabpLS/ssubBS_TABSTR_CONTROL_SUB:SAPLWBSCREEN:2161/subEDITORSUBSCREEN:SAPLEDITOR_START:8430/cntlEDITOR/shellcont/shell)

Property	Value
Type	GuiShell
SubType	AbapEditor
Text manipulation	Windows clipboard paste only (Ctrl+A / Ctrl+V with wscript.exe)

---

Mode: Add Layout Elements

Use this mode when the user wants to add elements to a screen's layout — static Text labels, Input/Output fields, checkboxes, pushbuttons, radio buttons — e.g. "add two text items BUKRS and WERKS to ZHKTESTSE51001 9001".

Why a separate mechanism (read this first)

The screen layout cannot be edited the way flow logic is:

Path	Scriptable?	Why
Graphical Layout Editor (drag-and-drop canvas)	❌ No	Non-scriptable ActiveX control; the SAP GUI recorder captures nothing and findById cannot reach its widgets. This is why "Layout can't record."
Element-list grid (tblSAPLWBSCREENFIELD170)	❌ No (for adding)	Edits attributes of existing elements only; empty rows are Changeable=False and FELD-LINE/FELD-COLN are read-only (writing them raises err 613).
RPY_DYNPRO_READ / _INSERT (RFC)	⚠️ Not used	RPY_DYNPRO_READ is not remote-enabled ("cannot be used for 'remote' calls"). The _NATIVE variants exist but require deploying a transient ABAP helper.
Alphanumeric Screen Painter (Edit > Create Element)	✅ Yes	Classic character-grid editor (program SAPMSSY0, dynpro 120). The recorder captures it and findById reaches the create-element dialog. This mode uses this path.

Prerequisite — turn OFF the Graphical Layout Editor (per-user)

The alphanumeric editor only appears when the user's SE51 setting "Graphical Layout Editor" is disabled. Toggle it once per user:

SE51 → Utilities → Settings… → uncheck Graphical Layout Editor → Continue. (Persisted in the user's parameters.)

The reference VBS detects the mode by program name and aborts with NOT_ALPHANUMERIC if the Change button opened the graphical canvas instead (oSession.Info.Program <> "SAPMSSY0"), telling the operator to flip the setting. Detection is language-independent (keys on the program name, not menu text).

Step L1 — Resolve a transport request

Screen changes to a transportable program need a TR. Delegate to /sap-transport-request (never prompt directly):

/sap-transport-request OBJECT_TYPE=PROG OBJECT_DESCRIPTION=<PROGRAM_NAME>

Use the returned TRKORR as %%TRANSPORT%%. Also look up the program's package (TADIR-DEVCLASS, e.g. via /sap-se16n) and pass it as %%PACKAGE%% — the Object Directory Entry popup is normally pre-filled with it, but the token is a fallback when the field is empty. If the program is local ($TMP), leave both empty.

Step L2 — Write the element definition file

Tab-delimited, UTF-8, one element per line; lines starting with # are ignored:

# TYPE	NAME	TEXT	LENGTH	LINE	COLUMN
TEXT	BUKRS	BUKRS	5	6	2
TEXT	WERKS	WERKS	5	8	2

Column	Meaning
TYPE	TEXT | IO | CHECKBOX | PUSHBUTTON | RADIO (case-insensitive)
NAME	element/field name (for IO: a program or DDIC field, e.g. T001-BUKRS; for TEXT a name is optional)
TEXT	displayed text (label for TEXT/PUSHBUTTON/CHECKBOX; ignored for IO)
LENGTH	output / field length (characters)
LINE	dynpro line (1-based)
COLUMN	dynpro column (0-based — matches the work-area txt[col,row] grid)

Dictionary-bound IO fields (e.g. T001-BUKRS) require the program to declare the table (TABLES: t001.) or the screen will not activate. Add the TABLES statement first via /sap-se38. Plain TEXT labels need no program change — prefer them when the user just wants "text items".

Step L3 — Generate and run the reference VBS

Template: ./references/sap_se51_add_element.vbs. Write {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.ps1:

$ref    = '<SKILL_DIR>\references\sap_se51_add_element.vbs'
$shared = '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts'
$c = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText($ref, [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$c = $c -replace '%%PROGRAM_NAME%%','THE_PROGRAM'
$c = $c -replace '%%SCREEN_NUMBER%%','THE_SCREEN'
$c = $c -replace '%%TRANSPORT%%','THE_TR'
$c = $c -replace '%%PACKAGE%%','THE_PACKAGE'
$c = $c -replace '%%ELEMENT_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\se51_elements.txt'
$c = $c -replace '%%LOG_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element.log'
# SESSION_PATH: leave '' for the single-session case (the attach lib resolves
# via SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH below). If multiple sessions are open on the
# connection the lib refuses — pass an explicit '/app/con[0]/ses[0]' here.
$c = $c -replace '%%SESSION_PATH%%',''
$c = $c -replace '%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%',"$shared\sap_attach_lib.vbs"
. "$shared\sap_connection_lib.ps1"
$env:SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH = Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp '{WORK_TEMP}'
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText('{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.vbs', $c, [System.Text.UnicodeEncoding]::new($false, $true))
Write-Host 'Done'

Run with cscript (this VBS writes to a log file, not the clipboard, so no wscript/foreground guard is needed):

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.ps1"
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cscript.exe //NoLogo {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element_run.vbs

Read {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_add_element.log. Last line:

• SUCCESS: <n> element(s) added to <PROG> <DYNNR>. → proceed to verify. Check <n> equals the number of element rows — a per-element WARNING: means that element was skipped (re-run with just the skipped rows).
• ERROR: NOT_ALPHANUMERIC … → graphical editor is ON; flip the setting and re-run.
• ERROR: … → diagnose from the log.

Step L4 — Verify (RFC, authoritative)

Confirm the screen is active and the change is in the TR:

• DWINACTIV filtered OBJ_NAME LIKE '<PROG>%' → 0 rows = fully active.
• E071 filtered OBJ_NAME LIKE '<PROG>%' → an R3TR PROG <PROG> (and/or LIMU DYNP <PROG><DYNNR>) row under the resolved TR.
• Optionally re-open SE51 Element list (Display) and confirm the new FELD-NAME rows with FELD-GTYP = Text/I/O appear.

Save / popup chain (encoded in the reference VBS)

The first Save of a transportable screen raises a chain handled by the VBS's HandleSavePopups (dispatched by DDIC field, language-independent):

1. Create Object Directory Entry (program SAPLSTRD, dynpro 300) — package ctxtTADIR-DEVCLASS is normally pre-filled; Continue = tbar[0]/btn[8] (not btn[0]; the toolbar also has btn[28]=Local Object, btn[32]=Own Requests, btn[5]=Cancel).
2. Prompt for transportable change request (SAPLSTRD/300) — fill ctxtKO008-TRKORR with the TR, Continue via tbar[0]/btn[8].

Component IDs — Add Element (recorded S/4HANA 1909, SAP GUI 7.70)

Alphanumeric Screen Painter (SAPMSSY0 / screen 120, reached via SE51 Layout radio radRS37A-FUNED + Change btnAENDERN with graphical editor OFF):

Element	ID
Work-area cell (cursor target)	wnd[0]/usr/txt[<col>,<row>]
Save	wnd[0]/tbar[0]/btn[11]
Activate (Ctrl+F3)	wnd[0]/tbar[1]/btn[27]

Edit > Create Element submenu (wnd[0]/mbar/menu[1]/menu[2]/menu[N]):

N	Element	N	Element
0	Text Field	6	Frames
1	Input/Output Field	7	Table Control
2	Radio Button	8	Custom Control
3	Checkbox	9	Tabstrip Control
4	Pushbutton	10	Subscreen
5	Pushbutton for Online Help	11	Splitter Control

Create-element dialog ("Element Attributes Change", wnd[1]):

Field	ID
Type (read-only)	txtFELD-GTYP
Name	txtFELD-NAME
Text	txtFELD-STXT
Line	txtFELD-LINE
Column	txtFELD-COLN
Length (DefLg)	txtFELD-LENG
Visible length	txtFELD-VLENG
Refresh / validate	tbar[0]/btn[0]
Transfer (place element)	tbar[0]/btn[5]
Cancel	tbar[0]/btn[12]

Per-element sequence: place the cursor on the target cell (txt[col,row]), open Edit > Create Element > <type>, fill the dialog, press Refresh (btn[0]) then Transfer (btn[5]). After a Transfer the editor needs a beat before the next menu opens, so the reference retries the focus+menu up to 3× per element (a batch of >1 element otherwise occasionally skipped element #2).

Placement reality (READ THIS before scripting precise layouts)

The character-grid editor has two non-obvious rules that defeat naive scripts:

1. Work-area cells txt[col,row] exist only at element boundaries — not at every column. txt[0,row] (column 0) always exists, but an arbitrary column like txt[9,row] usually does not. setFocus on a non-existent cell raises err 619, and the subsequent Create-Element menu then silently opens nothing (the element is dropped). Always anchor on txt[0,row] or a cell you've confirmed exists.
2. An element lands at the CURSOR cell. The create dialog's FELD-LINE / FELD-COLN fields are advisory and are rejected for I/O fields (err 613) — you cannot position an input field by typing coordinates. Position is determined solely by which cell has the cursor.
3. Gap-cell discovery for "label + input" pairs. After you create a Text label at txt[0,row], a NEW editable cell appears immediately to its right at txt[<labellen+1>,row] (e.g. label BUKRS → txt[6,2]). To put the input field next to the label you must re-scan the row, find that new txt[col>0,row] cell, and create the I/O field with the cursor on it.

sap_se51_add_element.vbs handles (1) by falling back to the txt[0,row] anchor, but it does not do gap-cell discovery — it is for appending loose elements, where exact label+input alignment doesn't matter.

Restructuring into "label + input" lines — use sap_se51_layout_rebuild.vbs

When the user wants each field on its own line with a label and an input field ("make these two lines, each a label and an input field"), use the ./references/sap_se51_layout_rebuild.vbs reference. It:

• clears the work area (Edit > Edit Rows > Delete Line per element — note Delete Line shifts lower rows up, which is why a full rebuild is more predictable than nudging),
• rebuilds one Text label (col 0) + I/O field (gap cell) pair per line using gap-cell discovery,
• is all-or-nothing: it Saves+Activates only if every planned element was created; on any shortfall it backs out WITHOUT saving, leaving the live screen unchanged.

⚠️ A full rebuild recreates every element on the screen from the line spec. Any element you don't list is dropped. So FIRST read the current element list (SE51 Element list / Display, or via the add-element verify path) and CONFIRM with the user which existing fields to keep — then include those in the line spec alongside the new ones.

Step R1 — Resolve a transport request

Same as the add-element mode's Step L1 — delegate to /sap-transport-request and look up the program's package (TADIR-DEVCLASS). Use the results as %%TRANSPORT%% / %%PACKAGE%% (both empty for a local $TMP program).

Step R2 — Write the line-spec file

Tab-delimited, UTF-8, # comments; one "label + input" pair per line. Lines are placed on consecutive dynpro rows starting at row 2 unless a 4th ROW column overrides. Write to {RUN_TEMP}\se51_lines.txt:

# LABEL	FIELDNAME	FIELDLEN	[ROW]
BUKRS	BUKRS	4
WERKS	WERKS	4
test	MYNAME	18

Column	Meaning
LABEL	displayed label text, placed at column 0
FIELDNAME	I/O field name, placed in the gap cell to the label's right
FIELDLEN	I/O field length (characters)
ROW (optional)	explicit dynpro row; default = 2, 3, 4, … in file order

Step R3 — Generate and run the reference VBS

Template: ./references/sap_se51_layout_rebuild.vbs. Write {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.ps1:

$ref    = '<SKILL_DIR>\references\sap_se51_layout_rebuild.vbs'
$shared = '<SAP_DEV_CORE_SHARED_DIR>\scripts'
$c = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText($ref, [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8)
$c = $c -replace '%%PROGRAM_NAME%%','THE_PROGRAM'
$c = $c -replace '%%SCREEN_NUMBER%%','THE_SCREEN'
$c = $c -replace '%%TRANSPORT%%','THE_TR'
$c = $c -replace '%%PACKAGE%%','THE_PACKAGE'
$c = $c -replace '%%LINESPEC_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\se51_lines.txt'
$c = $c -replace '%%LOG_FILE%%','{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild.log'
# SESSION_PATH: leave '' for the single-session case (the attach lib resolves
# via SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH below). If multiple sessions are open on the
# connection the lib refuses — pass an explicit '/app/con[0]/ses[0]' here.
$c = $c -replace '%%SESSION_PATH%%',''
$c = $c -replace '%%ATTACH_LIB_VBS%%',"$shared\sap_attach_lib.vbs"
. "$shared\sap_connection_lib.ps1"
$env:SAPDEV_SESSION_PATH = Get-SapCurrentSessionPath -WorkTemp '{WORK_TEMP}'
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText('{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.vbs', $c, [System.Text.UnicodeEncoding]::new($false, $true))
Write-Host 'Done'

Run with cscript (writes to a log file; no clipboard/foreground guard needed):

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "{RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.ps1"
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\cscript.exe //NoLogo {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild_run.vbs

Read {RUN_TEMP}\sap_se51_layout_rebuild.log. Last line:

• SUCCESS: rebuilt <PROG> <DYNNR> with <n> line(s). → proceed to verify (Step L4).
• ERROR: NOT_ALPHANUMERIC … → graphical editor is ON; flip the setting and re-run.
• ERROR: not all elements created … → the VBS already backed out without saving (live screen unchanged); inspect the log's per-line WARNING: lines, fix the spec, and re-run.
• ERROR: … → diagnose from the log.

Step R4 — Verify

Same as the add-element mode's Step L4 (RFC DWINACTIV = 0, E071 shows the TR entry, optionally re-open the SE51 Element list).

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