| name | rap-behavior |
| description | Implement and enhance RAP behavior definitions and behavior implementations on ABAP Cloud/BTP. Covers adding validations, determinations, actions (instance/static/factory), draft handling, authorization, side effects, business events, and feature control to managed RAP BOs. Use this skill whenever the user wants to add business logic to a RAP BO, implement validations, create actions, add draft support, implement authorization checks, add determinations, or enhance behavior. Trigger on: 'validation', 'determination', 'action', 'draft', 'authorization', 'side effect', 'business event', 'BDEF', 'behavior definition', 'behavior implementation', 'handler method', 'saver class', 'EML'. |
RAP Behavior Definition & Implementation
This skill helps you add business logic to managed RAP BOs on ABAP Cloud/BTP through behavior definitions (BDEF) and their implementations in ABAP Behavior Pools (ABP).
Tools Used
GetSource (object_type: "BDEF") — read behavior definitionsGetSource (object_type: "CLAS") — read behavior implementation classesWriteSource / EditSource — modify BDEF and class sourceSyntaxCheck — validate changesActivate — activate objectsRunUnitTests — verify behavior
Architecture Overview
RAP separates behavior declaration from implementation:
- BDEF (BDL syntax) — declares WHAT operations/features exist
- ABP class (ABAP) — implements HOW they work
- Handler class (CCIMP include / Local Types) — handles individual operations
- Saver class (CCIMP include) — handles save sequence
Adding Validations
Validations check data consistency before saving. They reject invalid instances with error messages.
Step 1: Declare in BDEF
Add inside the entity behavior body { ... }:
validation validateDates on save { create; field BeginDate, EndDate; }
validation validateStatus on save { create; update; }
The trigger conditions specify WHEN the validation runs:
create — on new instance creationupdate — only valid together with create for on savedelete — on deletionfield FieldA, FieldB — when these fields change
Step 2: Implement in Handler Class
In the ABP's Local Types (CCIMP include):
CLASS lhc_Travel DEFINITION INHERITING FROM cl_abap_behavior_handler.
PRIVATE SECTION.
METHODS validateDates FOR VALIDATE ON SAVE
IMPORTING keys FOR Travel~validateDates.
METHODS validateStatus FOR VALIDATE ON SAVE
IMPORTING keys FOR Travel~validateStatus.
ENDCLASS.
CLASS lhc_Travel IMPLEMENTATION.
METHOD validateDates.
" Read the relevant instances
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( BeginDate EndDate )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels)
FAILED DATA(read_failed).
LOOP AT travels INTO DATA(travel).
" Check: begin date must be before end date
IF travel-BeginDate >= travel-EndDate.
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky ) TO failed-travel.
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky
%msg = new_message_with_text(
severity = if_abap_behv_message=>severity-error
text = 'Begin date must be before end date' )
%element-BeginDate = if_abap_behv=>mk-on
%element-EndDate = if_abap_behv=>mk-on
) TO reported-travel.
ENDIF.
" Check: begin date must be in the future
IF travel-BeginDate < cl_abap_context_info=>get_system_date( ).
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky ) TO failed-travel.
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky
%msg = new_message_with_text(
severity = if_abap_behv_message=>severity-error
text = 'Begin date must be in the future' )
%element-BeginDate = if_abap_behv=>mk-on
) TO reported-travel.
ENDIF.
ENDLOOP.
ENDMETHOD.
METHOD validateStatus.
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( OverallStatus )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
LOOP AT travels INTO DATA(travel).
IF travel-OverallStatus IS NOT INITIAL
AND NOT travel-OverallStatus CA 'OAXR'. " Open, Accepted, Rejected
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky ) TO failed-travel.
APPEND VALUE #( %tky = travel-%tky
%msg = new_message_with_text(
severity = if_abap_behv_message=>severity-error
text = 'Invalid status value' )
%element-OverallStatus = if_abap_behv=>mk-on
) TO reported-travel.
ENDIF.
ENDLOOP.
ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.
Validation Best Practices
- Use
IN LOCAL MODE for EML reads within the handler — bypasses authorization checks
- Always populate both
failed and reported for rejected instances
- Use
%element-FieldName = if_abap_behv=>mk-on to highlight the problematic field on the UI
- Keep validations focused on one concern each
Adding Determinations
Determinations automatically compute/modify field values based on triggers.
Step 1: Declare in BDEF
determination setTravelID on modify { create; }
determination calculateTotalPrice on modify { field BookingFee, FlightPrice; }
determination setStatusOpen on save { create; }
Two timing options:
on modify — runs immediately when buffer changes (result available during transaction)on save — runs during save sequence
Step 2: Implement
METHOD setTravelID.
" Read max travel ID and increment
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( TravelID )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
" Find instances that need an ID
DELETE travels WHERE TravelID IS NOT INITIAL.
CHECK travels IS NOT INITIAL.
" Get max existing ID
SELECT MAX( travel_id ) FROM ztravel INTO @DATA(max_id).
" Set IDs for new instances
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
UPDATE FIELDS ( TravelID )
WITH VALUE #( FOR travel IN travels INDEX INTO idx
( %tky = travel-%tky
TravelID = max_id + idx ) )
REPORTED DATA(update_reported).
reported = CORRESPONDING #( DEEP update_reported ).
ENDMETHOD.
Adding Actions
Actions are custom operations beyond standard CRUD.
Instance Actions (bound to a specific instance)
BDEF:
action ( features : instance ) acceptTravel result [1] $self;
action ( features : instance ) rejectTravel result [1] $self;
action deductDiscount parameter ZA_DISCOUNT result [1] $self;
Implementation:
METHOD acceptTravel.
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
UPDATE FIELDS ( OverallStatus )
WITH VALUE #( FOR key IN keys
( %tky = key-%tky
OverallStatus = 'A' ) ) " Accepted
FAILED failed
REPORTED reported.
" Return the updated instance
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
ALL FIELDS
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
result = VALUE #( FOR travel IN travels
( %tky = travel-%tky
%param = travel ) ).
ENDMETHOD.
Static Actions (not bound to an instance)
BDEF:
static action createFromTemplate parameter ZA_TEMPLATE result [1] $self;
Factory Actions (create new instances)
BDEF:
factory action copyTravel [1];
Implementation:
METHOD copyTravel.
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
ALL FIELDS
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
LOOP AT travels INTO DATA(travel).
" Create a copy with modified fields
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
CREATE FIELDS ( AgencyID CustomerID BeginDate EndDate
Description OverallStatus )
WITH VALUE #( (
%cid = keys[ KEY entity %tky = travel-%tky ]-%cid_ref
AgencyID = travel-AgencyID
CustomerID = travel-CustomerID
BeginDate = cl_abap_context_info=>get_system_date( )
EndDate = cl_abap_context_info=>get_system_date( ) + 14
Description = |Copy of { travel-Description }|
OverallStatus = 'O' ) )
MAPPED mapped
FAILED failed
REPORTED reported.
ENDLOOP.
ENDMETHOD.
Dynamic Feature Control
Control which actions/operations are available based on instance state:
BDEF:
action ( features : instance ) acceptTravel result [1] $self;
action ( features : instance ) rejectTravel result [1] $self;
Implementation:
METHOD get_instance_features.
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( OverallStatus )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels)
FAILED failed.
result = VALUE #( FOR travel IN travels
( %tky = travel-%tky
" Disable accept/reject for already accepted/rejected travels
%action-acceptTravel = COND #(
WHEN travel-OverallStatus = 'A'
THEN if_abap_behv=>fc-o-disabled
ELSE if_abap_behv=>fc-o-enabled )
%action-rejectTravel = COND #(
WHEN travel-OverallStatus = 'X'
THEN if_abap_behv=>fc-o-disabled
ELSE if_abap_behv=>fc-o-enabled )
) ).
ENDMETHOD.
Draft Handling
For Fiori apps, draft enables save-as-you-go editing.
BDEF Additions
In the header:
managed implementation in class ZBP_R_TRAVEL unique;
strict ( 2 );
with draft;
On the root entity:
draft table ztravel_d
...
lock master total etag LastChangedAt
...
draft action Resume;
draft action Edit;
draft action Activate optimized;
draft action Discard;
draft determine action Prepare
{
validation validateDates;
validation validateStatus;
}
On child entities, add with draft to the association:
association _Booking { create; with draft; }
The draft determine action Prepare lists which validations/determinations to run when the user clicks "Save" (activating the draft). Only on save validations and determinations can be assigned.
Authorization
Global Authorization
BDEF:
authorization master ( global )
Implementation:
METHOD get_global_authorizations.
" Check authorization object
AUTHORITY-CHECK OBJECT 'ZTRAVEL'
ID 'ACTVT' FIELD '01'. " Create
DATA(is_authorized) = COND #(
WHEN sy-subrc = 0
THEN if_abap_behv=>auth-allowed
ELSE if_abap_behv=>auth-unauthorized ).
result = VALUE #(
%create = is_authorized
%update = is_authorized
%delete = is_authorized ).
ENDMETHOD.
Instance Authorization
BDEF:
authorization master ( global, instance )
Implementation:
METHOD get_instance_authorizations.
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( OverallStatus )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
LOOP AT travels INTO DATA(travel).
" Example: only allow changes to open travels
DATA(is_open) = COND #(
WHEN travel-OverallStatus = 'O'
THEN if_abap_behv=>auth-allowed
ELSE if_abap_behv=>auth-unauthorized ).
APPEND VALUE #(
%tky = travel-%tky
%update = is_open
%delete = is_open
) TO result.
ENDLOOP.
ENDMETHOD.
Side Effects
Side effects trigger UI refreshes when fields change. Declared in the BDEF, no implementation needed.
side effects {
field BeginDate affects field TotalPrice;
field EndDate affects field TotalPrice;
field FlightPrice affects field TotalPrice;
determine action Prepare executed on field OverallStatus affects messages;
action acceptTravel affects field OverallStatus, field *, messages;
}
Business Events
For async communication between BOs:
BDEF:
event TravelAccepted parameter ZA_TRAVEL_EVENT;
Raising in saver class:
METHOD save_modified.
IF create-travel IS NOT INITIAL.
RAISE ENTITY EVENT ZR_Travel~TravelAccepted
FROM VALUE #( FOR travel IN create-travel
( %key = travel-%key
%param = VALUE #( travel_id = travel-TravelID ) ) ).
ENDIF.
ENDMETHOD.
EML Quick Reference
Entity Manipulation Language is the ABAP syntax for working with RAP BO instances:
" Read
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
FIELDS ( TravelID OverallStatus )
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(travels).
" Read by association
READ ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel BY \_Booking
ALL FIELDS
WITH CORRESPONDING #( keys )
RESULT DATA(bookings).
" Modify (update)
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
UPDATE FIELDS ( OverallStatus )
WITH VALUE #( ( %tky = travel-%tky OverallStatus = 'A' ) )
FAILED failed REPORTED reported.
" Create
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
CREATE FIELDS ( AgencyID CustomerID ... )
WITH VALUE #( ( %cid = 'NEW1' AgencyID = '001' ... ) )
MAPPED mapped FAILED failed REPORTED reported.
" Delete
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
DELETE FROM VALUE #( ( %tky = travel-%tky ) )
FAILED failed REPORTED reported.
" Execute action
MODIFY ENTITIES OF ZR_Travel IN LOCAL MODE
ENTITY Travel
EXECUTE acceptTravel FROM CORRESPONDING #( keys )
FAILED failed REPORTED reported.
Workflow for Adding Behavior
- Read current BDEF:
GetSource(name: "ZR_TRAVEL", object_type: "BDEF")
- Read current ABP class:
GetSource(name: "ZBP_R_TRAVEL", object_type: "CLAS", include: "implementations")
- Edit BDEF to add declaration:
EditSource on the BDEF URL
- Edit ABP to add method declaration and implementation
- Syntax check both BDEF and class
- Activate both (BDEF first, then class)
- Run unit tests to verify
