NWBC- Overview
The SAP Netweaver Business Client (NWBC) is a new SAP UI which allows end users to integrate classic SAP GUI-based transactions, newer Web-Dynprobased applications and also the Web based JAVA applications. NWBC for Desktop is a high–fidelity UI which improves user experience. The NWBC provides a typical modern desktop-based user experience.
NWBC for HTML
NWBC for HTML – NWBC for HTML is a browser-based shell. It is available only against ABAP systems. Within this environment, all SAP GUI transactions will be rendered using the SAP GUI for HTML rendering engine.
NWBC for Desktop
NWBC for Desktop – NWBC for Desktop is a .NET based application. In this scenario, the SAP GUI itself is used as rendering engine if installed. NWBC provides entry point to SAP applications same like SAP GUI though it uses SAP GUI to run existing applications.
NWBC – Technical Block Diagram
NWBC uses the ABAP PFCG as role repository for ABAP backend and uses the PCD as role repository if it has the SAP Netweaver Portal as backend. It communicates to backend via a set of web services. NWBC consists of shell area and canvas area. Once the roles are loaded, they are presented to the user in a top level navigation area for the first hierarchy level and a detailed navigation area on the left. NWBC 3.0 supports a more modern multi-window paradigm, allowing a number of applications to be run side by side.
The canvas can display applications that are based on different types of technology, according to the required business process. The canvas is the main area where the actual work needs to be done.
NWBC for desktop – How to Start
Once the installation of Business client is done to your own machine you will have a shortcut icon on the desktop. You can make your own settings for NWBC. Double clicking on the desktop icon opens the log in page. This automatically connects the NWBC with the default connection. At first log in you will be prompted to change your password.
NWBC always uses the last selected system connection which you have defined in your system configuration.
NWBC for HTML – How to Start
Once the basic configurations are done on server side and activation of the service(default_host/sap/bc/nwbc) in SICF is performed you will be able to use the NWBC for HTML by running the same link as NWBC for desktop or using the transaction NWBC form SAP GUI. Both the links and transaction call the ~launch page. The ~launch page shows all the available cockpits and all roles that the user has assigned via this cockpit.
Transaction – NWBC
Link – http://<FQDN or host or IP>:port/nwbc/~launch/
http://<FQDN or host or IP>: 8000/sap/bc/nwbc
The launch page also offers the option to start either NWBC for Desktop for NWBC for HTML.
The first icon (or the link with the leading slash) will start NWBC for HTML.
The second icon (or the link without leading slash) will start NWBC for the Desktop.
NWBC - Connecting to Different Systems
More than one server can be connected using NWBC. But at a single point of time only one connection will be alive. If a new connection is started to a different system, then NWBC will also be restarted to clear all cookies that are stored in process.
The System data provided by the System Administrator needs to be configured.
You select the current system and configure systems in a configuration dialog box that you reach using the menu in the NWBC.
Personalize --> Options. The configuration dialog box opens.
NWBC - Shell Overview
The Shell is inverted L shape and placed on top and left of the Canvas. It is a frame consisting of the Horizontal bas and one vertical bar.
At the top of the screen is the menu bar where the extended functionality is placed.
The shell presents the first two navigation levels at the top and then uses the left panel for additional levels of navigation
NWBC - Canvas Overview
The Canvas is the main area where end user can do the actual work with the avilable contents. It hosts different kind of applications, classical dynpros, Web Dynpro applications, Business Server Pages (BSP) applications, BI applications, etc can run in the canvas. There are several rendering engines based on the applications type.
NWBC - Multi-Windows
By default new applications are loaded in the main window canvas. With a simple click the transaction itself is started. The application can also be opened in a new window of browser by Shift+Click. NWBC fully supports a multi-window paradigm.
NWBC - Menus
The Business Client menu allows quick and easy access to NWBC screens. The structure and content of the various menu entries can vary depending on the product as well as on the configuration settings.
Favorites - There are functions for adding, displaying, renaming, and deleting entries of your favorites list
Personalize - Using Personalize you can make global configuration settings for the client
Help - Using Help you can access to "Open Help Center", "Show NWBC Documentation", "About Netweaver Business Client" etc.
NWBC - Search
Search functionality is available below the Menus available in NWBC.
Enterprise search: Integration of SAP Enterprise Search, if configured (available from SAP NetWeaver 7.02 onwards).
External search: Search providers that have been configured in advance via the search provider
Desktop search: Standard Microsoft search option that is always available with Microsoft Vista and that is an optional installation component of Microsoft XP with service pack 2.
NWBC - Navigation Panels and Quick Launch
To increase the space of the canvas area you can hide all the Navigation area.
Personalize --> Customize Panels ---> Uncheck Show Navigation Panels
There is a new feature to allow a quick navigation. This second form of navigation is optional and can be used either as enhancement of the normal navigation or as replacement of the normal navigation (for power users). You can display a quick launch where you can trigger a search and you can quickly navigate within NWBC.
Personalize --->Customize Panels---> check Use Quick Launch instead of Search Bar
NWBC - Logging Off.
Logging off will close all active windows, terminate all sessions and close all applications in NWBC
NWBC - Role Maintenance in PFCG
Using PFCG you can create roles and using SU01 you can assign the roles to a user. The roles which are assigned to a user are only visible in NWBC. The NWBC runtime will retrieve all roles assigned to a specific user and make it available to the shell. The shell uses exactly the same role information to show the user the possible transactions that could help him with his daily work.
The roles are mainly collections of transactions, Webdynpro applications, external URLs, BSP Pages etc combined and arranged in a structured manner.
Permissions can also be set for particular applications or object inside a role using PFCG
NWBC –SU01 & PFCG & NWBC
NWBC - Role Maintenance in PFCG
Settings for Role Maintenance: To enable the maintenance of additional attributes and details in PFCG via the context menu entry Additional Details for NWBC:
SM30--->Table:SSM_Cust--->Field:ADD_MENU_DETAILS--->Value:Yes
Role Name: Technical name of the role. This name is unique and is used as the key for tables and for the transport system.
Description: This is the description of the role in short.
Target System: RFC destination of a role in another ABAP system. Usually we leave it blank. If it is defined then the applications will be executed in the target system. The target system can also be defined for individual role entries.
NWBC - Role Maintenance in PFCG
Pseudo Root Node: This node contains all the nodes and hierarchy. This is not Visible to the user in NWBC. There can not be any other node at this level.
Root Node: This is the actual First Level of navigation for the user in NWBC. This can contain any number of levels. Each level is represented by a folder in the tree.
Tree Structure
Types of Programs:
- Transaction code
- Web Dynpro ABAP application
- BSP application
- Web address or file
- Generic Web address (URL template)
- WebClient UI Applications (for systems EHP1) with WEBCUIF 7.02 upwards
Tooltip NWBC: you can specify a description for each folder which will be used as tooltip in NWBC. You can edit the short text by selecting the folder in question and choosing Change Folder in the context menu.
Additional application parameters: For Web Dynpro ABAP applications, you can also specify additional application parameters.
Default Page: It makes the page as default page for that folder. Whenever users get in to that folder they get the default page first.
Invisible: It makes the page invisible to the user in NWBC.
Service Map: Service map gives an overview of the navigation structure of the next levels of the navigation tree. It Allows user to get a better overview of the business process under the folder.
Note: The flag Default Page can be set for a node entry and Folder Option As Service Map can be set for a folder.
Link Collection: It means the folder with this option holds all the entries inside it as a collection of links. All the entries inside the folder are displayed in Left Panel always whenever selected. Further selection of any link or entry on that folder opens the application in a new window always
NWBC -Object-Based Navigation (OBN)
Object-based navigation (OBN) is a role-based navigation technology which allows navigation between applications, where the exact target application can only be resolved at runtime, based on the available roles assigned and the OBN targets configured in these roles.
It is controlled through processes and Business Objects from the Business Object Repository (BOR). The object model of the BOR provides a description of all business objects, their methods, and their parameters. The BOR with all its relevant transactions (especially SWO1) is used exclusively as a data store.
Determining the OBN interface:
First it is needed to determine the exact OBN interface that exists and would probably be called by any unknown application.
For any OBN communication, the calling and called application must agree on an interface. For such an OBN interface, we need effectively the addressing, which is based on the BOR sequence OBJECT.METHOD and a sequence of parameters.
Defining an OBN target:
The process to map one OBN onto a target application starts by selecting the target application and then configuring that this application can handle a specific OBN call.
- PFCG---> select the item you want for the target application --->Further Node Details
- Object-Based Navigation section choose the icon for Insert Method
- Assign a priority
- Insert as many parameters as you want
- Save your entries
NWBC Vs. Portal
Advantages:
- NWBC is a thin client or URL based. You can avoid heavy installation and maintenance of Portal. Hence reduce the project cost.
- ABAP UME is used.
- Multiple backend can be connected by simple configuration
- No J2EE engine is required, usually.
Disadvantages:
- You will miss the WDJ applications
- UWL is not available
- Can not work as a single point of entry for multiple different backend
- KM and other functionalities are not available.
NWBC – Business scenario:
Reasons to choose NWBC over Portal: To choose NWBC you might have to consider couple of points and areas. Below can be few of them.
- Where all the applications are available in WDA
- No single point of entry required for too many multiple backend
- Want to reduce effort and cost in terms of WDJ developer, UWL administrator, Basis and security for Portal etc.
NWBC - Troubleshooting
If any error is related to the shell then it is related to NWBC. If the error is related to the direct content of the canvas it is not related with the NWBC.
How to Activate Tracing: Personalize --->Options ---->Support --->Trace Levels and Trace Components
Trace files are located in the below location:
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Local Settings\ApplicationData\SAP\NWBC\Traces
Windows Vista: C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Local\SAP\NWBC\Traces
Troubleshooting:
Reference:
For additional information about the NWBC - SAP note 900000
For release restrictions - SAP note 1029940
NWBC compatibility or use case – SAP note 1368177
For more information - https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/nwbusinessclient
For NWBC 4.0 - SAP Note 1754946
Hope this is helpful !!!
Regards
Vijay Kalluri