About search helps

Question

Hi,
Can anybody please explain to me about search helps in details;i.e,both elementary and collective;with an example each??
Thanks in advance.
sumita

Answer 1

Hi Sumita,
Check this info.
Creating Elementary Search Helps
Procedure
In the initial screen of the ABAP Dictionary, select object class Search help, enter the name of the search help and choose Create.
A dialog box appears in which you must select the type of search help.
Select Elementary search help and choose .
The maintenance screen for elementary search helps appears.
Enter an explanatory text in the field Short text.
You can for example find the search help at a later time using this short text.
In the Definition tab page enter the selection method of the search help.
You can enter the name of a table or a view (database view, projection view or help view) here. If you enter a table that has a text table, the name of the text table is automatically entered in the corresponding field.
Using the input help (F4 help), select fields of the selection method as parameter in the Search help parameter area. Select the fields that should be used in the dialog box for value selection or in the hit list.
If the selection method is a table that has a text table, both the fields of the table and the fields of the text table are offered in the input help.
The data element of the parameter is automatically copied from the selection method. The data element defines the output attributes and the F1 help of the parameter in the hit list and in the dialog box for value selection.
You can assign the parameter another data element. To do so, select the Mod flag. The Data element field is now ready for input. Then select a data element with the input help (F4 help). Only data elements whose data type, length and number of decimal places is the same as those of the previous data element can be assigned.
This removes the link between the data element of the search help parameter and the data element of the selection method field having the same name. If you cancel the Mod flag, the data element of the assigned table field is used again.
Define the attributes of the search help parameters.
Select the IMP flag if it is an import parameter. Select the EXP flag if it is an export parameter.
You can define the dialog for the input help with the fields LPos, SPos and SDis. Enter the parameter position in the hit list in LPos. If you enter nothing or the value 0 here, the parameter is not displayed in the hit list.
Enter the parameter position in the dialog box for value selection in SPos. If you enter nothing or the value 0 here, the parameter is not displayed in the dialog box for value selection.
Set the SDis flag if the parameter should be a pure display field in the dialog box for value selection. The user is thus informed that the contents of the parameter restrict the value, but he cannot change this restriction. This makes sense for example when the parameter is an import parameter or if it has a default value.
You can assign the parameter a default value in the Default value field.
Select the dialog type of the search help.
The dialog type defines how the hit list is displayed in the input help.
Save your entries.
A dialog box appears in which you have to assign the search help a development class.
Choose .
Do not forget to link the search help to a screen field. The search help attachment is not part of the search help definition; it is part of the object definition to which the search help is attached.
Result
The search help is activated. You can find information about the activation flow in the activation log, which you can display with Utilities ® Activation log. If errors occurred during activation, the activation log is automatically displayed.
Other Options
Assign a hot key: If the search help is to be accessed with a hot key, you must enter a one-place ID in the Hot key field. All the elementary search helps contained in a collective search help should have different short cuts.
Assign a search help exit: In exceptions, you might have to change the standard flow defined by the search help with a search help exit. In this case enter the name of the search help exit in the corresponding field.
Test the search help: You can test the flow of an input help defined by the elementary search help with . A dialog box appears in which you can simulate the behavior of the search help under different conditions. You can obtain information about the options provided in this window with.
Creating Collective Search Helps  
Procedure
In the initial screen of the ABAP Dictionary, select object class Search help, enter the name of the search help and choose Create.
A dialog box appears in which you must select the type of search help.
Select Collective search help and choose .
The maintenance screen for collective search helps is displayed.
Enter an explanatory text in the field Short text.
You can for example find the search help at a later time using this short text.
In the Definition tab page enter the parameters of the collective search help.
Select the Imp flag if it is an import parameter. Select the Exp flag if it is an export parameter.
Define the types for the parameters of a collective search help by assigning a data element. Enter the name of the data element that describes the contents of the search help parameter in the Data element field.
You can assign the parameter a default value in the Default value field.
In exceptions it could be necessary to change the standard process defined by the search help. You can implement the deviation from the standard using a search help exit.
In this case enter the name of the search help exit in the corresponding field.
On the Included search helps tab page, define the search helps that you want to include in the collective search help.
You can include elementary search helps and collective search helps.
Use the Hide flag to control whether an included search help should appear in the dialog box for selecting the elementary search help. If the flag is set, the search help is not offered.
It makes sense to hide search help inclusions if one or more search paths in the standard system should not be used in a concrete R/3 System. Similarly, search help inclusions can also be already hidden in the standard system because they only can be used meaningfully in a few R/3 Systems. You have to cancel the flag in this case.
Position the cursor one after the other on each allocated search help and choose Parameter assignment.
In the next screen, enter the parameter names of the elementary search helps to which the corresponding parameters of the collective search help should be assigned in the field Reference parameter.
You can select the parameters contained in the included search help using the input help. Create a proposal for the assignment with Proposal.
Save your entries.
A dialog box appears in which you have to assign a development class to the search help.
Choose .
Result
The collective search help is activated. You can find information about the activation flow in the activation log, which you can display with Utilities ® Activation log. If errors occurred when the collective search help was activated, the activation log is automatically displayed.
Do not forget to link the search help to a screen field. The search help attachment is not part of the search help definition; it is part of the object definition to which the search help is attached.
Other Options
You can test the flow of an input help defined by the collective search help with . A dialog box appears in which you can simulate the behavior of the search help under different conditions. You can obtain information about the options provided in this window with .
First create ELEMENTARY SEARCHHELP YSEARCH32 in R/3 Data dictionary
Create one more elementary search help YSEARCH33
Now define collective search help for the above 2 elementary search helps. In definition part include the search help parameters which you want to display in the search help.
Enter the included search helps i.e YSEARCH32,YSEARCH33.
Press the Parameter Assignment for search help BUTTON.You have to assign one parameter with the parameters in the definition part
Same case with the YSEARCH33.
Activate the collective search help.
Apply this search help in the program and if F4 button is pressed the collection of elementary search helps are displayed.
Creating dynamic search help means the f4 help will come on the context bases.
that will achieved with two function modules.
1. F4IF_INT_TABLE_VALUE_REQUEST Display internal table as search help (documented in SAP)
2.F4IF_*_VALUE_REQUEST
u will provide the search help on the field dynamically depending on program context.
REPORT  ZTEST_F4HELP                              .
*---Report with selection screen and to display the list of
possible entries for field 'B' as per the value in field 'A'.
parameters: p_vbeln type vbak-vbeln,
            p_posnr type vbap-posnr.
at selection-screen on value-request for p_posnr.
  data: begin of help_item occurs 0,
          posnr type vbap-posnr,
          matnr type vbap-matnr,
          arktx type vbap-arktx,
        end of help_item.
  data: dynfields type table of dynpread with header line.
  dynfields-fieldname = 'P_VBELN'.
  append dynfields.
  call function 'DYNP_VALUES_READ'
       exporting
            dyname               = sy-cprog
            dynumb               = sy-dynnr
            translate_to_upper   = 'X'
       tables
            dynpfields           = dynfields
       exceptions
            invalid_abapworkarea = 1
            invalid_dynprofield  = 2
            invalid_dynproname   = 3
            invalid_dynpronummer = 4
            invalid_request      = 5
            no_fielddescription  = 6
            invalid_parameter    = 7
            undefind_error       = 8
            double_conversion    = 9
            stepl_not_found      = 10
            others               = 11.
  read table dynfields with key fieldname = 'P_VBELN'.
  p_vbeln = dynfields-fieldvalue.
  call function 'CONVERSION_EXIT_ALPHA_INPUT'
       exporting
            input  = p_vbeln
       importing
            output = p_vbeln.
  select posnr matnr arktx into table help_item
                 from vbap
                      where vbeln = p_vbeln.
  call function 'F4IF_INT_TABLE_VALUE_REQUEST'
       exporting
            retfield    = 'POSNR'
            dynprofield = 'P_POSNR'
            dynpprog    = sy-cprog
            dynpnr      = sy-dynnr
            value_org   = 'S'
       tables
            value_tab   = help_item.
Hope this resolves your query.
Reward all the helpful answers.
Regards