Extract ALV list to a file in the background

Question

I am currently working on an ALV report which the user requires that a file be generated automatically based on the ALV list output. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hello Emmanuel,
I have had the same problem, and i found no solution on the forums... So i have implemented my own solution: I implemented a child class, in order to add a new method write_file. This coding creates a file on the application server, considering the field catalog from the choosen variant. It can be enhanced in order to get the sort and the filter criteria (but if the file is exported to excel, the sort and filter can be managed within excel). Such a program can be run in background, and it works perfectly!
Sample coding:
REPORT z_alv_download_file.
      CLASS LCL_GUI_ALV_GRID  INHERITING FRO
      Local child-class in order to implement a new method for      *
      download in a file in background                              *
CLASS lcl_gui_alv_grid DEFINITION INHERITING FROM cl_gui_alv_grid.
  PUBLIC SECTION.
    METHODS: write_file IMPORTING i_structure_name TYPE dd02l-tabname
                                  is_variant       TYPE disvariant
                                  i_default        TYPE char01
                                  i_save           TYPE char01
                                  i_file           TYPE fileextern
                        CHANGING  it_outtab        TYPE STANDARD TABLE.
ENDCLASS.
      CLASS lcl_gui_alv_grid IMPLEMENTATION
      Implementation of the new method write_file                   *
CLASS lcl_gui_alv_grid IMPLEMENTATION.
  METHOD write_file.
  Local types
    TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_fieldnames,
             field(60),
             field2 TYPE help_info-tabname,
             field3 TYPE help_info-fieldname,
             key(1),
           END OF ty_fieldnames.
  Local data
    DATA: lt_catalog      TYPE lvc_t_fcat,
          ls_catalog      TYPE lvc_s_fcat,
          lt_datatab      TYPE TABLE OF hrdatatab,
          ls_datatab      TYPE hrdatatab,
          lt_fieldnames   TYPE TABLE OF ty_fieldnames,
          ls_fieldnames   TYPE ty_fieldnames,
          ls_record       TYPE string,
          l_field(60)     TYPE c,
          l_nbcol         TYPE i,
          l_colpos        TYPE i,
          l_colpos_c(2)   TYPE c,
          l_fieldname(21) TYPE c VALUE 'ls_datatab-langtext  '.
    FIELD-SYMBOLS <f> TYPE ANY.
  Call the grid display
    CALL METHOD me->set_table_for_first_display
         EXPORTING i_structure_name = i_structure_name
                   is_variant = is_variant
                   i_default = i_default
                   i_save = i_save
         CHANGING  it_outtab        = it_outtab.
  Get the field catalog according to the display variant which is used
    CALL METHOD me->get_frontend_fieldcatalog
         IMPORTING et_fieldcatalog = lt_catalog.
  Get an internal table with only the fields from the field catalog
    CALL FUNCTION 'ALV_CONVERT_DATA'
         EXPORTING
              alv_fieldcat    = lt_catalog
         TABLES
              alv_datatab     = it_outtab
              hr_datatab      = lt_datatab
              hr_fieldnametab = lt_fieldnames.
  Keep only the displayed fields from the field catalog
    DELETE lt_catalog WHERE no_out = 'X'.
    SORT lt_catalog BY col_pos DESCENDING.
    READ TABLE lt_catalog INTO ls_catalog INDEX 1.
    IF sy-subrc = 0.
      CLEAR ls_record.
      l_nbcol = ls_catalog-col_pos.
    Open the file
      OPEN DATASET i_file FOR OUTPUT IN TEXT MODE.
    Write the column names
      LOOP AT lt_fieldnames INTO ls_fieldnames.
        CONDENSE ls_fieldnames-field.
        CONCATENATE ls_record ls_fieldnames-field
                    INTO ls_record SEPARATED BY ';'.
      ENDLOOP.
      SHIFT ls_record.
      TRANSFER ls_record TO i_file.
    Write the lines
      LOOP AT lt_datatab INTO ls_datatab.
        CLEAR: l_colpos,
               ls_record.
      Condense the fields in a single string, separated by ';' (csv)
        DO l_nbcol TIMES.
          ADD 1 TO l_colpos.
          CLEAR l_colpos_c.
          l_colpos_c = l_colpos.
          CONDENSE l_colpos_c.
          l_fieldname+19(2) = l_colpos_c.
          ASSIGN (l_fieldname) TO <f>.
          WRITE <f> TO l_field.
          CONDENSE l_field.
          CONCATENATE ls_record l_field INTO ls_record SEPARATED BY ';'.
        ENDDO.
        SHIFT ls_record.
        TRANSFER ls_record TO i_file.
      ENDLOOP.
    Close the file
      CLOSE DATASET i_file.
    ENDIF.
  ENDMETHOD.
ENDCLASS.
      MAIN PROGRAM
DATA: wo_alv      TYPE REF TO lcl_gui_alv_grid,
      wt_sflight TYPE TABLE OF sflight,
      ws_variant    TYPE disvariant.
PARAMETERS: p_file TYPE fileextern OBLIGATORY
                   DEFAULT '/usr/sap/.../file.csv',
            p_vari TYPE slis_vari
                   DEFAULT 'DEFAULT'.
START-OF-SELECTION.
  ws_variant-report = sy-repid.
  ws_variant-username = sy-uname.
  ws_variant-variant = p_vari.
  SELECT * FROM sflight INTO TABLE wt_sflight.
  CREATE OBJECT wo_alv EXPORTING i_parent = cl_gui_container=>screen0.
  CALL METHOD wo_alv->write_file
       EXPORTING i_structure_name = 'SFLIGHT'
                 is_variant       = ws_variant
                 i_default        = 'X'
                 i_save           = 'A'
                 i_file           = p_file
       CHANGING  it_outtab        = wt_sflight.