- 1 Getting Started
- 2 Licenses
- 3 Working with the ABAP developer edition
- 4 Errors
- 5 Users and Passwords
- 6 Resources
*Table of Contents generated by Markdown All in One
Please refer to the instructions in dockerhub: dockerhub - ABAP Platform Trial > Overview.
Before you start, please make sure:
- You understand the principles of docker container technology
- You know the entities docker image / docker container and their relationship
- You know the basic commands to work with images and containers
Community member Dylan Drummond has written an excellent guide to installing ABAP Platform 1909 Developer Edition on a MacBook:
Install Abap Platform Developer Edition on Docker for MacBook
If you are familiar with podman and want to use it instead of docker, please add also the parameter -t to the docker run command to correctly forward SIGINT to the container's init process.
SAP Community member Dylan Drummond has written this excellent detailed guide: Using Podman for Abap Platform Trial container on Ubuntu Server and on amd64 MacBook
However, please note that we do not test this, so it is entirely own risk.
Important: Make sure you stop the container in a controlled manner:
docker stop --time 7200 a4hOtherwise the container becomes unusable and all changes are lost. You would then need to create a new one.
docker start -ai a4hdocker exec -it a4h bash- Create terminal within the docker image / container (equivalent to PuTTy)
docker images- Returns list of all available images
docker inspect– Returns detailed information, e.g. IP address of container
docker ps -a– Returns list of containers, including stopped containers
For more information on docker commands, see docker docs: Command-line Reference
-
Install the SAP GUI that fits to your operating system, attached here.
-
Set up System access (e.g. SAP GUI 7.70 for Windows)
-
Click on New, select Connection
-
Select user specific system:
-
- Logon to the system:
Parameter Value User DEVELOPER Password Ldtf5432 Language EN
Password for the a4hadm OS user in the container:
In Docker you don't need a password for user a4hadm. You just open a new CMD prompt and switch users:
docker exec -it a4h bash
su a4hadmYou can check the expiry date of your ABAP license in the transaction SLICENSE in SAPGUI. You may wish to set a reminder to update your license, since it is easier to do so before expiry.
Updating the license via SAPGUI (SLICENSE): The ABAP license supplied with the Docker image lasts only three months. Therefore, you should download and import the demo license as follows:
- Logon to your ABAP system with the user SAP*, client 000, same password as for DEVELOPER (DEVELOPER/001 is locked).
- Start transaction SLICENSE; copy the hardware key.
- In your browser, get a new license from minisap, choosing the system A4H.
- Back in your ABAP System, start SLICENSE again, then choose Install.
- Log off, then log on with the user DEVELOPER, client 001.
- If there are any remaining old licenses, remove them all. (SAP* is not allowed to delete licenses).
Updating the license via Docker: The image contains a script which is able to update the AS ABAP license from the file you bind mount or copy to the container. Just save the text file onto your local file system and push it to the container at the path /opt/sap/ASABAP_license. The hardware key necessary for creation of the license file is printed out during start up phase of the container.
Updating via Docker, new container: Update the docker run command with -v :/opt/sap/ASABAP_license. Please, make sure the -v parameter is on your command line before the Docker image name (sapse/abap-platform-trial:1909) because the parameter belongs to docker run and everything behind the image name is passed to programs inside the container.
Updating via Docker, existing container: Copy the key file to the container with the command docker cp <local path the key file> a4h:/opt/sap/ASABAP_license. If the container was stopped, the file will be applied when you start the container again. If the container is running, you can either stop and start the container or you can trigger the license update function via docker exec -it a4h /usr/local/bin/asabap_license_update.
If you run into trouble with the AS ABAP license update script, you can prevent the container from executing this function by passing the parameter -no-asabap-license-update or by creating the file /opt/sap/.no_ASABAP_license_update in the container.
The image is shipped with a valid HDB license and it's not necessary to re-apply the license until it expires. You can check the expiry date of your HDB license in DBA Cockpit > System Information > License. You may wish to set a reminder to update your license, since it is easier to do so before expiry.
The image contains a script which is able to update the HDB license from the file you bind mount or copy to the container. So, if you run into the need to update HDB license, just save the text file onto your local file system and push it to the container at the path /opt/sap/HDB_license. The hardware key necessary for creation of the license file is printed out during start up phase of the container.
New container: Update the docker run command with -v <local path the key file>:/opt/sap/HDB_license. Please, make sure the -v parameter is on your command line before Docker image name (sapse/abap-platform-trial:1909) because the parameter belongs to to docker run and everything behind the image name is passed to programs inside the container.
Existing container: Copy the key file to the container with the command docker cp <local path the key file> a4h:/opt/sap/HDB_license. If the container was stopped, the file will be applied when you start the container again. If the container is running, you can either stop and start the container or you can trigger the license update function via docker exec -it a4h /usr/local/bin/hdb_license_update.
If you run into trouble with the license update script, you can prevent the container from executing this function by passing the parameter -no-asabap-license-update or by creating the file /opt/sap/.no_HDB_license_update in the container.
e.g. "Logon not possible (error in license check). " See section 4 Errors -> Logon not possible (error in license check)
-
Start a4h and copy the hardware key
docker start -ai a4h
-
Generate key in the following link with the hardware key. https://go.support.sap.com/minisap/#/minisap
-
Rename the file
A4H_Multiple.txttoA4H.txt -
Copy the license
docker cp A4H.txt a4h:/opt/sap/ASABAP_license
-
Run the following command and the license will be activated
docker start -ai a4h
-
You can check the license with the
SLICENSEtransaction.
*Sources:
-
How to install a new license, Comment 590445 (RICARDO COYLLO MAYTA, September 24, 2021 at 5:40 pm)
If you get an error, Gregor Wolf has helpfully provided a guide to updating the ABAP and HANA licenses: Update ABAP and HANA License for the ABAP Platform, Developer Edition for Docker
Martin wrote a similar blog post for the previous version of 1909, Developer Edition, but this is the fresh version, hot off the press for 2023: Something about SAP: ABAP Platform Trial 1909 SP07 Great to see people getting stuck in with the new Trial
ABAP Trial Platform 1909, SP07 in Docker Desktop for Windows. H/T Martin Maruskin
Thomas Jung shares his “experiences installing the new ABAP developer edition on my Windows laptop. I run Docker on WSL2. Plus some general tips and commands that I found helpful along the way.” - refers to the previous edition, but is full of great info:
SAP ABAP Platform 1909, Developer Edition: Day 1 Experience and Tips and Tricks
“…Interesting things how you can either enhance, tune, make more advanced and similar sort of things to your SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP Developer edition” – again, this is from an older edition, but still very interesting collection by Martin Marushkin (Twitter: MartinMar), some basic, some quite advanced. Just one small point: In 1909, abapGit is automatically installed and SAP Flight Reference Scenario automatically pre-delivered , so no need to repeat sections 4 and 5:
Power up your SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP Developer edition
Yes, this works.
However, if you want to use AMDPs in conjunction with SAP BW, you need to apply the correct SAP Notes. That is, you must be a customer or partner.
Source: https://twitter.com/pawelwiejkut/status/1383495200547377153
YES. Briefly, abapGIT is a GIT client written in ABAP for ABAP. It offers an easy way for developers to upload their ABAP development objects to / import others’ interesting development objects to an openly available Git site. And it really is easy. Follow this blog for a great, end-to-end guide to installing the tool and cloning a sample package into your developer edition: https://blogs.sap.com/2017/06/21/abapgit-so-easy/ (GrahamRobbo) UPDATE: abapGit is now available for ABAP Development Tools (i.e. Eclipse): http://eclipse.abapgit.org/updatesite/ There is a useful collection of projects here: • http://dotabap.org/ • https://github.com/SAP-samples
See this blog post for more information: Source: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/02/24/adding-languages-to-sap-abap-platform-1909-developer-edition-for-multilingual-development
The data is persisted in the Docker scratch space. For more information, see : docker scratch space
Yes. If you are familiar with podman and want to use it instead of docker, please add also the parameter -t to the docker run command to correctly forward SIGINT to the container's init process.
If you are unfamiliar with but interested in using Podman, SAP Community member Dylan Drummond has written this excellent detailed guide: Using Podman for Abap Platform Trial container on Ubuntu Server and on amd64 MacBook
We do not include business transactions in the developer edition, because it is purely intended for learning ABAP syntax and tools.
If you want to play around with business content:
-
If you just want some example tables / DDIC objects / dev objects to practise on, you can use the EPM model in S_NWDEMO , eg Purchase Order DDIC objects inS_NWDEMO_MODEL_DDIC, eg SNWD_PO.
-
To access a fully-activated S/4HANA (1809 or 2009) appliance: SAP S/4HANA Fully-Activated Appliance: Create your SAP S/4HANA system in a fraction of the usual setup time
-
For SAP Customers and Partners, we also offer IDES Systems: 799639 – IDES – General Information about the usage of IDES systems
You must edit the Hosts file – on local machine, not inside Docker
Source: https://answers.sap.com/questions/13296560/abap-trial-sap-abap-platform-1909-start-fiori-laun.html## SAP HANA Studio
You can install the HANA tools as Eclipse plugin -> https://tools.hana.ondemand.com/#hanatools
Ignore the System, Logon, Security, Language tabs. Go to Advanced tab > Expert Mode > enter IP address OR mapped DNS name of VM of your SAP System + SAP instance number (default = 00). e.g. NPL system, on VM on host 192.168.64.11, main instance = 00, hence SAPGUI port = 3200 => Connection string =
conn=/H/192.168.64.11/S/3200
Depending on the Hypervisor you use, you may need to set up port forwarding from local machine port 3200 (say) to the VM port 3200. *(From: https://blogs.sap.com/2019/10/01/as-abap-7.52-sp04-developer-edition-concise-installation-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-625449 )
If you want to connect to HANA via external tools like HANA Studio oder DBeaver, you have to publish the ports 30213 and 30215 in the docker run command.
Same with WebIDE:
-p 8080:8080 or -p 53075:53075“I ran into problem with tenant connection from Hana Studio, and it was resolved with SAP Note 2551889”
Great three-part blog series by Uwe Fetzer on:
Note: SAP Customers and Partners only.
Steve Rumsby has written an excellent blog post on how to set this up:
SAP Screen Personas on the ABAP developer edition system
Video by Jakub Marius Kjaer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9ET6clRjG8
-
Easiest: Before running container: Share a common folder between the docker image and the host using the
-vflag in thedocker run. -
Start a web server on you host PC (for example with
Xampp) andCURLthe files from the docker image.
Wireshark with SAP Dissectors for Ubuntu and macOS By Dylan Drummond
UPDATE, 2nd March, 2021
**“**The maximum size for a deployable container image on Azure Container Instances is 15 GB; You might be able to deploy larger images depending on the exact availability at the moment you deploy, but this is not guaranteed.
https://twitter.com/pawelwiejkut/status/1383495200547377153 - only for SAP BW users using AMDPs
-
System hasn’t warmed up
-
Hosts file
-
Resources
-
Check ST22 (“Rabax”)
You can eliminate the popup and get the rabax directly by:
Eliminate the "rabax during sapgui logon" popup and display the dump (recommended):
-
Set profile parameter "login/quiet_mode" to 0.
-
Restart the system so that profile parameter changes take effect.
-
Reproduce the issue (logon to the system).
-
The popup "rabax during sapgui logon" should disappear now and you are able to:see the dump directly.
Taken from SAP Note 429578 - How to deal with error "rabax during sapgui logon
Cause: The Linux OS, e.g. SLES has the wrong date. Solution: Check the date and time of the server at OS level, in order to verify that it’s correct.
That is, executecommand “date” (without quotes) in Linux (not Windows).
The SAP system receives the time and the date from the OS. Therefore, you need to stop the system, adjust the correct system's date/time on OS level and re-start the system.
If you are an SAP customer or partner, see SAP Note 2164980 for details.
The issue is that Docker Desktop uses a fixed amount of memory as defined in the resource config. If I want to run A4H on my MacBook then I set it to 20GB, and that's what Docker Desktop will consume on startup - even if I just want to run a tiny Kroki or Gitea system. Therefore starting up a 16GB+ Docker Desktop takes a little while if you want to run A4H on non-Linux hosts.
Secondly, A4H startup gets to a login-able state in a couple of minutes but then spends a good 10 minutes or so exercising the CPU fan by "doing stuff" (on Linux too) until it settles down. It's not really useable during this time so I consider this startup time.
After a total of 20 minutes it's fast. Once it's settled in, I can run both A4H and 7.52 on VMware simultaneously on my 32GB MacBook without a problem, I can even start Windows VM too if I need it. Comment by Mike Pokraka
“Lately, I find that I have had to compress my VM Drive to keep the system from slowing down” or similar.
This answer includes SAP Community content, so use it at your own risk.
“There are several utility programs available, for example:
Application Log: Delete logs in SAP (SLG2).
You can also Display logs in SAP (SLG1).
More information here:
SLG2 SAP tcode - Application Log: Delete logs
Also: Delete ST22 dumps by running RSSNAPDL.
More information here:
RSSNAPDL SAP ABAP Report - Reorganization Program for Table SNAP of Short Dumps”
Source: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/02/15/sap-abap-platform-1909-developer-edition-available-soon/ Search: SLG2
See also: Power up your SAP NetWeaver Application Server ABAP Developer edition, sections 2, 3, 8, 9
Normal user/password:
User: DEVELOPER
Password: Ldtf5432
Password for the a4hadm OS user in the container
In Docker you don't need a password for user a4hadm. You just open a new CMD prompt and switch users.
docker exec -it a4h bash
su a4hadmFor troubleshooting, ask your question in the ABAP Development Community forum:
https://www.sap.com/community/topic/abap/all-content.html
If it is an issue involving ABAP developer edition, remember to add the hashtag #ABAP_Trial.
Please do not use comments in the blog posts to ask tech support
questions:
-
It makes it difficult for other users to find similar issues in future, which leads to many duplicated errors.
-
Very few people follow these blog posts, so you will not get help from the vast majority of the community
-
There is no capacity to monitor all blog posts for all released versions.