Workplace, Application Types, Internet Application Components

Workplace | Application Types | Classification

By default, SAP web applications run in the mySAP.com Workplace environment. Below is an overview of application types, technologies and a classification schema for SAP applications running in the Workplace.

Workplace

Usually SAP applications run in the mySAP.com Workplace environment, which runs in a web browser, and consists of a launchpad to the left, and an application area to the right. The launchpad opens applications that belong to a user's role.

	Launchpad Header	Transaction Header
	Launchpad	Application Area MiniApp View or MidiApp

Figure 1: Workplace with launchpad and channel bar (gray) to the left

When users open the Workplace, it displays an application area containing MiniApps. These are simple applications of small size. They are mostly developed using flow logic technology. This MiniApp view is also the "Home" view of the mySAP.com Workplace. When the user launches a MidiApp, the application area is consumed by the MidiApp, while the launchpad remains visible. When the user launches a MaxiApp, the whole screen is taken up by the MaxiApp. Alternatively, a MaxiApp could open a new window.

Note: Follow the links for explanations of the terms MiniApp, MidiApp, and MaxiApp.

	Transaction Header
	Application Area MaxiApp

Figure 2: MaxiApp in Workplace - launchpad minimized, only channel bar (gray) visible

MidiApps as well as MaxiApps can be Web applications using different technologies (see below), R/3 applications running in SAPGUI for HTML, or in a plugin-based simulation of the SAPGUI for the browser environment.

Alternatively, R/3 applications can run in the standard Windows SAPGUI. In specialized working environments web applications can also run "stand-alone" in a browser, that is, without using the mySAP.com Workplace.

Application Types

With respect to size, there are currently three different types of SAP applications.

MiniApps

MiniApps are new types of applications that may run parallel to each other and are displayed in the mySAP.com Workplace (there is one MiniApp active, but others may run in the background). Users can customize their Workplace and define which MiniApps they want to run in their personal Workplace.

MiniApps can be developed using any technology; currently flow logic is typically used. MiniApps are covered in guidelines of their own.

Note: See the SAP MiniApp Guidelines in the Enjoy Knowledge Base or the Design Guild.

MidiApps

MidiApps run in the mySAP.com Workplace with the launchpad visible (or a help area instead). Typically MidiApps are Internet Application Components or "old-style" R/3 transactions of default size 83*21 (columns by rows).

Note: This guide focuses on the interaction design of Internet Application Components which are typically MidiApps.

MaxiApps

MaxiApps cover the whole area of the Workplace. They are typically "Enjoy" R/3 transactions with multiple areas or web transactions with multiple areas which are destined for more demanding tasks.

R/3 Applications vs. Web Applications

R/3 transactions are hard to distinguish from web applications because most R/3 transactions also run in a web browser environment. There is a classification flag that indicates which R/3 transactions can run in SAPGUI for HTML and which ones require other runtime environments like the SAPGUI for Windows.

For simplicity we call every transaction an "R/3 transaction" that uses the standard R/3 header with menus and toolbars.

Internet Application Components (IACs) are the focus of these guidelines. They are targeted at casual and untrained users. Therefore, the user interface should be intuitive and self-explaining. IACs use the special IAC header that has neither menus nor toolbars. These restrictions force developers to simplify their applications. See Characteristics of Typical SAP Internet Application Components and Examples for Internet Application Components for details about IACs.

For IACs, there are three technologies available:

1. SAPGUI for HTML based on dynpros
2. SAPGUI for HTML based on HTML templates
3. Flow logic based on HTML templates and XML flow files

In the first two cases, the web application is based on a simple R/3 transaction. In the dynpro-based version, the screen design corresponds exactly to a dynpro (the layout is done in the Screen Painter). HTML templates are derived from dynpros as well, but after the creation of a template developers can include other screen elements, rearrange and hide screen elements etc. HTML templates use the dynpro as a communication channel only. For template design, developers use the SAP HTML Business macro language, pure HTML or a mixture of both. In order to simplify the coding, they take advantage of the HTML Business function library. This library makes sure that the visual design matches the visual design which is created automatically and dynamically from dynpros using the corresponding library functions.

For applications based on flow logic the HTML business function library can be used for the HTML templates as well, but there is no dynpro behind a template. The communication between HTML pages and the applications behind them takes place via generalized function calls. Thus, the HTML business function library ensures an identical look and feel for all types of SAP web applications, independent of the technology behind them.

There is also a mixed mode possible allowing to develop dynpro-based applications that can be complemented with HTML templates to gain more freedom for the interface design and page layout.

Note: HTML templates and flow logic allow to utilize custom designs for special purposes, or customers.

The table below provides an overview of application types and technologies:

From left to right developers gain more design possibilities, but also the development effort increases.

Classification

The following table shows a more detailed classification for applications that run in the workplace.

Note: MiniApps run (in parallel) in the MiniApp view(s) of the mySAP.com Workplace only.

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Source:  SAP Interaction Design Guide for Internet Application Components