BRF+ Object Creation Using ABAP Z-Report, Part 2

To create BRF+ Elements programmatically using ABAP Refer Previous blog

BRF+ Object Creation using ABAP Z-Report

In this blog, we will learn how to create BRF+ Structures and Table type programmatically using ABAP. This provides a scalable way to automate the creation of data objects and integrate them into larger rule frameworks.

Structure Creation: The same application should be used to create the structure.
It is not necessary to build a structure if our result contains just one column. There is also no need to create a structure if the output for a single condition is a single row. If more than one column appears in our result, we should make a structure with all of those columns. Additionally, a structure must be shown if the output consists of multiple rows.

Table type Creation: In order to have multiple result rows based on a single condition in our decision table, we can create a table in the same application. Therefore, table creation is necessary in our case.

ABAP Program to Create Structure and Table type

Below is a sample ABAP program (ZDEMO_BRF_APP)

REPORT zdemo_brf_app.

DATA: lo_factory           TYPE REF TO if_fdt_factory,
      lo_application       TYPE REF TO if_fdt_application,
      lt_message           TYPE if_fdt_types=>t_message,
      lv_message           TYPE string,
      lv_boolean           TYPE abap_bool,
      lv_demo_appl_id      TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
      lv_string            TYPE string,
      lo_element_1         TYPE REF TO if_fdt_element,
      lo_element_2         TYPE REF TO if_fdt_element,
      lo_element_3         TYPE REF TO if_fdt_element,
      lo_table             TYPE REF TO if_fdt_table,
      lo_table_1           TYPE REF TO if_fdt_table,
      lo_structure         TYPE REF TO if_fdt_structure,
      lv_element1_id       TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
      lv_element2_id       TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
      lv_element3_id       TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
      lv_input_number_id   TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
      lv_result_counter_id TYPE if_fdt_types=>id,
     

FIELD-SYMBOLS:
   TYPE if_fdt_types=>s_message,
     TYPE any.


PARAMETERS: pv_lcl  TYPE abap_bool RADIOBUTTON GROUP r00 DEFAULT 'X',
            pv_sys  TYPE abap_bool RADIOBUTTON GROUP r00,
            pv_mstr TYPE abap_bool RADIOBUTTON GROUP r00,
            pv_name TYPE char30.
*           p_ele_01  TYPE i DEFAULT 5,
*            p_ele_02  TYPE i DEFAULT 4,
*            p_ele_03  TYPE i DEFAULT 8,
*            p_ele_04  TYPE i DEFAULT 3,
*            p_ele_05  TYPE i DEFAULT 13,
*            p_ele_06  TYPE i DEFAULT 2.
*           pv_ele   TYPE char20,
*           pv_str TYPE char20,
*           pv_tab TYPE char20.

IF pv_name IS NOT INITIAL AND pv_lcl IS NOT INITIAL OR pv_sys IS NOT INITIAL OR pv_mstr IS NOT INITIAL.

* get a reference to the instance of the factory
  lo_factory = cl_fdt_factory=>if_fdt_factory~get_instance( ).

* =============================================================
* definition of the new application:
* get an initial application object from the factory
  lo_application = lo_factory->get_application( ).
  lo_application->if_fdt_transaction~enqueue( ).
* set values for the application, especially the name is important
* You need to have a unique name for each application, here we use the
* FDT Service class method to get the unique name.
  lo_application->set_application_component( 'BC' ).        "#EC NOTEXT
  lo_application->set_software_component( 'SAP_BASIS' ).    "#EC NOTEXT
  lo_application->set_development_package( '$TMP' ).        "#EC NOTEXT
*lo_application->if_fdt_admin_data~set_name( cl_fdt_services=>get_unique_name( ) ).
  lo_application->if_fdt_admin_data~set_name( pv_name ).


* In FDT terms there are 3 different type of Applications, Local application,
* system pplication and MasterData Application. The following lines shows how you
* can create local Application, masterdata Application and system Application.
  IF pv_lcl EQ abap_true.
    lo_application->create_local_application( ).
  ELSEIF pv_sys EQ abap_true.
    lo_application->create_system_application( ).
  ELSEIF pv_mstr EQ abap_true.
    lo_application->create_masterdata_application( ).
  ENDIF.
  lo_application->if_fdt_transaction~activate(
             IMPORTING et_message           = lt_message
                       ev_activation_failed = lv_boolean ).
  IF lv_boolean EQ abap_true.
*     for some reason the activation failed -> individual handling needed
    lo_application->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
  ELSE.
    lo_application->if_fdt_transaction~save( ).
    lo_application->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
*     usually it makes sense to store the id for later access to the application
    lv_demo_appl_id = lo_application->mv_id.
  ENDIF.
  WRITE: 'The ID of the application created is: ', lv_demo_appl_id. "#EC NOTEXT
ELSE.
  MESSAGE 'Provide all the required information' TYPE 'E'.
ENDIF.
*for creating Element,Structure,Table by Data Object


lo_factory = cl_fdt_factory=>if_fdt_factory~get_instance( lv_demo_appl_id ).
* =============================================================
* definition of a data object structure:
* get an initial data object structure from the factory
lo_structure ?= lo_factory->get_data_object(
    iv_data_object_type = if_fdt_constants=>gc_data_object_type_structure ).
lo_structure->if_fdt_transaction~enqueue( ).
lo_structure->if_fdt_admin_data~set_name( 'STRUCTURE' ).
lo_structure->set_elements( lts_element ).
**********************************************************************************
* Alternately user can create a structure by using the service class method,
* CL_FDT_CONVENIENCE=>CREATE_STRUCTURE as follows.
* Cl_fdt_convenience=>create_structure( EXPORTING iv_name="DEMO_STRUCTURE_1"
*                                                iv_application_id = if_fdt_constants=>gc_application_tmp
*                                                it_element        =  lts_element
*                                                iv_activate       = ABAP_false
*                                      IMPORTING
*                                                eo_structure      = lo_structure ).
***********************************************************************************

lo_structure->if_fdt_transaction~activate(
  IMPORTING
    et_message           = lt_message
    ev_activation_failed = lv_boolean ).


IF lv_boolean EQ abap_true.
  LOOP AT lt_message ASSIGNING .
    MESSAGE ID -msgid TYPE -msgty NUMBER -msgno
        WITH -msgv1 -msgv2 -msgv3 -msgv4
        INTO lv_message.
  ENDLOOP.
  WRITE : lv_message.
*         for some reason the activation failed -> individual handling needed
  lo_structure->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
ELSE.
  lo_structure->if_fdt_transaction~save( ).
  lo_structure->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
*         usually it makes sense to store the id for later access to the application
  lv_structure_id = lo_structure->mv_id.
ENDIF.
*   WRITE: / lo_structure->mv_id .
lv_string = lo_structure->if_fdt_admin_data~to_string(  iv_mode = if_fdt_constants=>gc_tostring_mode_complete ).
WRITE : / 'The result of to string method call Structure: ' , lv_string. "#EC NOTEXT
* =============================================================
* definition of a data object table:
*     get an initial data object Table from the factory
lo_table ?= lo_factory->get_data_object(
    iv_data_object_type = if_fdt_constants=>gc_data_object_type_table ).
lo_table->if_fdt_transaction~enqueue( ).
lo_table->if_fdt_admin_data~set_name( 'TABLE' ).
lo_table->set_structure( lv_structure_id ).
INSERT lo_table->mv_id INTO TABLE lts_context_id.
***********************************************************************
* Alternately user can create a Table by using the service class method,
* CL_FDT_CONVENIENCE=>CREATE_TABLE as follows.
* cl_fdt_convenience=>create_table( EXPORTING iv_name="DEMO_TABLE_1"
*                                            iv_structure_name="DEMO_STRUCTURE_1"
*                                            iv_application_id = if_fdt_constants=>gc_application_tmp
*                                            it_element        = its_element
*                                            iv_activate       = ABAP_false
*                                  IMPORTING
*                                            eo_table          = lo_table ).
***********************************************************************



lo_table->if_fdt_transaction~activate(
  IMPORTING
    et_message           = lt_message
    ev_activation_failed = lv_boolean ).
IF lv_boolean EQ abap_true.
*        for some reason the activation failed -> individual handling needed
  lo_table->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
ELSE.
  lo_table->if_fdt_transaction~save( ).
  lo_table->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
*        usually it makes sense to store the id for later access to the application

ENDIF.
*   WRITE: / lo_table->mv_id .
lv_string = lo_table->if_fdt_admin_data~to_string(  iv_mode = if_fdt_constants=>gc_tostring_mode_complete ).
WRITE : / 'The result of to_string method call Table: ' , lv_string. "#EC NOTEXT


* cl_fdt_convenience=>create_table( EXPORTING iv_application_id = if_fdt_constants=>gc_application_tmp
*                                                iv_element_type   = if_fdt_constants=>gc_data_object_type_table
*                                                iv_activate       = abap_false
*                                                iv_name="RESULT_COUNTER"
*                                      IMPORTING eo_element        = lo_result_counter ).
*
*  INSERT lo_result_counter->mv_id INTO TABLE lts_context_id.
*TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_element ,
*  name TYPE if_fdt_types=>name,
*  lv_element type if_fdt_types=>element_type,
*  END OF ty_element.
*DATA: lt_element TYPE TABLE OF ty_element,
*      lss_element TYPE ty_element.
*  lss_element-name="SFLIGHT_TAB".
*  lss_element-lv_element = if_fdt_constants=>gc_data_object_type_table.
*  APPEND lss_element TO lt_element.


lo_table_1 ?= lo_factory->get_data_object(
    iv_data_object_type = if_fdt_constants=>gc_data_object_type_table ).
lo_table_1->if_fdt_transaction~enqueue( ).
lo_table_1->if_fdt_admin_data~set_name( 'SFLIGHT_TAB' ).
lo_table_1->set_structure( lv_result_table_id ).
APPEND lo_table_1->mv_id TO lts_context_id.

lo_table_1->if_fdt_transaction~activate(
  IMPORTING
    et_message           = lt_message
    ev_activation_failed = lv_boolean ).
IF lv_boolean EQ abap_true.
*        for some reason the activation failed -> individual handling needed
  lo_table_1->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
ELSE.
  lo_table_1->if_fdt_transaction~save( ).
  lo_table_1->if_fdt_transaction~dequeue( ).
*        usually it makes sense to store the id for later access to the application

ENDIF.
*   WRITE: / lo_table->mv_id .
lv_string = lo_table_1->if_fdt_admin_data~to_string(  iv_mode = if_fdt_constants=>gc_tostring_mode_complete ).
WRITE : / 'The result of to_string method call Table: ' , lv_string. "#EC NOTEXT

*
*  cl_fdt_convenience=>create_table(
*    EXPORTING
*      iv_name="RESULT_TABLE"                " Name
*      iv_structure_name = lv_name
*      iv_application_id = if_fdt_constants=>gc_application_tmp                " Universal Unique Identifier
*      it_element        = lt_element              " Elements
*      iv_activate       = abap_true        " Activate changes?
*    IMPORTING
**      ev_table_id       =                  " Universal Unique Identifier
*      eo_table          = lo_result_table                " FDT: Data Object of Type Table
*  ).
*  CATCH cx_fdt_input. " FDT: Invalid Input

Execution & Output

When you execute the above ABAP report, the newly created Application , Structure and Table will immediately be reflected in the BRF+ Workbench (/nBRF+). You can navigate to the workbench to verify that the application ZDEMO_APP and its elements have been created successfully.

Screenshot 2025-09-17 183106.Png Screenshot 2025-09-17 220313.Png Screenshot 2025-09-17 220331.Png Screenshot 2025-09-17 220409.Png

After running the program, you will see system-generated IDs for each element created. These IDs are crucial when referencing the elements in Structures, Rules, or Functions.