How to start and stop SAP ABAP application server

In part 1 of this tip series you successfully downloaded rar files from the SDN, and you completed the installation process. At the end of the installation, you were asked whether you wanted to start the Application Server. In accordance with the governance described in the previous tip, it would be a good idea to install the SAP GUI first. The SAP GUI should be installed before you proceed with Part 2.

Now you are prepared to start the application Server with the SAPMMC. SAPMMC is an SAP snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). SAPMMC allows you to administer all the SAP systems running on a particular machine. To start the SAPMMC in Windows, choose Start -> Programs -> SAP -> Start SAP Management Console, or click the meter icon on your desktop at any time. For our ABAP Trial Version with the system ID 'NSP' the MMC will look like this:



The left pane shows a tree with the elements of the NSP system consisting of the database and the application server.

The application server also provides information about the current system operation. Clicking the question mark will take you to the documentation that explains in detail the layout and context menu of the SAP System Manager Snap-In.

To start the NSP system, choose the NSP icon, go to the context menu and choose 'Start' or simply click on the triangle in the tool bar. The database is started first, and after a short while, green lights will indicate that the NSP is running. To check if the server has started completely select the 'ABAP WP Table' node in the left pane, which displays the work processes, the work horses of an ABAP system. Details about the workprocesses will be covered in a later tip. For the moment we just use the display to see that everything has started.



If you want to start the system directly without the MMC, you can also get to that point by choosing Start -> Programs -> SAP NetWeaver 2004 Trial Version -> NSP -> Start application server. This will not start SAPMMC, but it is easier, and if you are not interested in system information, it might be sufficient for your needs.

Now it would be okay to log on to the system. To do this, start 'SAP Logon' (that is installed with the SAPGUI), click 'new item' and double-click 'user specified system' in the next dialog box. Enter the system parameters requested. The screenshot below shows the configuration for running an application server and SAP logon on the same machine, which is our recommendation for the ABAP trial version. (If you prefer to install the GUI on another machine, you have to make sure that the server PC is reachable via TCP/IP, has a valid IP address or DNS entry, that no firewall is blocking the GUI protocol etc.)



Click 'Finish' and a new entry for 'NSP' is displayed in the SAP Logon window.



Select 'NSP' and click 'Log On'. After a few seconds, the log-on screen appears.



The connection between your application server and SAP GUI is now up and running -- Congratulations !

The following users have been created in your NSP system by default:

- 'BCUSER' for the standard user (e.g. development)
- 'DDIC' for administration
- 'SAP*' for license purposes

There is a temporary 30 day license on every NSP system after installation, which can be extended by 90 days again and again (and will be described in another tip).

Use the 'BCUSER' with the password 'minisap' (as can be seen on the last screenshot) and press 'Enter' or click the green icon at the beginning of tool bar. The entry screen should look like the screenshot below.



Pressing the 'Help' button will open up a menu. The first entry is 'Application Help' which links directly to the SAP documentation for the subject you are currently working on. This is only available in the new ABAP Trial Version (SP11).
In the field that has the cursor, you can enter the so-called transaction code. This is a shortcut e.g. 'SE80' to start the development environment that takes you directly to the functionality you'd like to use.

Try it out and enjoy!



This is the development environment (ABAP workbench) of the ABAP application server. Here you can find most of the tools for building business applications in ABAP. If you now open the 'Help' menu and select 'Application Help' a browser will appear and show you an overview of the functionality in the ABAP workbench.



When you have finished checking out the ABAP trial version, you can use the SAPMMC to stop the system. Select the NSP icon, go to the context menu and choose 'Stop' or just click the black rectangle in the tool bar, which will stop the application server but not the database.

Another way is to do this is: Click Start -> Programs -> SAP Netweaver 2004 Trial Version -> NSP -> Stop application server.
This will also stop the database.

In one of the next parts of this tip, we'll show you how easy it is to write a simple program in ABAP.

 

Manfred Lutz is in Netweaver Product Management with focus on Application Servers.

ABAP FOR NEWBIES

 Part 1: Download and install the trial version
 Part 2: Starting and stopping the application server
 Part 3: Why and how the server matters to you as a developer
 Part 4: Many developers on one central server -- how does it work?
 Part 5: Navigation in the application server
 Part 6: A first 'hello world' program
 Part 7: Creating a program and a package
 Part 8: Exporting development objects from SP8
 Part 9: Importing a transport into SP11
 Part 10: A first little business program
 Part 11: Getting more familiar with the ABAP dictionary
 Part 12: Debugging in ABAP
 Part 13: Get your program up to speed
 Part 14: Creating the database tables
 Part 15: How to dynamically create test data for our database table
 Part 16: Database Manager and SQL Studio

This content is reposted from the SAP Developer Network.
Copyright 2007, SAP Developer Network
 

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Want to read more from this author? Click here to read Manfred Lutz's Weblog. Click here to read more about ABAP on the SDN.