Chrome extension/Firerfox user script to highlight ABAP correction instructions in SAP Notes

[dellagustin]

Hello community,

For a long time now I have been asking myself why the ABAP correction instructions in SAP Notes are presented in the way they are, pure black and white text.

Sure, there are other ways to access the correction instructions that make it easier to view and understand the changes, but wouldn't it be nice if we could review the code changes directly in the note text in SMP?

Well, with this in mind I have taken some time to develop a chrome extension to enhance the presentation of ABAP CIs, and this is the result:



The extension can be installed from:

• Chrome (and compatible browsers) - the chrome web store: SAP Note Enhancer - Chrome Web Store


• Firefox - manually by following this instruction

The code is open source and it can be accessed in GitHub: dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer · GitHub

I hope you find this helpful.

If you find bugs, missing keywords or have suggestions for features, please create an issue in the GitHub page.

UPDATE (March 2016)

With versions 1.10.0 I enabled the highlighting in ONE Support Launchpad.

Example: CI from note 2260344 (Select a release and then click in Code Changes).

UPDATE (March 2017)

Now also available for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sap-note-enhancer/ (It does not work anymore, see the next update)

UPDATE (March 2021)

The Firefox version was removed from the Add-ons website, but it is now self hosted, you can install it following this instructions: https://github.com/dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer/tree/master#install

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Florian]

Are you doing that much corrections?

I mean, really nice work from the programmer point of view, but overall i'm not sure if this is a necessary development. Not necessary, but nice :smile:

~Florian

PS: I don't want to smaller the result, so I wish you happy hacking with your nodes :wink: .

[dellagustin]

That is a good question.

I work at SAP and often have, review notes from colleagues and look for old notes checking what they touched. I always had to go extra steps for that given note number in order to reach a readable version of the correction instruction.

Now it is more straight forward. I don't know exactly how the content of sap notes (more specifically, read access to the Correction Instructions) are usually consumed by SAP customers, but one thing is for sure, for me this came in handy.

What's your role and how do you consume this corrections?

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Florian]

I'm an ABAP-developer working for a partner. We have a lot of systems to maintain and of course, there are nodes to do for me from time to time. Most of the time these can be implemented via snote without doing anything per Copy and paste.

That might be the difference, you have to review these notes to see the manual work description looks good and is easily to understand.

I touch these manuals in a very few cases.

Anyway, I will install it :cool:

~Florian

[dellagustin]

Thanks for the feedback.

Actually I also have to review the ABAP correction instructions, and I usually have to go for a different tool for that because it is very hard for me to read them in unhighlighted text directly in the note.

I imagine that some partners might also want to review the code changes delivered by SAP with the note, and that they could use the extension to read the deltas directly in Service Market Place.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

Thanks for this extension, I like the idea.

Do you know if there is any special requirement for this? I installed it on chrome, but don't see any highlighting.

Chrome version: 43.0.02357.130 (portable version -  could it be the problem?)

I tried with the note from your screenshot (2180923), but currently it's not released so I tried another one (2182696), but I see no highlighting when I go to correction instuction.

Any idea?

Thanks,

Peter

[dellagustin]

Hello Peter,

I just tested with Chrome portable, exact same version and it worked for me.

This means it is not the note, nor the version.

What operational system are you using?

I'm testing it in Windows 7.

Can you put a screenshot including the web link you used to view the note?

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

Thanks for checking it.

Here is what I see:

OS: Win7 Enterprise SP1. It's a German version. Maybe this is the problem :smile:

Thanks,

Peter

[dellagustin]

Ok, got it, the current version will only highlight the Correction Instructions directly shown in the note (I didn't even new this screen you posted, but I found out how to reach it).

Maybe you are hiding the CIs by default when you open the note (there is a yellow button Hide/Show Correction Instructions.

Try viewing the note from this link:

service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/2180923

Check if the correction instructions appear directly in the page that will open.

I'll add this as a feature request in the GitHub issues.

You can watch the project to check when it is implemented:

dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer · GitHub

P.S.: Here is the link to the issue:

Extend the CI highlighting to the CI viewing page in the SMP · Issue #5 · dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhan...

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[dellagustin]

Hello Peter,

I updated the extension, the version 0.0.3 should now support your use case.

Can you please retest?

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

It works fine now. Thanks a lot for your quick help!

BTW for note 2180923 I still got the message "Document is not released". Maybe it's only released for you. But anyway it doesn't really matter now :smile:

Cheers,

Peter

[Peter_Inotai]

>Maybe you are hiding the CIs by default when you open the note (there is a yellow button Hide/Show Correction Instructions.

It's funny I don't have these buttons (finally found on your screenshot), only 'SCCR' and 'Download'.

Probable it's authorization issue.

Anyway the other way it works.

Peter

[dellagustin]

Hello Peter,

The note 2180923 is only released for pilot customers, that is why you cannot access it.

Thanks for testing the new version.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

Thanks for the info. This is what I also thought.

Best regards,

Peter

[amadeusgrabmayer]

This is a very helpful extension - thank you!

I often have a look if the problem (for what I'm searching notes) is fixed in the correction instructions of the corresponding notes (or if the class which I found is at least affected).

This makes it much more comfortable :smile:

Best regards,

Amadeus

[dellagustin]

Hello Amadeus,

Thanks for you comments, that was one of the use cases that I had in mind.

Best Regard,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

I hope that guys at SAP responsible for SMP will also read this blog and make this behaviour as a default for all supported browsers without any add-on or extension.

That would be really great.

Peter

[dellagustin]

If you want to give this feedback to SAP, please check to following website:

SAP Customer Influence: Enterprise Home

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

Thanks for your suggestion. That one looks a little bit marketing focused, however I found this one: Contact us | SAP Support Portal

I'll contact them, and see what happens. It might help :smile:

Peter

[Peter_Inotai]

BTW I got an answer: :smile:

Answer from SAP

02-Nov-2015  16:35:56

Hello Peter Inotai, Thank you for your feedback. I will add this to our list of enhancement ideas. We appreciate your suggestion. Many thanks, Rob

[dellagustin]

Thanks, I believe that it will be helpful!

[Former Member]

Nice work on extention. I too find it usefull to write GM scripts to fix stuff I don't find optimal.

However it strikes me as odd that you as SAP Employee can't get this thing pushed via channels and implemented by default :grin:

[Peter_Inotai]

However it strikes me as odd that you as SAP Employee can't get this thing pushed via channels and implemented by default

I had exactly the same feeling :smile:

[Former Member]

Also I suggest your restrict match pattern to https://*.sap.com/*/etc.

Naturally when I see extention requesting more permissions than they need to do the job I go for the source audit :lol:

[dellagustin]

Thanks for the feedback, it is always good to know my work is helping other people :lol: .

I would like to comment on:

                            Kirill Gorin wrote:

However it strikes me as odd that you as SAP Employee can't get this thing pushed via channels and implemented by default :grin:

but I'm not sure to which extent I can disclose the companies internal processes...

What I can tell you is that I tried, and I am still trying.

If you want to support it from outside I think the best way is going to Contact us | SAP Support Portal and send this feedback.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[dellagustin]

Hello Kirill,

There are two reasons I am using https://*/*/bc/bsp/, and I am aware of the drawback :sad:

1)  I have to cover an internal SAP domain that I'm not sure I can disclose (I know of one extension that does it though),

2) the SMP link (*.sap.com) will redirect to a host with domain *.sap-ag.de, and I'm not sure that this will stay the same (Ok, by my experience it have been stable for quite some time).

I'll think about it again though, It is a drag that I have to use such a wildcard.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[dellagustin]

Done, in version 1.10.1 the match pattern is restricted to more specific patterns (can be checked here: SAP_Note_Enhancer/manifest.json at master · dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer · GitHub)

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi,

Based on the update it should also work with the new Launchpad. I have already the extension version 1.10.1, however it doesn't work even for your example.

Any idea what could be wrong?

Thanks,

Peter

[dellagustin]

Hi Peter,

I have been notified of this issue recently, and I created an issue in GitHub:

https://github.com/dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer/issues/13

I will take a look at it as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.

[Peter_Inotai]

Great, thanks!

Peter

[dellagustin]

Hi Peter,

The issue was fixed in version 1.10.2, which was just published.

You should get the fix in the next automatic update.

[Peter_Inotai]

Hi Guilherme,

Thanks! That was fast.

Currently keywords are properly highlighted, but I don't have this green/red background (for INSERT/DELETE) as before. :sad:

Does it work for you?

Thanks,

Peter

[dellagustin]

You are right, it is not working properly.

I'll take a look.

[Peter_Inotai]

Thanks for checking it.

[dellagustin]

Fixed in v1.10.3, It will be published shortly.

[Peter_Inotai]

Now it works. Thanks!

[former_member452]

Firefox plugin can't be found: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/sap-note-enhancer/

[dellagustin]

Thanks for reporting, It is a long time I don't access the firefox addon, I'll need to check that.

Can you please create an issue in the GitHub repo?

https://github.com/dellagustin/SAP_Note_Enhancer/issues

[dellagustin]

Thanks for creating the issue, I have worked on it and provided a solution, I just tested it now and it worked for me.

I updated the blog post to reflect the new way of installing it in Firefox.

[former_member452]

Thanks! now it works fine