Visual Composer Modeling: Migrating Models from 7.1.X to 7.2.0 Applies to: Visual Composer for SAP Netweaver Composition Environment (CE) 7.2.0, 7.1.X. Summary This document discusses known issues, following an update from the 7.1.X version to 7.2.0. Author: Ehud Nir Company: SAP Created on: 1 December 2010 Author Bio Ehud is a developer working in the Visual Composer Data & Execution team in SAP. 2011 SAP AG 1
Table of Contents Introduction... 3 General Modeling Issues... 4 Spaces appear between controls in a melting box... 4 Message area causes a blank space... 4 Select event is called when the application loads... 4 Limitation in the number of nested elements... 5 Limitation in the number of modes in a development component (DC)... 5 Data Handling Issues... 6 Normalization of data services no longer performed... 6 Error in service call... 6 Integration with other SAP tools... 7 Integration with Guided Procedures... 7 Related Content... 8 Copyright... 9 2011 SAP AG 2
Introduction The goal of this document is to help Visual Composer users with the modeling process, following an update from the 7.1.X version to 7.2.0. Most of the issues discussed in this document are based on the changed behavior of a migrated model once it is used in the 7.2.0 version. The source of the issue is sometimes a bug in the 7.1.X version that was fixed; in other cases it is a change of behavior in Visual Composer and improper modeling practices applied in the original model. The issues are divided into three groups: General Modeling Issues: Issues involving general modeling capabilities and Storyboard task panels Data Handling Issues: Issues involving data services and dataset manipulations Integration with other SAP tools: Issues involving integration with other SAP composition tools 2011 SAP AG 3
General Modeling Issues Spaces appear between controls in a melting box Version 7.11 contains a property for the width of a melting box, which is ignored, and the nested controls appear without spaces. In the 7.20 version, this situation is fixed and the controls are equally spread over the nesting melting box with spaces appearing between them. You can change the melting box width to a fixed value in the migrated model. Message area causes a blank space In the 7.1.1 version, when the Content Scale option of the model is set to Fixed, the value was ignored. In the 7.2.0 version, the runtime rendering works correctly, leaving a blank space where the message area should be. Change the Content Scale property to Auto Fit. Select event is called when the application loads The following error appears when the application loads: Error in connection. Enter a value for field <field name>. Explanation The select event is raised when the model loads only if the Table View is of 1..1 or 1..n cardinality. This occurs because an element is actually created (and selected) in the table, which should raise a select event. The 7.2.0 version includes changes concerning cardinality, including the calling of the Select event. Define a guard condition on the link between the Table View and the service, preventing the flow if no data exists. For example: "=!ISNULL([suppliers]@name)". 2011 SAP AG 4
Limitation in the number of nested elements After migration, certain elements are not rendered correctly in runtime in cases where a maximum nesting level is reached (a UI element is placed inside a hierarchy of too many panels / nested models / melting groups). Explanation There is a known limit to the rendering capabilities of Microsoft Internet Explorer for nested tables (27). Due to performance issues, the Visual Composer runtime has undergone a number of architectural changes that have caused an increase in the number of nested tables in its applications. A possible workaround could be using the Flex runtime rather than the HTML one. Limitation in the number of modes in a development component (DC) A single DC contains a few hundred models. Following the migration process, it is impossible to work with an application. The following errors are issued: 1. Pressing the Home button at any time produces a 500 error. 2. The application seems to be read only: Users cannot make changes, though the roles have not changed. 3. Using the Find task button seems to result in an error. Limit the size of the DC to approximately 30 models / services. 2011 SAP AG 5
Data Handling Issues Normalization of data services no longer performed Data services used in Visual Composer 7.2.0 models are no longer normalized automatically upon use. Normalization finds singleton records that can be eliminated as actual records and turned into structured fields (or eliminated altogether). Basically, a normalized dataset and a non-normalized dataset contain the same structure information. The main difference is where the information is located: either in the structure itself (the non-normalized dataset) or in the structure and in the application name (the normalized dataset). Note that datasets that were normalized in an earlier release of Visual Composer, such as 7.1.1, remain normalized when opened 7.2.0. Error in service call There are two mapping lines from the input Form View to the service port, both invoked on the submit event. When passing the data, the following error message appears: "No data was found for specified selection." The reason for this error is the transfer of two predefined rows of data. This application worked in 7.1.1. Explanation Due to changes to the runtime, this kind of modeling no longer works. In general, the described flow is an improper modeling practice and it is not clear which mapping should be used to pass the data to the service. Only a single mapping should be used. From the input port of the service, drag and connect the desired element Form View in this example. For clustered data, an attached Data Share element is created with the Form View. You can add records of data to this Data Share at the relevant hierarchy level using the Initialize Data option. For a flat dataset, you can drag a Table View from the service. Then, you can connect a Data Share to the left of the Table View, and add data records to it using the Initialize Data option. This modeling practice is also preferable in 7.1.1 for the described model. 2011 SAP AG 6
Integration with other SAP tools Integration with Guided Procedures To create multiple result states for use with Guided Procedures in 7.2.0, you can create a single end point with multiple Boolean fields named ResultState_<status> (where <status> is the result state name, for example, ResultState_Reject). The previously-used method of defining multiple end points in a callable object is no longer supported (however, models created with multiple end points in earlier releases can still be opened and modified in the current Visual Composer version). 2011 SAP AG 7
Related Content For more information, visit the Visual Composer homepage. 2011 SAP AG 8
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