ABAP Objects is a new concept in R/3 System and you can find
its two distinct meanings --- one is for the entire ABAP runtime environment and
the other represents the new object-oriented generation of this language.
The Runtime Environment
ABAP Objects, for the entire ABAP runtime environment, are
an indication of how SAP has, for sometime, been moving towards object
orientation. Object-oriented techniques have been used exclusively in system
design. The ABAP language did not support these techniques earlier.
The ABAP Workbench will allow creating R/3 Repository
objects in this regard. These objects are programs, authorization objects, lock
objects, customizing objects, and so on and so forth. By using function
modules, one can also encapsulate functions in separate programs with a defined
lnterface. The Business Object Repository (BOR) allows you to create SAP
Business Objects for internal and external use.
The Object-Oriented Language Extension
ABAP Objects support object-oriented programming. The ABAP
Objects is a complete set of object-oriented statements, which has been
introduced into the ABAP language. This object-oriented extension of ABAP builds
on the existing language and is fully compatible with it.
The Object Orientation (OO), also known as the object-oriented
paradigm, is a programming model that unites data and functions in objects. You
can not only use ABAP Objects in existing programs, but also work with and use
a conventional ABAP in new ABAP Objects programs. The rest of the ABAP language
is primarily intended for structured programming, where data is stored in a
structured form in database tables and function-oriented programs access and
work with it.
Moreover, we should know that the object-oriented
enhancement of ABAP is based on the models of Java and C++. It is compatible
with external object interfaces such as DCOM and CORBA. The implementation of
object-oriented elements in the kernel of the ABAP language has considerably
increased response times when you work with ABAP Objects. Some other objects,
such as SAP Business Objects and GUI objects, which are already object-oriented
by themselves, are also benefiting from being incorporated into ABAP Objects.
