Using the SAP logging features

Very quick instructions:

1) create a log object and subobject in SLG0
2) initialize the log object/subobject (g_loghandle is a global variable)

  DATA: l_loghead TYPE bal_s_log.

  IF w_loghandle IS INITIAL.
    l_loghead-object     = 'ZMYOBJ'.
    l_loghead-subobject  = 'MYSUBOBJ'.
    l_loghead-aldate_del = sy-datum + 90. "expires in 90 days

    CALL FUNCTION 'BAL_LOG_CREATE'
      EXPORTING
        i_s_log      = l_loghead
      IMPORTING
        e_log_handle = g_loghandle
      EXCEPTIONS
        OTHERS       = 1.
  ENDIF.

3) add the messages to the log

DATA: ls_logmsg    TYPE bal_s_msg.

ls_logmsg-msgty = msg_type.
ls_logmsg-msgid = msg_id.
ls_logmsg-msgno = msg_number.
ls_logmsg-msgv1 = msg_v1.
ls_logmsg-msgv2 = msg_v2.
ls_logmsg-msgv3 = msg_v3.
ls_logmsg-msgv4 = msg_v4.


CALL FUNCTION 'BAL_LOG_MSG_ADD'
    EXPORTING
      i_log_handle = g_loghandle
      i_s_msg      = ls_logmsg
    EXCEPTIONS
      OTHERS       = 1.

4) save the log

  DATA: lt_log_handle TYPE bal_t_logh,
        ls_log_handle LIKE LINE OF lt_log_handle.

  ls_log_handle = w_loghandle.
  APPEND ls_log_handle TO lt_log_handle.

  CALL FUNCTION 'BAL_DB_SAVE'
    EXPORTING
      i_t_log_handle = lt_log_handle
    EXCEPTIONS
      OTHERS         = 1.

  COMMIT WORK.

5) see the results with SLG1

Hidden Configuration

I knew it was possible to configure stop-offs costs in APO TP/VS. But I could not find where. Damm! It was in the cost profile, but I had to open the select box. Humm ... it was hidden quite well.

Are you doing job interviews?

From Paul Graham in Hackers and Painters (a great book, by the way):

It seems surprising to me that any employer would be reluctant to let hackers work on open source projects. At Viaweb, we would have been reluctant to hire anyone who didn't. When we interviewed programmers, the main thing we cared about was what kind of software they wrote in their spare time. You can't do anything really well unless you love it, and if you love to hack you'll inevitably be working on projects of your own.

Working with optimizers - quick tips

• Test and check that versions match with /SAPAPO/OPT_INST
  
• Use /SAPAPO/OPT11 to see the optimizer trace file