From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from SAP GUI)
SAP GUI for Windows version 6.40 |
|
| Developer(s) | SAP |
|---|---|
| Stable release |
8.00[1] |
| Written in | C, C++ |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, Java Virtual Machine |
SAP GUI is the graphical user interface client in SAP ERP’s 3-tier architecture of database, application server and client. It is software that runs on a Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh or Unix desktop, and allows a user to access SAP functionality in SAP applications such as SAP ERP and SAP Business Information Warehouse (BW). It is used for remote access to the SAP central server in a company network.
Family[edit]
- SAP GUI for the Windows environment and Apple Macintosh
- SAP GUI for the Java(TM) environment
- SAP GUI for HTML / Internet Transaction Server (ITS)
- Requires Internet Explorer or Firefox as a browser; other browsers are not officially supported by SAP.
Microsoft Windows releases[edit]
| Release | Release date | Latest patch | End of life | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | First «GUI» for SAP software; no graphical elements like checkboxes, radiobuttons and icons | |||
| 1.1 | Field length indicated by background colors; fast paths in menus | |||
| 2.0 | New GUI for Windows 3.1; System and Application Toolbar added; icons in System Toolbar | |||
| 2.1 | New graphical elements: checkboxes, radiobuttons, group boxes and push buttons on screen | |||
| 3.0 | Table control introduced; icons added to buttons | |||
| 3.1 | 1996 | Windows95-look with flat buttons; tabstrip control and ABAP List Viewer (ALV) introduced | ||
| 4.0 | Screens contain more information to reduce navigation | |||
| 4.5 | Active X elements introduced; ALV is now based on grid control | |||
| 4.6D | July 2000 | GUI is re-designed; multiple-areas are introduced to reduce need for screen changes | ||
| 6.10 | July 2001 | |||
| 6.20 | March 2002 | December 31, 2010 | Scripting added [2] | |
| 6.40 | June 2004 | December 31, 2010 | Unicode support extended; accessibility and usability improved | |
| 7.10 | February 2007 | April 12, 2011 | Support for Microsoft Vista and Office 2007; new «Tweak SAP GUI» tool; new ABAP front-end editor | |
| 7.20 | April 2010 | 17 (final) | April 09, 2013[3] | Support for Windows XP; Windows 2003 Server; Windows Vista; Windows 2008 Server; Windows 7 and Office 2010; Built with Visual Studio 2008[4] |
| 7.30 | June 2012 | 15 | July 15, 2015 | Usability enhancements; new customization features; built with Visual Studio 2010 |
| 7.40 | October 2014 | 19 | November 9, 2019 | Replaces Corbu with Blue Crystal; integrates SAP GUI for Windows 7.40 and Netweaver Business Client 5.0 |
| 7.50 | May 2017 | 15 (final) | April 9, 2019 | |
| 7.60 | February 2019 | 15 | April 12, 2022 | Introduces Belize theme, aligning GUI’s visual design with the rest of SAP’s Fiori applications. Retires Enjoy / Streamline / Tradeshow / SystemDependent themes. |
| 7.70 | January 29, 2021 | 12 | April 09, 2024 | |
| 8.00 | January 27, 2023 | 2 | January 12, 2027 | The 64bit version; Quartz themes: Modernization of rendering engine and some additional features; HTML Control based on Microsoft Edge: Improvements; Usability improvements in many components; Improvements for SAP Logon; Branding images per system and client |
Java releases – for other operating systems[edit]
| Release | Release date | Latest patch | End of life | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.10 | October 2007 | 21 | ||
| 7.20 | December 2009 | 10 | January 31, 2013 | Supported OS – openSUSE, Fedora Core, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, AIX, OS X Lion, Fedora, Ubuntu |
| 7.30 | December 2012 | 10 | March 31, 2015 | |
| 7.40 | December 2014 | 13 | March 31, 2018 | |
| 7.50 | February 2020 | 9[5] | ||
| 7.70 | March 2021 | New themes with HiDPI support |
Single sign-on[edit]
SAP GUI on Microsoft Windows or Internet Explorer can also be used for single sign-on. There are several portal-based authentication applications for single sign-on. SAP GUI can have single sign-on with SAP Logon Ticket as well. Single sign-on also works in the Java GUI.[6]
Criticism of using SAP GUI for authentication to SAP server access[edit]
SAP is a distributed application, where client software (SAP GUI) installed on a user’s workstation is used to access the central SAP server remotely over the company’s network. Users need to authenticate themselves when accessing SAP. By default, however, SAP uses unencrypted communication, which allows potential company-internal attackers to get access to usernames and passwords by listening on the network. This can expose the complete SAP system, if a person is able to get access to this information for a user with extended authorization in the SAP system. Information about this feature is publicly accessible on the Internet.
SAP Secure Network Communications[edit]
SAP offers an option to strongly protect communication between clients and servers, called Secure Network Communications (SNC).[7]
Security[edit]
In total, the vendor has released 25 security patches (aka SAP Security Notes). One of the most notorious vulnerabilities was closed among the set of fixes released in March 2017. The vulnerability in the SAP GUI client for Windows allows remote code execution.[8] Also, researchers who identified the security issues pointed out that the vulnerability allows an attacker to download ransomware on the SAP server that would be automatically installed on every workstation within a company.[9]
Screen editing with Personas[edit]
Since 1998 SAP GUI screens (so-called «DynPros») can be adjusted and customized with GuiXT. Now this can also be achieved with «SAP Screen Personas«. Personas is installed on one of the SAP NetWeaver ABAP 7.0x or 7.3x servers in the system landscape. Then it can be used on all SAP NetWeaver ABAP servers with a kernel of 7.21 or higher, including on NetWeaver ABAP 7.11 systems (on which Personas cannot be installed directly).
iOS and Android implementations[edit]
Native iOS and Android implementations of SAP GUI are available from GuiXT.
See also[edit]
- GuiXT
- Public key infrastructure
- Single sign-on
- Secure Network Communications
- Smartcard
- GUI 770 installation guide on windows
References[edit]
- ^ «SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 is coming on 27th of January 2023: New Features & Lifecycle Information». Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ «The SAP GUI Scripting API How to Automate User Interaction -Technology, Examples and Integration». Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ «Lifetime and Support Matrix for SAP GUI for Windows». Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Supported SAP GUI platforms». April 25, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «SAP GUI Family — Additional Topics — Community Wiki». wiki.scn.sap.com. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ «Single Sign-on for SAP Java GUI». January 10, 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Secure Network Communications (SNC)». Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Michael Mimoso (March 22, 2017). «SAP Vulnerability Puts Business Data at Risk for Thousands of Companies». Threatpost | The first stop for security news. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Can SAP Be Affected By Ransomware? | SAP Cyber Security Solutions». erpscan.com. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
External links[edit]
- SAP Support Portal (User-ID required).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
SAP GUI for Windows version 6.40 |
|
| Developer(s) | SAP |
|---|---|
| Stable release |
8.00[1] |
| Written in | C, C++ |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, Java Virtual Machine |
SAP GUI is the graphical user interface client in SAP ERP’s 3-tier architecture of database, application server and client. It is software that runs on a Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh or Unix desktop, and allows a user to access SAP functionality in SAP applications such as SAP ERP and SAP Business Information Warehouse (BW). It is used for remote access to the SAP central server in a company network.
Family[edit]
- SAP GUI for the Windows environment and Apple Macintosh
- SAP GUI for the Java(TM) environment
- SAP GUI for HTML / Internet Transaction Server (ITS)
- Requires Internet Explorer or Firefox as a browser; other browsers are not officially supported by SAP.
Microsoft Windows releases[edit]
| Release | Release date | Latest patch | End of life | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | First «GUI» for SAP software; no graphical elements like checkboxes, radiobuttons and icons | |||
| 1.1 | Field length indicated by background colors; fast paths in menus | |||
| 2.0 | New GUI for Windows 3.1; System and Application Toolbar added; icons in System Toolbar | |||
| 2.1 | New graphical elements: checkboxes, radiobuttons, group boxes and push buttons on screen | |||
| 3.0 | Table control introduced; icons added to buttons | |||
| 3.1 | 1996 | Windows95-look with flat buttons; tabstrip control and ABAP List Viewer (ALV) introduced | ||
| 4.0 | Screens contain more information to reduce navigation | |||
| 4.5 | Active X elements introduced; ALV is now based on grid control | |||
| 4.6D | July 2000 | GUI is re-designed; multiple-areas are introduced to reduce need for screen changes | ||
| 6.10 | July 2001 | |||
| 6.20 | March 2002 | December 31, 2010 | Scripting added [2] | |
| 6.40 | June 2004 | December 31, 2010 | Unicode support extended; accessibility and usability improved | |
| 7.10 | February 2007 | April 12, 2011 | Support for Microsoft Vista and Office 2007; new «Tweak SAP GUI» tool; new ABAP front-end editor | |
| 7.20 | April 2010 | 17 (final) | April 09, 2013[3] | Support for Windows XP; Windows 2003 Server; Windows Vista; Windows 2008 Server; Windows 7 and Office 2010; Built with Visual Studio 2008[4] |
| 7.30 | June 2012 | 15 | July 15, 2015 | Usability enhancements; new customization features; built with Visual Studio 2010 |
| 7.40 | October 2014 | 19 | November 9, 2019 | Replaces Corbu with Blue Crystal; integrates SAP GUI for Windows 7.40 and Netweaver Business Client 5.0 |
| 7.50 | May 2017 | 15 (final) | April 9, 2019 | |
| 7.60 | February 2019 | 15 | April 12, 2022 | Introduces Belize theme, aligning GUI’s visual design with the rest of SAP’s Fiori applications. Retires Enjoy / Streamline / Tradeshow / SystemDependent themes. |
| 7.70 | January 29, 2021 | 12 | April 09, 2024 | |
| 8.00 | January 27, 2023 | 2 | January 12, 2027 | The 64bit version; Quartz themes: Modernization of rendering engine and some additional features; HTML Control based on Microsoft Edge: Improvements; Usability improvements in many components; Improvements for SAP Logon; Branding images per system and client |
Java releases – for other operating systems[edit]
| Release | Release date | Latest patch | End of life | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.10 | October 2007 | 21 | ||
| 7.20 | December 2009 | 10 | January 31, 2013 | Supported OS – openSUSE, Fedora Core, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, AIX, OS X Lion, Fedora, Ubuntu |
| 7.30 | December 2012 | 10 | March 31, 2015 | |
| 7.40 | December 2014 | 13 | March 31, 2018 | |
| 7.50 | February 2020 | 9[5] | ||
| 7.70 | March 2021 | New themes with HiDPI support |
Single sign-on[edit]
SAP GUI on Microsoft Windows or Internet Explorer can also be used for single sign-on. There are several portal-based authentication applications for single sign-on. SAP GUI can have single sign-on with SAP Logon Ticket as well. Single sign-on also works in the Java GUI.[6]
Criticism of using SAP GUI for authentication to SAP server access[edit]
SAP is a distributed application, where client software (SAP GUI) installed on a user’s workstation is used to access the central SAP server remotely over the company’s network. Users need to authenticate themselves when accessing SAP. By default, however, SAP uses unencrypted communication, which allows potential company-internal attackers to get access to usernames and passwords by listening on the network. This can expose the complete SAP system, if a person is able to get access to this information for a user with extended authorization in the SAP system. Information about this feature is publicly accessible on the Internet.
SAP Secure Network Communications[edit]
SAP offers an option to strongly protect communication between clients and servers, called Secure Network Communications (SNC).[7]
Security[edit]
In total, the vendor has released 25 security patches (aka SAP Security Notes). One of the most notorious vulnerabilities was closed among the set of fixes released in March 2017. The vulnerability in the SAP GUI client for Windows allows remote code execution.[8] Also, researchers who identified the security issues pointed out that the vulnerability allows an attacker to download ransomware on the SAP server that would be automatically installed on every workstation within a company.[9]
Screen editing with Personas[edit]
Since 1998 SAP GUI screens (so-called «DynPros») can be adjusted and customized with GuiXT. Now this can also be achieved with «SAP Screen Personas«. Personas is installed on one of the SAP NetWeaver ABAP 7.0x or 7.3x servers in the system landscape. Then it can be used on all SAP NetWeaver ABAP servers with a kernel of 7.21 or higher, including on NetWeaver ABAP 7.11 systems (on which Personas cannot be installed directly).
iOS and Android implementations[edit]
Native iOS and Android implementations of SAP GUI are available from GuiXT.
See also[edit]
- GuiXT
- Public key infrastructure
- Single sign-on
- Secure Network Communications
- Smartcard
- GUI 770 installation guide on windows
References[edit]
- ^ «SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 is coming on 27th of January 2023: New Features & Lifecycle Information». Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ «The SAP GUI Scripting API How to Automate User Interaction -Technology, Examples and Integration». Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ «Lifetime and Support Matrix for SAP GUI for Windows». Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Supported SAP GUI platforms». April 25, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «SAP GUI Family — Additional Topics — Community Wiki». wiki.scn.sap.com. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ «Single Sign-on for SAP Java GUI». January 10, 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Secure Network Communications (SNC)». Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Michael Mimoso (March 22, 2017). «SAP Vulnerability Puts Business Data at Risk for Thousands of Companies». Threatpost | The first stop for security news. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ «Can SAP Be Affected By Ransomware? | SAP Cyber Security Solutions». erpscan.com. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
External links[edit]
- SAP Support Portal (User-ID required).
Как вы знаете, основным клиентским местом для большинства продуктов компании SAP SE является «толстый» клиент под названием SAP GUI. Выделяют 2 версии данного программного обеспечения — SAP GUI for Windows и SAP GUI for Java. Первая версия работает только на клиентских машинах под управлением операционной системы Microsoft Windows. Вторая написана на языке Java и может быть запущена на компьютерах под управлением Microsoft Windows, Linux или macOS. Данное программное обеспечение, как и все программные продукты компании SAP SE, периодически обновляется. Два года назад я опубликовал пост про версию SAP GUI for Windows 7.60, которая на тот момент только вышла. И вот в конце января этого года была выпущена следующая версия SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Я решил скачать и установить свежую версию, чтобы посмотреть, что же в ней нового.
Для начала давайте посмотрим на общую картину. На данный момент (февраль 2021 года) компанией SAP SE поддерживаются 2 версии SAP GUI for Windows: SAP GUI 7.60 и SAP GUI 7.70 (рис. 1). Поддержка данных продуктов, как я уже рассказывал, связана с поддержкой версий Microsoft Visual Studio. Для версии SAP GUI 7.60 это Visual Studio 2017 с окончанием поддержки 12.04.2022, а для SAP GUI 7.70 — Visual Studio 2019 с окончанием поддержки 02.04.2024 соответственно.
 |
| Рис. 1. Доступные версии SAP GUI for Windows для скачивания. |
Подробности про поддерживаемые в текущий момент версии SAP GUI можно найти в постоянно обновляющейся SAP note # 147519 — Maintenance strategy / deadlines for SAP GUI.
- Windows Server 2012 64-bit,
- Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit,
- Windows 8.1 32-bit и 64-bit (only Professional and Enterprise editions),
- Windows 10 32-bit и 64-bit (only Education, Pro, and Enterprise editions),
- Windows Server 2016 64-bit,
- Windows Server 2019 64-bit.
Таким образом, Windows 7, и Windows Server 2008 вместе с ней, окончательно ушли от нас. Хорошая была операционная система «семёрка», но ничто не вечно. Особенно в IT.
Для SAP GUI for Windows 7.70 на данный момент доступен только установочный пакет, ни одного пакета поддержки или hotfix еще нет (рис. 2). Про пакеты поддержки для SAP GUI for Windows можно прочитать в этом посте.
 |
| Рис. 2. Доступность пакетов поддержки для SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
Пакет для установки (или образ диска) в ZIP-архиве занимает 660 Мб (рис. 3).
 |
| Рис. 3. Zip-архив с SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
Процесс установки совершенно не изменился. Фотографии тех же самых прекрасных девушек помогают нам скрасить ожидание окончания установки (рис. 4 — 8).
 |
| Рис. 4. Процесс установки SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Экран 1. |
 |
| Рис. 5. Процесс установки SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Экран 2. |
 |
| Рис. 6. Процесс установки SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Экран 3. |
 |
| Рис. 7. Процесс установки SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Экран 4. |
 |
| Рис. 8. Процесс установки SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. Экран 5. |
Иконка SAP Logon идентична предыдущей версии ПО (рис. 9)
 |
| Рис. 9. Иконка приложения SAP Logon. |
На первый взгляд, при запуске приложения отличий не видно. Основной экран SAP Logon, диалоги создания нового соединения, всё выглядит знакомо, как в версии SAP GUI 7.60 (рис. 10 — 11).
 |
| Рис. 10. Основное окно программы SAP Logon. |
 |
| Рис. 11. Окно настройки нового соединения в SAP Logon. |
И только, начиная с экрана входа в систему, видно, что тема оформления немного изменилась (рис. 12 и 13).
 |
| Рис. 12. Экран входа в систему в SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
 |
| Рис. 13. Начальный экран SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
Сверху полоска стала тёмной, а внизу белой. 
Сравните с предыдущей версией (рис. 8 — 9).
Теперь по умолчанию используется новая тема «Quartz Theme». Предыдущая тема, «Belize Theme», тоже доступна к выбору. Плюс осталось несколько классических тем оформления (рис. 14).
 |
| Рис. 14. Выбор темы оформления в SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
Нижняя строка, как мне показалось, стала больше использоваться при работе. Например, компиляция ни разу не запускаемой транзакции выглядит вот так (рис. 15).
 |
| Рис. 15. Использование информационных полей при запуске транзакции. |
Напоминаю, что строка состояния с информацией по работе системы переместилась в правый верхний угол (рис. 16).
 |
| Рис. 16. Строка состояния SAP GUI for Windows 7.70. |
Настройки цветов для отдельной системы/манданта остались. Но при этом меняется только цвет широкого заголовка окон, а основной цвет (приятный голубой) остаётся неизменным (рис. 17).
 |
| Рис. 17. Изменение цвета оформления темы «Quartz Theme». |
В итоге, в основной теме оформления произошла не революция, а эволюция. Тема немного изменилась, оставшись такой же, как была в версии SAP GUI for Windows 7.60. То есть, целиком оторвавшись от классических тем и максимально приблизившись по дизайну к веб-приложениям или, в данном случае, к SAP Fiori 3.0.
Хотя, напомню, все классические темы, что были доступны в версии 7.60, доступны и тут. Вот так, например, выглядит SAP GUI 7.70 при активации темы «SAP Signature Theme» (рис. 18). Всё на своих прежних местах. Кому нравится «классика», включаем и работаем.
 |
| Рис. 18. SAP GUI for Windows 7.70 с активной темой «SAP Signature Theme». |
Как и в предыдущей версии SA GUI настроечного файла saplogon.ini больше нет. Все настройки соединений хранятся в файле XML-формата с именем SAPUILandscape.xml (рис. 19 и 20).
 |
| Рис. 19. Настроечные файлы SAP Logon. |
 |
| Рис. 20. Пример содержимого настроечного файла SAPUILandscape.xml. |
Подробности про использование данного настроечного файла можно найти, например, в документе по этой ссылке.
Из интересного, кроме новой темы оформления, можно отметить:
- поддержка в качестве основного веб-браузера Microsoft Edge (на движке Chromium), как замена MS Internet Explorer. Настраивается в опциях SAP GUI.
- поддержка 64-битной версии NWRFC controls, что должно сказаться на улучшенной интеграции, например, с 64-битной версией MS Office. Хотя в целом SAP GUI for Windows до сих пор 32-битное приложение. Устанавливается отдельно, параллельно с 32-битной версией (рис. 5).
- разделение полей при копировании и вставки теперь осуществляется знаками табуляции (раньше были пробелы).
- поддержка масштабирования на несколько мониторов. У кого есть возможность попробовать — расскажите как это выглядит. Подробности в SAP note # 2985351 — Multi monitor scaling support in SAP GUI for Windows.
Что же касается SAP GUI for Java, то она доступна пока только в версии 7.50, поддержка которой заканчивается летом 2021 года. А это означает, что скоро должен быть релиз новой версии.
А вы уже пробовали новую версию SAP GUI for Windows 7.70? Как впечатления?
Every business software needs a user interface. At SAP, this interface was called SAP GUI for a long time. It is still used, but was replaced by SAP Fiori for SAP S/4HANA.
What is SAP GUI?
SAP GUI (SAP Graphical User Interface) is the name for the graphical user interface of an SAP system. It is used in companies that still use SAP R/3 and SAP ECC.
SAP GUI is necessary for users to interact directly with SAP software. At the same time, SAP GUI is also a program that is installed locally on end devices. It receives data from the application server and displays it in a familiar visual form.
The SAP GUI user interface is called up in Windows environments via SAP Logon. This is a program that is used to log on to SAP systems.
SAP Logon lists all available systems. By double-clicking, the user selects the desired system. SAP Logon then automatically connects to the server that currently has the best response time.
Alternatively, the SAP GUI interface can also be called up in the browser. It is written entirely in the programming languages C and C++. There are also platform-independent versions (Java), HTML implementations and variants for mobile devices.
What is the concept behind SAP GUI?
Classic SAP systems are structured according to the so-called three-layer architecture, which is made up as follows:
- Data storage layer (also: back-end, database layer, data server)
- Logic layer (also: application server, business layer)
- Presentation layer (also: front-end)
The SAP GUI is the presentation layer in this multi-level client-server model. It is therefore purely responsible for the interaction with users and the presentation of content. Other layers exist for data storage and application logic.
The separation of presentation layer and logic layer is primarily for performance reasons. The aim is to keep the utilization of the application server low by transferring the computing load for screen display to local user devices. This means that the central server does not have to deal with the complex screen display of SAP systems, but only provides data.
You can find more information on this page: SAP CRM
What functionalities does the SAP Graphical User Interface contain?
The SAP GUI provides several functionalities for the visual customization of the user interface. Many settings can be made by the users themselves, while others are defined by administrators.
The SAP Graphical User Interface comes with predefined «themes» that control the color, contrast, and display of icons, buttons, and labels.
Companies decide for themselves whether they want to specify a particular theme or whether they want to allow users to select or customize the visual details of the GUI. A uniform theme is recommended because it prevents irritations and thus also facilitates user support. SAP regularly updates its standard themes to provide customized and modern interfaces.
In addition to the visual appearance, certain display values of the SAP GUI can also be configured. For example, the display of technical descriptions (e.g. document types) can be switched on and off. Individual default values or default values for certain input fields can also be defined.
ABAP developers can use the SAP GUI to store their preferred debugger approach and configure the so-called Pretty Printer (tool for writing code). With the help of SAP Screen Personas (available since 2012), users can adapt their screens (dynpros) to individual needs even without programming knowledge. In «SAP GUI for Windows», the GuiXT tool has been available since 1998, which also allows screens to be customized.
What are Dynpros?
Screens are program components that ABAP applications use to communicate with users using the SAP GUI. Screens of a screen can contain a set of standard elements or GUI controls. There are the following screen types, which are used to build the familiar SAP interfaces:
- General Screens
- selection screens
- news
How can the SAP GUI version be determined?
The local installation of the SAP GUI has the disadvantage that current or uniform versions are not always available on the client computers. However, it is important to install updates nationwide, especially in the case of security vulnerabilities. User support also benefits from the same version levels. This leads to the question of how to determine the SAP GUI version.
At the user’s workstation, one click in the SAP Logon Pad is all it takes. The menu contains the entry «About SAP Logon», which can be used to query both the release and the version of the SAP GUI. More important, however, is the central determination of all SAP GUI versions.
Unfortunately, the SAP standard does not allow this. Companies must therefore create their own reports, which log the version when users log in. Alternatively, you can also force the installation of the current version of the SAP GUI using software distribution methods.
MEINOLF SCHÄFER, SENIOR DIRECTOR SALES & MARKETING
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Which SAP GUI implementations are possible?
Although the SAP GUI is mainly used in conjunction with Microsoft Windows, other implementations exist. This means that the user interface can also be used in browsers, Java environments and on mobile devices such as tablets. The individual variants sometimes differ considerably, which is why we would like to take a closer look at them in the following.
SAP GUI for Windows
SAP GUI for Microsoft Windows has been available since the early 1990s. It is therefore the oldest and most widely used implementation of the SAP Graphical User Interface.
Users enter the interface via the SAP logon, which they use to select the system they want to use. In the second step, the interface displays a mask in which users must enter the desired client, their user name, and their password in order to log on.
Over the course of time, SAP repeatedly released new SAP GUI versions for Windows at intervals of a few years. In some cases, this was accompanied by significant changes.
It should be noted in this context that GUI versions are only compatible with old and new SAP releases for a limited time. Support from SAP ends at a defined point in time, which is why updates should be installed promptly.
In the first version, the SAP GUI did not yet contain any graphical elements such as radio buttons, icons or checkboxes. However, adjustments were quickly made. Significant milestones in the development of SAP GUI for Windows were the following:
- 1996: Introduction of a Windows 95 look (flat buttons, tabs, list windows)
- 2000: Extensive redesign of the surface (contemporary look, multiple work surfaces, improved clarity)
- 2007: Introduction of a Windows Vista look (integration of Microsoft Office 2007 features, new ABAP Frontend Editor)
- 2010: New Logon Pad, support for Office 2010 and Windows 7
- 2012: Support for Windows 8
- 2014: Support for Windows 10, introduction of the «Blue Crystal Theme» (based on the Fiori optics)
- 2017: Introduction of «Fiori 2.0 Visual Theme for Classical Applications».
- 2019: SAP GUI 7.60, introduction of the Belize theme (alignment of existing Web Dynpro ABAP applications with the Fiori design)
- 2021: SAP GUI 7.70, New Fiori 3 Theme Family («Quartz»), Edge (based on Chromium) as alternative browser to Internet Explorer, 64bit version of NWRFC Controls, Multi-Monitor Scaling Support
SAP GUI for Non-Windows Systems (Java Implementation)
Since 2007, SAP GUI has also been available for Java environments. This programming language is ideal for platform-independent use. SAP GUI for Java is used on several non-Windows systems. These include Apple Mac OS X, Sun Solaris, various Linux distributors and AIX.
SAP GUI for Web Browser (HTML)
SAPGUI for HTML» (WebGUI) was created for the use of SAP systems via browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox. This is a replica of the classic SAP user interface, which is technically based on HTML and JavaScript. The prerequisite for using this approach is the SAP Internet Transaction Server (ITS).
SAP GUI for mobile devices
SAP GUI in the classic sense does not exist for mobile devices. Rather, SAP and SAP partners offer numerous native apps for smartphones and tablets. Mobile apps based on SAP Fiori and HTML5 technology are also available and can be operated via any browser.
SAP Fiori in particular plays an important role in interface design today. It provides the most frequently used functionalities of SAP Business Suite both on the desktop and mobile. Thanks to Responsive Design, the apps adapt to different screen sizes. All common operating system platforms and browsers are supported.
SAP Integration in Microsoft Office Applications
Another option for accessing SAP is the «Duet» software. It was the result of a cooperation between Microsoft and SAP. The goal was to integrate the software products of both vendors. Duet enables you to access certain SAP functions from Office applications.
Does the SAP GUI still work under SAP S/4HANA?
The SAP GUI retains its functionality under SAP S/4HANA. A switch to SAP Fiori is possible during the system change (system conversion) to SAP S/4 HANA, but not mandatory.
User experience with SAP Fiori significantly improved
The introduction of SAP S/4HANA is accompanied by a clear objective: SAP will not only be faster, but also more visually appealing and simpler. In the course of this, the traditional SAP GUI will be replaced by modern HTML5 Fiori interfaces.
For the first time in the history of SAP interfaces, SAP Fiori clearly focuses on the user experience (UX). The new UI technology is based on the advantageous characteristics of apps that users are familiar with from their private lives: intuitive usability, simplification of the interface and restriction to the essentials.
In addition to classic mouse and double-click operation, the trend in SAP user interfaces is moving toward voice-based operation. Corresponding voice assistants are already available today and are being continuously developed by SAP.
With SAP Fiori 3, SAP is also bringing artificial intelligence into play. Here, an algorithm presents users with the information and business events they need to attend to. The system then provides recommendations for action and learns from the user’s decisions.
Hello Community,
the next milestone for SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 after the successful Beta Program has been reached: Our new release will become available or is already available when you read this on SAP Support Portal as of / since 27th of January 2023 with full support (“GA version”):
https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/softwarecenter/template/products/_APP=00200682500000001943&_EVENT=DISPHIER&HEADER=Y&FUNCTIONBAR=N&EVENT=TREE&NE=NAVIGATE&ENR=73554900100200015933&V=INST
With this blog, I would like to introduce you to the new features of release 8.00 and provide an overview on the lifecycle.
Naturally, the first question is why we decided to increase the release version to 8.00 and not simply go for “7.80”. The reason is that 8.00 includes a long-expected feature that marks a new milestone in the history of SAP GUI for Windows and impacts also for the delivery: The true 64bit version. And from our perspective this is a good reason to increase the major release version.
Our focus areas in release 8.00 were:
- The 64bit version
- Quartz themes: Modernization of rendering engine and some additional features
- HTML Control based on Microsoft Edge: Improvements
- Usability improvements in many components
- Improvements for SAP Logon
- Branding images per system and client
Especially with the 64bit version, the improvements for the HTML Control based on WebView2 / Edge and the usability improvements, 8.00 offers a very interesting feature set that generates benefits for many users.
This blog reflects the situation when release 8.00 is initially delivered. Similar information that will receive updates in case we change something or add a feature in a patch can be found in SAP Note 3075781.
By the way: Once more, we have not removed any SAP GUI themes from our new release, so you will find the full list of supported themes to be unchanged (overall 12 themes!). However, you can find some information on changed default settings and other changes compared to previous deliveries at the end of my blog.
Due to experience from the past, I would like to ask you for the following: Of course you can post questions and comments related to the new release here (be they good or bad) and they are very welcome, because your opinion is important to us. However this blog does not replace our regular channels for support. If you have found an issue, please report this to us via the support system.
And do not post anything here which is not related to SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 at all. Thank you!
Best regards,
Frank Krause
Product Owner SAP GUI for Windows
SAP Development
SAP GUI Lifecycle
SAP GUI for Windows 7.70 was created with Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 which is in mainstream support by Microsoft until 9th of April 2024 (see also https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/lifecycle/products/visual-studio-2019). Therefore, SAP GUI for Windows 7.70 is still supported until 9th of April 2024.
This also means a successor to 7.70 is required at least one year before the end of support and here it is: SAP GUI for Windows 8.00. For the new release we were able to use the latest version of Visual Studio (Visual Studio 2022) which is supported until 12th of January 2027 (see also https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/lifecycle/products/visual-studio-2022). This results in an unusually long maintenance period of almost 4 years.
The chart below shows the current (27th of January 2023) lifecycle information of SAP GUI for Windows releases 7.60 up to 8.00. For the latest information always refer to SAP Note 147519.
New Features in Release 8.00
True 64bit version of SAP GUI for Windows
So far SAP GUI for Windows was only available as a 32bit version with the exception being the 64bit versions of the automation controls (Logon Control, Table Factory Control, BAPI Control and Function Control). The 32bit version works well on 64bit operating systems, but it has a couple of drawbacks when it comes to memory utilization and integration with other 64bit processes.
Due to this, we kept getting requests for providing full 64bit support in SAP GUI for Windows and thus decided to implement, deliver, and support such a version. As of SAP GUI for Windows 8.00, the SAP GUI delivery includes both a 32bit version and a 64bit version. You can decide which version to use (parallel usage of both versions on the same client PC is not possible). On the installation media you find both versions and there will be individual patches for 32bit and 64bit (with the same schedule and the same corrections).
The 64bit version offers an almost complete feature set with some minor differences to the 32bit version which are documented in SAP Note 3218166. The most prominent differences are:
- No support for systems older than SAP_BASIS 7.00
The 64bit version does not support SAP systems on SAP_BASIS versions older than 7.00. Even though all these SAP products are already out of support, some landscapes still contain legacy components. If this applies to you, keep using the 32bit version of SAP GUI for Windows (the 32bit version will certainly remain available for some time). When trying to log on to a system with a 64bit version, an information popup is displayed and the logon attempt is refused.
It is our intention to keep the 64bit version open for future innovations that would not be possible if we had to support older SAP system releases.
- Usage of saprotwr.dll (Running Objects Table Wrapper – see also documentation)
Some products make use of the library saprotwr.dll to access SAP GUI Scripting via COM. Since saprotwr.dll naturally is a 64bit file when installed with a 64bit version of SAP GUI, only 64bit processes can access it. Therefore, if you are using saprotwr.dll, you need to make sure that the process from which this is called is a 64bit process if the 64bit version of SAP GUI for Windows is used.
- External components
SAP is not responsible for components which are added to the SAP GUI for Windows installation by external vendors. Please contact the respective vendors if the interaction of such a product with a 64bit version of SAP GUI for Windows fails while it works fine with a 32bit version.
- Performance / memory utilization
The 64bit version:
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- consumes about 20% more memory compared to the 32bit version. Therefore, you should size your machines accordingly. The increase in memory consumption is due to different sizes of data structures and cannot be avoided.
- requires about 10% more disk space on the client PC, because the 64bit modules are larger than the respective 32bit modules.
- shows a substantially reduced CPU utilization compared to the 32bit version (between 5 and 20% depending on the scenario used). This also results in faster runtimes and perceived performance
See also SAP Note 26417.
Improvements for Quartz Themes
- Modernized rendering in Quartz Themes
The Quartz rendering engine has been completely reworked which leads to a more harmonized appearance (for example rounded corners and texts look much better). Furthermore, we have invested into some additional features. The OKCode (“command”) field has now offers buttons for deleting entries in its history via mouse and the visualization of the dotted focus has been improved. It is now much more prominent than before. We are intending to make the dotted focus the default focus visualization in one of the next SAP GUI releases after 8.00.
As an outlook I can mention that we are working on an additional feature for the OKCode field: An enhanced search for transaction codes as already available in SAP GUI for HTML and SAP GUI for Java. The release of this feature will likely come within one of the first patches.
- Displaying editing mode (“INS” / “OVR”) in Belize and Quartz themes
As opposed to older themes, the Belize and Quartz themes by design did not show the indicator for the editing mode in the system information area. Based on user feedback we are re-introducing this feature on an optional basis. The feature can be activated in SAP GUI for Windows options dialog (page “Theme Settings”) and it looks like this:
- SAP GUI Scripting: Correct handling of visibility properties for themes as of Belize
Starting with the Belize theme, the objects in the SAP GUI window have been re-arranged. For example, the GUI Toolbar (also “System Toolbar”) and the Application Toolbar have been merged into the so-called “Header Toolbar”. This had an impact on the SAP GUI Scripting properties which allow hiding parts of the SAP GUI main window. These properties have been revised in SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 and can be used in a meaningful way again.
HTML Control based on Microsoft Edge / WebView 2: Enhancements
- Full Browser Window when detaching URLs
The HTML Control based on WebView2 is still a relatively new control based on a new Microsoft component with some restrictions (as per SAP Note 2901278). Release 8.00 solved one of the most important issues: When SAP GUI opens an external browser window through the HTML Control only a browser tab appears (missing navigation, menu, and the options for grouping tabs). Thanks to a new browser extension for Microsoft Edge this limitation no longer applies and the HTML Control based on Edge can open a fully working Edge browser window like the HTML Control based on Internet Explorer already could.
In addition to SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 you need to install a browser extension called “SAP GUI Connector for Microsoft Edge” from the Microsoft Edge Add-Ons page (https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/sap-gui-connector-for-mic/mhpigfckgphoiifbehgajfbkocihbaho). See also SAP Note 3258944.
- Embedded HTML documents can use ActiveX objects
Another restriction of the HTML Control based on WebView2 is that embedded HTML documents cannot interact with ActiveX Controls installed on the client PC. This is due to an intended restriction in Microsoft WebView2.
Now, with the ABAP extensions delivered in SAP Note 3260025 and SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 (or 7.70 as of patchlevel 11), it is possible to supply an ActiveX object to an HTML document and allow the interaction between these objects. The respective ABAP application needs to supply information on the object to be invoked to SAP GUI.
Usability Improvements
- Combobox Control: Showing keys and sorting by keys
The ActiveX control version of the UI element combobox (used in a growing number of transactions, like SE80) so far could not display the keys of the entries or sort the entries by those keys. These options contribute a lot to the usability and the efficiency of use of a combobox. With SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 these feature are available and can be controlled by the same settings that are also relevant for the “normal” combobox (SAP GUI Options Dialog -> Interaction Design -> Visualization 1):
-
- Show keys within dropdown lists
- Sort by keys within dropdown lists for most efficient keyboard input
With both options activated, a combobox control shows not only the value, but also the key of the entries in a table-like format. When typing in a combobox showing keys, the selection of items is done based on the keys and not on the values.
- Tree Control: Scrolling indicator
Tree controls now show a so-called “scrolling indicator” when the user scrolls vertically in the tree via mouse or keyboard. This indicator helps the user to easily recognize the position of the currently displayed block of data within the tree and supports a more precise drag and drop of the scroll bar button (thumb).
This feature is available for all themes except for “Classic Theme”.
- Table Control: Improved keyboard navigation
Table controls now support additional and refined keyboard shortcuts for improved navigation and more consistency:
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- CTRL + UP / CTRL + DOWN: Scrolls to the very top or bottom and moves the focus into the first cell / last cell that contains data of the same column.
- CTRL + HOME / CTRL + END: Scrolls to the very top or bottom and moves the focus into the first cell of the first row / last cell that contains data of the last column.
- CTRL + PAGE UP / CTRL + PAGE DOWN (if supported by the application): Scrolls to the very top or bottom and keeps the focus in the current cell if possible.
- The “Select All” button (if present) is now part of the tabchain and can be triggered like any other button in SAP GUI for Windows (SPACE / ENTER)
- Dialogbox Container: Improved keyboard navigation
Dialogbox containers (most prominent examples are the Performance Assistant and the GOS Container window) are amodal windows which have not been well-integrated into the tabchain of SAP GUI for Windows until now. It was not possible in a reliable way to move the focus from or to a dialogbox container via keyboard. With release 8.00, dialogbox containers are added to the regular tab chain of SAP GUI and can be reached via TAB / SHIFT + TAB / CTRL + TAB / CTRL + SHIFT + TAB.
- Checkboxes and radiobutton groups: Improved keyboard navigation
Just like for regular buttons the selection of checkboxes and radiobuttons can now be aborted by pressing SHIFT while still holding down SPACE. This is needed, because there are checkboxes and radiobuttons which automatically trigger an event when being selected. Just like before the focus can be set to radiobuttons without selecting them via CTRL + CURSOR.
Additionally, HOME and END keys can now be used to navigate to the first and last active radiobutton in a radiobutton group.
- ALV Grid Control: Copy & Paste with gaps
Clipboard content, especially when taken from applications like Microsoft Excel, may contain empty cells, columns or rows like in this example:
So far, the ALV Grid Control used to overwrite the content of all cells when a block as depicted above was pasted. If one pasted the above data into the top left cell of an ALV Grid Control looking like this:
the result would have been:
However, this result may be unexpected, and it was not consistent with the handling in SAP GUI for Java and SAP GUI for HTML. Therefore, we changed the default behavior for pasting data into an ALV Grid Control, so that empty values do not overwrite cell content when being pasted.
In the example above, the result with the new feature is:
Of course, there is a switch to restore the old behavior if needed.
- ALV Grid Control: Special control characters are no longer inserted when pasting from other programs like Microsoft Excel
According to SAP Note 1825127 ALV does not support non-printable control characters. So far such characters could be entered via SAP GUI for Windows for example by copying cell content from Microsoft Excel into an editable ALV Grid Control. The copied characters where either displayed as “#” or other symbols and could cause functional issues in some applications. Since ALV does not support these characters anyway, we are now preventing the pasting of such characters to avoid errors and remove those characters from pasted text.
- ALV Grid Control: Improved keyboard navigation for comboboxes
Keyboard support for comboboxes embedded into an ALV Grid Control has been extended and is now equivalent to the keyboard support for other comboboxes outside the ALV Grid Control. Specifically, this also means that values are no longer taken over into the cell automatically, but only when the user confirms the selection actively (ENTER) or implicitly (by navigating away after changing the selection). This also enables users to abort a selection via ESC. Furthermore, the selection by typing the leading characters of hits in the dropdown list has been improved and the dropdown can be opened / closed also via F4.
SAP Logon
- Secure Network Connection without Single Sign-On as configurable default
So far, the checkbox “Activate Secure Network Communication” in the Secure Network Settings page of the SAP Logon dialogs for creating a new connection or performing a variable logon was automatically selected if the SAP system supports SNC and an SNC product is installed on the client PC. At the same time the second checkbox “SNC logon with user / password (no Single Sign-On)” was not selected. This assumes that the installed SNC product also supports Single Sign On (SSO). Obviously, this does not take the situation into account when the server can do SNC, but the client SNC product does not support SSO. In this case a user may unintentionally create a connection with activated SSO that will not be working.
Therefore, release 8.00 introduces a registry setting that allows changing the default state of “Activate Secure Network Communication” / “SNC logon with user / password (no Single Sign-On)”. See also SAP Note 3074756.
- Improvements for sorting and ordering columns
As of release 8.00, SAP Logon (Pad) remembers the sort order applied by the user as well as the sequence of the columns and the column widths. An administrator can roll-out default values for these settings. See SAP Note 3099771 for more information.
Furthermore, columns relevant for SAP Shortcuts and Favorites have been added in the Workspace View and List View so that all relevant data can be displayed in these views as well. The available function for hiding columns was extended letting an administrator decide which columns are needed. This is explained in SAP Note 3100231.
- Checking operating system prerequisites on language selection
SAP GUI for Windows is a non-Unicode program. Therefore, SAP GUI can only be correctly displayed in the language of your choice if the system locale defined under Windows matches your language selection. For example, if you would like to display SAP GUI for Windows in Japanese without any visual issues like garbled characters, you need to use the Japanese system locale.
Now, the SAP GUI options dialog checks whether a correct display of SAP GUI for Windows will be possible with the language you selected. If not, SAP GUI for Windows displays a warning and falls back to using English language to guarantee a correct display of all contents. Previously, SAP GUI for Windows simply accepted any selection which could lead to display issues almost impossible to anticipate for the user.
- Backup for user defined SAP UI Landscape files
It happens that a local SAP UI Landscape file containing all the connections / shortcuts / favorites as user created is overwritten by another process or gets lost somehow. This is very annoying for users, because creating such a file over the course of years takes make have taken some effort. Therefore, SAP Logon now creates backups of the local SAP UI Landscape file. When a file is accidentally overwritten, the user can retrieve one of the backups and continue working. The user is actively informed, when the local file is broken and a backup is available. See SAP Note 3263097.
Branding Image: Images can be configured per SAP system and client
Until now only a single branding image could be configured regardless of which SAP system SAP GUI is connected to or to which client in this system you are logged on to. Since there are cases in which different images per system are desired (for example if systems are hosted for different customers of if you would like to better distinguish systems), you can now define and select branding images per SAP system and client.
More information how to use this feature can be found in the SAP GUI for Windows Administration Guide. The images to be used as branding images need to be present on the client PC in a specific file structure that you can for example create via NWSAPSetup.
Revised font settings dialog and persistence of font settings per character set
As a general recommendation changing the font size in SAP GUI for Windows should only be considered if working with the scaling provided by Windows is not sufficient. However, if you really need to adjust the fonts, the options dialog offers a page for doing so for the monospaced font (used by ABAP lists and some other elements) and the proportional font.
In the past the dialog showed the font size in points which lead to a lot of misunderstandings, because internally SAP GUI cannot work with points, but with a scaling factor in percent. The transition from points to percent could lead to unexpected results. Therefore, the font settings dialog has been revised and the selection of the font size is done directly via a scaling factor in percent.
Since in most cases users only want to change the font size, the dialog is displayed in a basic mode unless an “expert mode” is activated.
Furthermore, it is now possible to maintain and store different font settings including the font size per character set used. This means if you are working with multiple languages using different character sets (for example English and Japanese), SAP GUI for Windows is displayed correctly in both cases. So far, only the font names where remembered which could lead to display issues.
Changed features in patchlevel 0
- HTML Control: Edge based on Chromium (WebView2 Control) is now the default browser control
The default setting for the browser control used to host HTML content inside SAP GUI for Windows is no longer the Internet Explorer control, but Edge based on Chromium (WebView2 Control). Due to the de-support of Internet Explorer as a standalone application by Microsoft (see also SAP Note 3058309) and the strong desire to move to a more modern browsing experience, this is a change which just reflects the expectation of most SAP GUI users. See SAP Note 2913405 for more information on browser controls in SAP GUI for Windows.
- UAC Virtualization is no longer turned on
Up to and including release 7.70, SAP GUI for Windows uses the UAC virtualization for the executables saplogon.exe, saplgpad.exe and sapgui.exe (you can see this in Windows Task Manager in column “UAC virtualization”). The idea of UAC virtualization is to redirect write access to protected resources in the file system (c:\Windows* \ C:\Program Files*) and in the registry (HKLM) to mirror locations (“VirtualStore”). However, this also means that read access to the same resources can be routed to the mirror locations which makes the analysis and resolution of issues related to this very difficult. Therefore, as of SAP GUI for Windows 8.00 the UAC virtualization is no longer activated. SAP Note 3064276 explains the background and impact on ABAP applications which try to access protected operating system resources.
- SAP UI Landscape: Handling for loading server configuration files in case of certificate errors
To achieve a more secure default configuration, web-server-based SAP UI landscape files are not loaded anymore by SAP Logon in case certificate errors occur. This behavior can be customized according to the settings explained in SAP Note 2892419, but we generally strongly recommend using valid certificates.
No longer supported / available
- KW Add-On for SAP GUI no longer contains HTML editing component
The subcomponent “KW HTML Editor” of the KW Add-On is no longer available as of SAP GUI for Windows 8.00. See SAP Note 3147887 for further information.