Summary: this page describes how to install the CAST SAP Extractor on to the SAP instance.

Installation of the CAST SAP Extractor

This release can co-exist on the same SAP instance as previous releases of the CAST SAP Extractor NG, however CAST highly recommends uninstalling the extractor after you have completed the extraction process.

Check the SAP system compatibility

See Prerequisites in CAST SAP Extractor NG.

Starting 8.4.5, the installation scripts include some specific S/4 checks to ensure syntax compatibility with the system version.

Check the CAST SAP Extractor deliverables

Before starting to install the CAST SAP Extractor, please ensure that you have received the complete installation kit which includes the following deliverables:

  • 1- Workbench (extractor delivery) - This workbench transport request contains all the development objects that are required to install the CAST SAP Extractor. A manifest (a text file) will also be provided, that describes the different objects that are contained in the transport request. The following screenshot shows a sample manifest:

  • 2 - Customizing (extractor configuration) - Two customizing transport requests:
    • The first one embeds the custom role which is needed to be able to use the CAST SAP Extractor – see CAST SAP Extractor NG - User Guide - 8.4.x. This role can be delivered either by importing the provided customizing transport request, or by uploading a simple text file, which is also provided, into the target SAP system.
    • The second one embeds the table entries which define the default naming patterns needed for the CAST SAP Extractor to retrieve standard repair based routines and user exits. Those entries can be delivered either by importing the provided customizing transport request, or by manually maintaining them in the custom table.

If either of the above deliverables is not present, please contact CAST Support.

It is very important to install each transport request in the order specified below:

  • Workbench (extractor delivery):
    • DM1K901289
  • Customizing (extractor configuration):
    • DM1K900975
    • SB1K900049

Importing the CAST SAP Extractor

Before running the import action using the STMS (SAP transport management system), place the (data | cofiles) files supplied with the CAST SAP Extractor in the following location on the SAP system:

( /usr/sap/<trans_folder>/data | /usr/sap/<trans_folder>/cofiles )

SAP Transaction: STMS

  • Double click on the SAP System you would like to use in order to host the tool:

  • Click Extras > Other Requests > Add:

  • Enter transport request number and target client:

  • Select transport transport request(s) using the button:

  • Execute import by clicking on the  button and carry out the import procedure, checking the Ignore Invalid Component Version option as shown below:

  • Once the import is completed (click the  button), please check the import log, to ensure no return code is higher than 4 by accessing the import log (click the  button):

A Solman 7.2 environment is required to use the ≥ 8.3.x CAST SAP Extractor NG. Previous releases of Solman are not compatible.

Importing the CAST for SAP authorization role

An authorization is required to be able to launch the CAST SAP Extractor NG. These authorizations are encompassed into a PFCG role, entitled "ZCAST_EXTRACTOR". Based on the CAST authorization deliverables that were provided to you, you need to follow different steps to install the CAST authorization role.

Custom transport request

If the authorization role was delivered to you via a custom transport request, you need to import this request into your target system. You can follow the same procedure as described in the previous paragraph SAP Transaction: STMS:

Authorization role provided in a text file

If the authorization role was provided in a text file, you need to manually upload the text file into the target system:

  • Launch the PFCG transaction to open the Role Maintenance editor
  • Click Role and then Upload:

  • An information popup will be displayed. Click the OK button:
  • Choose the file provided to you by CAST and upload the SAP PFCG file using the standard file upload editor:

  • The PFCG authorization role ZCAST_EXTRACTOR will then be uploaded into the target system.

Importing routines and user exits naming patterns

Routines and user exits naming patterns are required for the CAST SAP Extractor to retrieve and process custom patterns. Those patterns are stored in a custom table entitled ZCAST_EXTRMODI_T. This table has to be populated for this extraction feature to be operational. Default entries are delivered in a dedicated custom transport request, which can be imported following the same procedure as described previously.

Otherwise, they can also be manually entered through the SM30 transaction:

  • Click Maintain:

  • Enter or adjust entries. Latest default values are listed in the transport request manifest file:

Checking a successful installation

You should check the transport logs to see whether the installation has completed successfully. For example return codes of 0 and 4 are acceptable and indicate that the installation has been successful:

Installation of an additional patch

Patch deliverables

Before starting to install a CAST SAP Extractor patch, please ensure that you have received the patch installation kit which includes the following deliverables:

  • A transport request: This transport request contains all the development objects that are required to install the new patch.

If the above deliverable is not present, please contact CAST Support.

Importing CAST patches

The installation process for a CAST SAP Extractor patch is identical to the "from scratch" installation process described above.

Role management

Assigning a role to a user

As has been detailed above, the CAST SAP Extractor is delivered with a PFCG role that you need to install in your SAP instance before users can start using the CAST SAP Extractor NG (see CAST SAP Extractor NG - User Guide - 8.4.x).

It is of utmost importance to assign this role to the users who will be using the CAST SAP Extractor NG. Only users assigned this role can use the extractor.

To start the role installation:

  • The maintenance window will popup. Enter the Role name with the following data: ZCAST_EXTRACTOR, then click the "Edit" button:

  • Go to the User tab and then click the "Selection" button.

  • Here you can add a new user to the previously selected role. You can either enter the user's last name or their user ID. Then, click on the "OK" button to search and find the user:

  • When the required user is found, click on the corresponding row and click the "OK" button:

  • You can see below that the new User has been added to the chosen role ZCAST_EXTRACTOR:

  • Finally lick on the "Save" button followed by the "User comparison" button.

Removing a role from a user

In order to remove a role from a specific user, start with the same SAP transaction PFCG, choose the corresponding Role and switch to the "Edit" mode similar to when assigning a role to a user (as described above):

  • In the User panel, you will find the list of the users that have been assigned the selected Role.
  • Choose the row corresponding to the User, and click the "delete row" button to remove the user:

  • Do not forget to save your changes when complete.

Uninstalling the CAST SAP Extractor from the SAP instance

The uninstall process has two steps:

  • Uninstall the CAST SAP Extractor role
  • Uninstall the CAST SAP Extractor

Uninstall the CAST SAP Extractor role

As explained previously, a new PFCG role must be installed in order to be able to use the CAST SAP Extractor. This role can be installed using two methods:

  • A custom transport request
  • Creating a new role in SAP transaction PFCG

Therefore, the method used for the role installation will affect how the role is removed from the SAP instance.

Uninstalling the CAST SAP Extractor role via a custom transport request

If you have installed the role by importing a custom transport request, than you can delete this same role by importing a deletion transport request.

Deletion deliverables

In order to be able to remove the CAST role by importing a deletion transport request into your SAP system, you need to make sure that you have received the corresponding deliverables:

  • X - Extractor removal - A deletion transport request containing a deletion entry for CAST authorization role.

Please contact CAST if you do not have this transport request.

Process

To delete CAST authorization role, you need to import the deletion transport request provided by CAST. You can follow the instructions in paragraph Installing the CAST for SAP authorization role (above) - the process is identical.

Uninstalling CAST Role manually

If you have installed CAST Role by uploading the corresponding file, then you can delete this role manually from your system:

Deletion deliverables

No specific deliverables are required in this case.

Process

In order to delete CAST authorization role manually:

  • Launch the Role Maintenance editor (Transaction PFCG)
  • Enter ZCAST_EXTRACTOR in the input corresponding to the role name.
  • Click the delete button and confirm:

Uninstall the CAST SAP Extractor NG

Deletion deliverables

In order to uninstall CAST SAP Extractor NG, two different transport requests will be provided:

  • Package content removal transport request
  • Package removal transport request

Note that in ≥ 8.4.3, the second "Package removal transport request" is not provided. This is because the authorisation object cannot be removed and for this reason the package will always exist in the system (it will be empty but cannot be removed).

Process

To uninstall the CAST SAP Extractor, please import the deletion transport requests in the following strict order - make sure you respect the order when importing these two deletion transport requests, otherwise, you may encounter warnings/errors during the import (return code = 8):

  1. Import "Package content removal transport request" into the target system first - this will delete the CAST SAP Extractor NG from the system. Nevertheless, the name of the packages that contained the extractor will not be deleted at this point. In order to finish the deletion of the extractor completely, please import the second removal transport request listed below.
  2. Import "Package removal transport request" into the target system next - this will complete the uninstall procedure, by deleting what has not been deleted by the first deletion transport requests, i.e. CAST custom development package names. In ≥ 8.4.3, the second "Package removal transport request" is not provided and therefore this step is not required.