Since the announcement of availability of ABAP Eclipse to enable developers to use Eclipse environment for development, i was quite excited to install and have a look at this new tool. But installing and making it to function took me through lot of hurdles, though the SAP documentation provides the details but its not in detail and the steps are not that clear.

I am pretty sure others in the community will have the same kind of difficulties unless they have used eclipse earlier and so on.. This blog helps ABAP developers to get through the installation part.

Requirements:

Operating System Windows XP, Vista, 7 (32- or 64-Bit)

Java Runtime JRE 1.6, 32-Bit

MS VC Runtime 10, 32-Bit

SAP GUI for Windows 7.20 Patch Level 9 or higher

Browser Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher / Firefox 4.0 or higher

Eclipse Platform Eclipse 3.6 or 3.7

1) Download Eclipse software from the below website (Supported versions 3.6.0 to 4.0.0 ) Versions above 4.0 are not supported with ABAP editor, make sure the right version is downloaded.

http://download.eclipse.org/eclipse/downloads/eclipse3x.html

2) Downloaded file is a zip file, and unzip the file in the location you want to and the Eclipse is ready to be executed using .exe file.

3) JRE (Java Runtime Environment) is mandatory to run the eclipse and thus make sure the JRE with version above 1.6, 32 bit (Latest version also does)

4) Download the other enhancements required to support ABAP editor installation from the links mentioned below

5) Downloaded files are zip files unzip them to make them ready for importing into Eclipse

6) Open the Eclipse (use Eclipse.exe file in the downloaded software from step 1)

7) Go to Help->Install New Software

8) Click on the Add button and then click on the Local button from the pop up window. Browse the folder where the enhancement features downloaded are unzipped and choose the “Eclipse Modelling Framework Code runtime” folder for installing.

9) Ensure that “Group item by Category” is unchecked and choose the right component from the list and install on the next button.

The following popup will be shown, click on Next, if you don’t have the right version, right selection of the feature then you will end up in errors.

Read through and accept the license agreement.

Ensure that the Eclipse is restarted after every installation else you will not be able to install the further enhancements.

10) Repeat the steps for the other enhancement installations and make sure that right component is chosen to be installed as shown below and in the same order and restarting is mandatory after each installation.

11) Maintain the SAP logon pad with the system you are trying to connect (Development system). And ensure the SNC is activated and No Single sign on is checked if u r not using SSO.

12) Ensure your user has the following roles assigned.

SAP_BC_DWB_ABAPDEVELOPER ABAP developer

SAP_BC_DWB_WBDISPLAY Display authorization for ABAP

13) Ensure that services are activated in transaction SICF.

Procedure

1. Call the transaction SICF in the relevant back-end system.

2. As a filter, select DEFAULT_HOST for Virtual Host entry. Then press F8 or use the

corresponding toolbar icon to display the services tree.

3. Expand the node default_host > sap > bc > abap.

The subtree displays the service items docu and ToolsDocu.

4. Select the service docu and choose Activate Service from the context menu.

5. Repeat the last step for the service ToolsDocu.

6. In addition, expand the link node in the public subtree default_host > sap > public > bc > abap.

7. Select the link node docu and choose Activate Link from the context menu.

8. Repeat the last step for the link item ToolsDocu.

14) Now you should be ready for connecting to SAP. Go to the menu, File->New->Create Project, in the popup window select the ABAP Project under ABAP folder and click on next

15) Browse and choose the right system using Browse button and the click on Next.

16) Mention the client, user, pwd and then click on next/finish.

17) Congratulations,you are now ready to work with Eclipse to build ABAP objects.

Hope this helps all of us to get started with new ABAP Development Tool.