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ABAP Debugger Data View Extension
An extension of the ABAP New Debugger that renders the internal table or structure on screen as a typed VALUE statement, ready to paste into an ABAP Unit test.
Test data for an ABAP Unit test of existing code usually already sits in the debugger, at the spot the test is meant to cover. DDVE adds entries to the Services of the Tool menu of the New Debugger's table and structure views, and a Data for ABAP View button in the ALV table display, that render the current variable as a formatted VALUE constructor expression in a popup, recursing through nested structures and tables. Rows filtered out and columns hidden in the ALV grid are left out of the statement, and debugger type names are resolved to source-valid types, with VALUE #( ... ) where no type can be derived. It hooks into the standard debugger through three implicit enhancement implementations, installs with abapGitabapGitA Git client written in ABAP that runs inside the system, so objects are cloned, pulled and pushed without leaving it; with no package manager in ABAP, a cloned repository is how code is distributed.community org, abap on NetWeaver ABAP 7.40 SP08 or higher, and lets each user pick the pretty printer, indented or compressed to a maximum line length, in table ZTOP_DVE_CUST.
Facts
Last pushLicenceApache-2.0
Where it sits
Lives in
Provides
DebuggingABAPDebuggingSeeing what running code did between an input arriving and a result coming out: which code ran, what the values were at each point, and why a value ended up as it did.Unit testingABAPUnit testingTesting application logic without a running business process — and the test doubles that make dependencies on the database and on framework services tractable.
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Who is behind it
AlexAlexMaintains this
In the atlas: maintains 1, contributes to 2@geppartamaintainer
In the atlas: maintains 1, contributes to 2@geppartamaintainer
What it declares
Every artifact
- Type
- Generator
- Origin
- Independently maintained
As a generator
- Generates
- Code or test data
- Run with
- does not say
- Distributed through
- abapGit
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NodeRelationBasis
Functional
DebuggingDebuggingSeeing what running code did between input and resultSAP and community, narrow by design
provides
stated
provides Debugging
Adds menu entries to the New Debugger's table and structure views that render the variable on screen as a formatted VALUE statement, honouring the ALV grid's row filters and hidden columns.
“This extension adds a menu entry to the debugger's table and structure views that renders the current variable content as a syntactically correct, nicely formatted `VALUE` constructor expression.”“- **Respects your ALV state** — rows filtered out in the ALV grid and columns you have hidden (`no_out`) are excluded from the generated statement.”
Seeing what running code did between input and result
Unit testingUnit testingTesting application logic, with test doubles for its dependenciesSAP and community, unassessed
provides
stated
provides Unit testing
Produces test data for ABAP Unit tests from the values a program holds at a breakpoint, as a typed VALUE statement to paste into the test class.
“Turn any internal table or structure you are inspecting in the ABAP debugger into a ready-to-paste `VALUE #( ... )` statement — and cut the most tedious part of writing ABAP Unit tests: creating test data by hand.”“4. The generated `VALUE` statement is displayed in a popup, ready to be copied into your test code.”
Testing application logic, with test doubles for its dependencies
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README
quoted from gepparta/abap_debugger_data_view_extension under Apache-2.0, readgepparta/abap_debugger_data_view_extension/README.mdthe maintainer’s wordsOn GitHub
ABAP Debugger Data View Extension (DDVE)
Turn any internal table or structure you are inspecting in the ABAP debugger into a ready-to-paste VALUE #( ... ) statement — and cut the most tedious part of writing ABAP Unit tests: creating test data by hand.
" One click in the debugger turns the content of LT_FLIGHTS into:
DATA(lt_flights) = VALUE tt_flights(
( carrid = 'LH' connid = '0400' fldate = '20260115' price = '666.00' currency = 'EUR' )
( carrid = 'LH' connid = '0402' fldate = '20260116' price = '471.00' currency = 'EUR' )
( carrid = 'AA' connid = '0017' fldate = '20260117' price = '422.94' currency = 'USD' ) ).Copy, paste into your test class, done.
Why
When you write unit tests for existing code, the realistic test data usually already exists — in the debugger, at the exact spot you are trying to cover. Typing it off the screen field by field is slow and error-prone. This extension adds a menu entry to the debugger's table and structure views that renders the current variable content as a syntactically correct, nicely formatted VALUE constructor expression.
Features
- Internal tables and structures — works from both the table view and the structure view of the new ABAP debugger.
- Nested data — structures in tables, tables in structures: the renderer recurses through arbitrary nesting.
- Respects your ALV state — rows filtered out in the ALV grid and columns you have hidden (
no_out) are excluded from the generated statement. - Real type names — the type resolver translates internal debugger type names (
\CLASS=...\TYPE=...) into source-valid type expressions, so the output isDATA(name) = VALUE zcl_foo=>tt_bar( ... )instead of a cryptic placeholder. If no valid type can be derived, it falls back toVALUE #( ... ). - Pretty printing — a built-in parser formats the expression with indentation that follows the nesting depth. A second printer variant compresses the output to a configurable maximum line length.
- Per-user customizing — which pretty printer class is used can be configured per user in table
ZTOP_DVE_CUST(maintenance views included). You can plug in your own implementation ofZIF_DDVE_VALUE_PRETTY_PRINTER. - Unit-tested — the core classes ship with ABAP Unit tests; dependency injection via
ZCL_DDVE_PRET_PRINTER_INJECTORkeeps the components testable.
Requirements
- SAP NetWeaver ABAP 7.40 SP08 or higher (the code base is deliberately kept compatible with 7.40 SP08 so it can be installed on older systems).
- abapGit to install.
Installation
- Install abapGit on your system.
- Create a package (the repository ships as a local package;
$Z_DEBUGGER_DATA_VIEW_EXTworks fine) and clone this repository into it:https://github.com/gepparta/abap_debugger_data_view_extension.git - Pull and activate all objects, including the enhancement implementations (
ZENH_TABLE_VALUES,Z_TABLE_V_BUILD_SERVICES_MENUE,Z_STRUC_V_BUILD_SERVICES_MENUE) — they hook the extension into the standard debugger.
Usage
-
Run the included demo program
Z_DEBUGGER_DATA_VIEW_EXT_DEMO(or any program of yours) and stop at a breakpoint. -
Display an internal table or structure in the debugger.
-
Open the Services of the Tool menu of the table/structure view — you will find new entries added by this extension (in the ALV table display there is also a toolbar button Data for ABAP View).
-
The generated
VALUEstatement is displayed in a popup, ready to be copied into your test code.
Tip for tables: filter rows and hide columns in the ALV grid first — the generated statement will contain exactly what you see.
Architecture
The extension hooks into the debugger via three implicit enhancements (no modifications) and is otherwise a small, modular class library:
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
ZENH_TABLE_VALUES, Z_TABLE_V_BUILD_SERVICES_MENUE, Z_STRUC_V_BUILD_SERVICES_MENUE | Enhancement implementations — debugger entry points (table and structure view). |
ZCL_DDVE_DEBUGGER_INTEGRATION | Data acquisition: extracts variable content from the debugger context via asXML transformation. |
ZCL_DDVE_TABLE / ZCL_DDVE_STRUCTURE | Facades for the table/structure view; apply ALV row filters and hidden columns, build the final statement. |
ZCL_DDVE_VALUE_RENDERER | Rendering engine: builds VALUE #( ... ) expressions, owns the recursion for nested data. |
ZCL_DDVE_COMPONENT | Formats individual field values. |
ZCL_DDVE_TYPE_RESOLVER | Resolves debugger type names into source-valid type expressions and derives variable names. |
ZCL_DDVE_SIMPLE_FIELD_CATALOG | Simplified field catalog for DDIC and local types, resolves .INCLUDEs recursively. |
ZIF_DDVE_VALUE_PRETTY_PRINTER | Abstraction for pretty printer implementations. |
ZCL_DDVE_VALUE_PRETTY_PRINTER / ZCL_DDVE_MAX_LINE_LENGTH_PP | Formatting engines: indented output / compressed to a maximum line length. |
ZCL_DDVE_PRETTYPRINTER_FACTORY + ZCL_DDVE_PP_CUSTOMIZING + ZTOP_DVE_CUST | Per-user selection of the pretty printer implementation. |
ZCL_DDVE_OUTPUT_PRESENTER | Output: wraps cl_demo_output for display. |
ZCL_DDVE_PRET_PRINTER_INJECTOR | Dependency injection for unit tests. |
Data flow: debugger enhancement → data acquisition (asXML) → ALV filter → printer selection (customizing) → rendering → display.
Background
The idea, the original implementation and its evolution are described in these articles (newest first):
- ABAP Debugger Enhancement — Reloaded (LinkedIn, 2026)
- DDVE-Update: typisierte VALUE-Anweisungen (German, 2026)
- ABAP Debugger Enhancement — Update (SAP Community, 2019)
- ABAP debugger enhancement — or how to speed up your test data creation process (SAP Community, 2017)
Related community posts:
- Speed up regression tests with the ABAP debugger — uses this tool to generate test data for regression tests (2019)
- Fork of ABAP Debugger Data View Extension tool — a community fork with performance and robustness improvements
License
Licensed under the Apache License 2.0.
Others providing
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Compatibility and provenance
discovered viaAdded by hand
first seen in the atlas
ecosystem and domainabap, developer-experience
Flavors
Standard ABAP
“- SAP NetWeaver ABAP **7.40 SP08 or higher** (the code base is deliberately kept compatible with 7.40 SP08 so it can be installed on older systems).” — gepparta/abap_debugger_data_view_extension — README
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