SAP OTR: “The Online Text Repository (OTR) is a central storage location for texts, and provides services for editing and managing these texts.
The main task of the OTR is to support the creation and translation of texts. The OTR makes translation of texts possible. Terminology is more uniform and texts can easily be reused.
Table of Contents
What’s OTR in SAP ?
This means texts are of high quality right from the start. This also considerably reduces costs for text corrections, such as for spelling mistakes, inconsistent terminology, incorrect style, and so on. Terminology changes can be done from a central location.
The object itself is separated from the texts. Any changes to the object do not influence the texts, and the other way round. This means you can translate the texts independently of the object.” (1)
The OTR is currently supported by the following applications:
- Web Dynpro for ABAP
- Business Server Pages
- Exception Builder
- HTTP Services
- Web Services
- Enhancement Tools
Read also Easy Guide to Translating Task Description and Texts for any Workflow in SAP.
SAP OTR Tcodes
The main OTR Tcodes in SAP are:
- SOTR_EDIT
- SE63_OTR
SOTR_EDIT
The transaction code SOTR_EDIT is the Editor for OTR Texts. You can Display, Create and Change OTR Objects using this tcode.
To keep it simple, here a screenshot of what the SOTR_EDIT Transaction looks like:
SE63/ SE63_OTR
To just remember that the Standard SAP Transaction SE63 is the main transaction for Translation Editor.
To find OTR objects, navigate through
Other Texts > Object Type Selection (Object Groups) > A5 User Interface Texts > LOTR OTR Long Texts
The most Common SAP Function Modules
Here the list of the most useful SAP Function Modules for OTR:
- SOTR_GET_TEXTS_WITH_KEYS
- SOTR_GET_CONCEPT
- SOTR_DELETE_CONCEPT
- SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJECTS
- SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJECTS
- SOTR_CREATE_CONCEPT
- OTR_TOOLS_GET_TEXT_VIA_ALIAS
SOTR_GET_TEXTS_WITH_KEYS
SOTR_GET_TEXTS_WITH_KEYS: Holen von Texten anhand der Concept ID und dem Kontext
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 | function SOTR_GET_TEXTS_WITH_KEYS. *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Lokale Schnittstelle: *" IMPORTING *" VALUE(LANGU) TYPE SYLANGU *" VALUE(CONTEXT) TYPE SOTR_CNTXT *" VALUE(REFILL_WITH_SECONDARY_LANGU) TYPE BAPIFLAG DEFAULT 'X' *" VALUE(REFILL_WITH_MASTER_LANGU) TYPE BAPIFLAG DEFAULT ' ' *" VALUE(FLAG_CONTEXT) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(FLAG_WITH_ALIAS) TYPE AS4FLAG DEFAULT 'X' *" TABLES *" SOTR_TERMS STRUCTURE SOTR_TERM *" EXCEPTIONS *" NO_ENTRY_FOUND *" LANGUAGE_MISSING *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
SOTR_GET_CONCEPT
The SAP Function module SOTR_GET_CONCEPT will Get all entries to an OTR concept.
Here the signature of SOTR_GET_CONCEPT:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 | function SOTR_GET_CONCEPT. *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Lokale Schnittstelle: *" IMPORTING *" REFERENCE(CONCEPT) LIKE SOTR_HEAD-CONCEPT *" EXPORTING *" VALUE(HEADER) LIKE SOTR_HEAD STRUCTURE SOTR_HEAD *" TABLES *" ENTRIES STRUCTURE SOTR_TEXT OPTIONAL *" EXCEPTIONS *" NO_ENTRY_FOUND *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
SOTR_DELETE_CONCEPT
In order to Delete an OTR concept, you can use the standard Function SOTR_DELETE_CONCEPT.
The signature of SOTR_DELETE_CONCEPT is:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 | function SOTR_DELETE_CONCEPT. *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Lokale Schnittstelle: *" IMPORTING *" VALUE(CONCEPT) LIKE SOTR_HEAD-CONCEPT *" VALUE(IN_UPDATE_TASK) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(FLAG_CHECK_USAGE) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(FLAG_CHECK_AUTHORITY) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(FLAG_CHECK_MASTER) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(LANGU) TYPE SYLANGU DEFAULT SY-LANGU *" VALUE(FLAG_CORRECTION_ENTRY) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" EXPORTING *" REFERENCE(FLAG_CANCELLED) TYPE AS4FLAG *" EXCEPTIONS *" NO_ENTRY_FOUND *" TEXT_NOT_FOUND *" INVALID_PACKAGE *" TEXT_NOT_CHANGEABLE *" TEXT_ENQUEUED *" NO_CORRECTION *" PARAMETER_ERROR *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJECTS
In order to determining the vector to a category of OTR Object, you should use SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJECTS.
Here the signature of SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJETS:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 | function SOTR_OBJECT_GET_OBJECTS . *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Lokale Schnittstelle: *" IMPORTING *" VALUE(OBJECT_VECTOR) TYPE SOTR_OBJID *" EXPORTING *" REFERENCE(OBJECTS) TYPE SOTR_OBJECTS *" EXCEPTIONS *" OBJECT_NOT_FOUND *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
SOTR_CREATE_CONCEPT
The standatd function to create an OTR Concept is Creating an OTR concept.
Here the signature of SOTR_CREATE_CONCEPT:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 | function SOTR_CREATE_CONCEPT. *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- *"*"Lokale Schnittstelle: *" IMPORTING *" REFERENCE(PAKET) TYPE SOTR_PACK *" REFERENCE(CREA_LAN) TYPE SY-LANGU *" REFERENCE(ALIAS_NAME) TYPE SOTR_ALIAS OPTIONAL *" REFERENCE(CATEGORY) TYPE SOTR_CATY OPTIONAL *" REFERENCE(OBJECT) TYPE TROBJTYPE *" VALUE(ENTRIES) TYPE SOTR_TEXT_TT *" REFERENCE(FLAG_CORRECTION_ENTRY) TYPE AS4FLAG OPTIONAL *" REFERENCE(IN_UPDATE_TASK) TYPE BAPIFLAG OPTIONAL *" VALUE(CONCEPT_DEFAULT) TYPE SOTR_TEXT-CONCEPT OPTIONAL *" VALUE(FLAG_COPY_TEXT) TYPE BTFR_FLAG OPTIONAL *" EXPORTING *" VALUE(CONCEPT) TYPE SOTR_TEXT-CONCEPT *" VALUE(NEW_ENTRIES) TYPE SOTR_TEXT_TT *"---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
OTR_TOOLS_GET_TEXT_VIA_ALIAS
The Standard Function Module OTR_TOOLS_GET_TEXT_VIA_ALIAS will retrieve the text from Alias.
SAP OTR Tables Related
The main SAP OTR tables are:
- SOTR_HEAD: Header Table for OTR Texts
- SOTR_TEXT: Text Table in the OTR
- OTR_COMM: OTR: Comment for Concept
- OTR_VOTE: OTR: Voting Result
- SOTR_ALIA: Global Alias Name Management in the OTR
- SOTR_ALIAU: Global Alias Name Management in the OTR
- SOTR_HEADU: Header Table for Strings in the OTR
- SOTR_INDEX: Index of OTR Entries for Terminology
- SOTR_LINK: Concaneted OTR Texts
- SOTR_TEXTU: Text Table in the OTR with Strings
- SOTR_USE: Where-Used List for OTR Texts
- SOTR_USEU: Where-Used List for Strings in the OTR
Let’s focus on the main tables SOTR_HEAD and SOTR_TEXT.
SAP OTR Table: SOTR_HEAD
The table SOTR_HEAD is Header Table for OTR Texts.
Note that the key for SOTR_HEAD is the CONCEPT ( Key for Logical Object in OTR ).
The List of fields of SOTR_HEAD are:
- CONCEPT : Key for Logical Object in OTR
- PAKET : Package
- CREA_LAN : Language Key
- TRALA_TYPE : OTR Translation Class
- ALIAS_NAME : Unique Alias Name for OTR Concept
- CREA_NAME : User Name
- CREA_TSTUT : Timestamp (date and time) related to UTC (GMT)
- CHAN_NAME : User Name
- CHAN_TSTUT : Timestamp (date and time) related to UTC (GMT)
- LST_IMPORT : Date data element for SYST
- SYSTEM_ID : Name of SAP System
- TRALA_VEC : Language Vector for Translation Administration
- CATGY_VEC : Vector of Assigned Categories
- OBJID_VEC : Vector of Object Types
- TEXT_TYPE : Type of Referenced Texts
SOTR_TEXT Table
The Text of OTR can be found in SOTR_TEXT table (Text Table in the OTR).
For each entry in SOTR_TEXT, there is 3 keys:
- CONCEPT: Key for Logical Object in OTR
- LANGU: Language Key
- OBJECT: Key for Physical Object in OTR
SAP OTR Translation
As SAP OTR is finally a text, SAP offers a standard way to Internationalize the text. Find also a custom ABAP report useful to translate OTRs in an WebDynPro ABAP.
Check also
- Step by Step tutorials How to translate SAP Smartforms ?
- How to Translate Task Description and Texts for any Workflow in SAP ?
SAP OTR Translation via Standard SAP Tcode
It is possible to translate WDY text elements via standard SAP transaction.
- Open your Web Dynpro view you want to translate via SE80
- Menu: Goto >> Object directory entry. You’ll see object, notice it.
- Start transaction SE63
- Menu: Translation >> ABAP Objects >> Transport Object
- Type in your noticed object at field “Transport Entry of Object” and press Edit.
- You’ll see ever single text under your paket entry.
Custom ABAP Code for SAP OTR Translation for WDA (2)
Here the custom ABAP Code that can be used for SAP OTR Transactions ( only OTRs used in WDA).
The following ABAP code is originally posted on SDN.
References & Sources:
- (1) Online Text Repository (OTR)
- (2) Translate OTR in WDA 1 & 2
- (*) Transporting OTR Objects in SAP