(Glue-2008) Query Extraction

Owned by SNP
Last updated: Aug 20, 2020 by Marian Vidra

This document describes the steps necessary to extract data from SAP BW query into a file system. 

After the extraction, there are two types of files stored in the defined storage: 

  • .csv files containing the data from queries
  • .json files describing the structure of data


You can extract data from a BW query by using the (Glue-2008) ABAP Based Extractor.

To perform this, proceed as follows:

  1. Go to Glue Extractor Workbench.
  2. Right-click on ABAP to Storage and select Create Extractor.
  3. Specify the following parameters:
    • Extractor name -  technical name of an extractor
    • Description -  description of an extractor
    • Extractor type - this value is predefined but you can change it using a simple drop-down menu. For a BW query extraction, select ABAP to Storage extractor type
    • Source type - choose Query to extract data from a BW query

    • Target type - choose File stored in Binary storage

      Only the Target Type "File stored in Binary storage" is supported by this extractor. It's not possible to create a Query extractor with a Glue table as a target.

  4. Then, fill in the following entries:
    • Binary Storage - binary storage ID. You may use F4 help.
    • Delimiter type - delimiter used to separate data in .csv file. You may use F4 help.
    • Container name - name of an existing or non-existing container in the file system for selected storage which serves as a target for extracted data.
    • Source Query - name of the BW query from where data is transferred. You may use F4 help.
    • Class Name - this value is predefined with the class name /DVD/GL_EXT_ABAP_CL_QUERY.
    • Run with user - user under which the extraction is executed. If the value is not specified, current user will be used.
    • Put values into quotes - indicator whether extracted values should be put into quotes or not.
    • Output setting - this button allows you to adjust additional parameters for the output of the BeX query.

  5. Specify additional output settings. (optional).
    You can adjust additional output setting by pressing Output settings button. Each setting can be switched on/off by checking the corresponding checkbox. You can specify these settings:
    • Include header line - this option allows you to include the header line of BeX query columns into extracted data.
    • Suppress result rows - this option allows you to exclude result rows (overall results as a summation for each characteristic) from BeX query output.
    • Display hidden key figures - this option allows you to include all key figures that are set as Hide (Can Be Shown) into output.

  6. Drag and drop the characteristics to define the structure of BEx Query to be executed. This works similarly to drilldown of characteristics in SAP Query Monitor (transaction RSRT).
  7. Save and activate it. In the case you activate an unsaved extractor, it is saved automatically before activation.

  8. The next step is to (Glue-2008) Generate the Variants for Query Extraction.