Understanding "Coverage Analyzer"

By Tanveer Zahaque, YASH Technologies

Coverage Analyzer is a very powerful runtime analysis tool provided by SAP that enables an ABAP developer to monitor processing blocks such as reports, subroutines, function-modules and methods.

Powerful filtering system in Coverage Analyzer facilitates developer to enter the number of calls separately according to periods, users and functional areas.

In a nut-shell; Coverage Analyzer is a function for monitoring the system-wide execution of ABAP programs;

It enables the success of test activities to be assessed for quality checks.

It also provides an overview of the use of programs for development purposes.

Developer can use this tool to trace programs for development purpose and Quality Manager can use this tool to check system performance for quality assurance.

It helps carry out a range of Administration Settings and the Monitoring Activity. Moreover it helps get summarized information of number of program executions, number of runtime errors, number of program resets. Fascinatingly, the results can be formatted separately according to user-group; each user-group can contain any number of users under one test key.

Broadly, functions of Coverage Analyzer are classified into two;

1.       Administration Settings

• On/Off.

• Test Groups.

• Registrations.

• Reset.

• Settings.

• Monitor.

• Consistency Checks.

2.       Display

• Global.

• Detail.  

A simple exercise will help us easily understand Coverage Analyzer, rather simply going through documentation.

In order to make use of Coverage Analyzer, user has to have an appropriate role. To check user authorization;

Call up transaction SUIM (User Information System).

Expand Authorizations node.

Choose By Object and execute it (press F8).  

Check the presence of authorization object S_COV_ADM in the system.

Confirm the where-used list for profiles using  icon or Ctrl+Shift+F11.

Once user authorization is checked to have absolute access to SCOV (Coverage Analyzer) transaction; user can proceed further. If a role is not assigned to a user, Basis consultant has to be consulted in this regards.

In fact, a tip to be remembered is that Coverage Analyzer tool should be used on weekends or in the evening, when all users and packages are on loose ends. Since backup server collects data from all the servers including local and remote; system needs all packages and users to be in the passive mode.  

Let’s start up with a simple example to understand Coverage Analyzer in a better way:

STEP 1: Call up the transaction SCOV or navigate through SAP Easy Access->SAP Menu->Tools->ABAP Workbench->Test->SCOV (Coverage Analyzer).

General Status of the system is shown on the right hand pane of the window;  

Coverage Analyzer administration includes all of the functions required for carrying out settings and checks.

Administration and Display nodes are shown on the left pane of the window.  

STEP 2: Before the Coverage Analyzer being switched on, settings have to be maintained for backup server and filters are to be set. Having not made settings for backup server, if Coverage Analyzer is started, it simply throws out an information message to maintain background server for data collection.

So, Administration settings are to be done before starting up the Coverage Analyzer.

Expand Administration node, select Settings;

Settings function is used to set the parameters for the Global and Detail views, and to filter the programs to be checked via the package.

In order to make settings, switch settings to Change Mode (Cntrl+F1).  

Tip to remember: A program is regarded as tested if the following conditions are fulfilled;

Count1 Absolute Value   >          0.

Count2 Absolute Value   >          0.

RABAX2 Absolute Value  =          0.

Unicode Check              =          1.  

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