4 ways to configure portal time-out parameter
People keep on asking me about how to configure session timeout parameter for Netweaver Portal. They either want to configure for a portal page, or a WebDynpro application. Generally, default timeout parameter in the service configuration is the only parameter used. However, this parameter is applicable only to a Portal Page. For other objects like URL, WebDynpro application, there are some other parameters which needs to be configured.
I thought why not to make a list of ways by which you can configure a timeout for a portal session, page, webdynpro component or even an application inside the webdynpro component. Yeah! we can have control of this granularity.
PS: Time out limit should be reasonable. We must not keep users waiting for for session to end. Sometimes it is better to end the session rather than waiting for something to happen on the screen.
1. Default Timeout:
This is the most used and the most common parameter used for portal component timeout. It is set at portal
System Administration –> System Configuration –> Service Configuration –> Default configuration.
Parameter is Default.component.timeout
2. Portal Page Timeout:
This parameter portal page timeout. This is applicable to browser page not to portal page object. In simpler terms, this parameters is not applicable to PCD objects like iView, workset or a page. This is set from portal system admnistration and the parameter is:
Com.sap.portal.page.PageTimeout
3. WebDynpro Component Timeout:
This parameter controls expiry time of a webdynpro component. This parameter would override all other parameters and is configured in Visual Administrator
You can locate the following parameter and configure appropriate time.
Parameter is:
Tc~wd~dispwda – DefaultExpirationTime
4. WebDynpro Application timeout:
This parameter controls timeout of a webdynpro application inside a component. When you want to have a different timeout for application, you can use this parameter. This parameter also overrides timeout parameters set in Service Configuration. The parameter is:
ExpirationTime
With these four parameters you would have complete control over session, application and component timeout. However, I want to mention one more parameter which destroys all the nodes and the data stored in it when user closes window. This parameter is not related to timeout but it increases performance of a webdynpro application significantly. It is always recommended to configure this parameter and it’s also one of the best practices of webdynpro.
Parameter is: Lifespan and it has following options of configuration.
-
Framework_controlled
-
When_Visible
If you set this parameter to framework_controlled, portal framework would be responsible for releasing the nodes and the stored data. On the other hand, if you set it to Wehn_Visible, nodes and data would be destroyed when user closes the session.
These parameters would seriously enhance performance of portal and webdynpro applications if configured correctly. I hope this post helps you in your practices.
Ameya
Filed Under: Netweaver Portal • Tutorials
I can’t fund number 2 (com.sap.portal.page.PageTimeout). Please can you check where it is?
Number 1 (Default.component.timeout) is in: System Administration –> System Configuration –> Service Configuration –> Central Configuration.
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Paul,
Yes, you pointed out correctly. I didn’t mention the path assuming it depends on developer/admin where to set this property. This property is available out-of-the box in desktop inner page or if you want to control it from a custom application, you can set create a property value in component-profile section of portalapp.xml file.
By the way, what is the description of the timeout error that you are getting? because there is one more approach to configure page timeout. However it is at the web browser level. Also check this link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813827/EN-US/ (browser level timeout configuration)
Ameya
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Hi Ameya,
Thanks for the reply.
We had an issue which we thought might have been a timeout issue. The SAP Portal did display a timeout message, but after some investigation we found that the time taken for the message to appear was variable, so it was unlikely to be a defined value.
We think the cause was actually a program fault rather than a defined timeout, so we have optimised the program to make it run faster and the issue has gone away.
Thanks.
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@Paul: That sounds good.
by the way, how do you formulate an optimization strategy? Based on wily/SMD or some other data/tool?
Ameya
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Hello ameya ,
In one of the requirements we had under one WD abap aplication integrated in portal ,so if user contnues to punchin the data in this application ,our custom pportal component using EPCF events would not consider the Key press , Mouse move as one of the events ( but navigation in portal only ) and still show the warnign pop up and timesout though your are workig on portal application . Could we somehow capture those events .
Let me knw if u had me correctly or I can put this in more details .
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Hello Ameya,
I am facing a similar problem faced by sandeep. we are using the custom code to check the mousePress event, and it is working fine for all the iviews except the transaction iviews. we are opening a transaction iview in the same portal window. So even while the user is working on the transaction the timeout popup apprears and the user is loggeed off from portal.
Could you please suggest any way of capturing the events in a transaction iview.
Thanks
Jeet
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Sandeep
There is a way way around for making portal eventing work when you’ve a WDA iView. However, you have to write some code in WDA App. as well as Portal App. In you case, perhaps you can create a simple Portal Componenet and fire WDA iView from that.
In this way, WDA can fire a method to send some paramenter to Portal event, which you can subscribe to in your portal application.
I guess there is a thread on SDN explaining this solution.
I will try to find that and post in the follow-up comment.Here is that SDN thread: http://forums.sdn.sap.com/thread.jspa?threadID=137702
Ameya
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Jeet,
If it is SAP Transaction iView then I am afraid we can do make EPCF eventing work in this case. Reason being SAP GUI for HTML is stateless and we cannot perform any action if a component is a stateless. In short, SAP GUI for HTML cannot retain its state.
I suggest you to raise an OSS note for getting the confirmation from SAP itself. Who knows there might be some way out which we aren’t aware of.
All the best,
Ameya
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Thanks Buddy .. Let me try and test that
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Hi Ameya,
Appreciate your effort helping people on this blog. We have a issue with our portal which is ‘Webdynpro ABAP’ now, where user gets delayed response or sometimes gets disconnected from portal when the load (number of users increases) goes up.
Could you please suggest any parameter changes for these sort of issues, I tried searching for parameters that you suggested: Framework_controlled and When_Visible but couldn’t find them. Please let me know the path if possible.
Please do advice.
Thanks
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