Information: Checking server-side trace files and dumps

Server-side trace files contain additional information which can be helpful to diagnose errors received from the SAP system.

1. Server-side trace files (transaction code ST11)

Server-side trace files are written by the RFC and Diag work processes. They contain information about the execution of RFC calls and transactions, logon-related problems and other runtime information.

To view the server-side trace files, start transaction ST11. A list with recently changed logs is shown:

ST11 Overview

Look out for trace files which have been changed after the error or problem occured. To view a specific trace file file, double click it or select it and press F2:

ST11 Detail

Note: If the trace file is very large, use Ctrl+F to search for terms like „error“ or „warning“.

2. Server-side dumps (transaction code ST22)

ABAP dump files (also called „rabax“) are written when unhandled errors occur in ABAP code. This can happen in both own development (e.g. Z-modules) but also in SAP code, if there are bugs or unexpected problems.

To view the dump files in an SAP system, start transaction ST22. A list of dump files appears, which can be viewed by double-clicking them:

ST 22 Overview

Note: from the detail view of a dump, you can use the button „Debugger“ to jump directly to the source code where the problem occured.