How To Fix BMEN356 - Reference to area menu & causes recursion (Note 1277962)

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: BMEN - Message Class for Area Menu Maintenance

• Message number: 356

• Message text: Reference to area menu & causes recursion (Note 1277962)

What causes this issue?

A menu can contain references to other area menus, which - in turn - can
reference yet again other area menus. If one of the referenced menus
contains a reference to the original menu, you will have recursion.
Through this endless referencing, the menu can be expanded endlessly.
The current area menu <(>&<)>V2& contains at least one recursion. This
recursion begins with the reference entry on area menu <(>&<)>V1&.

System Response

Recursions cannot be supported correctly and cause various errors.
Opening a folder in an area menu can take a very long time.
The function 'Search' in an area menu does not function correctly and
can even cause memory overflow.
In the attempt to expand an area menu with the function 'Expand All",
not all the menu items are opened.

The system issues an error message and will not allow you to continue with this transaction until the error is resolved.

How to fix this error?

The entries or paths that create endless structures can be deleted
manually.
To determine all the entries that create endless references<(>,<)> you
can use the check function in change mode of the area menu editor
(Transaction SE43). Beforehand, the entire structure of the menu must be
expanded so that all the entries are visible and can be selected.
For more information, refer to note 1277962.

Procedure for System Administrators

Error message extract from SAP system. Copyright SAP SE.

Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message BMEN356 - Reference to area menu & causes recursion (Note 1277962) ?

  The SAP error message BMEN356 indicates that there is a recursion issue related to an area menu. This typically occurs when an area menu is set up in such a way that it references itself or creates a loop, leading to an infinite recursion when trying to access it.
  Cause:
  The primary cause of this error is a misconfiguration in the area menu settings. Specifically, it can happen if:
  
  An area menu is defined to call itself directly or indirectly through other area menus.
  There are circular references in the menu structure.
  
  Solution:
  To resolve the BMEN356 error, you can follow these steps:
  
  
  Check Area Menu Configuration:
  
  Go to the transaction code SE43N (Area Menu Maintenance).
  Identify the area menu that is causing the issue.
  Review the structure of the area menu to ensure that it does not reference itself or create a circular reference with other area menus.
  
  
  
  Modify the Menu Structure:
  
  If you find a circular reference, modify the area menu to remove the recursion.
  Ensure that each area menu points to valid submenus or transactions without looping back to itself.
  
  
  
  Test the Changes:
  
  After making the necessary changes, test the area menu to ensure that it no longer causes the recursion error.
  
  
  
  Check for Notes:
  
  Refer to SAP Note 1277962 for any additional guidance or specific patches that may address this issue. This note may provide further insights or updates related to the error.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  Transaction Codes: SE43N (Area Menu Maintenance), SE80 (Object Navigator) can also be used to analyze the structure of the area menus.
  SAP Notes: Always check for the latest SAP Notes related to your version of SAP, as they may contain fixes or additional information regarding known issues.
  Documentation: Review SAP documentation on area menus and their configuration to ensure best practices are followed.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the BMEN356 error and prevent recursion issues in your SAP area menus.