How To Fix /IWFND/CM_DESIGNTIME142 - Unable to retrieve Data Element type information

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: /IWFND/CM_DESIGNTIME -

• Message number: 142

• Message text: Unable to retrieve Data Element type information

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

To make things easier, more detailed information is frequently added to describe the issue, how to fix it, and the necessary steps or configuration modifications.

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message /IWFND/CM_DESIGNTIME142 - Unable to retrieve Data Element type information ?

  The SAP error message /IWFND/CM_DESIGNTIME142 Unable to retrieve Data Element type information typically occurs in the context of SAP Gateway and OData services. This error indicates that the system is unable to retrieve the metadata for a specific data element, which can be due to various reasons. Below are some common causes, potential solutions, and related information:
  Causes:
  
  Missing Data Element: The data element referenced in the OData service may not exist in the system.
  Authorization Issues: The user may not have the necessary authorizations to access the data element or the associated metadata.
  Transport Issues: If the data element was recently transported from another system, there may be inconsistencies or missing objects.
  Incorrect Configuration: The OData service may be incorrectly configured, leading to issues in retrieving the data element.
  System Issues: There may be underlying issues with the SAP system, such as inconsistencies in the database or problems with the Gateway service.
  
  Solutions:
  
  
  Check Data Element Existence:
  
  Verify that the data element exists in the system. You can do this by using transaction SE11 (Data Dictionary) to search for the data element.
  
  
  
  Check Authorizations:
  
  Ensure that the user has the necessary authorizations to access the data element and the OData service. You can check this using transaction SU53 to analyze authorization failures.
  
  
  
  Rebuild OData Service:
  
  If the OData service is not functioning correctly, you can try to regenerate it. Use transaction /IWFND/MAINT_SERVICE to maintain and activate the service.
  
  
  
  Check Transport Requests:
  
  If the data element was recently transported, check the transport request for any missing objects. You may need to re-transport the necessary objects.
  
  
  
  Check Service Metadata:
  
  Use the URL http://<host>:<port>/sap/opu/odata/sap/<service_name>/$metadata to check the service metadata. This can help identify if the data element is missing or incorrectly defined.
  
  
  
  Debugging:
  
  If the issue persists, consider debugging the OData service to identify where the retrieval process is failing. You can set breakpoints in the relevant ABAP code.
  
  
  
  System Health Check:
  
  Perform a system health check to ensure that there are no underlying issues affecting the SAP Gateway or the database.
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  SAP Notes: Check SAP Notes related to the error message for any specific patches or updates that may address the issue.
  SAP Community: Engage with the SAP Community forums to see if other users have encountered similar issues and what solutions they found effective.
  Documentation: Review the official SAP documentation for OData services and SAP Gateway for best practices and troubleshooting steps.
  
  By following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue related to the error message /IWFND/CM_DESIGNTIME142.