Error
Error Code:
5204
SAP S/4HANA Error 5204: Unicode Text Case Conversion Failed
Description
This error indicates a failure during the conversion of character cases (e.g., uppercase to lowercase) within SAP S/4HANA. It typically occurs when the system attempts to process text containing unusual, unsupported, or incorrectly encoded Unicode characters, preventing the successful completion of text manipulation operations.
Error Message
ERR_TEXT_COMMON_CASE_CONVERSION_FAILED
Known Causes
3 known causesInvalid Input Characters
The text data being processed contains characters that are not recognized or supported by the system's character set or the specific case conversion routine.
Encoding Inconsistency
Data is provided in an encoding format different from what SAP S/4HANA expects for text conversion, leading to misinterpretation of characters.
Locale Setting Conflict
System or application locale settings might not align with the rules for character case conversion required for the specific language of the text.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Re-synchronize SAP Language Packs medium
Ensures correct character set definitions are loaded for text processing.
1
Log in to the SAP system as an administrator.
2
Navigate to transaction SMLT (Language Customization).
3
Select the affected language(s) and choose 'Install' or 'Update' if available. If the language is already installed, consider removing and re-installing it.
4
After installation/update, perform a system restart. This is crucial for the new language pack definitions to take effect.
5
Test the functionality that previously triggered the error to confirm resolution.
2. Verify and Correct Character Encoding in Source Data advanced
Identifies and rectifies incorrect character encoding in the data causing conversion issues.
1
Identify the specific data or table that is causing the error. This often requires debugging the SAP application or analyzing system logs (e.g., ST22 for dumps, SM21 for system logs) to pinpoint the failing object or data.
2
If the data originates from an external source (e.g., file upload, external system interface), verify the character encoding of the source file/data. Common encodings include UTF-8, ISO-8859-1, etc. Ensure it's compatible with SAP's expected encoding (typically UTF-8 for Unicode systems).
3
If incorrect encoding is found, re-export or re-process the source data with the correct encoding. For files, this might involve saving them with the correct encoding in a text editor.
4
If the data is already in the SAP database and corrupted, use ABAP programs or specialized data cleansing tools to correct the encoding within the database. This is a complex task and requires careful planning and testing.
Example ABAP Snippet (Conceptual - requires specific table/field knowledge):
DATA: lv_original_string TYPE string.
DATA: lv_converted_string TYPE string.
SELECT SINGLE fieldname INTO lv_original_string FROM tablename WHERE ...
* Assuming lv_original_string contains data with incorrect encoding
* The actual conversion logic will depend on the specific encoding issues.
* This is a placeholder and requires deep understanding of the character sets involved.
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_STRING_TO_RAW'
EXPORTING
text = lv_original_string
IMPORTING
data = lv_raw_data.
* Perform encoding conversion on lv_raw_data if necessary.
CALL FUNCTION 'CONVERT_RAW_TO_TEXT'
EXPORTING
data = lv_converted_raw_data
IMPORTING
text = lv_converted_string.
* Update the database with lv_converted_string
UPDATE tablename SET fieldname = lv_converted_string WHERE ...5
After correcting the source data or database entries, re-run the process that previously failed.
3. Check and Update Database Character Set Settings advanced
Verifies that the underlying database's character set aligns with SAP's Unicode requirements.
1
Identify the database system used by your SAP S/4HANA system (e.g., SAP HANA, Oracle, SQL Server).
2
Connect to the database using appropriate administrative tools.
3
For SAP HANA, check the `nameserver` configuration or query system views. Ensure the `UNICODE` parameter is set correctly and the default character set supports full Unicode (e.g., UTF-8).
SQL Query for SAP HANA:
SELECT * FROM "SYS"."GLOBAL_CONTROLS" WHERE KEY = 'UNICODE';
-- Look for the 'VALUE' column. It should indicate 'TRUE' or a similar representation for Unicode support.4
For other databases, consult their specific documentation for checking and configuring character set settings. Ensure the database is configured to support UTF-8 or a similar comprehensive Unicode encoding.
5
If the database character set is not correctly configured for Unicode, plan for a database reconfiguration or migration. This is a significant undertaking that requires downtime and careful planning.
6
After any database configuration changes, restart the SAP system and test the affected functionality.