The Official ABAP Reference

... Preface ... 19

1 ... Introduction ... 23
... 1.1 ... Releases Used ... 23
... 1.2 ... New Features in Releases 7.02 and 7.2 ... 25
... 1.3 ... Syntax Conventions in The Official ABAP Reference ... 30

PART 1 ... ABAP Overview ... 33

2 ... ABAP Programming Language ... 35
... 2.1 ... SAP NetWeaver ... 35
... 2.2 ... Scope and Usage Areas ... 36
... 2.3 ... Programming Models ... 37
... 2.4 ... Unicode ... 37

PART 2 ... ABAP Syntax ... 39

3 ... Statements ... 41
... 3.1 ... ABAP Words ... 42
... 3.2 ... Operands ... 42
... 3.3 ... Operators and Expressions ... 59

4 ... Names ... 61
... 4.1 ... Naming Conventions ... 61
... 4.2 ... Name Spaces ... 62

5 ... Chained Statements ... 63

6 ... Comments ... 65

7 ... Program Directives ... 67
... 7.1 ... Pragmas ... 67
... 7.2 ... Pseudo Comments ... 69

PART 3 ... Program Structure ... 71

8 ... Program Structure ... 73

9 ... Programs ... 75
... 9.1 ... Standalone Programs ... 75
... 9.2 ... Executable Programs ... 77
... 9.3 ... Module Pools and Subroutine Pools ... 80
... 9.4 ... Function Groups ... 82
... 9.5 ... Class Pools ... 84
... 9.6 ... Interface Pools ... 85
... 9.7 ... Type Groups ... 86

10 ... Modularization ... 89
... 10.1 ... Procedures ... 89
... 10.2 ... Dialog Modules ... 99
... 10.3 ... Event Blocks ... 100
... 10.4 ... Source Code Modules ... 107

11 ... Built-in Elements ... 113
... 11.1 ... Built-in Data Types ... 113
... 11.2 ... Built-in Data Objects ... 131
... 11.3 ... Built-in Functions ... 140

PART 4 ... Declarative Statements ... 145

12 ... Types and Objects ... 147
... 12.1 ... Validity and Visibility ... 148
... 12.2 ... Absolute Type Names ... 149
... 12.3 ... Shared Objects ... 152

13 ... Data Types and Data Objects ... 153
... 13.1 ... Declaring Data Types ... 153
... 13.2 ... Declaring Data Objects ... 179

14 ... Classes and Interfaces ... 203
... 14.1 ... Defining Classes ... 203
... 14.2 ... Defining Interfaces ... 221
... 14.3 ... Declaring Components ... 224

15 ... Field Symbols ... 259

16 ... Typing ... 261
... 16.1 ... Syntax of Typing ... 261
... 16.2 ... Checking the Typing ... 265

PART 5 ... Generating Objects ... 273

17 ... Creating Objects ... 275
... 17.1 ... Creating Data Objects ... 275
... 17.2 ... Creating Instances of Classes ... 287

PART 6 ... Executing Program Units ... 295

18 ... Calling Programs ... 297
... 18.1 ... Calling Executable Programs ... 297
... 18.2 ... Calling Transactions ... 315

19 ... Calling Processing Blocks ... 323
... 19.1 ... Calling Procedures ... 323
... 19.2 ... Calling Event Handlers ... 354
... 19.3 ... Calling Event Blocks ... 359

20 ... Exiting Program Units ... 361
... 20.1 ... Leaving Programs ... 361
... 20.2 ... Exiting Processing Blocks ... 362
... 20.3 ... Exiting Loops ... 368

PART 7 ... Program Flow Control ... 371

21 ... Logical Conditions ... 373
... 21.1 ... Logical Expressions ... 373
... 21.2 ... Logical Functions ... 400

22 ... Control Structures ... 405
... 22.1 ... Branches ... 405
... 22.2 ... Loops ... 408
... 22.3 ... Exception Handling ... 411

PART 8 ... Assignments ... 435

23 ... Assignment Rules ... 437
... 23.1 ... Compatibility of Data Types ... 438
... 23.2 ... Conversion Rules for Elementary Data Objects ... 440
... 23.3 ... Conversion Rules for Structures ... 461
... 23.4 ... Conversion Rules for Internal Tables ... 467
... 23.5 ... Assignment Rules for Reference Variables ... 467
... 23.6 ... System Class for Character Set Conversion and Number Format Conversion ... 472

24 ... Assigning Values ... 473
... 24.1 ... General Assignment ... 474
... 24.2 ... Lossless Assignment ... 476
... 24.3 ... Multiple Assignments ... 486
... 24.4 ... Assigning Structure Components ... 486
... 24.5 ... Special Assignment of a Packed Number ... 489

25 ... Setting References ... 491
... 25.1 ... Assigning Data Objects to Field Symbols ... 491
... 25.2 ... Retrieving Data References ... 510

26 ... Initializations ... 513
... 26.1 ... Initializing Data Objects ... 513
... 26.2 ... Releasing Memory ... 514
... 26.3 ... Initializing Field Symbols ... 515

PART 9 ... Processing Internal Data ... 517

27 ... Numerical Calculations ... 519
... 27.1 ... Statements for Numerical Calculations ... 519
... 27.2 ... Arithmetic Expressions ... 525
... 27.3 ... Numerical Functions ... 533
... 27.4 ... System Classes for Mathematical Operations ... 544

28 ... Character String and Byte String Processing ... 547
... 28.1 ... Properties of Character String and Byte String Processing ... 547
... 28.2 ... Statements for Character String and Byte String Processing ... 550
... 28.3 ... Character String Expressions ... 603
... 28.4 ... Character String Functions ... 625
... 28.5 ... Regular Expressions ... 649
... 28.6 ... Expressions and Functions for Byte String Processing ... 675
... 28.7 ... System Classes for Character String and Byte String Processing ... 679

29 ... Internal Tables ... 681
... 29.1 ... Properties of Internal Tables ... 681
... 29.2 ... Statements for Internal Tables ... 696
... 29.3 ... Table Function ... 772
... 29.4 ... Special Statement for Internal Tables ... 772

30 ... Extracts ... 779
... 30.1 ... Declaring Field Groups ... 779
... 30.2 ... Defining the Line Structure ... 780
... 30.3 ... Filling the Extract Dataset ... 781
... 30.4 ... Sorting the Extract Dataset ... 782
... 30.5 ... Reading the Extract Dataset ... 785
... 30.6 ... Control-Level Processing ... 785

31 ... Properties of Data ... 791
... 31.1 ... Specifying Elementary Properties ... 791
... 31.2 ... Run Time Type Services ... 801

32 ... Streaming ... 803
... 32.1 ... Classes and Interfaces for Streams ... 803
... 32.2 ... Streaming for Data Objects ... 806

PART 10 ... User Dialogs ... 809

33 ... Classic Dynpros ... 811
... 33.1 ... SAP GUI ... 812
... 33.2 ... Dynpro Fields ... 813
... 33.3 ... Dynpro Flow and Dynpro Sequences ... 814
... 33.4 ... Statements in the Dynpro Flow Logic ... 815
... 33.5 ... ABAP Statements for Dynpros ... 839

34 ... Selection Screens ... 863
... 34.1 ... Creating Selection Screens ... 864
... 34.2 ... Defining Parameters ... 889
... 34.3 ... Defining Selection Criteria ... 902
... 34.4 ... Calling Selection Screens ... 913
... 34.5 ... Selection-Screen Processing ... 915
... 34.6 ... Selection Screen Events ... 916
... 34.7 ... Free Selections ... 921

35 ... Classic Lists ... 925
... 35.1 ... Properties of Classic Lists ... 925
... 35.2 ... Creating Lists ... 928
... 35.3 ... Processing Lists in the List Buffer ... 970
... 35.4 ... Displaying Lists ... 981
... 35.5 ... Printing Lists ... 992
... 35.6 ... Event Blocks for List Events ... 1006

36 ... Messages ... 1013
... 36.1 ... Storing Messages ... 1013
... 36.2 ... Behavior of Messages ... 1014
... 36.3 ... Sending Messages ... 1022

PART 11 ... Processing External Data ... 1033

37 ... Database Accesses ... 1035
... 37.1 ... Database Tables ... 1035
... 37.2 ... Open SQL ... 1036
... 37.3 ... Object Services ... 1125
... 37.4 ... Native SQL ... 1131
... 37.5 ... ADBC ... 1142

38 ... Data Clusters ... 1151
... 38.1 ... Creating Data Clusters ... 1151
... 38.2 ... Reading Data Clusters ... 1161
... 38.3 ... Importing the Directory ... 1174
... 38.4 ... Deleting Data Clusters ... 1176
... 38.5 ... Deleting Data Clusters in the ABAP Memory ... 1178
... 38.6 ... System Classes for Data Clusters ... 1178

39 ... File Interface ... 1179
... 39.1 ... Properties of the File Interface ... 1179
... 39.2 ... Opening a File ... 1183
... 39.3 ... Writing a File ... 1199
... 39.4 ... Reading a File ... 1202
... 39.5 ... Determining File Attributes ... 1207
... 39.6 ... Changing File Attributes ... 1211
... 39.7 ... Changing the File Size ... 1215
... 39.8 ... Closing a File ... 1217
... 39.9 ... Deleting a File ... 1218

40 ... Data Consistency ... 1219
... 40.1 ... Database LUW ... 1219
... 40.2 ... SAP LUW ... 1223
... 40.3 ... Database Locks ... 1232
... 40.4 ... SAP Locks ... 1234
... 40.5 ... Authorizations ... 1236

PART 12 ... Program Parameters ... 1239

41 ... Parameters in the SAP Memory ... 1241
... 41.1 ... SPA/GPA Parameters ... 1241
... 41.2 ... Setting SPA/GPA Parameters ... 1243
... 41.3 ... Reading SPA/GPA Parameters ... 1245

42 ... Language Environment ... 1247
... 42.1 ... Text Pools ... 1247
... 42.2 ... Text Environment ... 1249
... 42.3 ... Formatting Settings ... 1255

43 ... Date and Time Information ... 1261
... 43.1 ... System Fields for Date and Time ... 1261
... 43.2 ... Time Stamps ... 1263

PART 13 ... Program Processing ... 1273

44 ... Testing and Checking Programs ... 1275
... 44.1 ... Checkpoints ... 1275
... 44.2 ... Runtime Measurement ... 1282
... 44.3 ... Runtime Analysis ... 1285

45 ... Program Editing ... 1287
... 45.1 ... Source Code ... 1287
... 45.2 ... Text Elements ... 1304

PART 14 ... Data and Communication Interfaces ... 1309

46 ... Remote Function Call ... 1311
... 46.1 ... Properties of an RFC ... 1311
... 46.2 ... Remote Function Call ... 1320

47 ... XML Interface ... 1337
... 47.1 ... XSL Transformations ... 1337
... 47.2 ... Simple Transformations ... 1338
... 47.3 ... Canonical XML Representation ... 1339
... 47.4 ... Calling a Transformation ... 1360

48 ... OLE Interface ... 1373
... 48.1 ... Creating an Automation Object ... 1373
... 48.2 ... Calling an Automation Method ... 1375
... 48.3 ... Determining the Attributes of an Automation Object ... 1378
... 48.4 ... Changing the Attributes of an Automation Object ... 1379
... 48.5 ... Releasing an Automation Object ... 1380

PART 15 ... Enhancements ... 1381

49 ... Source Code Enhancement ... 1383
... 49.1 ... Implicit Enhancement Options ... 1383
... 49.2 ... Explicit Enhancement Options ... 1384

50 ... BAdIs ... 1391
... 50.1 ... Creating a BAdI Object ... 1392
... 50.2 ... Calling BAdI Methods ... 1396

PART 16 ... Obsolete Statements ... 1399

51 ... Obsolete Syntax ... 1401
... 51.1 ... Obsolete Statement Structures ... 1401
... 51.2 ... Obsolete Pseudo Comments ... 1401
... 51.3 ... Obsolete Deactivation of the Program Check ... 1403

52 ... Obsolete Modularization ... 1405
... 52.1 ... Obsolete Subroutines ... 1405
... 52.2 ... Obsolete Function Module Parameters ... 1412
... 52.3 ... Obsolete Temporary Storage ... 1415

53 ... Obsolete Declarations ... 1417
... 53.1 ... Obsolete Type Definitions ... 1417
... 53.2 ... Obsolete Declaration and Loading ... 1418
... 53.3 ... Obsolete Interface Work Areas ... 1420
... 53.4 ... Obsolete Internal Tables ... 1423
... 53.5 ... Obsolete Field Symbols ... 1429
... 53.6 ... Obsolete Type Reference ... 1431

54 ... Obsolete Object Creation ... 1433

55 ... Obsolete Calls ... 1437
... 55.1 ... Obsolete Dialog Modules ... 1437
... 55.2 ... Obsolete Function Module Exit ... 1439
... 55.3 ... Obsolete Function Module Exception ... 1441
... 55.4 ... Obsolete External Subroutine Call ... 1442
... 55.5 ... Obsolete Exiting ... 1442

56 ... Obsolete Program Flow Control ... 1445
... 56.1 ... Obsolete Logical Expressions ... 1445
... 56.2 ... Obsolete Control Structures ... 1447
... 56.3 ... Obsolete Exception Handling ... 1452

57 ... Obsolete Assignments ... 1455
... 57.1 ... Obsolete Percentaged Subfield ... 1455
... 57.2 ... Obsolete Conversion ... 1455
... 57.3 ... Obsolete Casting ... 1456
... 57.4 ... Obsolete Dynamic Memory Area ... 1457
... 57.5 ... Obsolete Initialization ... 1458

58 ... Obsolete Calculation Statements ... 1459
... 58.1 ... Obsolete Addition of Field Sequences ... 1459
... 58.2 ... Calculating Component by Component ... 1461

59 ... Obsolete Character String and Byte String Processing ... 1463
... 59.1 ... Obsolete Search ... 1463
... 59.2 ... Obsolete Replacement ... 1466
... 59.3 ... Obsolete Translation ... 1467

60 ... Obsolete Processing of Internal Tables ... 1471
... 60.1 ... Obsolete Short Forms ... 1471
... 60.2 ... Obsolete Key Specifications ... 1471
... 60.3 ... Obsolete Search ... 1475
... 60.4 ... Obsolete Assignment of Formatted Character Strings ... 1476
... 60.5 ... Obsolete Short Form of a Special Statement ... 1478
... 60.6 ... Obsolete Deletion ... 1480

61 ... Obsolete User Dialogs ... 1481
... 61.1 ... Obsolete Dynpro Flow Logic ... 1481
... 61.2 ... Obsolete List Processing ... 1490
... 61.3 ... Obsolete Text Editor ... 1495

62 ... Obsolete Processing of External Data ... 1497
... 62.1 ... Obsolete Database Accesses ... 1497
... 62.2 ... Obsolete Data Cluster Accesses ... 1504
... 62.3 ... Obsolete Contexts ... 1507
... 62.4 ... Obsolete Logical Databases ... 1512

63 ... Obsolete Data and Communication Interfaces ... 1525
... 63.1 ... Obsolete XML Handling ... 1525
... 63.2 ... Obsolete CPI-C Interface ... 1525
... 63.3 ... Obsolete JavaScript Processing ... 1526

... Appendices ... 1527
... A ... ABAP Memory Organization ... 1527
... B ... Memory Management of Deep Data Objects ... 1533
... C ... ABAP Glossary ... 1539

... Index ... 1623