Abap 7.4
Abap 7.4
Abap 7.4
40 Quick Reference
So you’re an experienced ABAP programmer wanting to leverage off the fantastic new functionality available to
you in ABAP 7.40!
However, searching for information on this topic leads you to fragmented pages or blogs that refer to only a couple
of the new features available to you.
What you need is a quick reference guide which gives you the essentials you need and shows you how the code
you are familiar with can be improved with ABAP 7.40.
The document has been compiled by drawing on existing material available online as well as trial and error by the
author. In particular the blogs by Horst Keller have been useful and are the best reference I have found (prior to
this document ). He has a landing page of sorts for his various blogs on the topic here:
Credit also goes to Naimesh Patel for his useful explanations and examples on ABAP 7.40. Here is his example of
the “FOR iteration expression” which I leaned on (links to his other 740 articles can be found at the bottom of the
link):
http://zevolving.com/2015/05/abap-740-for-iteration-expression/
I compiled the below document to make the transition to using ABAP 740 easier for myself and my project team. It
has worked well for us and I hope it will do the same for you.
Regards,
Jeffrey Towell
ABAP 7.40 Quick Reference
Author: Jeffrey Towell
Created: 2015
Contents
1. Inline Declarations
2. Table Expressions
3. Conversion Operator CONV
I. Definition
II. Example
4. Value Operator VALUE
I. Definition
II. Example for structures
III. Examples for internal tables
5. FOR operator
I. Definition
II. Explanation
III. Example 1
IV. Example 2
V. FOR with THEN and UNTIL|WHILE
8. CORRESPONDING operator
I. Definition
II. Example Code
III. Output
IV. Explanation
V. Additions MAPPING and EXCEPT
9. Strings
I. String Templates
II. Concatenation
III. Width/Alignment/Padding.
IV. Case
V. ALPHA conversion
VI. Date conversion
11. Classes/Methods
I. Referencing fields within returned structures
II. Methods that return a type BOOLEAN
III. NEW operator
12. Meshes
I. Problem
II. Solution
III. Output
13. Filter
I. Definition
II. Problem
III. Solution
1. Inline Declarations
IMPORTING p2 = a2
).
Loop at FIELD-SYMBOLS: <line> LOOP AT itab
assigning type … ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<line>).
LOOP AT …
itab ASSIGNING ENDLOOP.
<line>.
…
ENDLOOP.
Read FIELD-SYMBOLS: <line> READ TABLE itab
assigning type … ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<line>).
READ TABLE itab
ASSIGNING
<line>.
Select DATA itab TYPE TABLE SELECT * FROM dbtab
into OF dbtab. INTO TABLE DATA(itab)
table SELECT * FROM dbtab WHERE fld1 = @lv_fld1.
INTO TABLE itab
WHERE fld1
= lv_fld1.
Select SELECT SINGLE f1 f2 SELECT SINGLE f1 AS my_f1,
single FROM dbtab F2 AS abc
into INTO (lv_f1, lv_f2) FROM dbtab
WHERE … INTO DATA(ls_structure)
WRITE: WHERE …
/ lv_f1, lv_f2. WRITE: / ls_structure-my_f1,
ls_structure-abc.
2. Table Expressions
If a table line is not found, the exception CX_SY_ITAB_LINE_NOT_FOUND is raised. No sy-subrc.
NB: There will be a short dump if you use an inline expression that references a non-existent record.
SAP says you should therefore assign a field symbol and check sy-subrc.
II. Example
Method cl_abap_codepage=>convert_to expects a string
Before 7.40
OR
itab = VALUE #( ( ) ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ).
5. FOR operator
I. Definition
FOR wa <fs> IN itab [INDEX INTO idx] [cond]
II. Explanation
This effectively causes a loop at itab. For each loop the row read is assigned to a work area (wa) or field-
symbol(<fs>).
This wa or <fs> is local to the expression i.e. if declared in a subrourine the variable wa or <fs> is a local
variable of that subroutine. Index like SY-TABIX in loop.
Given:
TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_ship,
tknum TYPE tknum, “Shipment Number
name TYPE ernam, “Name of Person who Created the Object
city TYPE ort01, “Starting city
route TYPE route, “Shipment route
END OF ty_ship.
TYPES: ty_ships TYPE SORTED TABLE OF ty_ship WITH UNIQUE KEY tknum.
TYPES: ty_citys TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ort01 WITH EMPTY KEY.
Before 7.40
IV. Example 2
Populate internal table GT_CITYS with the cities from GT_SHIPS where the route is R0001.
Before 7.40
Note: ls_ship does not appear to have been declared but it is declared implicitly.
TYPES:
BEGIN OF ty_line,
col1 TYPE i,
col2 TYPE i,
col3 TYPE i,
END OF ty_line,
ty_tab TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_line WITH EMPTY KEY.
Before 7.40
j TYPE i.
j = 1.
DO.
j = j + 10.
IF j > 40. EXIT. ENDIF.
APPEND INITIAL LINE TO gt_itab ASSIGNING <ls_tab>.
<ls_tab>–col1 = j.
<ls_tab>–col2 = j + 1.
<ls_tab>–col3 = j + 2.
ENDDO.
With 7.40
II. Note
While VALUE and NEW expressions can include FOR expressions, REDUCE must include at least one FOR
expression. You can use all kinds of FOR expressions in REDUCE:
Before 7.40
IV. Example 2
Sum the values 1 to 10 stored in the column of a table defined as follows
DATA gt_itab TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF i WITH EMPTY KEY.
gt_itab = VALUE #( FOR j = 1 WHILE j <= 10 ( j ) ).
Before 7.40
V. Example 3
Using a class reference – works because “write” method returns reference to instance object
With 7.40
TYPES outref TYPE REF TO if_demo_output.
8. Corresponding Operator
I. Definition
… CORRESPONDING type( [BASE ( base )] struct|itab [mapping|except] )
II. Example Code
With 7.40
IV. Explanation
Given structures ls_line1 & ls_line2 defined and populated as above.
1. The contents of ls_line1 are moved to ls_line2 where there is a matching column name. Where there is no match the
column of ls_line2 is initialized.
This uses the existing contents of ls_line2 as a base and overwrites the matching columns from ls_line1.
This is exactly like MOVE-CORRESPONDING.
3. This creates a third and new structure (ls_line3) which is based on ls_line2 but overwritten by matching
columns of ls_line1.
V. Additions MAPPING and EXCEPT
MAPPING allows you to map fields with non-identically named components to qualify for the data transfer.
… MAPPING t1 = s1 t2 = s2
EXCEPT allows you to list fields that must be excluded from the data transfer
… EXCEPT {t1 t2 …}
9. Strings
I. String Templates
A string template is enclosed by two characters “|” and creates a character string.
Literal text consists of all characters that are not in braces {}. The braces can contain:
data objects,
calculation expressions,
constructor expressions,
table expressions,
predefined functions, or
II. Concatenation
Before 7.40
With 7.40
III. Width/Alignment/Padding
WRITE / |{ ‘Left’ WIDTH = 20 ALIGN = LEFT PAD = ‘0’ }|.
WRITE / |{ ‘Centre’ WIDTH = 20 ALIGN = CENTER PAD = ‘0’ }|.
WRITE / |{ ‘Right’ WIDTH = 20 ALIGN = RIGHT PAD = ‘0’ }|.
IV. Case
WRITE / |{ ‘Text’ CASE = (cl_abap_format=>c_raw) }|.
WRITE / |{ ‘Text’ CASE = (cl_abap_format=>c_upper) }|.
WRITE / |{ ‘Text’ CASE = (cl_abap_format=>c_lower) }|.
V. ALPHA conversion
DATA(lv_vbeln) = ‘0000012345’.
WRITE / |{ lv_vbeln ALPHA = OUT }|. “or use ALPHA = IN to go in other direction
VI. Date conversion
WRITE / |{ pa_date DATE = ISO }|. “Date Format YYYY-MM-DD
WRITE / |{ pa_date DATE = User }|. “As per user settings
WRITE / |{ pa_date DATE = Environment }|. “Formatting setting of language environment
10. Loop at Group By
I. Definition
LOOP AT itab result [cond] GROUP BY key ( key1 = dobj1 key2 = dobj2 …
[gs = GROUP SIZE] [gi = GROUP INDEX] )
[ASCENDING|DESCENDING [AS TEXT]]
[WITHOUT MEMBERS]
[{INTO group}|{ASSIGNING <group>}]
…
[LOOP AT GROUP group|<group>
…
ENDLOOP.]
…
ENDLOOP.
II. Explanation
The outer loop will do one iteration per key. So if 3 records match the key there will only be one iteration for these 3
records. The structure “group” (or
“<group>” ) is unusual in that it can be looped over using the “LOOP AT GROUP” statement. This will loop over the 3
records (members) of the group. The
structure “group” also contains the current key as well as the size of the group and index of the group ( if GROUP SIZE
and GROUP INDEX have been
assigned a field name). This is best understood by an example.
III. Example
With 7.40
TYPES: BEGIN OF ty_employee,
name TYPE char30,
role TYPE char30,
age TYPE i,
END OF ty_employee,
ty_employee_t TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF ty_employee WITH KEY name.
DATA(gt_employee) = VALUE ty_employee_t(
( name = ‘John‘ role = ‘ABAP guru‘ age = 34 )
( name = ‘Alice‘ role = ‘FI Consultant‘ age = 42 )
( name = ‘Barry‘ role = ‘ABAP guru‘ age = 54 )
( name = ‘Mary‘ role = ‘FI Consultant‘ age = 37 )
( name = ‘Arthur‘ role = ‘ABAP guru‘ age = 34 )
( name = ‘Mandy‘ role = ‘SD Consultant‘ age = 64 ) ).
DATA: gv_tot_age TYPE i,
gv_avg_age TYPE decfloat34.
“Loop with grouping on Role
LOOP AT gt_employee INTO DATA(ls_employee)
GROUP BY ( role = ls_employee-role
size = GROUP SIZE
index = GROUP INDEX )
ASCENDING
ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<group>).
CLEAR: gv_tot_age.
“Output info at group level
WRITE: / |Group: { <group>-index } Role: { <group>-role WIDTH = 15 }|
& | Number in this role: { <group>-size }|.
“Loop at members of the group
LOOP AT GROUP <group> ASSIGNING FIELD-SYMBOL(<ls_member>).
gv_tot_age = gv_tot_age + <ls_member>-age.
WRITE: /13 <ls_member>-name.
ENDLOOP.
“Average age
gv_avg_age = gv_tot_age / <group>-size.
WRITE: / |Average age: { gv_avg_age }|.
SKIP.
ENDLOOP.
IV. Output
Group: 1 Role: ABAP guru Number in this role: 3
John
Barry
Arthur
Average age: 40.66666666666666666666666666666667
Group: 2 Role: FI Consultant Number in this role: 2
Alice
Mary
Average age: 39.5
Group: 3 Role: SD Consultant Number in this role: 1
Mandy
Average age: 64
11. Classes/Methods
I. Referencing fields within returned structures
Before 7.40
Before 7.40
DATA: ls_lfa1 TYPE lfa1,
ls_lfa1 = My_Class=>get_lfa1( ).
lv_name1 = ls_lfa1–name1.
With 7.40
DATA(lv_name1) = My_Class=>get_lfa1( )–name1.
IF My_Class=>return_boolean( ) = abap_true.
…
ENDIF.
With 7.40
IF My_Class=>return_boolean( ).
…
ENDIF.
NB: The type “BOOLEAN” is not a true Boolean but a char1 with allowed values X,- and <blank>.
Using type “FLAG” or “WDY_BOOLEAN” works just as well.
III. NEW operator
This operator can be used to instantiate an object.
Before 7.40
DATA: lo_delivs TYPE REF TO zcl_sd_delivs,
lo_deliv TYPE REF TO zcl_sd_deliv.
CREATE OBJECT lo_delivs.
CREATE OBJECT lo_deliv.
lo_deliv = lo_delivs->get_deliv( lv_vbeln ).
With 7.40
DATA(lo_deliv) = new zcl_sd_delivs( )->get_deliv( lv_vbeln ).
12. Meshes
Allows an association to be set up between related data groups.
I. Problem
Given the following 2 internal tables:
TYPES: BEGIN OF t_manager,
name TYPE char10,
salary TYPE int4,
END OF t_manager,
tt_manager TYPE SORTED TABLE OF t_manager WITH UNIQUE KEY name.
TYPES: BEGIN OF t_developer,
name TYPE char10,
salary TYPE int4,
manager TYPE char10, “Name of manager
END OF t_developer,
tt_developer TYPE SORTED TABLE OF t_developer WITH UNIQUE KEY name.
Populated as follows:
Row Name[C(10)] Salary[I(4)]
Row Name[C(10)] Salary[I(4)]
1 Jason 3000
2 Thomas 3200
Get the details of Jerry’s manager and all developers managed by Thomas.
II. Solution
With 7.40
I. Definition
… FILTER type( itab [EXCEPT] [IN ftab] [USING KEY keyname]
WHERE c1 op f1 [AND c2 op f2 […]] )
II. Problem
Filter an internal table of Flight Schedules (SPFLI) to only those flights based on a filter table that contains the
fields Cityfrom and CityTo.
III. Solution
With 7.40