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field symbols

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:03 AM

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Hi Experts,

Can anybody forward me tutorials on Field-Symbols?

I have gone through SAP help but I would like to go through some tutorials or notes that explains field-symbols and its related concepts in detail?

I know what is it but I would want to know more on Field-symbols.

Thanks in advance,

Papiya.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:05 AM

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Syntax Diagram

FIELD-SYMBOLS

Basic form

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs>.

Extras:

1. ... TYPE type

2. ... TYPE REF TO cif

3. ... TYPE REF TO DATA

4. ... TYPE LINE OF type

5. ... LIKE s

6. ... LIKE LINE OF s

7. ... TYPE tabkind

8. ... STRUCTURE s DEFAULT wa

The syntax check performed in an ABAP Objects context is stricter than in other ABAP areas. See Cannot Use Untyped Field Symbols ad Cannot Use Field Symbols as Components of Classes.

Effect

This statement declares a symbolic field called <fs>. At runtime, you can assign a concrete field to the field symbol using ASSIGN. All operations performed with the field symbol then directly affect the field assigned to it.

You can only use one of the additions.

Example

Output aircraft type from the table SFLIGHT using a field symbol:

FIELD-SYMBOLS <PT> TYPE ANY.

DATA SFLIGHT_WA TYPE SFLIGHT.

...

ASSIGN SFLIGHT_WA-PLANETYPE TO <PT>.

WRITE <PT>.

Addition 1

... TYPE type

Addition 2

... TYPE REF TO cif

Addition 3

... TYPE REF TO DATA

Addition 4

... TYPE LINE OF type

Addition 5

... LIKE s

Addition 6

... LIKE LINE OF s

Addition 7

... TYPE tabkind

Effect

You can define the type of the field symbol using additions 2 to 7 (just as you can for FORM parameters (compare Defining the Type of Subroutine Parameters). When you use the ASSIGN statement, the system carries out the same type checks as for USING parameters of FORMs.

This addition is not allowed in an ABAP Objects context. See Cannot Use Obsolete Casting for FIELD SYMBOLS.

In some cases, the syntax rules that apply to Unicode programs are different than those for non-Unicode programs. See Defining Types Using STRUCTURE.

Effect

Assigns any (internal) field string or structure to the field symbol from the ABAP Dictionary (s). All fields of the structure can be addressed by name: <fs>-fieldname. The structured field symbol points initially to the work area wa specified after DEFAULT.

The work area wa must be at least as long as the structure s. If s contains fields of the type I or F, wa should have the structure s or at least begin in that way, since otherwise alignment problems may occur.

Example

Address components of the flight bookings table SBOOK using a field symbol:

DATA SBOOK_WA LIKE SBOOK.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <SB> STRUCTURE SBOOK

DEFAULT SBOOK_WA.

...

WRITE: <SB>-BOOKID, <SB>-FLDATE.

Related

ASSIGN, DATA

Additional help

Declaring Field Symbols

Regards

Prabhu

6 REPLIES 6

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:05 AM

0 Kudos

Syntax Diagram

FIELD-SYMBOLS

Basic form

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs>.

Extras:

1. ... TYPE type

2. ... TYPE REF TO cif

3. ... TYPE REF TO DATA

4. ... TYPE LINE OF type

5. ... LIKE s

6. ... LIKE LINE OF s

7. ... TYPE tabkind

8. ... STRUCTURE s DEFAULT wa

The syntax check performed in an ABAP Objects context is stricter than in other ABAP areas. See Cannot Use Untyped Field Symbols ad Cannot Use Field Symbols as Components of Classes.

Effect

This statement declares a symbolic field called <fs>. At runtime, you can assign a concrete field to the field symbol using ASSIGN. All operations performed with the field symbol then directly affect the field assigned to it.

You can only use one of the additions.

Example

Output aircraft type from the table SFLIGHT using a field symbol:

FIELD-SYMBOLS <PT> TYPE ANY.

DATA SFLIGHT_WA TYPE SFLIGHT.

...

ASSIGN SFLIGHT_WA-PLANETYPE TO <PT>.

WRITE <PT>.

Addition 1

... TYPE type

Addition 2

... TYPE REF TO cif

Addition 3

... TYPE REF TO DATA

Addition 4

... TYPE LINE OF type

Addition 5

... LIKE s

Addition 6

... LIKE LINE OF s

Addition 7

... TYPE tabkind

Effect

You can define the type of the field symbol using additions 2 to 7 (just as you can for FORM parameters (compare Defining the Type of Subroutine Parameters). When you use the ASSIGN statement, the system carries out the same type checks as for USING parameters of FORMs.

This addition is not allowed in an ABAP Objects context. See Cannot Use Obsolete Casting for FIELD SYMBOLS.

In some cases, the syntax rules that apply to Unicode programs are different than those for non-Unicode programs. See Defining Types Using STRUCTURE.

Effect

Assigns any (internal) field string or structure to the field symbol from the ABAP Dictionary (s). All fields of the structure can be addressed by name: <fs>-fieldname. The structured field symbol points initially to the work area wa specified after DEFAULT.

The work area wa must be at least as long as the structure s. If s contains fields of the type I or F, wa should have the structure s or at least begin in that way, since otherwise alignment problems may occur.

Example

Address components of the flight bookings table SBOOK using a field symbol:

DATA SBOOK_WA LIKE SBOOK.

FIELD-SYMBOLS <SB> STRUCTURE SBOOK

DEFAULT SBOOK_WA.

...

WRITE: <SB>-BOOKID, <SB>-FLDATE.

Related

ASSIGN, DATA

Additional help

Declaring Field Symbols

Regards

Prabhu

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:07 AM

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HI,

check the below links u will get the answers for your questions

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/fc/eb3860358411d1829f0000e829fbfe/content.htm

http://www.sts.tu-harburg.de/teaching/sap_r3/ABAP4/field_sy.htm

http://searchsap.techtarget.com/tip/1,289483,sid21_gci920484,00.html

If you find it useful mark the points

Regards,

Kishi.

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:13 AM

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hi,

check out in the ABAPDOCU transaction,

cheers,

kc

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Former Member

‎03-16-2007 5:16 AM

0 Kudos

hi papiya,

Field symbols are place holders for the existing fields. It doesn't physically reserve any space for the field, but points to the field.It just like pointers in c.

when a variable is used many times in the program, v can declare it as a field symbol so that using assign statement v can make use of it any time in the program.

Regards...

Arun.

Reward points if useful.