Casting of Data Types

[Sujeet_Acharya]

Hi All ,

I want to know if casting of data types is possible in ABAP. I mean if I have declared a datatype as

data : x type char5.

and Now I want to make x as char10.

Is there any method to achieve this?

Thanks and regards

Sujeet

[Former Member]

Why don't you use Field-Symbols, you can use it for any type, not just characters and of any length ?

data: x type char5,
      y type char10.
FIELD-SYMBOLS : <FS> TYPE ANY.
assign x to <FS>.
write : <FS>.
assign y to <FS>.
write: <FS>.

Secondly, I don't think it would be possible to cast from a lower length character type to a higher length character type.

You can do casting in <b>ASSIGN</b>.

Regards,

Subramanian V.

[Former Member]

Hello Sujeet,

Once you have declared the variable x with the type CHAR5, you cannot change the type of this variable.

However, you have the option of using a field-symbol. You can declare a generic field symbol and assign to it any data object of any length (or type). Consider this example.

field-symbols <fs> type any.

data : char1(5) type c value 'SAPAG',
       char2(8) type c value 'SAPINDIA'.

assign char1 to <fs>.
write <fs>.

assign char2 to <fs>. 
write <fs>.

Get back if you still have any doubts.

Regards,

Anand Mandalika.

[former_member183804]

Casting is possible using field-symbols. There are various options around the ASSIGN command. However casting char5 to char10 is problematic, since the original is smaller than the target representation.

Kind Regards

Klaus

[ssimsekler]

Hi Sujeet

If your requirement suits, you can use dynamic programming which is a nice feature of ABAP.

You can use field-symbols (think them of as aliases for fields) or generic variables.

For more information I recommend the e-class <a href="https://www.sdn.sap.com/sdn/elearning.sdn?class=/public/eclasses/teched04/ABAP351.htm">"Advanced and Generic Programming in ABAP"</a>.

As a last thing, let me introduce you the SDN forums pointing system: You can assign points to posts which help you solving your problem. You can reward points by clicking the yellow star icon at header of each post. You can assign:

- one 10 points (solved)

- two 6 points (very helpful answer)

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Kind regards...

*--Serdar