5-Internal Tables and Work Areas

Internal Tables and Work Areas

Using Internal Tables and Work Areas in SAP ABAP programming, internal table operations

What is an internal table and work area in SAP ABAP ? Difference between internal table and work area

Internal Tables and Work Areas are temporary memory locations which are used to store the data of a database tables at run time and in other way we can call them as instances of database tables.

Internal tables and Work areas

Internal Tables Work Areas

Temporary memory locations which are used to store the data of database table.

Internal table is an instance of database table.

By default 8kb memory will be allocated and it increases dynamically( +8kb +8kb).

Temporary memory locations which are used to store the data of database table.

Work area is an instance of database table.

Internal tables can store multiple records. Work areas can store only one record.

General Syntax :

DATA : <ITAB> TYPE TABLE OF <DBTABLE> .

General Syntax:

DATA : <WA> TYPE <DBTABLE> .

Internal Table declaration

DATA : <ITAB> TYPE TABLE OF <DBTABLE> .

Example :

DATA : IT_ITAB TYPE TABLE OF MARA .

Example Explanation : Here IT_ITAB is the name of Internal table and MARA is the Database

table name, after declaring,IT_ITAB will be the instance of table MARA.

Internal Table declaration with user defined types

DATA : <ITAB> TYPE TABLE OF <userdefinedtype>.

Example is : TYPES : BEGIN OF TY_TABLE,

MATNR TYPE MARA-MATNR,

MTART TYPE MARA-MTART,

MEINS TYPE MARA-MEINS,

END OF TY_TABLE.<br>

DATA : IT_ITAB TYPE TABLE OF TY_TABLE .

Here TY_TABLE is a user defined type with 3 fields

Internal Table Deceleration Old Syntax ( Obsolete Method )

Obsolete Syntax: DATA : IT_ITAB TYPE TABLE OF MARA occurs 0 with header line .

In this example Internal Table itself acts as work area, technically a work area will be created at first row of the internal table.

Reading data from database Table in SAP ABAPReading data from databases tables using OPEN SQL (SELECT) statements in SAP ABAP

The only way of reading data from a database table is using select statements, in the below example we will read data from MARA table in various ways.

Operation Explanation

INTO TABLE ITAB Means getting data into an internal tableITAB from database table

INTO WA Means getting data into WAa work area ( Work area can store only one record )

INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF TABLE ITAB

Means getting data of common fields of data base table and user defined internal tableITAB( Here ITAB is a user defined internal table )

INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS OF WA

Means getting data of common fields of data base table and work areaWA( Here WA is a work area )

Read whole data from MARA

To read all records from MARA table, we use below code

data : it_mara type table of mara . " Declare internal table of type MARA

Select * from MARA into table it_mara . " Read all records from MARA table and store in it_mara internal table

Read single record from MARA based on where condition

data : wa_mara type mara . " Declare work area of type MARA, because we are getting only one record

Select single * from MARA into wa_mara where matnr = '00001' . " Read one records from MARA table and store in wa_mara work area

OR

data : it_mara type table of mara . " Declare internal table of type MARA

select * from MARA into table it_mara where matnr = '00001' . " Read all records from MARA table where MATNR is 00001, MATNR is a key field .

Reading data into corresponding fields

By using INTO CORRESPONDING FIELDS of statement we can get data into a user defined internal

table.

As per performance standards, this method is not preferable

TYPES : BEGIN OF TY_MARA,




MBRSH TYPE MARA-MBRSH,

END OF TY_MARA.

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF TY_MARA . "Declare internal table of type user defined table.

SELECT * FROM MARA INTO CORRESPONDING FIELD OF TABLE IT_MARA . " Here we are getting data from <code>MARA</code> table into internal table <code>IT_MARA </code> which contains only four fields.

Reading data into user defined internal table

Reading data from a database table into a user defined table.

This method is advisable as it gets limited fields from database table






END OF TY_MARA.

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF TY_MARA. " Declare a Internal table of user defined type

SELECT MATNR, MTART, MEINS, MBRSH FROM MARA INTO TABLE IT_MARA. " Get list of fields Data Into internal table

" Now data of four fields is available in IT_MARA

Internal Table OperationsInternal table operations are most important for a ABAP developer, below are some of the most

important internal table operations

APPEND

INSERT

SORT

DESCRIBE TABLE

READ TABLE WITH KEY

READ TABLE WITH INDEX

LOOP....ENDLOOP.

MODIFY

DELETE

DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES

CLEAR, REFRESH, FREE

APPEND LINES OF

INSERT LINES OF

MOVE

COLLECT

Using APPEND in SAP ABAP

APPEND statement is used to append or add a record from work area to internal table, the new

record will be added at the end of the internal table.

Syntax: APPEND TO

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF MARA.

DATA : WA_MARA TYPE MARA.

WA_MARA-MATNR = '00001'.

WA_MARA-MTART = 'FERT'.

WA_MARA-MEINS = 'EA'.

APPEND WA_MARA TO IT_MARA . "APPNED WORK AREA TO INTERNAL TABLE

Using INSERT in SAP ABAP

INSERT statement is used to insert or add a record from work area into internal table at specified

location

Syntax: INSERT INTO INDEX



WA_MARA-MATNR = '00001'.

WA_MARA-MTART = 'FERT'.

WA_MARA-MEINS = 'EA'.

INSERT WA_MARA INTO IT_MARA INDEX 2 . "The record will be inserted into internal

table at 2nd position

Using SORT in SAP ABAP

SORT is used to sort a Internal table data in ascending order or descending order, by default it will sort data in ascending order. In addition to this we can able to sort data based on specified fields.

Syntax1 : SORT . "Default sorts data in ascending order

Syntax2 : SORT DESCENDING . " Sort in descending order

Syntax3 : SORT BY ...ASCENDING/DESCENDING

."It sorts data by specified fields , ..

Using DESCRIBE TABLE in SAP ABAP

DESCRIBE TABLE is used to count the no of records in a internal table

Syntax: DESCRIBE TABLE LINES ." Count the no. of

record of a internal table, here v_lines stores count

DATA : V_LINES TYPE I. "Type integer

DESCRIBE TABLE IT_MARA LINES V_LINES ." Count the no. of record of a internal table

Write : v_lines .

Using READ TABLE WITH KEY in SAP ABAP

READ TABLE WITH KEY .. BINARY SEARCH is used to read a single record from an internal

table into work area specified by field name and field value .

BINARY SEARCH is a search mechanism which is used to read a record from internal table into

work area very fastly, the functionality of binary search it divides the into parts and searches. The

internal table must be sorted in ascending order before using binary search .

Syntax: READ TABLE INTO WITH KEY =

=

BINARY SEARCH .

." Read a record into work area where some field = some value

READ TABLE IT_MARA INTO WA_MARA WITH KEY MATNR = '0001' BINARY SEARCH . "Read a

record into work area where MATNE is '0001'

Using READ TABLE WITH INDEX in SAP ABAP

READ TABLE WITH INDEX is used to read a single record from an internal table into work area

specified by index.

Syntax: READ TABLE INTO INDEX

." Read a record into work area using index ( position )

READ TABLE IT_MARA INTO WA_MARA INDEX '2' . "Read a record into work area where

index is 2.

Using LOOP....ENDLOOP. in SAP ABAP

Loop...Endloop. is also used to read data from a internal table into work area, this is used to

read multiple records serially one after one .

Syntax1: LOOP AT INTO .

ENDLOOP.

Syantax2: LOOP AT INTO WHERE =

.

ENDLOOP.

Syntax3: LOOP AT INTO FROM TO

.

ENDLOOP.

Using MODIFY in SAP ABAP

MODIFY is used to modify single or multiple internal table records based on condition

TRANSPORTING is a keyword which is used to specify list pf fields to be modified insted of all

fields.

Syntax1: MODIFY FROM INDEX TRANSPORTING

Syntax1: MODIFY FROM TRANSPORTING

WHERE

SY-TABIX is a key word which stores the index no of currently processed record. For full details

read using sy-tabix in sap abap programs .



SELECT * FROM MARA INTO TABLE IT_MARA . " GET DATA INTO ITAB IT_MARA

WA_MARA-MTART = 'FERT'; "ASSIGN A VALUE TO WORKAREA TO MODIFY INTERNAL TABLE

MODIFY IT_MARA FROM WA_MARA INDEX SY-TABIX TRANSPORTING MTART. " NOW THE VALUE OF

FIELD MTART WILL BE MODIFIED FOR CURRENT RECORD IN IT_MARA

https://www.sapnuts.com/resourses/sy-tabis.html



SELECT * FROM MARA INTO TABLE IT_MARA . " GET DATA INTO ITAB IT_MARA

WA_MARA-MTART = 'FERT'; "ASSIGN A VALUE TO WORKAREA TO MODIFY INTERNAL TABLE

MODIFY IT_MARA FROM WA_MARA TRANSPORTING MTART WHERE MATNR = '0001'. " NOW THE

VALUE OF FIELD MTART WILL BE MODIFIED WHERE MATNR = '0001' IN ITAB

Using DELETE in SAP ABAP

DELETE is used to delete single or multiple records from an internal table from work area based

on some condition.

Syntax1: DELETE INDEX .

Syntax2: DELETE WHERE =

= .

DELETE IT_MARA INDEX 3. "3rd RECORD WILL BE DELETED IN IT_MARA

DELETE IT_MARA WHERE MTART = 'FERT'. "MATERIALS WITH MTART = 'FERT' WILL BE DELETED

Using DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES in SAP ABAP

DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES is used to delete delete duplicate records which are adjacent to

each-other.Pre-requisite for this is the internal table must be sorted in ascending order

Syntax1: DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATED FROM ."ADJACENT DUPLICATED WILL

BE DELETED IN INTERNAL TABLE COMPARING ALL FIELDS

Syntax2: DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES FROM COMPARING

. "ADJACENT DUPLICATES WILL BE DELETED COMPARING SPECIFIED FIELDS

SORT IT_MARA ASCENDING.

DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES FROM IT_MARA . "3rd RECORD WILL BE DELETED IN IT_MARA

SORT IT_MARA ASCENDING.

DELETE ADJACENT DUPLICATES IT_MARA COMPARING MATR, MTART. "DUPLICATES WILL BE

DELETED BY COMPARING MATNR AND MTART

Using CLEAR, REFRESH, FREE in SAP ABAP

CLEAR is used to clear a value in a work area or in a variable.

REFRESH is used to clear all values in a internal table.

FREE is used to clear (free) memory of a internal table or work area. We all know when ever we

declare a internal table or work area, 8kb memory will be allocated.

Syntax clear : CLEAR "CLEAR WORK AREA OR VARIABLE

Syntax REFRESH : REFRESH "CLEAR ALL RECORDS OF INTERNAL TABLE BUT

MEMORY WILL BE THERE

Syntax FREE : FREE "FREE INTERNAL TABLE MEMORY

CLEAR WA_MARA.

REFRESH IT_MARA.

FREE IT_MARA.

Using APPEND LINES OF in SAP ABAP

APPEND LINES OF is used to append multiple records to an internal table from another internal

table .

Syntax : APPEND LINES OF FROM TO

TO .

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF MARA. "FIRST INTERNAL TABLE

DATA : IT_MARA1 TYPE TABLE OF MARA. "SECOND INTERNAL TABLE

APPEND LINES OF IT_MARA FROM 3 TO 5 TO IT_MARA1 . "DATA IN IT_MARA WILL BE APPENDED

TO IT_MARA1 FROM INDEX 3 TO INDEX 5 .

Using INSERT LINES OF in SAP ABAP

INSERT LINES OF is used to INSERT multiple records to an internal table from another internal

table at specified location .

Syntax : INSERT LINES OF FROM TO

INTO INDEX .

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF MARA. "FIRST INTERNAL TABLE

DATA : IT_MARA1 TYPE TABLE OF MARA. "SECOND INTERNAL TABLE

INSERT LINES OF IT_MARA FROM 3 TO 5 INTO IT_MARA1 INDEX 3 . "DATA IN IT_MARA WILL

BE INSERTED INTO IT_MARA1 FROM INDEX 3 TO INDEX 5 AT INDEX 3 LOCATION .

Using MOVE in SAP ABAP

MOVE keyword is used to move one internal table data to another.

Syantax : = . "Move ITAB1 to ITAB2

Using COLLECT in SAP ABAP

COLLECT is similer to APPEND, the difference is it (COLLECT) will check wether the work area

record already exisits with the same key (only C, D, N, T), if exisits it will add numerical fields

(sum) to the existing record, if work area record dosen`t exists it will append a new record .

Syntax: COLLECT INTO .

Writing first ABAP ProgramWriting Hello World program in SAP ABAP, write first ABAP program in SE38

Creating first ABAP program.

Step1: Go to T-code SE38.

Step2: Enter a program name ex:ZHELLO_WORLD and click on create .

A popup will open, then.

Step3: Select 'Executable Program' from drop down and click on 'Save'.

Step4: Select 'Local Object' (Click on Local Object, marked yellow in above image

Step5: ABAP editor will open, write 'Hello World' , Save and click on activate icon (marked yellow

in below image)

write :/ 'Hello World'..

Step6: Now you can see 'Active' beside the program name, now click

ABAP Report using Internal tables and Work Areas ?SAP ABAP report using internal tables and work areas, write statement in SAP ABAP

Getting data from a data base table and display data in the form of report using SAP ABAP.

In ABAP write statement is used to print output and : is chain statement ( Print multiple

records ).

Display MARA data

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF MARA . "INTERNAL TABLE FOR MARA TABLE

DATA : WA_MARA TYPE MARA. "WORK AREA FOR MARA

SELECT * FROM MARA INTO TABLE IT_MARA. " GET MARA DATA

LOOP AT IT_MARA INTO WA_MARA.

WRITE :/ WA_MARA-MATNR, WA_MARA-MTART, WA_MARA-MEINS, WA_MARA-MBRSH. "Display required fields

ENDLOOP.

Display MARA data using user defined internal table

**TYPES is a statement which is used to declare a user defiend internal table with specific fields






END OF TY_MARA.

DATA : IT_MARA TYPE TABLE OF TY_MARA . "INTERNAL TABLE FOR ABOVE USER DEFINED TYPES TABLE

DATA : WA_MARA TYPE TY_MARA. "WORK AREA FOR ABOVE USER DEFINED TABLE

SELECT MATNR MTART MEINS MBRSH FROM MARA INTO TABLE IT_MARA. " GET MARA DATA

LOOP AT IT_MARA INTO WA_MARA.

WRITE :/ WA_MARA-MATNR, WA_MARA-MTART, WA_MARA-MEINS, WA_MARA-MBRSH. "Display required fields

ENDLOOP.

Using messages in SAP ABAP programingUsing messages in SAP ABAP programming, types of messages in SAP ABAP, display error, success and warning messages in SAP ABAP

Like all programing languages, we need to raise status, error, warning, information, abort etc

messages in ABAP programs, in SAP we can raise the following messages.

I - information message

S - status message

E - error message

W - warning

A - termination message

X - exit message.

The below syntax is used to raise messages in SAP.

MESSAGE '<MESSAGE TEXT>' TYPE '<MESSAGE TYPE>'. "Message text = any string, message type = A, E, I, S, W, X

Types of messages available in SAP

Message Type Effect Description

ATermination Message

The message appears in a dialog box, and the program terminates. When the user has confirmed the message, control returns to the next-highest area menu.

EError Message

Depending on the program context, an error dialog appears or the program terminates.

IInformation The message appears in a dialog box. Once the user has confirmed

the message, the program continues immediately after the MESSAGE statement.

SStatus Message

The program continues normally after the MESSAGE statement, and the message is displayed in the status bar of the next screen.

WWarning Depending on the program context, an error dialog appears or the

program terminates.

Message Type Effect Description

XExit No message is displayed, and the program terminates with a short

dump. Program terminations with a short dump normally only occur when a runtime error occurs. Message type X allows you to force a program termination. The short dump contains the message ID.

Types of internal tables and differencesWhat are the different types of internal tables in SAP ABAP ? Difference between standard, sorted and hashed internal tables in SAP ABAP

There are three types of internal tables in SAP ABAP programming, an ABAP developer must

know and understand before using them in ABAP programs.

Standard Internal Tables

Sorted Internal Tables

Hashed Internal Tables

Difference between Standard internal tables, Sorted internal tables and Hashed internal tables

#Standard Internal tables Sorted Internal Tables

Hashed Internal tables

1 These are default internal tables.

These are special type of internal tables, where data is already(automatically) sorted as you insert the record

These are used with logical databases i:e with all fields and all records.

2 To read a record we use either key or index operation.

To read a record we use either key or index operation.

Here index operation is not allowed, we only use key operation.

3 To search for a record, we can use either linear search or binary search.

To search for a record, we use binary search as data is already sorted.

To search for a record we use hashed algorithm.

4 We can use sort operation.

We don`t use sort as data is already sorted.

-

5 We can use insert and append to add records.

We only use insert, not append. These are mainly used in ABAP with BI projects

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5-Internal Tables and Work Areas