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FIELD-SYMBOLS

Short Reference

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax

FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> { typing | obsolete_typing }. 

Addition

... typing

Effect

The FIELD-SYMBOLS statement declares a field symbol <fs>. The naming conventions apply to the name fs. The angle brackets of the field symbols distinguish them from data objects and are obligatory. You can declare field symbols in any procedure and in the global declaration section of an ABAP program, but not in the declaration section of a class or an interface. You can use a field symbol in any operand position in which it is visible and which match the typing defined using typing.

A field symbol is initial directly after its declaration (with the exception of obsolete typings without an explicit type), which means that it does not reference a memory area. You have to assign a memory area to it (normally using the ASSIGN statement) before you can use it as an operand. Otherwise an exception is raised.

Addition

... typing

Effect

You can use the addition typing to type the field symbol. The syntax of typing is described under Typing. The typing specifies which memory areas can be assigned to the field symbol and in which operand positions it can be used.

Note

Alongside the typings that use typing, you can also (outside methods) use an obsolete typing obsolete_typing.

Example

Types a field symbol <itab> as an internal table and a field symbol <wa> with a fully generic type.

FIELD-SYMBOLS: <itab> TYPE ANY TABLE, 
               <wa>   TYPE any. 

... 

READ TABLE <itab> 
           WITH TABLE KEY ('...') = '...' 
           ASSIGNING <wa>.