Skip to content

ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP - Reference →  Processing Internal Data →  Internal Tables →  Processing Statements for Internal Tables 

MODIFY itab

Short Reference

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax


MODIFY { itab_line | itab_lines }. 

Effect

This statement changes the content of one or more rows itab_line or itab_lines, specified using a table key or a table index.

The following limitations apply when modifying key fields of the primary and secondary table keys:

  • The key fields of the primary table key of sorted tables and hashed tables are read-only and must not be modified. This would invalidate internal table administration. Attempts to do this generally raise an unhandleable exception.
  • The key fields of a secondary table key, however, are only read-only while the secondary table is being used. This is the case in LOOP loops and during the use of the MODIFY statement, in which the secondary key is specified after USING KEY. Otherwise the key fields are not read-only.

The administration of unique secondary keys is updated directly after a modification using MODIFY, and produces an unhandleable exception if duplicate entries were to result. The non-unique secondary keys are updated when the secondary table key is next used explicitly (lazy update).

System Fields

sy-subrc Meaning
0 At least one row was changed.
4 No rows were changed, since no suitable row was found during the search using a table key or inthe logical condition, or the specified index was greater than the current number of rows for the search using a table index.

The system field sy-tabix is not set.


Notes

  • Apart from using the MODIFY statement, the content of an individual table row can be changed using assignments to field symbols and dereferenced data references that point to the table row.
  • There is no implicit selection of a suitable key or index. The used table key or table index is always specified uniquely. The syntax check issues a warning if there is a suitable secondary table key but this table key is not used. This warning should be removed through using the key. However, in exceptional cases, it can be bypassed using a pragma.

Exceptions


Catchable Exceptions

CX_SY_ITAB_DYN_LOOP

  • Cause: Error in a dynamic WHERE condition
    Runtime Error: DYN_WHERE_PARSE_ERROR


Non-Catchable Exceptions

  • Cause: Invalid dynamic specification of a row component
    Runtime Error: ITAB_ILLEGAL_COMPONENT
  • A read-only secondary table key would be overwritten
    Runtime Error: ITAB_ACTIVE_KEY_VIOLATION
  • Cause: Memory area violated when TABLES parameter accessed
    Runtime Error: ITAB_STRUC_ACCESS_VIOLATION

Continue

MODIFY itab - itab_line

MODIFY itab - itab_lines

MODIFY itab - result