ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP - Reference → Assignments
Value Assignments
You use value assignments to change the content of a variable by assigning the content of another data object to it. This section deals with the statements designed exclusively for value assignments to variables. However, value assignments also appear in other statements, in which the content of a variable is changed.
When assigning the value of a source object (source) to a destination object (destination), three cases can be distinguished with respect to the data type:
source and destination are
compatible, which means that all
technical type attributes
match. The content is copied from source to destination
without being converted. For flat data objects and related character-like or byte-like structural areas, a copy of the source object is created to the exact byte. For
deep data objects, a reference
is created in the destination object, the actual byte-like content of which cannot be seen externally. When entire structures are assigned, the response in terms of
alignment gaps is undefined:
The binary content of an alignment gap in the destination structure can either be copied from the source structure or retain the original value.
source and destination are not compatible, but can be
converted. The content of source is converted in accordance with the
conversion rules and then copied to destination.
Two data types are convertible if a conversion rule exists for them. An exception is raised if the content
of source cannot be handled in accordance with the conversion rules. After
an exception, the content of destination is determined by the category of
the data type. An assignment that requires a conversion is always slower than an assignment without conversion.
The following statements are designed for value assignments:
=for multiple assignments
Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54