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ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP − Release-Specific Changes →  Changes in Release 6.40 

Run Time Type Services in Release 6.40

The Run Time Type Services (RTTS) are a further development of the previously-named Run Time Type Identification (RTTI). With the enhancement of the type classes to methods for dynamic type creation (see modification 1), the RTTS include as of Release 6.40 both the RTTI and also a Run Time Type Creation (RTTC).


1. Methods for creating data types

2. New methods for types from the ABAP Dictionary

3. Enhancement to method GET_COMPONENT_TYPE

4. Enhancement to method GET_PROPERTY

5. New method HAS_PROPERTY

6. New method GET_CLASS_NAME


7. New method GET_DATA_TYPE_KIND

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Modification 1

Methods for creating data types

The type classes of RTTI were enhanced with RTTC methods that create type objects independently of existing types. The previous RTTI becomes the RTTS.

Together with the HANDLE addition to statements CREATE DATA ad ASSIGN, the RTTC-specific methods of the RTTS allow the construction of data objects of any types for the program runtime and the casting of dynamic types.

The most important new methods for the dynamic definition of data types are:

  • GET_C, GET_D, GET_F etc. of class CL_ABAP_ELEMDESCR for the creation of type objects for elementary data types.
  • CREATE of class CL_ABAP_STRUCTDESCR for the creation of type objects for structured data types based on a component table.
  • CREATE of class CL_ABAP_TABLEDESCR for the creation of type objects for table types, whereas the attributes of the table are transferred to the input parameter.
  • CREATE of classCL_ABAP_REFDESCR for the creation of type objects for reference types, whereas the static type is transferred to an input parameter.

Modification 2

New methods for types from the ABAP Dictionary

If the type from the type object comes from the ABAP Dictionary, you can determine the dictionary attributes of the type using the following methods:

for any data types

  • CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR=>IS_DDIC_TYPE
    delivers ABAP_TRUE when the object describes a type from the ABAP Dictionary
  • CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR=>ABSOLUTE_NAME
    delivers the absolute name of a type (also for program-defined types)
  • CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR=>GET_DDIC_HEADER
    delivers the NameTab header of a type from the ABAP Dictionary
  • CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR=>GET_DDIC_OBJECT
    delivers the runtime object of a type from the ABAP Dictionary

for elementary data types

  • CL_ABAP_ELEMDESCR=>GET_DDIC_FIELD
    delivers the attributes of the data element and its texts (replaces function module DDIF_FIELDINFO_GET)
  • CL_ABAP_ELEMDESCR=>GET_DDIC_FIXED_VALUES
    delivers the fixed values of the data element

for structures and database tables

  • CL_ABAP_STRUCTDESCR=>GET_DDIC_FIELD_LIST
    delivers the features of the structure and its texts (replaces function module DDIF_FIELDINFO_GET)

Modification 3

Enhancement to method GET_COMPONENT_TYPE

Previously, the method GET_COMPONENT_TYPE of class CL_ABAP_STRUCTDESCR for parameter P_NAME only accepted actual parameters of types string and c. Although the formal parameter is type any, during the call, a type check was executed that caused a serious error for non-text-like actual parameters. Actual parameters of type csequence and numeric are now accepted. A text-like parameter is interpreted as a component name, a numeric parameter as the position of the component in the structure. An actual parameter that does not apply to csequence or numeric triggers the non-class-based exception UNSUPPORTED_INPUT_TYPE.

Modification 4

Enhancement to method GET_PROPERTY

A new public constant CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR=>TYPEPROPKIND_HASCLIENT has been introduced. If this constant of method GET_PROPERTY is transferred to class CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR, the system checks whether the type of type object has a client field. A reference to a data object of type ABAP_BOOL is always returned. If the type has a client field, the referenced data object has the value of the constant ABAP_TRUE. If the type does not have a client field or if it does not affect a structure, the referenced data object has the value of the constant ABAP_FALSE .

Modification 5

New method HAS_PROPERTY

A new public method HAS_PROPERTY has been introduced in class CL_ABAP_TYPEDESCR. Unlike GET_PROPERTY, this method only determines whether a type has a property and only returns the values from ABAP_TRUE or ABAP_FALSE.

Modification 6

New method GET_CLASS_NAME

A new public method GET_CLASS_NAME has been introduced in class CL_ABAP_CLASSDESCR. This method returns the name of the class of an object.

Modification 7

New method GET_DATA_TYPE_KIND

A new public method GET_DATA_TYPE_KIND has been introduced in class CL_ABAP_DATADESCR. This method returns the same values as statement DESCRIBE FIELD with addition TYPE. These values are also defined as constants with the prefixe TYPE_KIND_ of class CL_ABAP_DATADESCR.