ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP - Reference → ABAP Syntax
Syntax Conventions in the ABAP Keyword Documentation
The ABAP keyword documentation uses the following syntax conventions:
- ABAP words are displayed in upper case.
Example:
APPEND, NON-UNIQUE, INTO
- Operands are displayed in lower case.
Example:
dobj, dbtab
- Parts of statements whose syntax diagrams are shown in another position are displayed as pseudo syntax.
Example:
selscreen_options, list_options
- Periods, commas, colons, and parentheses are displayed as normal. They are part of ABAP syntax.
Example:
. : , ()
- Operators are displayed normally. They are a part of ABAP syntax.
Example:
+, -, *, /
- Parts of statements that can be used but do not have to be, are displayed in square brackets [
]. A list of statement parts in square brackets means that all or some parts can be used. If
at least one part must be used, this is noted in the text. Square brackets are not part of ABAP syntax.
Example::
[NO-GROUPING] [NO-SIGN] [NO-ZERO]
- Vertical lines
|between parts of statements mean that only one of the parts listed within a statement can be used. A vertical line always binds immediate neighbors. Lines are not a part of ABAP syntax (exception: Delimiters of string templates).
Example:
DDMMYY | MMDDYY | YYMMDD
- Curly brackets
{ }group together related parts of statements, for example, on the right or left of vertical lines. Curly brackets are not part of ABAP syntax (exception: embedded expressions in string templates).
Example:
{NO EDIT MASK}|{EDIT MASK mask}
- A string of dots means that other parts of the statement can be included at this point.
Example:
... AS CHECKBOX