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meth( ... ) - Pass by Parameter

Short Reference

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax


... [EXPORTING  p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...] 
    [IMPORTING  p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...] 

    [CHANGING   p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...] 

   [RECEIVING  r  = a  ] 
    [EXCEPTIONS [exc1 = n1 exc2 = n2 ...] 

                [OTHERS = n_others] ].

Extras

1. ... EXPORTING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

2. ... IMPORTING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

3. ... CHANGING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

4. ... RECEIVING r = a

5. ... EXCEPTIONS exc1 = n1 exc2 = n2 ... [OTHERS = n_others]

Effect

With the exception of addition EXCEPTIONS, these additions assign actual parameters a1 a2... to the formal parameters p1 p2 ... or r of the parameter interface of the called method. Any data objects (and some expressions) with a data type that matches the typing of the corresponding formal parameter according to the rules of the typing check can be specified as actual parameters.

With the exception of the return code r for functional methods and arithmetic expressions for input parameters, every formal parameter assumes all attributes of the assigned actual parameters when called. Non-class-based exceptions can be handled using the addition EXCEPTIONS. The order of the additions is fixed.


Notes

  • The formal parameters and non-class-based exceptions of a method are defined as its parameter interface using the additions of the statements METHODS or CLASS-METHODS of global or local classes.
  • Unlike function module calls, static passes by parameter are checked by the syntax check and not just by the extended program check.

Addition 1

... EXPORTING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

Effect

This addition assigns actual parameters to the input parameters of the called method. EXPORTING can be used to assign actual parameters to the optional input parameters. It must be used to assign actual parameters to the non-optional input parameters. When using pass by reference, a reference to an actual parameter is passed when the call is made; when using pass by value, the content of an actual parameter is assigned to the corresponding formal parameter.

a1, a2, ... are general expression positions. In other words, functions and expressions can be passed as actual parameters, alongside data objects. Special rules apply in this case.


Note

No substring access is possible after an actual parameter of type string or xstring specified after EXPORTING.

Addition 2

... IMPORTING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

Effect

This addition assigns actual parameters to the output parameters of the called method. IMPORTING can be used to assign actual parameters to all output parameters, but this is not mandatory. In pass-by-reference, a reference is passed to an actual parameter when the call is made. In pass-by-value, the content of an output parameter is assigned to the actual parameter in question only if the method is completed without errors.

The actual parameters are result positions, which means that variables and writable expressions can be specified. Special rules apply in this case.

Existing variables or expressions can be specified as actual parameters for functional method calls. Inline declarations DATA(var) can also be specified for standalone method calls. If an inline declaration is specified and a formal parameter is fully typed, this type is used for the declaration. If the formal parameter is typed generically, the following data types are used:

  • string for csequence and clike
  • xstring for xsequence
  • decfloat34 for numeric and decfloat
  • p with the length 8 and no decimal places if p is generic
  • The standard key for a standard table type with generic primary table key

Other generic data types cannot be made concrete for the inline declaration in a useful way and produce a syntax error.


Note

If, for example, a formal parameter is typed with the generic type c or x, string or xstring cannot be used as the type for an inline declaration, since this means the typing cannot be checked.

Addition 3

... CHANGING p1 = a1 p2 = a2 ...

Effect

This addition assigns actual parameters to the input/output parameters of the called method. CHANGING can be used to assign actual parameters to the optional input/output parameters. It must be used to assign actual parameters to the non-optional input/output parameters. When using pass by reference, a reference to an actual parameter is passed when the call is made; when using pass by value, the content of an actual parameter is assigned to the corresponding formal parameter. In pass by value, the modified content of an input/output parameter is assigned to the actual parameter in question only if the method is completed without errors.

The actual parameters are result positions, which means that variables and writable expressions can be specified. Special rules apply in this case.

Addition 4

... RECEIVING r = a

Effect

This addition assigns an actual parameter to the return value of the called method. This addition is only possible for standalone method calls and not for functional method calls. An actual parameter can be assigned to the return value of a functional method using RECEIVING. The data type of the actual parameter does not have to comply with the general rules of the typing check; it is sufficient if the return code can be converted to the actual parameter in accordance with the conversion rules.

If the method ends without errors, the content of the formal parameter is assigned to the actual parameter. The content is converted if necessary.

The actual parameter is a result position, which means that variables and writable expressions can be specified. Special rules apply in this case.

An existing variable or an expression or inline declaration DATA(var) can be specified as an actual parameter. An inline declaration is made with the fully known data type of the return value.


Note

The RECEIVING addition is usually not used for static method calls. A functional method with a return code is usually not called as a standalone method call. Instead it is usually called as a functional method call in operand positions.

Addition 5

... EXCEPTIONS exc1 = n1 exc2 = n2 ... [OTHERS = n_others]

Effect

This addition can only be used in standalone method calls and not in functional method calls.

You can use EXCEPTIONS to assign return values to non-class-based exceptions exc1 exc2 ... declared in the parameter interface. Each exception exc1 exc2 ... that the caller wants to handle must be assigned to a directly specified number n1 n2 .... You can specify all numbers between 0 and 65535. The behavior outside of this range is undefined.

By specifying OTHERS as the last item after EXCEPTIONS, you can assign all exceptions not listed explicitly in exc1 exc2... a common return code, by assigning a number n_others. You can assign the same return code to different exceptions (including OTHERS). The behavior when an exception is raised is as follows:

  • If the statement RAISE or MESSAGE RAISING is used to raise an exception exc1 exc2 ... (to which a return code is assigned) the procedure is ended immediately, any output parameters or return values passed by value are canceled, and the number n1 n2 ... assigned to the exception is available to be evaluated in sy-subrc .
  • If the call of an exception raised by RAISE does not assign a return value, the program terminates with a runtime error.
  • If the call of an exception raised by MESSAGE RAISING does not assign a return value, the message is sent and the system continues in accordance with the message type.

If no exception is raised, a call sets sy-subrc to 0.

If class-based exceptions are declared in the parameter interface, the addition EXCEPTIONS cannot be specified in the call.

The specified exceptions must be present in the parameter interface of the method.


Note

If the value 0 is assigned to an exception, this indicates that the caller wants to ignore this exception. If the exception is raised in the method, no runtime error occurs, but the exception cannot be handled.


Example

The method GET_DOCU of the class CL_ABAP_DOCU_ITF has two input parameters and two output parameters, plus a return value that indicates whether the method was executed successfully. Functionally, the method is called as an operand of a comparison expression in a logical expression. The values in the output are reused in further method calls only if the method completed successfully.

DATA: itf  TYPE tline_tab, 
      head TYPE thead. 

IF cl_abap_docu_itf=>get_docu( 
     EXPORTING langu = sy-langu 
               object = 'ABENABAP' 
     IMPORTING itf  = itf 
               head = head ) = 0. 
  cl_abap_docu_itf=>get_docu_includes( 
     EXPORTING head = head 
     CHANGING  itf  = itf ). 
ENDIF.