ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP - Reference → Obsolete Language Elements → Obsolete Processing of External Data → Obsolete Database Access → Obsolete Short Forms in Open SQL
SELECT - Short Form
Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54
Obsolete Syntax
SELECT * FROM { dbtab | *dbtab } ...
Effect
This statement is a short form of the following Open SQL statement for accessing an individual database table dbtab:
SELECT *
FROM dbtab INTO { dbtab | *dbtab } ...
The explicit specification of a work area is missing in the short form. A
table work area
dbtab or dbtab is used implicitly as the work area. The table work
area must be declared using TABLES.
If the name dbtab is used instead of the name of the database table dbtab, dbtab is accessed, but the
additional table work area is used.
The short form can only be used to read all columns of a database table if *
is specified in the SELECT
list. When individual columns or aggregate functions are read, the work area must always be specified explicitly. The only exception here is when count( *
) is used to specify "nothing", if no alternative column name and no GROUP BY have been specified.
Note
The short form is not allowed in classes. An explicit work area must be used instead.