ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP - Reference → User Dialogs → Dynpros
Dynpro Fields
The dynpro flow logic does not contain any data declarations. With the exception of the OK field that is generated when the dynpro itself is created, all other data objects of a dynpro (dynpro fields) created when the screen elements are defined in Layout Editor are assigned to the latter. The technical attributes length and data type of a dynpro field are determined by the element attributes defLg and Format. The data types of dynpro fields are determined either by reference to predefined data types from ABAP Dictionary (except CLNT and FLTP) or by reference to global fields of the ABAP program. In Layout Editor, fields can be taken from ABAP Dictionary or the ABAP program, in which case name, length and data type of the dynpro fields are automatically defined in a matching way.
After PBO and before the screen is sent, there is a data transport of global data objects for the respective ABAP program to dynpro fields of the same name. After a user action on the screen, and before or during PAI editing, the data transport takes place in the reverse order.
At PBO time, all dynpro fields are transported at the end of PBO processing, with the exception of fields that are defined in table controls or in
step loops. The latter are
processed in loops in the flow logic and transported from the ABAP program to the dynpro after each loop execution. At the time of PAI, first the content of all dynpro fields that do not belong to any
table control or step
loop and are not listed in any FIELD
statement are transported into the fields with the same name in the ABAP program. The contents of the
fields of a table control or step loop are transported to the ABAP program row by row or group by group
at the beginning of the respective loop run. The fields that are listed in the FIELD
statements of the dynpro flow logic are transported upon execution of the corresponding FIELD statement.
Input and output fields must have a unique name (element attribute Name). Pure display elements such as text fields or frames are not associated with dynpro fields and do not necessarily need a unique name. When input and output fields are created using fields from ABAP Dictionary, field labels are usually also created using texts from the dictionary. The default name for these text fields is the same name as the dynpro fields of the input and output fields.
Apart from the dynpro fields defined in Screen Painter, a dynpro also knows the
system fields of the ABAP
program. In contrast to the program, these system fields are exclusively addressed as syst-name.
Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54
Notes
- When dynpro fields are defined with reference to
flat structures in ABAP
Dictionary, the global data objects with the same name of the ABAP program must be declared with the statement
TABLESas interface work area. Otherwise, there will be no data transport.
- The attributes of dynpro fields that have not been created by copying from the program or ABAP Dictionary must be set in Screen Painter. In particular, the name of the OK field must be determined for every dynpro, so that the dynpro field will actually be analyzed by the runtime environment.
- When dynpro fields are received from input fields on the screen, input fields are templates that expect a certain format depending on the data type of the underlying dynpro field. When passed to the dynpro field, the input is converted to a value of the appropriate type. This also means that some characters function as special characters by default.
- The "!" character in the initial position of an input field on the screen deletes all characters in the field before the data transport.
- The "=" character in the initial position of an input field on the screen initiates a search using search helps.
- If an input field contains only blanks and "_" characters, the latter are transported as blanks.
- If the type of the dynpro field is a numeric type defined in ABAP Dictionary, the property sign must be set for the type property, so that negative numbers can be displayed on the screen. This setting is only possible for domains and not for the direct specification of a predefined type for data elements or structure components. If a negative number is enters in an input field, although the property is not set, the number is returned with an error message. If the associated ABAP data object when the dynpro is called contains a negative number, a non-handleable exception is raised.
- On the screen, the content of dynpro fields is displayed as character-like. This means that the displayed value may differ from the internal representation. This applies in particular for the display of initial values. On the screen, all initial fields apart from those of type STRING or SSTRING are filled with blank characters, while internally they contain a type-specific initial value. Initial fields of type STRING and SSTRING are empty on the screen, which means that the cursor cannot be moved within the output length.
- To enable explicit data transports between an ABAP program and dynpro fields, function modules such as DYNP_UPDATE_FIELDS are used.
- ABAP fields of types
stringorxstringcan be bound to dynpro fields of the same name, just like fields of fixed length. However, note that there are no dynpro fields of variable length. The length of a dynpro field is always defined in Screen Painter by the element attribute defLg. In data transports between strings in the ABAP program and dynpro fields of the same names, dynpro fields behave like target or source fields of fixed length, independent of their data type, and the respective conversion rules apply, especially the following:
- If, during the transport of a character string or byte string to a dynpro field, the string contains more characters than the length of the dynpro field, any surplus characters or bytes are cut off. Since a dynpro field may not exceed 132 characters of length, only up to 132 characters or bytes of a character string or byte string may be transported to the dynpro.
- When transporting a character-like dynpro field to the ABAP program, trailing blanks are ignored.
- For special handling of decimal floating point numbers, refer to Decimal Floating Point Numbers.
- For special handling of fields of the type CURR, refer to Currency Fields.
- For special handling of fields of the type QUAN, refer to Quantity Fields.