ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP Dictionary →  Predefined Data Types in ABAP Dictionary →  Attributes of the Predefined Dictionary Types →  Special Dictionary Types 

Special Character-Like Types

The following character-like data types in ABAP Dictionary have a special semantic meaning:

• NUMC for numeric texts

From a technical perspective, the predefined data type NUMC describes objects of the type CHAR with a maximum length of 255 characters. It is designed for numeric texts, but this is not checked when performing writes and reads on database fields with this type. Automatic checks are only made for dynpro fields typed with reference to NUMC. In ABAP, NUMC is assigned to the special type n and the associated rules apply.

• CLNT for client columns

From a technical perspective, the data type CLNT describes objects of the type CHAR with length 3. If the data type CLNT is used for the first key field of a database table, this makes the database table client-specific.

• LANG for text language

From a technical perspective, the predefined data type LANG describes objects of the type CHAR with length 1. It is dedicated to language keys. A component of structures or database tables that has the data type LANG, can be identified as text language. Text language is used to convert character-like components of the structure when importing data from data clusters and for binary RFC protocols for passing TABLES parameters between MDMP systems and Unicode systems.

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Note

When the statements WRITE or WRITE TO are used to represent a dynpro field with the type LANG (and when a field that references this type is formatted), this field has an output length of 2 and is converted automatically from the single-character internal language ID to the matching two-character ISO ID using the conversion routine ISOLA (and back).