ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP Programming Guidelines → Structure and Style → Alternative Spellings
Method Calls
Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54
Background
Static calls of methods can be formulated in two different ways. The obsolete long form
CALL METHOD meth EXPORTING ...
is based on the notation of the function module call. Alternatively, a short form can be used:
meth( ... ).
CALL METHOD. A combination of CALL METHOD and parentheses is also possible.
Rule
Formulatestatic method calls without
Use the long form of the method call using CALL METHOD only for dynamic method calls.
Details
The short form of the static method call is clearer. The redundant ABAP words CALL
METHOD provide no additional information to the reader. Using the short form, self-contained
method calls have the same appearance as functional method calls on operand positions. For dynamic method
calls, the long form with CALL METHOD is syntactically necessary. If it is
only used there, the different notations provide the reader with another distinguishing feature between the static and dynamic method call.
Bad example
The following source code shows the long form of a static method call using CALL METHOD, which is no longer recommended.
CALL METHOD cl_class=>do_something
EXPORTING
some_input = value1
IMPORTING
some_output = value2
CHANGING
some_change = value3.
...
The following source code shows the same static method call as above, but with parentheses inserted.
In this form, which is also syntactically correct, either CALL METHOD or the parentheses are superfluous.
CALL METHOD cl_class=>do_something(
EXPORTING
some_input = value1
IMPORTING
some_output = value2
CHANGING
some_change = value3 ).
...
Good example
The following source code shows the same method call as above, but as recommended, without CALL
METHOD. If a method has only importing parameters, IMPORTING and
CHANGING can be omitted, and also the EXPORTING addition. If it is a single importing parameter, its name can also be omitted.
cl_class=>do_something(
EXPORTING
some_input = value1
IMPORTING
some_output = value2
CHANGING
some_change = value3 ).
...