Skip to content

ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP - Reference →  User Dialogs →  Classic Lists →  Creating Lists →  WRITE 

WRITE - Output Length

When data is written using the statement WRITE, the output is saved to the list buffer and accessed from there for display when the list is called.

Each time a data object is produced by a WRITE, an output length is defined, either implicitly (in accordance with the tables below), or explicitly (if len is specified after the addition AT). The output length defines the following:

  • The number of places (or memory spaces) available for characters in the list buffer,
  • The number of columns (or cells) available in the actual list.

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Predefined Output Lengths

If the output length is not specified explicitly, it is set for predefined ABAP types as shown in the following tables:


Notes

  • With all data objects, except those of type string, and with text field literals, it is possible that fewer characters are displayed in the list than are saved in the list buffer when predefined output lengths are used. With data objects of data type string and text field literals it is assumed that all characters should be displayed. For this reason the implicit output length is calculated using the characters contained in the data object so that it corresponds to the number of columns needed in the list. Any blanks added in the list buffer are removed when the actual list is written.

  • For data objects whose data types are defined in reference to ABAP Dictionary, a different output length can be specified in the corresponding domains or using the predefined type. The output length specified here is used instead of the implicit output length from the table above.

Numeric Data Types

Data Type Output Length
b 3
s 5
i 11
p 2 x length of dobj (+ 1, if there is a decimal separator)
decfloat16 24
decfloat34 46
f 24


Notes

  • The predefined output length specified in the table above for the type s is not sufficient to display the sign for a 5-digit number. With type i the length is sufficient for numbers without decimal separators.

  • If, in the case of type p, the number of decimal places is greater than the number of digits calculated from 2 x the length of dobj - 1, the predefined length is not enough. This is because the decimal separator is outside the sequence of digits and needs to be padded with zeroes.

Character-Like Data Types

Data Type Output Length
c Length of dobj, maximum 255
string Number of columns required in the list. If this is greater than the number of characters in dobj, the surplus places are padded with blanks when written to the list buffer. The paddingtakes place to the right of left-aligned output, to the left of right-aligned output and by turns to the right and to the left of centered output.
n Length of dobj, maximum 255
d 8
t 6

The output lengths of text field literals is set in the same way as those of data objects of the data type string.


Notes

  • The predefined output lengths given in the table above for the types d and t are not sufficient to display the correct separator.

  • For the data types SSTRING and STRING, it is not possible specify an output length in ABAP Dictionary and the lengths given in the table above always apply.

  • In obsolete non-Unicode programs, the predefined output length for the data type string is the number of characters in dobj. Text field literals are handled here in accordance with their data type c.

Byte-Like Data Types

Data Type Output Length
x 2 x length of dobj, maximum 255
xstring 2 x number of bytes contained


Note

For the data type RAWSTRING, it is not possible specify an output length in ABAP Dictionary and the lengths given in the table above always apply.

Output Length in List Buffer

If the output length is shorter than the length of the data format specified for the data object or defined using int_format_options, the output is shortened in accordance with the cutoff behavior described in WRITE ... TO.

If the output length is greater than the length of a predefined or user-defined format, this output length is filled in the list buffer and output is arranged there according to the predefined or user-defined alignment. Space that is not required is padded with blanks.

Output Length in the List

When displaying or printing a list, the content stored in the list buffer is passed to the list as follows:

  • In non-Unicode systems, each character requires the same amount of space in the list buffer as columns in the list. In single-byte systems, a character occupies one byte in the list buffer and one column in the list, while a character that occupies several bytes in the list buffer in multi-byte systems also occupies the same number of columns in the list. For this reason, all the characters saved in the list buffer are displayed in the list in non-Unicode systems.
  • In Unicode systems, each character usually occupies one place in the list buffer. However, a character can occupy more than one column in the list (this is particularly the case with East Asian characters). However, since the list only contains the same number of columns as there are places in the list buffer, this means the list can only display fewer characters than are saved in the list buffer. The list output is then shortened when passed from the list buffer to the list, left-aligned output is shortened from the right, right-aligned output is shortened from the left. Centered output is shortened by the alternate removal of the first blank from both sides, starting with the side with the most blanks, then other characters are removed from the right hand side. If characters are removed when passed from the list buffer to the list, this is indicated on the left hand side with the character < and on the right hand side by the character >. On a displayed list, the entire list content can be displayed by choosing System → List → Unicode Display.

Class for Calculating Output Lengths

The methods of the system class CL_ABAP_LIST_UTILITIES can be used to calculate output lengths in the list buffer and in list display. The return values of these methods can be used to program a correct column alignment for ABAP lists, even if they contain characters that require more than one column.