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ABAP Keyword Documentation →  ABAP − Reference →  Declarations →  Declaration Statements →  Field Symbols 

FIELD-SYMBOLS

Quick Reference

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax


FIELD-SYMBOLS <fs> {
typing | obsolete_typing }. 

Addition

... typing

Effect

The statement FIELD-SYMBOLS declares a field symbol <fs>. The naming conventions apply to the name fs. The angle brackets of the field symbols distinguish them from data objects and are obligatory. Field symbols can be declared in any procedure and in the global declaration part of an ABAP program, but not in the declaration part of a class or an interface. A field symbol can be used in any operand position in which it is visible and which matches the typing defined using typing.

A field symbol is initial directly after its declaration (with the exception of obsolete typings without an explicit type) , which means that it does not reference a memory area. A memory area must be assigned to it (normally using the statement ASSIGN) before it can be used as an operand. Otherwise an exception is raised.


Notes

  • An inline declaration of field symbols can be made using the declaration operator FIELD-SYMBOL.
  • The angle brackets are a part of the name, which means that a field symbol could potentially be called <> (but this is not recommended).

Addition

... typing

Effect

The addition typing is used to type the field symbol. The syntax of typing is described under Typing. The typing specifies which memory areas can be assigned to the field symbol and in which operand positions it can be used.


Note

Alongside the typings that use typing, an obsolete typing obsolete_typing is also possible (outside of methods).


Example

Types a field symbol <itab> as an internal table and a field symbol <wa> with a fully generic type.

FIELD-SYMBOLS: <itab> TYPE ANY TABLE, 
               <wa>   TYPE any. 

... 

ASSIGN <itab>[ KEY primary_key ('...') = '...' ] TO <wa>.