ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP − Reference → Obsolete Language Elements → Obsolete Processing of Internal Data → Obsolete Assignments
MOVE
Other versions:
7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54
Obsolete Syntax
MOVE {[EXACT] source TO destination}
| { source ?TO destination}.
Variants
1. MOVE [EXACT] source TO destination.
2. MOVE source ?TO destination.
Effect
Obsolete form of the assignment of data objects and
reference variables source to target variables destination.
If EXACT is specified, only data objects can be specified for source.
If EXACT is not specified, the following can be specified for source alongside data objects:
The following cannot be specified with MOVE:
-
Constructor expressions,
table expressions, and
calculation expressions for
source -
An inline declaration
DATA(var)or a writable expression fordestination.
Notes
-
Instead of
MOVE, only the more general assignment operators=and?=should be used. -
The option to specify function methods and some built-in functions as assignment sources was added to
the source position of the statement
MOVE(originally designed only for assigning data objects), which made this source position an extended functional operand position. This does not, however, cover all the possible functions of assignment operators. New developments, such as specifying constructor expressions, table expressions, or inline declarations are now only made possible for assignment operators.
Variant 1
MOVE [EXACT] source TO destination.
Effect
Without the addition EXACT, this statement works in the same way as
destination = source.
If the addition EXACT is specified, the statement works like
destination = EXACT #( source ).
In this way, the addition EXACT produces a
lossless assignment in accordance with the rules that apply when using the
lossless operator
EXACT. This
can raise exceptions if values are lost or if they are invalid. If an exception is raised when the operator
EXACT is used, the statement is not executed and the value of the target
field remains unchanged. In assignments made without the operator EXACT, the target field contains an undefined value when an exception raised by the conversion is handled.
Note
When MOVE is used for
enumerated objects, addition EXACT and the lossless operator
EXACT have the special effect that they can enable assignments, which would otherwise have not been possible.
Example
It is not possible to have the two commented out assignments of a number to the
enumerated variable
num. The assignment is possible using EXACT, because in this case the assignment follows the same
rules as the lossless operator displayed underneath.
TYPES:
BEGIN OF ENUM number,
n0, n1, n2,
END OF ENUM number.
DATA num TYPE number.
"num = 1.
"MOVE 1 TO num.
MOVE EXACT 1 TO num.
num = EXACT number( 1 ).
Variant 2
MOVE source ?TO destination.
Effect
This statement works in the same way as
destination ?= source.
source and destination must have reference types. The addition ?TO makes
down casts possible, whereas in TO only
up casts can be used.