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ABAP SQL - SQL Expressions sql_exp

Other versions: ~~7.31~~ | 7.40 | 7.54

Syntax


... sql_elem 
  | sql_func 

  | sql_arith 
  | sql_cast 

  | sql_string 
  | sql_case 

  | sql_agg 
  | sql_win...

Effect

SQL expressions are expressions that can be specified in the following positions of ABAP SQL statements:

As columns specified in the SELECT list
As arguments of certain aggregate expressions in the SELECT list and in the HAVING clause
As operands of SQL conditions:

On the left side of an SQL condition for statements

On the left and right side of an SQL condition for expressions

As a grouping criterion after GROUP BY
As a window criterion after PARTITION

SQL expressions are passed to the database system, executed there, and the result is passed to the AS ABAP if requested.

In general, the operands of SQL expressions can also be SQL expressions, the result of which must have a suitable data type. There are restrictions to individual operand positions, which are described for these.

The following SQL expressions exist:

Every expression can be enclosed in parentheses. The result of an expression is used in the ABAP SQL statement in accordance with the operand position, with the data type in nested expressions being specified by the outermost expression.

Notes

No alias names defined using AS can be used as operands of SQL expressions. This also means that none of the expressions used in a SELECT list can be specified as operands using their alias names.
SQL expressions cannot currently be used together with the addition FOR ALL ENTRIES. An exception to this rule are individual columns and an individually specified aggregate expression COUNT( * ).
Certain SQL expressions can be calculated in the table buffer. If any other SQL expressions are used, table buffering is bypassed.
When SQL expressions are used except for individually specified columns or individually specified aggregate expressions, the syntax check is performed in a strict mode as of Release 7.40, SP05, which handles the statement more strictly than the regular syntax check. If other SQL expressions are specified along with aggregate expressions or the addition GROUP BY, the syntax check is performed in strict mode as of Release 7.40, SP08. Using aggregate expressions as operands of SQL expressions results in the strict mode as of Release 7.54.

Example

Syntax example for specifying SQL expressions in different operand positions in a SELECT statement

SELECT FROM sflight 
       FIELDS CONCAT( carrid, connid ) AS key, 
              MAX( seatsmax - seatsocc ) AS max_free, 
              MIN( seatsmax - seatsocc ) AS min_free 
        GROUP BY carrid, connid 
        HAVING SUM( seatsmax - seatsocc ) > 100 
        ORDER BY key 
        INTO TABLE @DATA(itab).

This translation does not reflect the current version of the documentation.

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