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ABAP Keyword Documentation 

ABAP - Dictionary

ABAP Dictionary is a persistent repository of type definitions (meta data) of an ABAP system visible in all repository objects, particularly in ABAP programs, and usable as part of the package concept. As in the ABAP language, the definable data types in ABAP Dictionary can be elementary, structured, or tabular. Reference types are also possible. The structures in ABAP Dictionary have the important task of describing database tables and views in the database, while also being visible in all other repository objects. This makes it possible to define type-friendly interface parameters and data objects for handling database tables and views. Alongside the data types, lock objects and search helps (among other things) are also managed in ABAP Dictionary. All objects (definitions) in ABAP Dictionary are themselves transportable repository objects.

As a rule, the objects managed by ABAP Dictionary are divided into two classes:

The basic objects in classic ABAP Dictionary are data types and database tables , as well as classic views . They are defined in the form-based ABAP Dictionary tool in ABAP Workbench and sometimes in the ABAP Development Tools (ADT).
The objects in ABAP CDS cover CDS entities (such as CDS views, CDS table functions, CDS hierarchies, and abstract CDS entities) and CDS roles plus CDS annotations, and are defined in CDS source code in the ABAP Development Tools (ADT).

The following objects can also be defined in ABAP Dictionary:

Dependency rules can be created for database tables on the SAP HANA database. They define additional conditions for these database tables, which are then applied implicitly when the tables are read.

The following built-in data types and functions can be used in ABAP Dictionary:

The classic data types, database tables, and views plus the CDS entities can be used as global data types in ABAP programs. Like ABAP programs, dictionary objects have to be activated before they can be used. Once activated, new or modified definitions are available directly for all other repository objects. If an existing dictionary object is changed, the repository objects that use it work with the previous active version until the modified dictionary object is activated. A dictionary object can only be deleted once all objects that use it have been removed.

Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54

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Classic Objects in ABAP Dictionary

ABAP CDS in ABAP Dictionary

Dependency Rules in ABAP Dictionary

Built-In Data Types in ABAP Dictionary

Built-In Functions in ABAP Dictionary

Activating ABAP Dictionary Types