ABAP Keyword Documentation → ABAP - Release-Specific Changes → Changes in Releases 4.xx → Changes in Release 4.6A
Casts to Any Data Type in Release 4.6A
The addition CASTING in Release 4.6A allows any memory area to be considered
under the aspect of a particular type. This method of typing allows fields to be accessed symbolically
instead of specifying offset and length, especially when implementing unions and containers. The following variants are possible:
- Static cast with implicit type specification
-
Dynamic cast with explicit type specification
Other versions: 7.31 | 7.40 | 7.54
Modification 1
ASSIGN f TO <fs> CASTING. In
this static variant, the field symbol must be fully typed. The content of field f is interpreted in accordance with the type of the field symbol.
Modification 2
ASSIGN f TO <fs> CASTING TYPE type.
Here, the field f is not handled in accordance with the type of the field symbol, but in accordance
with the specified type (static variant). If the specified type CASTING
TYPE (typename) is placed in parentheses, the content of the data object in the parentheses determines the data type at runtime (dynamic variant).
Modification 3
ASSIGN f TO <fs> CASTING LIKE feld.
In this case, field f is handled in accordance with the type of the field feld (static variant). This
variant is used dynamically by specifying a typed field symbol instead of the field feld. Another option
is, for example, to pass an untyped parameter in a FORM call. Here, the type of the passed actual parameter would be used at runtime.
Note